Battle Grip Ares & Zeus

After releasing Sparta MX and Sparta LX in 2021, local video game accessories company Battle Grip has released a new product. This time the two new thumb grips are named Ares (convex) and Zeus (concave), based on the names of the Greek gods. Both Ares and Zeus are designed for the PlayStation 4 DualShock controller, as well as for the PlayStation 5 DualSense controller.

For those of you who are less familiar with thumb grips, its function is to increase the angle of your analog stick controller to make it wider. Many competitive multiplayer games such as the racing and first-person shooter genres require the speed and accuracy of aiming the analog to a certain angle in a fraction of a second. With the design of game controllers in general, you will feel less precise when playing certain games.

The first impression when opening Ares and Zeus, it appears that these two thumb grips are similar to Sparta MX in terms of size and width. When compared to their first products, Revolution and Bullseye, Ares and Zeus look slimmer.

To the touch, the Ares and Zeus materials feel firmer, and the prominent lines of the two thumb grips feel more pressed against the left and right thumbs. If you have used Revolution for a long time, you will feel the prominent lines fade, making them slippery.

When trying to install Ares or Zeus without the extender (right side) on the DualSense analog, it appears that the thumb grip is only attached to the top of the analog. This can cause easy dislodgement, because there is no part at the bottom that clamps like Revolution or Bullseye (left). So to use it properly, you have to use the thumb grip extender.

With a harder and denser material, Ares and Zeus feel more responsive when we need to press the L3-R3 (left-right analog) button. And with a slimmer design, it’s a better option for gamers’ smaller fingers.

Concave (concave) or Convex (convex)?

If you are used to playing the first-person shooter game genre, then you know that our left thumb will always move the left analog. Therefore, it feels more comfortable to use a thumb grip that has a concave surface. For the right analog, we usually change the use of the R3 button, so that it follows the type of game being played. Ideally for the right analog use a thumb grip with a convex surface (convex).

As a Battle Grip thumb grip user from the very first release, I’m used to using a pair of Bullseye on the DualShock and Pro Controller (Nintendo Switch). Like my previous statement above, in the long run the Revolution is going to be slippery due to its design and materials.

But when I tested the Ares by attaching it to the right analogue, my thumb was quite comfortable and naturally “attached”. And everyday I play FPS genre games like Destiny 2 and Apex Legends, so it really needs a thumb grip for more precision. With this my current Battle Grip setup is Zeus on the left analog, and Ares on the right analog.

Conclusion

Battle Grip Ares and Zeus are improvements from the previous series, namely Sparta MX and Sparta LX. With a smaller thumb grip design and size, it cannot be used without using the default thumb grip extender, because it will be easily removed. Fortunately the default extender is not too high, so it is quite comfortable for gamers with small thumb fingers. And with a denser material, the L3-R3’s buttons are more responsive without having to press too hard.