Definitely depends on the game.
A controller with two analog sticks and two analog triggers has six analog axes of input. A keyboard and mouse has two. There are definitely games that can benefit from more analog axes – think twin-stick shooters. You can use digital inputs for movement, but it’s also less-precise.
On the other hand, a mouse can provide both rapid and precise movement, more-so than an analog stick. And a keyboard has a lot more keys, which is important for some games. And a keyboard is going to be a lot better for text input.
Controllers have output to players, in the form of rumble motors (and with some controllers on some platforms, more-exotic options). There’s no widespread support for any kind of output from the mouse or keyboard. Use of rumble motors can add immersion.
While I’ve used a mouse as a flight input in Freespace 2, generally-speaking, I think that a controller’s analog sticks are better for flight sims (though if you’re playing an old-timey WW2 flight sim, probably getting a full-size stick with all the extra controls is worthwhile).
On the other hand, it’s very hard for a controller to compete with the keyboard and mouse for first-person shooters. I’ve used one for some games that were designed for consoles and aren’t very demanding in response and often have vehicles that are better-controlled with a controller – I’m playing Starfield with a controller. But one is simply going to do much better with a keyboard and a mouse, if one practices with both. Playing an FPS with a controller feels like driving a truck.
Some games, like a number of strategy games, are going to be much-better played with a mouse. I have a hard time seeing Paradox’s grand strategy games being played with a controller, even with a lot of work on the control scheme.
Ditto for RTSes. I’ve tried a few with controllers, like Supreme Commander, and it definitely benefits from a mouse.
Playing interactive fiction of the classic sort, where one types in commands, really, really needs a keyboard. There are ways you can mitigate a bit of the pain, and some point-and-click adventure games have tried to do this, provide a limited set of preset commands, but it’s just not great.
Playing pretty much any game designed for a D-pad, I’d rather play on a controller. Yeah, you can get okay with a keyboard, but it just doesn’t feel the same, not nearly as fluid.
And there are a few other input options that aren’t seen much any more:
-
Full-size flightstick, maybe with throttle and pedals. Some had force feedback. I haven’t seen many new releases; in the 1980s and 1990s, though, these were common for PCs.
-
Steering wheel
And there are a few other input options that aren’t seen much any more:
I raise the bar. Using a DIY 5.- EUR head tracker in NMS mapped to a virtual gamepad and my X52 Pro joystick mapped to another virtual gamepad and some keyboard keys just because (Why waste a perfectly fine HOTAS system just because the game is too stupid to support this?) :D
…and also KBM because this is simply more comfortable on foot.
Yes, it’s complicated and it absolutely depends on the game and even… location? Like, on the couch I prefer some sort of gamepad controller too.
-
Different tools for different purposes. Strategy game, or a game where precise pointer control matters? Mouse and keyboard.
Racing, platformer, fighting game, that sort of thing, controller.
KBM. As I played on a keyboard and mouse since so long, I lost the usage of controllers. And whenever I have to use controlers, it’s a bit of a pain. So I don’t, as much as possible.
Tho in some games I tried, like elite dangerous, I had to use a controler for movement as on keyboard it was painfully slow, or too fast, but also just to be able to use most of the controls.
I prefer controller for basically everything except fps games. I don’t really play more keyboard designed games though, like civ, very often. If I do I’ll def use keyboard though
So no keyboard for Hollow Knight (nice avatar, btw)? I couldn’t imagine how horrible I’d be at a game like that on a keyboard!
Haha yeah no that would not be enjoyable for me. But, at the same time, the world record for smb1 is by a player on keyboard, so different strokes!
Also thanks!
Controller: Witcher, Cyberpunk, Senua’s Sacrifice, Shadow of War/Mordor
Mouse and Keyboard: Diablo, things that end in “Craft”
HOSAS: Flying things
Depends on how much shooting is involved.
Mouse aim trumps controller aim after all. But for games that aren’t shooting-focussed I favour controllers because I can flop back.
For platformers it’s controllers. Type varies from game to game.
For almost everything else, Keyboard & Mouse.
And lastly, the Joystick for those very singular free-flight games i might posses.
I grew up on consoles, mostly Playstations, so I can use controllers a lot better then some people. I prefer to use them in FPS’, movement and melee feels a lot more natural with a controller then with a keyboard. Aiming is, I dare say, an art-form with a controller and it can get really difficult when the sticks are old and losing their sensitivity (*or it’s just a crap controller).
Not to mention how comfortable it is not having to have your fingers splayed across a flat surface for the whole game.
Same here, I grew up with consoles (Xbox mostly). I’m not used to keyboard so I don’t play that well on keyboard than I do on controller for most games. The only times I do use keyboard is for point and click or strategy games.
I’ve been a pc gamer all my life but controller has always easily been the superior choice. For first person shooters and strategy games I’ll go KBM sure, but for every other kind of game I’ll go controller when I can get away with it. It’s significantly more comfortable for me and I’m much more familiar with it.
When I used to play GTA V, I would use both.
My controller sat on the desk in front of the arrow key cluster of my keyboard, so I could run around in first person and cap some fools with KBM, then picked up the controller for driving.
Same. I also play Cyberpunk that way. Driving cars without the ability to control the speed is just a PITA. A binary input doesn’t cut it for me there.
OTOH aiming with anything but a mouse is also a PITA. Stuff like weapon switching also works better with dedicated keys vs a weapon wheel.
Now that I write it… all I would need would be one or two analog sticks/keys and I wouldn’t need the controller at all. It’s mainly the analog triggers that I need.
I started playing GTA V with a controller, but was really confused how difficult the boat trailer chasing mission was. After almost 1 hour, I switched to KBM and finished it first try.
I still prefer controllers for most games.
Honestly, after years of gaming I would have to say controller. I grew up on consoles and didn’t start playing on the pc until my late teens. I can manage on MnK but after a while my wrists get sore even with wrists rests and I tend to forget where the keys are on the keyboard. Where as on controller I can comfortably play in any position and very seldomly my fingers may get sore but not as bad as my wrists. Plus, I like playing on a big TV depending on the game lol
First person shooter or third person game where aim is important, has to be keyboard and mouse. Pretty much anything involvong driving a vehicle, gamepad is better. In games like GTA I often use both, switching as necessary. Mostly I play FPS games though so KB+M is my most used input method. Some console-focused FPS games such as Halo I’ll play on controller if it’s all that is available, such as with the Steam Deck.
Vehicles in gta made me buy an Xbox controller. Being able to switch is really nice
Controller, playing on keyboard strains my arm muscles.
For games where you need to drive some sort of vehicle I do prefer a controller for the joystick and analog triggers, but anywhere you need to aim at something I prefer a KB+M.
I’d like to try some kind of hybrid setup to have the best of both. I stumbled upon the Hex Evo some time ago, but it’s still in preorder phase and I don’t want to buy into something cheap or that’s going to get abandoned, and maybe the final product will look more polished but the footage I could find of it, it looked like a cheaply 3D-printed device which doesn’t look that great, but it’s probably just a prototype.
For anything that requires speed and precision: Mouse and Keyboard.
Everything else I can go either way.
