Since Appreciation began his Console Beta On June 14th I couldn’t put the game down. I’m not a newbie in RiotGames‘ tactical hero shooter, but the console version has reignited my love for it, and that has to do with the port’s new main feature: Focus mode.
The difficulty in bringing a tactical first-person shooter to a console is that it never feels as precise as it does on PC (at least that’s what competitive gamers will tell you). That’s also why mouse and keyboard is considered the best input method for any first-person shooter, as the movement of the elbow and wrist gives players much finer control over movement than a controller’s joystick. Focus Mode attempts to solve this problem, and after a weekend of gaming on the PS5, I can say that the feature works phenomenally.
What exactly is Focus Mode? Essentially, it replaces the typical “left trigger to aim down sights” design ethos of most modern shooters and maps Focus Mode to the left trigger. When you press the trigger, the game quickly changes the sensitivity of the aiming joystick. It lowers it significantly compared to firing from the hip, even though you’re not actually aiming down sights (PSA: you can enable traditional ADS in the settings menu). In doing so, it duplicates the fine-tuned control of a mouse. Not perfect, but good enough. I’ve never seen another shooter on a console do something like this, and while it might not work for every game, it works for Appreciation.
PC gamers will tell you that when you play Appreciation right, you shouldn’t aim down sights at all. Typically, players will stand still and fire from the hip rather than aiming down sights. Both are similarly accurate, but aiming down sights takes a little longer. Focus Mode emulates this recommended playstyle. After a few matches, Focus Mode felt like second nature. This feeling of quick learning comes from the fusion of PC and console sensibilities – a PC player will understand the movement that Focus Mode is aiming for, while a console player will understand the left trigger input for more accuracy.
The only real downside to Focus Mode is that some feel it makes the game too casual as the console version also uses slight aim assist (a common feature in console shooters). While this may be more beginner-friendly, I don’t see it as a problem. A more casual space opens up opportunities to expand the audience and gives players a lower-stakes way into the game. Those competitive players who wonder if Focus Mode makes the game too casual can still be competitive on PC. PC players won’t conflict with Focus Mode as there is no crossplay between console and PC.
I enjoy playing on both PC and console, depending on my mood. I think it intelligently solves one of the problems that became a sore point for Overwatchas the developers constantly struggled to balance the needs of competitive and casual gamers. I wouldn’t be surprised if new players switch to consoles and then pick up the game on PC when they want to get more serious.
You can register for the Appreciation Console Beta Here if you own a PS5 or Xbox Series X/S. There is currently no end date for the beta, nor a release date for the full console version.
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