Mobile gaming has come a long way. Since the days of the home Gamecube (with handle), ‘real’ console gaming hasn’t been considered portable. Sure, there are laptops and portable computing devices, but games are starting to shine brightest on devices without controllers, devices without TV inputs, and devices that have lost the grip of the Gamecube but upped the ante on portability and impressive graphics. I am talking about the iPhone 15 Pro MAX.
This week, I had the chance to play five impressive-looking console quality (and some successfully ported) titles on a range of Apple’s latest technology. The latest Macbooks, Apple TV and iPads can handle these exceptional gaming experiences on a par with the best PCs and gaming tablets on the market, but what impressed me most was how the iPhone 15 Pro MAX was able to faithfully recreate some genre-defining console experiences in the palm of a gamer’s hand, without sacrificing what makes these titles great.
Aside from the mention of the Gamecube and its unwieldy handle, Resident Evil 4 was released on Nintendo’s console back in 2005, and if you told me back then that I’d be able to faithfully appreciate one of Capcom’s best offerings on a phone in 2023, I probably wouldn’t have believed you, but here we are. Here are five titles I got to play on Apple’s latest flagship smartphone, the iPhone 15 Pro MAX.
Resident Evil 4 on iPhone 15 Pro MAX
The fact that this is not a port of the original but rather a port of the 2023 remake, is what boggles my mind. Instead of lugging your Gamecube around from home to a friend’s house, you can take Leon Kennedy and the story, which takes place six years after the Racoon City disaster, with you on your smartphone. Capcom representatives have also confirmed that this title does not require a live Internet connection to run after the initial download, making it a truly portable experience.
But how does it play? The texture presented on Leon Kennedy’s leather jacket looks tangible, and I could almost smell the moisture oozing from it. The lighting effects on the device are also impressive, adding to the overall atmosphere of Resident Evil 4 Remake. While the MacBook has an impressive ray-tracing effect, the iPhone 15 Pro MAX has none.
While my time as Leon was incredibly limited on the (short demo) iPhone 15 Pro MAX, I was able to play through a short section of the story. During that time, the responsiveness and heft of the game translated incredibly well from its console counterparts. Using the latest iPad, the touch controls were spaced far enough apart to feel comfortable, and this may be the Achilles heel of the iPhone 15 Pro MAX. The eerie atmosphere is well rendered, and it’s a wonder to see such an advanced title on a smartphone, but the touch controls are a little crowded on the iPhone 15 Pro MAX’s surface.
Fortunately for fans, the iPhone 15 Pro MAX is compatible with most wireless controllers on the market, including the Xbox Series Controller and the PS5 Dualsense, which are fully functional with the port, and the Backbone version I tested played remarkably well. But damn, it is a beautifully ported title.
Fans who have yet to experience this masterpiece but don’t want to buy a console to jump in will have to wait until it’s released on the Apple Store on 20th December. Fans worried they’d miss out on extra content from The Mercenaries or Ada Wong’s Separate Ways side story can rest assured that all content will be included with Resident Evil 4 when it arrives on Apple.
Death Stranding: Director’s Cut on iPhone 15 Pro MAX
Like Resident Evil 4 before it, Death Stranding: Director’s Cut doesn’t miss a step on Apple’s ecosystem of devices. This is all the more impressive when you consider the massive scale of Hideo Kojima’s groundbreaking Kojima Productions title on the iPhone 15 Pro MAX’s portable screen. The title runs smoothly and handles some of the more demanding sequences (I witnessed a waterfall without any semblance of framerate chug) with finesse. However, the single cutscene I saw was a little less power-hungry. I can see the reasoning behind releasing such a massive title on the iPhone 15: opening up these experiences to people interested in gaming but not prepared to buy a device ‘just for it’.
Both experiences are fully cross-progressive. You can start a delivery in the comfort of your living room and finish it on the train to work. The dystopian world of Death Stranding is coming to Apple devices on 2 December.
Sonic Dream Team on iPhone 15 Pro MAX
Coming exclusively to Apple Arcade, Sonic Dream Team brings together a team of Sonic fans to create a true 3D Sonic the Hedgehog experience on mobile. As a title made by fans, for fans, the character roster has been determined by fan suggestions, and fan favourite Cream has made it onto the six-character roster. Like the other titles on this list, Dream Team takes full advantage of Apple’s ecosystem of devices, but even more so when it sits in the palm of your hand on the iPhone 15 Pro MAX.
Speaking to SEGA HARDlight’s Studio Creative Director, Dan Rossati, and Chief Software Engineer, Louis Macan, it is clear that this team was the right choice for the job. Both Louis and Dan have stated that they are huge Sonic fans, and getting the “feel of a Sonic game” right was paramount to the team’s vision for Sonic Dream Team.
