The iPhone 15 Pro Max made quite a buzz in its release when it declared that it can run AAA games. Apple has been making headway in the gaming space. We got to try it for ourselves by playing Resident Evil 4 Remake (RE4R) on an iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Apple was kind enough to give us early access so we played a few hours of it. You’ll need 31GB of space to install the game. You’ll be given estimates on how long the download will take depending on your internet speeds. It took us a little over an hour.
How to play
To play, you simply need to purchase the game, download, install, and then you’re free to control Leon Kennedy in his mission to retrieve the president’s daughter.
You do have to go through a few settings first. To start you’ll be asked to adjust your display size and brightness. Depending on how you want to play, this will be very helpful.
If you’re playing just on the iPhone, you don’t have to adjust much. However, we tried hooking it up to an LG C2 TV via an HDMI adapter. It doesn’t fully cover the whole screen but you can increase the display area to minimize the black bars.
To start, the controls are displayed on the screen. For the best experience, use a bluetooth controller. By default, the on screen buttons display are using the PlayStation labels. That’s why we paired it with a DualSense controller and an Oivo controller phone clip mount.
Don’t fret though, you should be able to use it with whatever bluetooth controller you have lying around. You can dive into settings and change the displayed buttons.
Type A is PlayStation, Type B uses the Xbox orientation, while Type C follows the Nintendo orientation.
We also tried using the GameSir G8 Galileo mobile controller but it doesn’t support natively and we didn’t have the patience to map the buttons. In theory, you can use this, just have to go through the whole button mapping thing.
Graphics and performance
Now onto what you’re probably most curious about. What is gameplay like exactly? Honestly, it’s smooth and lag-free. Going into this, we expected plenty of frame drops and lags, but that isn’t the case at all. Which is important in an action-oriented horror game like Resident Evil 4 Remake.
If you’re playing in our recommended set-up: iPhone 15 Pro Max + Phone Clip + Controller, the experience is seamless. There’s zero lag input and you can easily react to what the game throws at you — which is plenty.
You’ll encounter plenty of jump scares and your aiming and quick trigger skills will be challenged. With game mechanics like this, it helps that the gameplay is smooth.
But with smooth gameplay comes lower resolution. This is the area where the iPhone 15 Pro Max sacrifices the most. This is most evident when we connected the iPhone to a larger display. It isn’t bad per se, it just isn’t meant for large format displays.
The graphics resolution is similar to low graphics settings in mobile and PC games. You lose some detail but it’s not so bad that it’ll be disorienting when you play. That’s especially true if you stick to smaller displays like the iPhone itself, a 12-inch iPad, or even perhaps a 15-16 inch external display. But anything beyond that and the experience isn’t optimal.
iPhone as the best gaming console?
Apple was subject to much ridicule online when it told IGN that they see the iPhone as “the best gaming console.” It’s a bold statement, sure. But with their A17 chip and the rest of the silicon chips equipped on their devices, they might be well on their way.
Think about it, no other smartphone maker has had the ability to run this caliber of a AAA game. At least, not yet. We’ve asked other gaming smartphone makers and they have confirmed that they are monitoring the situation.
For Apple, this is only the beginning in the steps they have to take when it comes to gaming. They have a huge mountain to climb before the general public takes them seriously in the gaming space, but they are most certainly headed in the right direction.
Resident Evil 4 Remake is on the App Store for US$ 60. It’s on pre-order as of writing and will be available to download on December 20.
Gaming
Resident Evil Requiem will get a story expansion
There’s no word yet on when the story expansion will drop.
Resident Evil Requiem, Pokémon Pokopia, and Slay the Spire 2. Between these three, gamers today are eating well and good. Or rather, they’re not, because of how addicting of a time sink these titles are. The latter two especially are built to be played over and over for weeks and months. Now, Resident Evil Requiem is working on something, so you also won’t forget about it in a few months’ time.
Via an official post on Resident Evil’s social media platforms, Capcom has confirmed that a story expansion is coming to the horror game. Currently, the base game doesn’t take long to beat, especially when compared to other RPGs today. The expansion should add more content to explore the story’s world.
Right now, Capcom can’t share a timeline for the update’s launch. However, in the meantime, the developers are cooking up a few minor updates to keep the game alive. For one, the game will receive performance updates to improve the smoothness of gameplay and fix bugs. It will also get a photo mode for all you Leon-holics out there.
Finally, in May, the base game will get a “minigame” added to the main game. There’s no word as to what this minigame is, so we’ll have to wait for when it drops.
Resident Evil Requiem is out now on all major platforms. The game features the survival horror style of the modern Resident Evil games, while serving up the classic action gameplay with the return of Leon S. Kennedy as a co-protagonist with Grace Ashcroft.
SEE ALSO: Resident Evil Requiem is out now
GIGABYTE and Capcom have collaborated for a limited time Resident Evil Requiem-inspired custom PC giveaway.
The setup is inspired by the title, which recently released, and includes an exclusive monitor game bundle to bring players closer to the experience.
Headlining the collaboration is the Umbrella Corporation — Level 3 Access custom rig giveaway. It is one of a kind, fully-built desktop featuring a Z890M AORUS ELITE WIFI7 ICE motherboard and RTX 5080 AERO OC SFF graphics.
Of course, it draws inspiration from the visual identity and atmosphere of Resident Evil Requiem. It also features a GIGABYTE C102 GLASS ICE chassis design and custom GIGABYTE MO27Q28G gaming monitor to complete the setup.
The giveaway runs from March 2 to March 31 via the official campaign website. Fans can enter for a chance to win the custom rig, with no purchase necessary. The only caveat is that they have to be a United States or Canada resident.
Such experience is designed to invite players and PC enthusiasts alike to engage with the collaboration while highlighting GIGABYTE’s premium hardware craftmanship and attention to detail.
In addition to the giveaway, GIGABYTE is also offering a Resident Evil Requiem game bundle with select gaming monitors. Included are AORUS brand monitors, ranging from 27 to 55 inches in size.
This bundle is available until March 31. Customers who purchase eligible models can redeem a digital game code through GIGABYTE’s official redemption platform.
The featured monitor is the MO27Q28G, which has fourth generation WOLED panel with 280Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response time. It is an ideal monitor to experience the spine-chilling terror and death-defying action of the title.
Gaming
Where Winds Meet Hexi expansion now available
Explore massive new maps, fight new bosses, and claim exclusive rewards and bonuses
The first major expansion for Where Winds Meet, the Hexi expansion, is now available. The open world action RPG’s most ambitious free-to-play expansion since its release is now accessible across PC, PlayStation, and mobile.
The Hexi expansion invites players to leave the familiar heartlands behind and step into a breathtaking, unforgiving new frontier.
Included are three major maps and nearly 20 sub-regions, urging players explore vast and diverse environments.
These massive new areas are divided into three chapters: the ancient ruins of Jade Gate Pass, the snow-capped mountain region Liangzhou, and a vast grassland area Qinchuan.
The expansion takes players back to the Tang Dynasty, which exists outside of the main game’s premise.
Here, players can battle 11 unique bosses and take part in several side quests. New gameplay mechanics will also allow them to surf on sand faster or reverse time to rebuild ruins and solve puzzles.
To celebrate the massive milestone, the title is also giving away a wave of exclusive free rewards and in-game bonuses. There’s 30+ Lingering Melodies and 90+ Resonating Melodies.
Furthermore, there is a wide range of cosmetics, including outfits, accessories, and even emotes. These rewards will be spread out from March to May.
Players simply have to log in and claim their launch gifts and gear up for the desert.
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