When Razer first dropped their motion controller called the Hydra, they packaged it alongside Portal 2. Spicing things up more was the Sixense Motion Pack DLC included in this copy of Portal 2 that showcases what this 1st generation device can do. Oddly though, the Hydra itself supports plenty of games out of the box unfortunately it does not feature the same amount of interaction that Portal 2 and its Motion Pack DLC delivered. As I’ve previously mentioned on my review of the Razer Hydra, support is the most critical factor in the possible success of this product and that support is progressing steadily with the newer titles being added in the support list.
Truth be told many people took the Hydra in the wrong light, comparing it to the Nintendo Wii and its Wii-mote controller and they expected the same experience which led to bad criticism of Razer’s efforts. Luckily the guys at Razer and Sixense are still endeavoring in furthering support for the Hydra as they’ve recently announced official support for numerous new games. But looking back at the Hydra out of the box, there was already decent games support there and we’re here to share some of the games that a few Hydra owners might have missed out on enjoying before putting down their grips. This is Back2Gaming’s Must-plays with the Razer Hydra… and yes we’re totally excluding Portal 2.
- This 2007 classic made parkour and PhysX a household name, way before those Canon Ixus commercials and nVidia’s acquisition of Ageia. Mirror’s Edge is a first-person action game where you take the role of Faith; a runner who gets tangled in a web of conspiracy and deceit as she finds out who framed her sister for murder.
- Mirror’s Edge engages player in fast-paced running action giving players a unique experience. Playing this game with the Hydra keeps gamers on their toes and makes timing jumps as well as slides a really good challenge but still makes it playable for casual gamers. Having more freedom of movement, the Hydra complements the vast urban jungle levels of Mirror’s Edge
- SquareEnix’s third installment in the Dungeon Siege series puts players in the shoes of 4 would-be heroes as they unravel the mysteries of the past. Dungeon Siege III is a clean and smooth title that brings classic story-telling with good old-fashion western RPG.
- Dungeon Siege III played with the Hydra feels like the same way you would on a regular gamepad, the real zest comes in the way you move around. It’s like using a mouse and gamepad at the same time all the while really making things spicier because of the fast response time of the Hydra.
- What!? You didn’t expect a game like The Sims to get motion support? Well this is where it starts to get more interesting. Sims 3 is the third installment to Maxis’ highly successful franchise. With vast improvements and a plethora of expansions, this latest addition in this life-simulation is the best to date.
- Quite probably one the most intricate control schemes of the entire Hydra support list, The Sims 3 played with a motion controller doesn’t really make anything faster or easier (the Hydra wasn’t meant to be a performance equipment) and like with any games previously mentioned, it adds a different feel to the overall experience and one that just provides more depth to the game.
- Those who prefer playing around with a single Sim might like the experience since the minimal micro-management might make things a bit easier.
- What do you get when you put a classic top-down shooter and arm it with a BPM sensor that grooves to your music while you shoot down meteors and spacecrafts? BEAT HAZARD, that’s what. This highly addictive game lets you choose from your own playlist of tracks and let you shoot down countless targets to the beat of it. The choice of your own music plus the seizure-inducing lighting is sheer fun ov
erload. This is one heck of a stress-reliever. - The Hydra provides a simple control scheme for Beat Hazard and it’s pretty straight forward. As I mentioned earlier, this game’s quite the stress relief and those who like to play by jerking and swiping the mouse roughly might have a jolly good time swinging the right controller around at full-speed with only the wire stopping them from lunging their controllers at full arm’s length. Same goes for casual types who just prefer to lay back and chill with the controllers resting on their laps, just flicking their wrists. Hydra wins over a gamepad for this round.
- Quite a personal favorite here in Back2Gaming, Sid Meier’s Civilization has cost us countless hours that should be put into more productive things but we’d rather toil on reaching that Utopia project or building a space station than do something productive. Civ V is the latest of the Civilization series and totally brings with it a lot of changes, some for the good and some just many won’t like but it all boils down to how fun it is and it is one hell of a good game.
