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Accustomed to big speeches and flashy presentation videos, gamers have gradually become, in spite of themselves, like Saint Thomas. They only believe what they play. As a result, when Apple presented with great fanfare its new video game ambitions during its last keynote in September, distrust was initially, logically, in order.
How can a smartphone, also the latest scream it may, could offer an experience close to next-gen home consoles?For the Cupertino company, the answer can be summed up in one word. Or rather in one component: the A17 Pro. The first in the world to be engraved in 3nm, Apple's latest mobile chip supports MetalFX ray-tracing and upscaling. In other words, the A17 Pro is capable of managing reflections and diffractions of light and improving framerate on smartphones while maintaining good visual quality. Just that!
As we explained to you in a recent analysis of Apple's new gaming ambitions, this Resident Evil Village is not a waste of time. The American company has already announced its roadmap. And there are lots of people coming to iPhone. Resident Evil 4 Remake will be available on December 20 and for the beginning of 2024 will follow in particular Assassin's Creed Mirage and Death Stranding.< /p>
Released in May 2021, Resident Evil Village takes place a few years after the events of Resident Evil 7. After a memorable introduction, in which he led a peaceful family life, Ethan Winters finds himself in a rundown town in Romania. There, our hero will have to make his way between the many inhabitants transformed into monsters to understand why he is there.
Hailed by critics (it notably received 38/40 from the Japanese media Gematsu) and by players, and sold around 8 million copies worldwide, this game was unanimous. Even within our editorial staff. So much for context.
The goal of this test is obviously not to test the intrinsic value of this Resident Evil Village, but rather the experience provided when you plays it on a smartphone.
Is the iPhone 15 Pro Max capable of transcribing all the darkness of this episode? Will the iPhone be practical for understanding gameplayrather technical? Will Capcom's well-crafted scenario be appreciated with real immersion? After more than ten hours of play, and a few thrills, here is my complete opinion.
To enjoy AAA games on Apple products, you will need to own one of the latest ones. Available from the App Store, Resident Evil Village is available on smartphones with the A17 Pro chip, i.e. the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
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As for tablets, the game requires an iPad with an Apple Silicon M1 or M2 chip. You will therefore need to be the lucky owner of an 11 or 12.9 inch iPad Pro from 2021 or a 5th generation iPad Air. In any case, be aware that it will also be necessary to install iOS 17 and iPadOS 17.
From the intro, I was quickly amazed. Although I played the PS4 version of the game, although I occasionally relaxed with big titles from the Apple Store, I wasn't expecting this. If from a technical point of view you find Genshin Impact, Diablo Immortal orApex Legends Mobile magnificent on smartphone, then you have not yet nothing seen.
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Whether it is when we arrive in the village or during our first fights, we are amazed. The details and especially the textures of the decorations are out of the category on smartphones. It's simply splendid.Besides, I have to make one thing clear: the photos taken from the iPhone 15 Pro Max don't do enough justice to the graphics.
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Especially since the lighting and shadow play are as magnificent as they are frightening. The variation of gray is admirable and perfectly transcribes the gloominess of the places to be explored. And what about the characters and the hemoglobin, it's never been better to play on a smartphone.
The more I progressed in the adventure, the more I realized that I had been a little greedy. Indeed, I had started flat out with graphics at maximum (2796 x1290). As soon as the enemies appeared in greater numbers on the screen, the hero's movements quickly suffered jerks.
After a few infuriating deaths, I then fell back on the level below, 2340 x 1080 pixels. However, I felt that when moving in complex environments, the framerate still lost slightly in stability.
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As powerful as it is, my iPhone 15 Pro Max was not able to provide a 60 FPS experience consistently. For greater fluidity, I therefore chose the penultimate graphics level (1950 x 900) to ensure an average of 30 FPS.
For the MetalFX option, I opted for the intermediate level, the “Quality” mode. As a result, I was able to play without any aliasing during my exploration and without slowing down during combat. And visually, it was still just as beautiful. If I had to make a criticism here of the gaming experience, it would not concern this need to adjust certain knobs. An iPhone is not (yet) as powerful as a PS5.
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However, as soon as you set foot in the graphics options, it's a bit of a mess. Certainly, the customization possibilities abound as much as in a PC game. Except that sometimes too much choice kills choice.
Texture filtering, ambient occlusion, transluminessence (!)… It's a shame that the game doesn't offer pre-configurations based on your battery level or preferences. Something simple that would allow all non-experts to embark on the adventure more quickly.
How can you experience all the sensations of such a game on a smartphone screen? To tell you the truth, my biggest question before launching Resident Evil Village was not really about the graphics, but rather about ergonomics and immersion.
As said above, I carried out this test on an iPhone 15 Pro Max. With its large 6.7-inch screen, the gaming surface was really pleasant. We are certainly still a step above a Steam Deck slab (7.4 inches), but we are close to that of a Switch (7 inches). It is therefore easy to guess that on a 6.1-inch iPhone 15 Pro, the experience will certainly be less august.
