It’s like a Transformer in your hand

A carpenter never blames his tools, but in gaming sometimes the difference between a good game and an epic game is the hardware you’re using. In PC gaming specifically, players can use a mouse or players can implement a tool of absolute destruction. A tool so finely crafted that your opponents will weep openly at your feet as the lie there, defeated. OK, that’s sensationalized, but Mad Catz new Cyborg M.M.O. 7 Gaming Mouse aptly deserves the praise. MMO gaming veterans will immediately recognize the benefits of a mouse crafted to fit your hand comfortably and engineered with access to multiple buttons with minimal movement.

The M.M.O. 7 Gaming Mouse looks like something from a Transformers cartoon, but that’s part of the appeal. A device with a unique look is sure to attract attention, but it’s the rest of the design that earns the accolades. Weighted perfectly, the construction feels solid with no pieces wiggling under the constant movement of fingers and thumbs. Precision is key and the mouse is designed with precise movements in mind. A dozen buttons are laid out systematically within easy reach of primary fingers and still allow users to control direction while accessing them. That’s not to say the mouse comes without its own set of problem. Adapting to a device with that many buttons in this specific layout is difficult and not something that the average gamer will pick up with ease. Even the most experienced will find that small hand movements sometimes result in unexpected button presses.

Button mapping is the simplest way to solve unwanted presses and the software available for the M.M.O. 7 is easy to install and simple to use. Unfortunately that software is available on their website, as the mouse doesn’t come with an installation disk. Being an MMO mouse though, users are expected to have access to the internet and some sort of broadband connection. Without it, purchasing the mouse simply gives you a sexy looking piece of hardware, as the software also also particular profiles to be implemented. When rotating between World of Warcraft, to Guild Wars 2, then to Diablo III, users can assign specific macros to perform difficult in-game skill executions and save those macros to three individual profiles for use in your favorite games.

Aside from the Batmobile-looking design, the buttons and dials have actual uses that go beyond stating, “They’re there and you can use them.” Specifically, the ‘Hat button’ is a small rubberized dot that has five particular functions. Each direction plus pushing it creates a different response depending on how you’ve set them to react. It’s a brilliant use of a simple design that allows users added customization. Additionally the ‘scroll’ button is a simple knob, but is accessed by your thumb and can be used for web browsing or in-game to cycle targets, zoom in or out, or any other options that suit your fancy.

The most frustrating experience with the mouse is the learning curve that accompanies it, but the solid, well-built hardware is a blessing once you’ve grown accustomed to the design. Buttons don’t require aggressive pressure to react, and the software available makes designing your ideal profile very simple. The retail price hovers around $129.99, making it one of the more expensive gaming mice on the market. To compensate, they’ve included additional hardware that allows users to customize the mouse’s exterior as well; new designs and added palm traction will make you feel like the mouse really is a creation of your own. If you’re looking for a mouse that will turn as many heads as it helps remove, the M.M.O. 7 Gaming Mouse is it.