PC avid gamers helped preserve the spirit of Guitar Hero and Rock Band alive by means of packages like Clone Hero. The reward for this heroic effort? The return of Les Paul guitar controllers, courtesy of CRKD. We acquired the Blueberry Burst Professional Version controller not too long ago, and after a number of lengthy nights of rocking out, the nostalgia is at an all-time excessive.
The CRKD Les Paul vary is up in opposition to some stiff competitors to earn a spot on our greatest PC controller shopping for information, however based mostly on my first impressions, it has each shot of dethroning our present selection, the PDP Riffmaster, when our full evaluate is prepared. Whether or not you are rocking out in Fortnite Competition, Clone Hero, YARG, or taking part in old-school Guitar Hero video games, this controller works in all of those video games throughout a number of platforms.
Guitar Hero and Rock Band had been an enormous a part of my teen years, serving to type my musical pursuits and eternally exposing me to new artists that I nonetheless take heed to right this moment, akin to Alice in Chains, Religion No Extra, Blue Öyster Cult, Avenged Sevenfold, and plenty of extra. It was unhappy to see the franchises slowly die out, however the market was oversaturated, and it was considerably of an inevitability.
In its absence, I’ve primarily turned to Clone Hero to fill the void. Even with the return of Fortnite Competition, Clone Hero stays the perfect different because of the sheer wealth of neighborhood content material obtainable and its compatibility with a number of guitars and devices.
I initially performed utilizing my outdated black Les Paul from Guitar Hero 3, solely there was substantial enter delay, which has since been attributed to the PS3 receiver when it’s plugged right into a PC. I then moved over to the Guitar Hero 5 controller, which I used to be capable of seize from eBay alongside the Xbox 360 adaptor wanted to make it work.
Regardless of working fairly effectively, I must use further software program to make sure the inputs labored appropriately, which was removed from preferrred. It felt like there was a niche available in the market for brand new controllers, nevertheless it wasn’t till Fortnite Competition launched that this turned a actuality.
I moved on to the PDP Riffmaster very not too long ago, and from an enter and design entrance, it was a significant enchancment over the outdated GH guitars, nevertheless it nonetheless required further software program to work with Clone Hero, and sure inputs did not work solely or with out nauseatingly lengthy workarounds.
That is the place my preliminary time with the CRKD Les Paul Blueberry Burst Professional Version has been very completely different. Upon connecting the guitar to my PC, it simply labored. Whether or not I used to be taking part in Clone Hero or Fortnite Competition, the controller would not require any further software program or workarounds and works as anticipated.
It is introduced again reminiscences of taking part in the OG Guitar Hero video games, the place you would simply plug in a guitar or wi-fi adaptor and be taking part in in a matter of seconds.
The appear and feel of this guitar controller is so acquainted, although it is full of fashionable options like mechanical button switches, reactive RGB, a Corridor Impact strum bar, and haptic suggestions.
Regardless of this, there’s a sense of simplicity to how this controller works and appears, and it’s straightforward for me to get misplaced in my gameplay and neglect that I am taking part in on a controller launched in 2025 and never one that’s a long time outdated. CRKD hasn’t tried to reinvent the wheel right here, and my expertise taking part in with the Bluberry Burst Professional Version has been higher for it.
We’ll be doing much more rocking out with this guitar quickly, and my colleague will probably be writing the total evaluate, however my preliminary time spent taking part in with the Blueberry Burst Professional Version has been very constructive.
It is nice to see instrument controllers making a comeback, and with RedOctane not too long ago resurfacing, it is actually beginning to really feel like 2007 over again.
If you wish to pre-order this controller, the CRKD Les Paul Blueberry Burst is at present obtainable for $134.99 / £129.99 for the Xbox and PC model, and $125.99 / £119.99 for the multi-platform model.