Sonic Dream Team sees Dr Eggman return as a villain (of course), and he discovers an ancient device called the Reverie. This device allows Eggman to bring dreams into the real world in his quest for world domination, and it’s up to Sonic, Knuckles, Tails, Rogue, Cream and Amy to stop him while navigating the dangerous dreamscapes. Rolling through some of the early stages, I was struck by how the characters magnetized to the interactive environment and how everything felt right, even though I was using touch controls.
Louis explained that the title went through a lot of trial and error to hone the experience. Sonic Dream Team is heavily inspired by 3D titles such as Sonic Adventure 2, and the way Knuckles and Rouge the Bat travel feels lifted from that game, but with an extended level of polish not found in the older titles. One of the most impressive features is how the lightning dash through rings feels better than ever.
Sonic Dream Team also features solid replayability. Each character has their own special powers, and it feels like certain parts of each level are meant to be explored with the proper character ability, such as Tails/Cream hovering ability, or Knuckles/Rouge’s climbing. Each stage features a myriad of collectables hiding, and it’s up to the player to track them all down. Sonic Frontiers may have revolutionized the blue blur for modern consoles, but Sonic Dream Team is on my radar as the next good Sonic title in the staggering library of titles, not even just a good Sonic title, but a very good 3D platformer. There are no microtransactions in Dream Team, and the entire thing can also be played without a live internet connection, which is ‘perfect for flights’ Software Engineer Louis Macan joked. Sonic Dream Team launches on Apple devices on December 5.
Hello Kitty Island Adventure on iPhone 15 Pro MAX
The cozy offering, Hello Kitty Island Adventure was also present at the hands-on Apple event, and it brought Animal Crossing x Sanrio vibes to the Apple ecosystem without Trey Parker and Matt Stone jokes. While the title has been out for a few weeks, I was able to give it a try on the iPhone 15 Pro MAX and it presents better than ever. With Island Adventure patch 1.2, everything runs silky smooth, and framerate dips are far and few between on the Apple ecosystem of devices.
Surprisingly, with Sanrio’s charming characters and the activities on offer, Hello Kitty Island Adventure is a dense experience worthy of a solid chill session on the couch, especially if you’re a Hello Kitty fan. Apple Arcade subscribers can get this for free with their membership, and while Hello Kitty Island Adventure wasn’t in my backlog going in, restoring the island to its former glory is a solid time, and it’s worth a try for subscribers at no extra cost.
The Division: Resurgence on iPhone 15 Pro MAX
The last title I had the chance to play on Apple’s ecosystem of devices was The Division: Resurgence, and as a fan of the series, I was pleasantly surprised to find a new narrative packed into the mobile title without losing any of the tried and tested Division gameplay. I was expecting a sort of ‘here’s what’s going on’ bridge story, but Resurgence offers a brand new experience (still set in New York City) with its own identity (spoiler alert).
Fans of The Division will find everything they love about the console experience in this mobile title, and the control scheme has been meticulously designed to streamline gameplay and make it as smooth as possible on the iPhone 15 Pro MAX. It’s worth noting that Resurgence presents itself more like The Division 2 with The Division 2 menus, and fans can jump into single or multiplayer as they please.
It’s worth noting that The Division: Resurgence isn’t presented with the HD clarity of Resident Evil 4 or Death Stranding: Director’s Cut, and some gameplay elements felt a little choppy, but it is an incredible feat that Ubisoft has managed to cram a faithful The Division title into the small frame of the iPhone 15 Pro MAX, and it really does feel like a fully formed standalone title. Gunplay feels silky smooth and the cover system retains its console utility, allowing players to create their own agent of the strategic Homeland Division for a true RPG looting experience.
Menus are cleverly designed to keep players in combat and out of menus for a more immersive experience, unencumbered by inventory management at every pit stop. While I had reservations about this title when it was announced back in 2022, those reservations have been allayed and I can’t wait to find out more as we get closer to a TBD release date in 2024.
I went into the hands-on Apple Event with resounding skepticism, and after I got a hold of the titles coming to their ecosystem, most of it had been erased. Aside from the five impressive-looking titles I was able to get my hands on, Lies of P, Baldur’s Gate 3, and AnnaPurna’s hit Indie title Stray are all coming to Apple devices sooner rather than later, so Whoopi Goldberg will be pleased to know Baldur’s Gate 3 will be available on Mac devices soon, and it looks (and more importantly, plays) as good as ever.
What’s most important is Apple seems laser-focused on games and gameplay, as all of the games mentioned are full titles without the necessity of microtransactions or constant internet connection, which is a positive step forward for the tech giant on the gaming landscape. Fans can find details regarding all of these titles in the Apple store.