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In terms of immersion and gaming pleasure, this Resident Evil Village on iPhone fulfills its contract admirably. I took real pleasure in jumping, twitching, escaping, fighting and exploring. Once again, no game on the App Store had given me such a console-like experience.
However, to achieve this level of pleasure, there are little asterisks at the bottom of the page to be aware of. First of all, and as with the largest mobile gaming licenses,it is strongly recommended to play with headphones or earphones.
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In addition, it is no longer recommended, but obligatory in my opinion, to play it with a controller or an accessory. Technically it is possible to advance in the adventure using touch, but the combat phases are a real nightmare.
However, you can do everything like increase the size of the buttons or personalize the slightest command, but nothing happens. Especially since by playing in this way our fingers cause us to lose display surface, which is a shame.
Since touchscreen is generally not really the cup of tea for 3D action games on mobile, it is fortunately possible to easily add an accessory to your iPhone 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max. Especially since connecting an Xbox, Playstation device or a simple Bluetooth controller is child's play on iPhone. We tried the experiment with a PS4 controller. The result was immediate.
The gaming pleasure is increased tenfold compared to touch controls. It’s undeniable, we go from mediocre to good. However, I noticed some latency, especially when aiming at our opponents' heads. The most uncompromising players will easily notice this. In addition, to play this way, you must have a case that allows your iPhone to stand horizontally. Fortunately, this was my case.
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So, I tried to continue my adventure with an accessory that was lying around in the editorial office, the MG-X Pro.This universal controller has managed to take the immersion within the game up a notch. From the good, we now arrive at the excellent.
Currently this MG-X Pro sees its price increase from 89 euros to 49 euros for Black Friday. If you want to get the most out of this Resident Evil Village, go for it, because the use of such an accessory is highly recommended. Also take a look at BackBone and Kishi's catalog. Two other reliable brands that offer this type of product.
During our test of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, we were neither excited nor disappointed by the autonomy of the smartphone. He was in a good average. To best test the battery in gaming mode, I wanted to embark on a little marathon.
On a Sunday afternoon, I first recharged the battery to 100%, then I started a game again to see how the iPhone 15 Pro Max behaved over time. In total, I was able to finish the first two chapters in one go, which corresponds to around 2 hours 15 minutes of play.
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When leaving the game, I was rather surprised to see that I still had almost 30% battery left. This may not seem like much, but given the graphic quality of the title, I assure you that it's a nice score.
< strong>Also, I noticed at the end that my smartphone was really hot.At the same time, after such a session, it's almost normal. Afterwards, since I embarked on this marathon with a controller, the rise in temperature did not hinder my playing. However, if I had to do it again, I would make sure to take a few breaks for the sake of my iPhone, and I recommend it to you too.
From September, the price announced to purchase Resident Evil Villageon iPhone has caused quite a stir. For the base game, you would have had to pay 70 euros, and for the excellent DLC (Winter’s Expansion), an additional 20 euros. Or 90 euros for a game, which is not new, and which was released in 2021. Never before seen on mobile, or elsewhere.
When it was released on October 30, Resident Evil Villagereceived a promotion. Until November 20, the base game was 17 euros. As we write these lines, the game is priced halfway between the indecency of the starting price in September and this promotion. Or 40 euros for the main story and 20 euros for the DLC.
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Is this the final price? In any case, this is what Capcom communicates to us in the latest news. If this is the case, it is very high, but becomes a bit more acceptable than the first price announced. Indeed, certain ports, often poorly done, of old games, cost almost 20 euros on the App Store. This is the case for Final Fantasy VIII (23 euros) or even Trial of Mana (25 euros). Certainly these games are rare on the App Store, they are cheaper than Resident Evil Village, but they do exist. And above all, they are less beautiful.
Regardless, it is possible to download a free demo of the game before checking out. Which I obviously advise you to do, in order to avoid any disappointments.
From a technical point of view, this first immersion of the iPhone in the AAA video game is a real success. What a pleasure to see such a game running on a smartphone and to be able to play it with so much sensation!
However, this demonstration of force still leaves me a little cautious. Already, for an adventure as close as possible to a console, you will necessarily have to play with a controller. In addition to hurting my wallet, this obligation pushes meultimatelyto ask myself this question.
Which audience of gamers is Apple therefore targeting with these new video game ambitions? Probably, and mainly, for occasional gamers who want to play quietly at home without having to tie up a television.
These same players who will from time to time be able to continue their adventure on the move. But not too long anyway, otherwise their main smartphone won't last the day without going to the refueling box. In addition, with this scenario, it is essential to carry a joystick or controller with you.
Consequently, diligent and regular players, wishing to play almost everywhere, will turn more logically towards a SteamDeck or a Playstation Portal.
Finally, by showing that its A17 Pro chip is capable of running large licenses, Apple plants a first seed. Perhaps within two or three generations of iPhone, the experience will be more complete (touch, heating, battery) and we hope also more affordable.
By However, what is certain in my opinion is that if Tim Cook one day has the good idea to nest an A17 Pro chip in his Apple TV, or the following ones, then there! It’s no longer just mobile gaming that Apple would disrupt.