Alongside the release of the PlayStation 4 back in 2013, Sony unveiled a new and improved, very different, wireless controller — the DualShock 4. One distinctive feature that the DualShock 4 introduced was a light bar on the back that changes colors depending on the game and scenario. The value of the DualShock 4’s light bar has been debated ever since.
Some gamers don’t care for the light because they never look down at the controller to pay attention to it anyway. Others see the light bar as a subtle way to immerse them in the game they’re playing. In any case, developers over the years have come up with creative ways to turn the light bar into more than just mood lighting. Check out some of the best below.
10 Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition - Torch
Lara Croft’s trusty torch in the Tomb Raider series is no doubt one of her handiest tools. Not only is it the perfect no-batteries-required flashlight, but it also helps Lara burn debris and obstacles, scare animals, and in some cases, solve puzzles.
In 2014, Square Enix published a remastered version of the original Tomb Raider (2013), titled Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. This time, whenever Lara picks up her handy dandy torch, the PlayStation 4 controller flashes a bright red, yellow, and orange. While it’s not exactly a necessary feature, it does help to put you in Lara’s shoes.
9 Tearaway Unfolded - Flashlight
Tearaway Unfolded, a 2015 puzzle platformer from Tarsier Studios and Media Molecule, involves a lot of interacting with the environment around you, both virtually and IRL via the DualShock 4. The game uses a ton of motion controls, such as waving the controller up and down, in addition to using the controller’s light bar and touchpad.
In Tearaway Unfolded, you gain an ability called “Guiding Light,” which turns the light bar into an actual flashlight. Wherever you point the light bar, an on-screen flashlight beam will follow. In addition to lighting the way, the flashlight can melt ice and manipulate paper.
8 Metro 2033 Redux - Stealth Indicator
As a survival horror game, you can bet that a big part of Metro 2033 gameplay is stealth. Whenever you encounter enemies, human or otherwise, a stealth indicator on the screen allows you to gauge your ability to silently attack or avoid, if so desired.
When Metro Redux, the compilation of both Metro games, released for PlayStation 4 in 2014, the stealth indicator moved to the controller. Instead of the on-screen light meter, the DualShock 4’s light bar brightens and darkens as danger approaches and passes. A really, really bright light means you’ve been exposed.
7 Transistor - Talking Sword
Supergiant Games’s 2014 isometric action RPG, Transistor, follows a singer named Red as she battles robotic enemies with the help of a talking sword called the Transistor. According to Polygon, when the game was being tested, players reported being confused by who was talking when the Transistor spoke, since it didn’t actually have a mouth.
The developers then incorporated the DualShock 4’s light bar as the Transistor’s speech indicator. Now, whenever the sword spoke, the light bar would gently flash turquoise (the Transistor’s color). This simple fix not only cleared up the confusion, but also made players feel like the sword was really in their hands.
6 Outlast - Night Vision
Survival horror fans already know that Red Barrel’s Outlast is best played in the dark and with headphones. This isn’t just for maximum scares, though; a dark environment helps you see the dimly-lit screen, as well as the handy light bar on the DualShock 4.
When night vision is turned on, the light bar will switch from a white color to a bright green, which flickers as your in-game light runs out of battery. If you die, the light bar turns bright red. This feature is more of a novelty than anything, but it definitely adds to the creepy factor.
5 Spyro Reignited Trilogy - Health Status
The Spyro Reignited Trilogy brings the tiny dragon’s even tinier companion, Sparx the dragonfly, to your living room. As fans of the franchise know, ever since the original Spyro the Dragon was released in 1998, Sparx has tracked Spyro’s health by changing colors when Spyro takes damage. Yellow indicates full health, followed by blue and green. When Spyro’s health is dangerously low, Sparx disappears.
2018’s remastered Spyro trilogy incorporates the DualShock 4 light bar by matching Sparx’s health meter. When Sparx disappears, the controller turns red. If that doesn’t motivate you to find Sparx a snack, we don’t know what does.
4 Uncharted: The Lost Legacy - Collectible Tracker
In Naughty Dog’s Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, players control Chloe Frazer, a treasure hunter who is searching for the tusk of Hindu deity Ganesh. Along the way, she and her partner, Nadine Ross, must solve puzzles, battle enemies, and collect more treasures.
Some of the treasures are a bit difficult to find, which is why the DualShock 4’s light bar is so useful. The light bar gradually changes from blue to purple to red as you get closer to the treasure. Think of it as a built-in metal detector without all the noise.
3 Infamous: Second Son - Karma
Sucker Punch Productions’ Infamous: Second Son uses just about every immersive element the DualShock 4 has to offer, including its speaker, gyroscope, and light bar. In this action-adventure, players’ choices affect the protagonist’s morality, and he will eventually be seen as good or evil.
The DualShock 4’s light bar acts as a karma tracker of sorts, where a brighter red means you’re leaning towards evil. In addition, the protagonist uses spray paint throughout the game, so the light bar matches the color of the paint.
2 Alien: Isolation - Motion Tracker
Alien: Isolation is another one of those dimly-lit survival games where stealth matters, so the DualShock 4’s light bar once again comes to the rescue as a danger meter. Unlike other games in the Alien franchise, the player’s goal is to avoid and outsmart one creepy creature.
One really helpful in-game tool is the bright green motion tracker, which tells you when the enemy is near. The controller’s green light bar will get brighter as the enemy comes closer. In addition, the DualShock 4’s speaker beeps, which adds to the suspense.
1 Grand Theft Auto V - Police Lights
In a 2019 Reset Era forum about games that use the DualShock 4’s light bar, Grand Theft Auto V was arguably the most popular. Whenever you end up in a heated police chase, the pressure is doubled as the light bar flashes red and blue, making it feel like you’re really in trouble. Police scanner chatter will also come through the speaker. Again, it’s only a novelty feature, but a more impressive one at that.
NEXT: 10 Best Games That Actually Utilize The PS4 Controller Speaker
