Its an excellent choice for those after an affordable peripheral for Rock Band 4 and the recent Fortnite Festival.
The Riffmaster puts an end to that.
Whats more, PDP almost nails its first attempt with this controller.
If youve got a hankering for someRock Band 4,then itll be one of thebest Xbox controllersfor you.
In the US, it can also be purchased from retailers likeAmazon, Best Buy, and GameStop.
UK shoppers, meanwhile, will need to rely on Game.
This is because stock has largely gone to folks who pre-ordered the controller before release.
However, PDP has told TechRadar Gaming that stock will be more readily available around June of this year.
The guitar itself has a collapsible fretboard, deviating from the detachable models of old.
This is a smart design change, making it considerably easier to store and offering great portability.
The strap is of good quality and rests on the shoulder comfortably.
Its blissfully simple to adjust its length to suit your preferences, too.
However, the Riffmaster itself falls short in the build quality department.
The chassis or body is made of lightweight plastic, giving it a somewhat flimsy feel.
The glossy finish also makes the equipment a fingerprint magnet.
Overall, the buttons do feel of decent quality too which goes some way to offset the disappointing body.
Rounding out the feature set is the whammy bar which is responsive in-game, but does feel slightly loose.
The strum bar is easily the weakest aspect of the product, sadly.
Its missing the clickiness of olderGuitar HeroandRock Bandperipherals.
This does mean its much quieter, but it feels rather loose and mushy when pressed.
One last thing Im not especially impressed by is the Riffmasters aesthetic.
While it certainly looks the part as a guitar, the plain all-black look is a little bland.
PDP Riffmaster: Performance
On the whole, the PDP Riffmaster performs brilliantly.
The devices responsiveness is pin-sharp, even when used wirelessly.
This is a really nice touch that I feel lends the Riffmaster some much-needed character.
Another area where the Riffmaster excels is in its battery life.
It charges pretty swiftly too; it takes just a handful of hours to charge back up to full.
Should I buy the PDP Riffmaster?
You already own a Rock Band guitar controllerLegacyRock Bandcontrollers are also due to receiveFortnite Festivalcompatibility.
Over a period of two weeks, I used it to play withRock Band 4and its hundreds of songs.