- Quite hard to describe the sensation at first but if you’ve played Civilization II on the PSX you might have an idea of how this works but instead of navigating through menus with the gamepad, Razer’s Hydra brings a more direct method. Unlike Beat Hazard, the controls need a bit of getting used to but that goes for every title that the Hydra supports. I’m starting to sound repetitive but once again I stress that it’s the experience that matters in enjoying any game with the Hydra and a game like Civ V is just one of those titles that really benefit in that laid back, not so intense type of play that motion control offers.
- A simple yet engaging puzzle game, World of Goo is just one those games you wanna breeze through. But puzzle after puzzle things just get trickier that you just might wanna smash that mouse after the 100th try… then there’s that tougher objective: the OCD criteria. It stands for Obsessive Compulsive Distinctive criteria and it’s a level above the normal game objectives.
- World of Goo’s Hydra controls isn’t really anything complicated and it’s downright one of the simplest in the list. To put it simply, it just looks plain fun playing around with the cursor with the Hydra. It’s like those laser pointer things.
I’d mention other tiles but we’re really trying to avoid FPS and shooters to prove that it is one flexible tech not limited to one kind of game. Resident Evil 5, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Crysis, etc. are some top titles you also might want to experience with the Hydra and the list goes on as more games are coming and support is being added. It might not be all that obvious, but Sixense Entertainment and Razer are hard at work in improving the motion control scene in the PC gaming space because they are the ONLY ones working on it. If they don’t show dedication then no one will take notice. Being a Hydra owner, there’s a limit to how much you can get out of it right now but as I’ve said numerous times it’s a technology at its infancy in the PC space and only time will tell where it will lead to.
In closing, we’d like to say that the Hydra is in no way a novelty item nor a failed attempt. It’s the tool and medium of a budding technology earnestly trying to blossom. As an avid gamer especially at the arcades, numerous methods of control are abundant in that space and this is something I wish the PC market has. Razer as a company was never the type to shy away from experiments and their work with Sixense Entertainment is one to look out for. I leave you with a couple of videos of what the guys at Sixense are up to with the Hydra and motion technology. Check them out at their channel, too at http://www.youtube.com/sixensent. You’ll be blown away by the amount of games you wouldn’t believe were playable with motion control!
Sixense EntertainmentRazer Hydra mini-site
GIVEAWAY TIME!
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
And to show our love for the Hydra, we’re going to give away 5 sets of Razer Hydra. How, you ask? Simple!!! Just hit the comments in this post and tell us what games you want to play with the Hydra and what games you want supported and you’ll be entered in a raffle to win one of 5 Razer Hydras. It’s that easy!  Juicy, creative and meaningful comments get more props so think before you comment, guys and don’t forget to use a valid email so we can reach you if you win! Only one entry per person. Check back on our Facebook page to stand more chances of winning one of these babies! Contest is open 2 weeks from now (End: June 1).
PLEASE LEAVE A VALID EMAIL OR FACEBOOK ACCOUNT SO WE CAN CONTACT YOU!
This giveaway is open worldwide!
51 Comments
I wanna play Mirror’s Edge with the Razer Hydra, since I haven’t played it yet, and I feel sorry for myself about that, lolÂ
What I would love the Hydra to support is the much anticipated Company of Heroes 2. Imagine commanding the lives of the soldiers with just a push of a button, and a swing of your hand. Thus, I can now literally say to mom, that the life of these soldiers are in my hands. Mwahaha! Nein?Â
I would like to play Dungeon Siege  III with the Razer Hydra.
Awesome gameplay plus expert controls equals incomparable gaming experience!
I waana play Diablo 3 with Razer Hydra!
nuff said 🙂 HAIL HYDRA!
I would like to play Warcraft III mode:Dota with Razer Hydra. Cool gaming mouse can increase my gaming experience with some shortcuts of Razer Hydra.
this would be awesome for Elder Scrolls V : Skyrim,
swinging your sword and blocking shield in first person, and the fluid motion when playing FPS games like cod mw3
just cant imagine how awesome would that be
I want to play League of Legends with the Razer Hydra, because as i saw in the Video, i can play this game, more intense, more alive thus giving me more motion that can make me fit
Im a struggling gamer.. Having not too much to spend on hardware and upgrades. This epic peripheral sure is a welcome addition to any gamer’s arsenal. I will be concentrating on Diablo 3 soon and with what i have been hearing about this mouse.. i bet ill enjoy Diablo 10 times better. See you in Tristram
i like to play portal 2 with this awesome razer “HYDRA!”
