Tech Review: A4Tech Bloody v7 cheats its way to stylish victory

When reviewing a new mouse, you generally look out for a few things, such as build, comfort, design and usability. While some mice tout that they'll help you improve your game with variable weight and on-the-fly adjustable DPI, they usually don't involve upping your game through software. Enter A4Tech's Bloody v7, a remarkable, little mouse that's not only easy on the eyes and on your grip, but provides an extra edge that other mice just can't. But is it fair?

Before I get into what makes this mouse unique to its brethren, let's go over the basics.

A sleek yet menacing build

Being that it's called the Bloody v7, one look at the mouse will tell you that this isn't Superman's mouse. This is the type of mouse that Lex Luthor uses on the weekends to get some quick games of Counter-Strike in. Its sharper, more diamond-shaped bottom, and concave sides certainly add to its dastardly look.

The Bloody v7 also features both matte and gloss finish on the mouse, which combines both comfort and style. Every part of the mouse that touches your hand is matte, while the parts in between shine through with the gorgeous gloss. It's certainly one of the more comfortable mice I've used thus far. Its convex sides let your thumb rest comfortably on the left — which also features ridges, meaning no thumb slipping at all — and your ring and pinky fingers resting on the right, which also has special spots for both. Literally each finger has a spot on this mouse, which is awesome.

Button functionality

There isn't an overwhelming amount of buttons on the Bloody v7, because, frankly, there doesn't need to be. It's not meant to up your MMO game, but rather, give you the edge on shooters. The left side of the mouse has the now-standard Forward and Back buttons. They won't really make or break your FPS game, but they are there more for the convenience.

The middle of the mouse, right below the scroll wheel, sits three buttons, which on their own won't do much, but make all the difference in a shooter. There is no dedicated DPI button that lowers or raises it. However, double-clicking on the first button of these three, will let you to raise and lower it using the scroll wheel.

That cheating feeling

Those three buttons will be your 'cheat' buttons, if you will. The mouse comes with software that changes up the overall functionality of it. Core 1 mode is your standard mouse configuration that can be used for any game. Core 2 then switches on those three buttons and makes them useful. Core 3, which needs to be purchased at an additional $20, changes up one of the buttons to give you an unfair upper-hand against other opponents.

By default, the mouse acts normal. Clicking the mouse button will shoot a gun as it's supposed to. Pressing the middle button, N, will do two different things depending on the mode you're in. It will either burst fire two shots (Core 2), or continually shoot in Strafe mode (Core 3), diminishing the amount of recoil and raising accuracy. The last mode shoots at 3 shot bursts at a time, giving your Assault Rifles or even handguns more edge.

The software is a settings playground

Mice usually come with software that allow you to change the lighting, DPI and other small things that don't offer much else. The Bloody 2 software is a playground of data and settings. Aside from switching Cores and setting your DPI configurations, gamers can adjust the N and 3 middle buttons in real-time, letting players adjust exactly how they want their burst or continuous fire to work, as well as making sure that the recoil reduction is working properly.

There is a Macro menu that allows users to download and upload various Macros, in addition to making their own from scratch. Many of the ones included are for Counter-Strike, but clicking on Download Macros will pull up the site where more can be downloaded and directly implemented.

The ethics of it all

When it comes down to it, the software simply allows you to cheat. It's about as clear cut as that. When put to the test, the recoil reduction on an Assault Rifle in Battlefield 3, for example, gave some crazy results — ones that shouldn't be allowed in competitive play. Allowing a handgun to fire as fast as an Assault Rifle is also unfair.

It all comes down to the preference of the player, though. If you're the type that feels like you need that slight edge above others, then you'll find a lot to love about the Bloody v7. There is no doubt in my mind that a lot of gamers will frown down upon this functionality. The Core 3 mode will cost gamers an extra $20, which means that out of the box, all you're really getting is a mouse that allows for burst fire, in either two-shot or three-shot bursts. It can certainly give a slight edge over other players, but isn't nearly as drastic as reducing recoil for pinpoint accuracy.

The bottom line

Build and comfort-wise, the mouse is wonderful. Like I've previously stated, the concave sides allow all of your fingers to have a designated place on the mouse, and the matte and gloss combination make the mouse not only look great, but feel good on your fingers, too. I can easily recommend this mouse on the build alone.

If your end goal is to cheat, the mouse provides the functionality for you to do so. I frown upon it, but it is implemented rather well.