Mixed feelings about Big Picture Mode.
The software itself and how the 360 controller integrates into it is fantastic. Seriously easy to navigate interface, the best text entry on a controller ever, no ads, and being able to always access it by holding in the 360 guide button for 3 seconds is useful.
But BPM is seriously let down by little issues outside of its control. The main one is fucking launchers at the start of games that need a mouse click to proceed. Some games, like ones from Bethesda, Borderlands 2 and Stranger's Wrath, can be worked around by adding the main executable to Steam, or renaming files, or using command lines. Annoying, but fine after you put some work into it.
But there are games with no solution, like Rockstar games, some Capcom games, Prince of Persia and other Ubi games with UPlay shite, and now the Hotline Miami beta. Another annoying issue is text entry in games - you can bypass Skyrim's launcher for example, but 5 minutes into the game you are screwed when you need to enter in your name for the first time.
Additionally, i'm saddened at the amount of games that are simply lazy when it comes to controller implementation. Indie games are a main offender like VVVVVV and Lone Survivor. Their recommendation to just use Joy2Key, Xpadder or Pinnacle is lazy and adds another bit of software that I have to setup before I can click play. Games like BF3, TR: Anniversary and Silent Hill Homecoming with 360 pad support but no button prompts for it on QTEs is inexcusable. Why bother even having pad support if you don't go the whole way?
Some of these things are a minor annoyance I guess. It's not the end of the world - but requiring me to get up and go into my other room where the PC is located to use the keyboard and mouse for two seconds, or configure an additional bit of software, really undermines the "comfy couch" dream and makes console gaming all the more understandable. I wonder if having a second 360 controller bound to Xpadder to manage the mouse and clicking navigation only could work. Could colour code it too: white one for gaming, black one to solve the annoying tasks..