Always wanted to play portal 2 Â through the hydra let alone play any of the portal series! which kinda sucks for me not being able to afford any of it. x(
Come to think of it, I always thought that the hydra was only for first person shooters and such but seeing LoL video above, now that changes my whole perspective about it!
I’d love to try that at Dota 2 or some RTS games
also Ghost Recon Future Soldier is coming up! If I have the Razer Hydras then prepare to meet the Future Gamer… >:)
I would like to play League of Legends using Razer Hydra not just because I’ve watched the video above, I’m also had team joining and battling tournaments of League of Legends PH.
I am also a FPS gamer. I think through hydra, I could play more handy and good with Razer Hydra..
More power RAZER !-Jhonbelle Valenzuela[jhonbellevalenzuela@gmail:disqus .com]
i want to win this monster hydra
Heroes of Newerth would be a good game to play for Razer Hydra and Maybe Diablo 3 and Dota 2. ive been wanting to get this from Razer but ofcourse im just a student and im not financially capable to get it 😉
I would like to play dota2 using razer hydra and since cod:black ops 2 is coming it would be awesome if could use this cool controller.
hydra. for better gaming! an awesome smooth replacement for my generic mouse. razer for life!
I would like to play Portal 2 on this !!! Not only Portal 2 but other First Person shooter like Black Ops !! I saw some reviews on youtube and its really cool !! If i win the pair of hydra, It will greatly change my gaming experience to the max !!! :D. i hope win !!
Lots of love !!
– Gabby
I’d play Diablo III, World of Warcraft, Fiesta Online, Heroes of Newerth, and DiRT 3 with the Razer Hydra. I hope that all of those games are supported aswell. :p
I want to try using Razer Hydra when FireFall comes out:) I think it would yield interesting results when it is used in playing upcoming games such as Blade & Soul.
If I were to win one of those here’s a quick list of the games I wanna play:
a.) Blades of time – those nifty, fast and cool moves will perfectly fit the Hydra.
b.) Top Gun Hardlock – now it will feel like youre actually in control of the plane.
c.) Call of Duty – Ive got a few of those titles and I wanna re-run them again using Hydra and see what it will feel like.
d.) Mass Effect 3 – I havent played this yet so I bet using the Hydra would be so awesome!
I wanna Hydra on some of my FPS and Racing titles. Owning a Hydra would be a great addition and ultimately an awesome experience for any gamer. 🙂
I’d like to play (not a joke) the first Potter games with hydra xD
Remember the levels where you had to learn spells? 😛 That’s what I’m talking about ;f
If i can get my hands with these precious gaming peripherals, i can now play and experience the greatest feeling that i can get from playing! I can now try it out with my Mirror’s Edge and feel like i am really doing all those great stunts, i might also use it for my FPS games and I’m sure, it will be EPIC! It is from Razer, what can we expect other than SUPER FUN GAMING EXPERIENCE!?
If i would be chosen as one of the winners i would like to try it on Uncharted games. I like this kind of games with shooting+puzzle+adventure type
I would use the Razer Hydra to play the Mirror’s Edge. I want to experience a motion controlled parkour game. I want the Razer Hydra to support all the Assassin’s Creed series or Resident Evil. It’s more bad ass to climb the building or shooting zombies using the Razer Hydra
Mirrors Edge and Portal 2 would be ideal with this baby! Not to mention just teching around to see how It works with FPS 😛
Diablo 3 , Portal 2 , Prototype 2
i ‘ ll love play Dungeon siege, to swing the sowrd ( or control) or casting spells, Portal 2 is really good game to, just jumping everywhere!!
maybe the games like assassins creed, must suport hydra tecnologie… and battlefield 3, :O
Woah, I’d like to play Alan wake. Definitely portal 2. Hmm what else..RPGs like witcher 2 might be interesting and would also like to see some platforming action like Rayman origins with the hydra.
