Polk Audio's Striker Pro P1: One headset for multiple platforms

Hot on the heels of the small handheld keyboard, we have a gaming headset to put through the gauntlet and these come courtesy of Polk Audio, the Striker Pro P1. This headset is built to work across platforms that include the PS4, Wii U, PC, Mac, tablets, and smartphones. As you recall, we previously reviewed the Polk 4 Shot shortly after the release of the next gen consoles and while they are a decent headset, the retractable microphone needed some work. Luckily the Striker Pro’s use a newly designed removable microphone that has a push button mute. Three detachable cables are included for use across multiple devices and both the headband and ear cups are wrapped in a leatherette material for comfort during extended play times. Let's see how they perform.

The Striker Pro P1 is a great gaming headset and could easy the only headphones one could need. I will start with the lay flat pivoting cups, they make this large headset quite a bit more compact to take on the go and the durable build quality did not feel flimsy at all, even the cables were pretty thick. The removable flexible microphone works great, without changing any settings, those in my party were able to hear me clearly without feedback, even picking up my dog playing in the background. The sound is equally amazing, from movies and music to games, these can deliver in spades at any volume, I would have just preferred a bit more bass. The Striker Pro's packaging emphasizes the tuning of the drivers with Polk Optimized Electro-Acoustic Tuning (POET) so I figured I would use Battlefront to give them a beating and they sounded beautiful with crisp and clear sound, making the a fully immersive gaming experience.

 

A few things that I was not so fond of out of the box was the overly snug fit, the optional in line remote, and the inability to hear myself speak. In regards to the snug fit, the headband is made up of sturdy metal, so firm use of thumbs at the top and a few test fittings and it no longer felt like they had a Kung Fu grip on my dome. The over the ear for do such a good job at blocking out so much noise, such as yourself speaking at higher volumes so it was often times hard to hear myself speak or other party members in the middle of loud firefights. At lower to medium volume, I did not have this problem at all. Lastly, the OPTIONAL in line remote, mine may have been defective as I got constant feedback and would not recognize the microphone. Like I said it is optional, so it did not take away from my experience.

I love the Polk Striker Pro P1's as there are no one trick pony. They now go with me just about everywhere thanks to the fold flat design and I even use them while working to take and lead conference calls. Even using on plane, the headset does a great job at blocking out engine noise, chatty neighbors, and crying babies. When using them for what they are made for, online gaming, is where I truly appreciate what they had to offer, as I got immersive sound with party chat without the loss of sound quality from using a cheap headset so I could talk with teammates. Polk's Striker Pro P1 is available now and priced at $129.95 but at the time of this review, they are modestly priced at $99.95 with free shipping from Polk's site.

Sniper: Ghost Warrior | Review

Synopsis: Tired of modern day FPS titles not having enough sniper elements to feel a bit more realistic? Sniper: Ghost Warrior is filled that void and my mailbox with a review copy to get all you viewers a hands on review of this newly released FPS that is sure not to break the bank. The story takes place on the island of Isla Trueno after the government is overthrown and a hostile military uprising occurs. You assume the role of a military sniper, aiding the rebels to put a halt to the oppression and restore the rightful government back to the island. Aside from the story missions, Sniper: Ghost Warrior includes up to 12 person multiplayer modes to see how your sniping skills compare to real people. It’s time to locate the opposition, judge wind and distance, hold your breath, and remember one shot, one kill.

Praise: The first and possibly the most guilty pleasure of this title is the kill cam, which is when you have a headshot lined up and squeeze the trigger, time slows down and you see the bullet make its way to your enemies head and the force of the impact on the body while penetrating said opponent. The sniper elements that you have to take into account when lining up your shots add what feels to be a great amount of realism, having to judge distance, wind, and ultimately having to hold your breath to steady yourself before taking any shots. Not being able to complete the mission using run and gun tactics used in previous FPS titles was hard to get used to at first, but it is what makes this game a lot of fun, as you have to slowly make your way to the next waypoint hiding in bushes, slilently killing with throwing knives, and finding higher elevated points to clear the battlefield without detection. Multiplayer was almost as enjoyable as the single player playthrough as you have to choose your spots wisely to find your opponents and take shots without giving away your position. Lastly, another part I particularly liked about the multiplayer was a compass which shows the direction of other players without giving away how far they are so it is a bit of a gamble trying to locate your next kill before they find you.

Gripes: The difficulty, even on easy is proven to be rather difficult, my prime example of this is that the enemy AI seems to be a lot smarter than me. At certain points in the game I would retry a mission over and over again because I was so easily detected lying down in tall bush by a militia across the playing field. The recent patch did reduce the amount of times in which I would be detected but even when playing on easy, it is rather difficult at times as once you are detected, depending on the amount of enemies on the field, it is most likely lights out! I was also expecting my spotter to be a little more supportive especially in those said situations where my cover was blown, left me hoping he would save the day and try to provide some cover fire as I am running and screaming across the map like a kid being chased by a schoolyard bully. Lastly, I thought the assault scenarios where adding some weapon variety and run and gun team based warfare would have been a more fulfilling break from the stealth like gameplay, but it always felt a bit out of place.

Overall, I had a lot of fun with Sniper: GW and will continue playing online as it felt a lot more tactful from start to finish than other titles in the same genre. It’s non linearity in additional to having to use a lot more thought before you take your shots was a nice change from the fast paced, unloading your clip on anything that moves as you sprint across the middle of a warzone. The story is good, keeping me engaged from start to finish and even though the single player missions do not have much in the replay department, it is a great way to hone your skills before getting sucked into the multiplayer side of the game, and with a price tag of $39.99, first person shooter and sniper fans alike are sure to enjoy.

Mashbuttons.com gives Sniper: Ghost Warrior an 8 out of 10

Sniper: Ghost Warrior is available now on the Xbox 360 and PC.