When you see Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War running on PS5, it might not appear all that surprising or different--aside from sharper visuals and graphical effects, of course. But for me, playing the game on PS5 was revolutionary not because of how it plays on a mechanical level, but what it actually feels like to play it on the new DualSense controller.

As you'd expect, new consoles tend to set the standard for gaming for the next 5-7 years with better graphics, new interfaces, and yes, new controllers. This console generation, Microsoft's Xbox Series X controller is mostly the same as the Xbox One controller, but with some ergonomic adjustments. On the other hand, Sony's been hyping its new Dualsense controller with haptic feedback and adaptive triggers--something I first thought would become another gimmick like the PS3's Sixaxis sensors or PS4's touchpad.

But after spending a few weeks with the DualSense, it has become my favorite part of the PS5. Rather than demand you to play your games awkwardly with new, unproven tech, haptic feedback and the adaptive triggers can enhance the way we already play games. And funny enough, it wasn't Astro's Playroom, the free game that acts as a demo for the DualSense, that sold me on it. It was this year's Call of Duty, of all things, because these particular features are perfect for shooters.