But, a melee fighting game like Zeno clash seems very well suited to this two handed motion gameplay. Hmm well from your list I’d very interested in trying out sims, world of goo and beat hazard.
TPS’ like max Payne 3 and Gta v will be a lot of fun.
Dragon Nest OnlineÂ
With the fast paced 3d game play of Dragon Nest , who wouldn’t want a brand new mouse to minimize the stress caused by long hours of grinding. The mouse would also help out on sorting controls and skills, sometimes the skill just overloads. The mouse would give everyone controlling a Razer a heavy Advantage on both PVP and PVE Environments. More Power >:)
I would like to play Portal 2 on this !!! Not only Portal 2 but other First Person shooter like Black Ops !! I saw some reviews on youtube and its really cool !! If i win the pair of hydra, It will greatly change my gaming experience to the max !!! :D. i hope win !!Lots of love !!- Gabby
I am looking forward to play Guild Wars 2 with Razer Hydra. I’ve been anticipating to be engaged in the World vs World feature of the game using the new technology that Razer can offer through the Hydra gaming mice. I do believe that with the motion sensing feature of this device, it would be an advantage for PvP even in PvE.
i like to play battlefield 3 with razer hydra. haha! i must be crazy,Â
Would be really cool to use SixSense on League of Legends, Dota 2 and Diablo 3. Hoping to also use it on FPS games like COD and BF3
Of course I want to use the “Razer Hydra” on Portal 2 and Mirrors Edge. I hope it can also support a game like Assassin’s Creed, since Assassin’s Creed III is on its way!Â
Hit me, Because i want to use Razer Hydra with Sims(Never played that game lol :DD) and to use this to fps games in steam and other games :3
I really love to have one Razer Hydra for Diablo 3. That would be COOOOL B-)
That’s a really good piece of hardware.
You could say it’s the modern version of the arcade stick.Â
When it was first launched I really though it was some sort of wii clone but based on further review and investigation, it has proven to be a very good alternative to the keyboard mouse.Â
Functionality wise, it’s a cross between the wiimote(the looks) and kinect(gesture control).
The only real bad thing that about it is the wires,although that in itself is probably an asset especially that I’m not to keen about changing batteries of wireless apparel.
Pros:
-simpler interface compared to the mouse/keyboard
-looks a lot cooler than the wii mote
-gesture/button mapping combo capabilities.
Cons:
-less buttons means more gesture/button mapping required
-can get some time to get used to.
-wires too short to use on a couch far from your computer XD
The top three games that I’ll try to play using the Hydra:
-Torchlight 2
-Heroes of Newerth
-Marvel Avengers Alliance(yeah the facebook game :D)
I would like to experience the Hydra in Dragon Nest or Battlefield 3. Also, if possible, i would like Diablo 3 be supported with the Hydra controls.
hello.I want to play that on Sim 3. Resident Evil: Operation Racoon city & diablo 3..i feel driven me crazy ^Y^
I would like to play MechWarrior Online with Razer Hydra.
Perfect controller to kill all my opponents :))
 As a gamer, I would like to try the different ways of playing the game. For example, playing a game like Beat Hazard with your mouse and keyboard would be a little boring why? because I don’t fully feel the game when I don’t need to exert some effort in playing it like playing it with mouse and keyboard. As a PC gamer, with Razer Hydra, I think I would be able to play it into a whole new level, which allows me to move more freely, I would be able to fully feel the music as I play the game. Also, it will allow be to burn more calories while playing other intense hardcore games.
 As a gamer, I would like to try the different ways of playing the game.
For example, playing a game like Beat Hazard with your mouse and
keyboard would be a little boring why? because I don’t fully feel the
game when I don’t need to exert some effort in playing it like playing
it with mouse and keyboard. As a PC gamer, with Razer Hydra, I think I
would be able to play it into a whole new level, which allows me to move
more freely, I would be able to fully feel the music as I play the
game. Also, it will allow be to burn more calories while playing other
intense hardcore games.
