Victrix Pro BFG controller review: Adaptability comes at a cost

While there are a number of different 'pro' type controllers out there right now for both PS5 and PC, the Victrix Pro BFG aims to be your peripheral of choice with some rather standout features.

Back buttons and enhanced grips are fairly ubiquitous when it comes to enhanced controller hardware like the DualSense Edge, but the Pro BFG boasts native compatibility across both PS5, PS4, and PC, with the ability to completely change the orientation of the controller too.

We had the chance to put the controller through its paces across a number of different devices, so make sure to continue reading to see our full thoughts in our Victrix Pro BFG controller review below.

All about adaptability

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Perhaps the defining feature of the Victrix Pro BFG controller is the ability to switch its components around, whether it be their placement on the pad, or the components themselves.

While it arrives in a default Xbox configuration with the analog sticks placed asymmetrically, you can completely change the direction - and even switch out the block entirely for another if you so wish.

This lets you adapt the controller to whatever feels most comfortable to you, with additional components like different d-pad shapes, higher and lower analog stick heights, and even a dedicated fight pad for everyone out in the FGC.

While in theory, this is a fantastic feature that does largely work well, there are a few caveats that cropped up when using the component swap feature.

To begin with, the controller itself is completely bereft of any instructions, leaving me quite confused as to exactly how I was supposed to switch the parts around. While all you need to do to flip the blocks is unscrew them and simply move them to your desired orientation, it would have been very much appreciated to have some form of direction directly tied to the overall package.

Furthermore, I also encountered an issue with the left analog stick after switching it to the classic PlayStation orientation, where the bottom left quarter would no longer register it properly and thus in certain games my character would only walk instead of run, for example.

Unrestricted remapping

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If you've ever wanted to have complete freedom over your controller's buttons then the Pro BFG might be the controller for you. Not only do the four back buttons offer duplication of any button without additional software, but you can also download the Victrix Control Hub app on your PC and change the input of every single button that is available.

This is perfect for certain games where some inputs simply go unused, or a critical button is in a bit of an awkward place. Esports titles and FPS games in particular will strongly benefit from this, as keeping your thumbs on the analog sticks at all times is imperative to ensure that you stay alert.

It can even be pertinent when playing games like Dark Souls and Elden Ring, as it allows you to unlock the camera and roll without having to relinquish control of the right analog stick.

Once again though, the lack of instructions meant that I had to go to a third-party source in order to find out how to remap the back buttons, which only added an extra layer of confusion to the process and might dissuade some users from taking advantage of the feature in the first place.

Multi-connections

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Another key selling point of the Victrix Pro BFG controller is its availability for use across PC, PS5, and PS4. While we did not have a PS4 present to test the controller on, it worked perfectly both wirelessly via a 2.4GHz dongle and wired via USB-C.

There were absolutely no latency issues whatsoever, and while perhaps a little confusing to set up to begin with, the wireless functionality is easy to use and take advantage of. Furthermore, the battery life is very impressive, especially compared to the official PlayStation options.

Where the DualShock and DualSense last between 5 and 12 hours, with 1,050mAh and 1,560mAh batteries respectively, the Pro BFG can last for up to 20 hours with a sizable 2,000mAh battery, making it much better than the other two options, and very much appreciated.

One area of connectivity that did disappoint me, however, was the Pro BFG's apparent incompatibility with the Steam Deck. While Victrix does state that the controller is only compatible with Windows - which the Deck's native Linux-based SteamOS does not comply with, the controller does indeed work both wired and wirelessly when paired with a dock - to a certain extent.

I didn't encounter any issues when using it wired (outside of it being a suboptimal set-up), but it was with the wireless dongle that it really seemed to struggle. Any line-of-sight break seemed to disconnect the controller, whether it be a chair, unit, or even my own knee, which as you can imagine is rather frustrating.

While it could be that the dongle itself needs an update, I was repeatedly unable to use the desktop Control Hub to install the latest firmware, with the program seemingly in a state of limbo whenever I tried it.

The official recommendation from Victrix themselves is to download Windows onto your Steam Deck and run it from that, but as you might be aware this is less than optimal and comes with a number of other issues.

The Verdict

Overall, the Victrix Pro BFG controller is a solid option with a lot of upsides. It is inarguably one of the most flexible and adaptable peripherals out there that gives you near-full control over what you want your controller to be, which is ideal and can be a game-changer for certain titles.

However, there are a number of issues persistent across almost every facet of the process that prevent it from being a great controller instead of just a good one. Including instructions could have alleviated a lot of initial frustrations, but there are still a few issues that persist beyond the functionality too.

3.5/5

Review unit provided by the manufacturer. GGRecon uses affiliate links, if you purchase any products from our links we may earn a commission.