GAMING GAMERS GAMES Â = Â RAZER HYDRA
with Razer Hydra, gaming will produce more fun and excitement specially when playing games like Dungeon Siege and Civilization V. This gaming hardware is so COOL!Â
I would like to experience playing Mirror’s Edge with Razer Hydra! Because this is one of my most favorite games, I believe using the Razer Hydra would be the one of the best things that I can ever experience in my more or less, ten years as a PC gamer, and the way I look at it if I ever win this prize, that this beast-of-a-controller would glue me into my seat for countless of immersive playing hours. While Faith grabs ledges, doing front flips on trampolines, vaulting tall skyscrapers and chasing bad guys, this would just be a walk in the park for me :p The exciting chases, intense combat and strategic moves plus this gaming grade motion sensing controller will make me feel like I’m a runner doing death defying stunts and will make my gaming experience rose to a whole new level, and I want to feel like I’m the one jumping when Faith jumps as well! *goosebumps* So that’s why I want to win a Razer Hydra 🙂
Before i was a pc gamer but after i experience playing on console’s i never looked back, with the innovation of gaming console’s i was really hooked, first the evolution of rumble packs from N64 with of course embedding of an analog stick, with the sixaxis controller which the ps3 has to offer, the wiimote and nunchucks of the nintendo wii, and not to mention the xbox360 kinect which really enhanced the gaming experiences of all gamers. it is really hard to compare pc gaming with the console gaming. playing with a mouse+keyboard against innovative controllers. but with this Razer Hydra everything mght change and maybe here is a chance for me to go back playing on a pc, i would like to try this innovative peripheral on games such as Skyrim, dragons dogma and some games that would really utilizes the use of the Razer Hydra.. i would like to have a device such as the Razer hydra and experience what technology has to offer in terms of gaming ^_^
i would like to play all pc games with Razer Hydra! specially 1st person shooter and sports driving games! if i win that would be awesome tech accesories and creates sum awesomess razer Hydrayeres among my friends when they experience it 1st time with my win Razer Hydra 🙂
Fallout 3
I have known Razer ever since I got my 4 year old death adder and based with my experience with it, no doubt I would love to play every games on every Razer model.. Specially right now, With Diablo 3 my gaming experience would be much more enhanced. I prefer shooting games with these top of the line Hydra, preferably Battlefield 3 and Call of duty series.
Email: [email protected]
League of Legends and Portal 2 :DÂ
I would like to play League of Legends using the Razer Hydra. It’ll be a different and exciting approach in pwning them noobs and scrubs. Another game i’d like to try using the Hydra would be Starcraft 2. I think it’s amazing rallying your troops to battle using motion control, it is issuing commands like a boss! By the numbers, boys!
Wow, this is totally awesome. at first, i thought razer hydra would just be like Wii. it would be boring, and like a kids toy. but now knowing these, i just regret thinking that way and i want to have this cool razer hydra to try a new different kind of gaming.
 Imagine playing battlefield 3? (the best fps game for me) equipped with razer hydra? oh man, its just like being on a real battlefield, withouth any harm! 😉 because dying in real life is too mainstream. So just use razer hydra, to feel like a real soldier.
 Using razer hydra would be a unique way of playing, not just by mashing buttons. youre the one doing what you want. you would feel how the intense the game is.
Another game I would like to play is Heroes of Newerth. Feeling like that youre inside your hero? how awesome would that be? especially when there would be a clash. you could use your skills easily. It would give you a good advantage in the game.Â
Anyways, i hope other games would be get supported so that razer hydra would be a total gaming package for noobs and pros out there. because using razer hydra = PLAYING LIKE A BOSS! =))
Awesome !!!!Â
Razer Hydra For gamers giveaway thats my dream 🙂
I want to play League Of Legends Hope i win my Dream Razer Hydra :))
Email : ewanko937@yahoo:disqus.com
Razer Hydra :))))Â
-Dream :))))
hoping to get 1…
just like a DotA2 Beta key….your a lucky person if they pick you 🙁
please give me 1….
e-mail / Facebook : [email protected]