HHW Gaming: We Played ‘Death Stranding’ On An iPhone 15 Pro Max, It Blew Our Minds

Following the reveal of Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, we said Apple had probably taken its most significant step into the video game space with those devices. After getting hands-on with some AAA titles that push the mightiest gaming console to the limit on the iPhone and other MAC devices, we are convinced that Apple has found its lane in gaming.

While most people marveled at the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max’s new action button and camera system, we couldn’t help but notice that Apple sneakingly turned its flagship smartphone into a gaming console.

The idea that a smartphone could play demanding AAA games with almost the same graphical fidelity as a console or PC version of those titles used to be crazy talk.

After seeing and playing Death Stranding: Director’s Cut, Resident Evil 4, and The Division Resurgence on iPhone 15 Pro Max powered by the company’s new A17 Pro and on the iPad, that one-time crazy idea is now a reality.

Apple now has its gaming ecosystem with the iPhone, iPad, MAC computers, and Apple TV 4K. We saw that it will allow gamers to take gaming action between different devices seamlessly.

Death Stranding: Director’s Cut

We didn’t play using touch controls, but with a Backbone One, the game felt good as we navigated the rocky terrain to keep Sam from falling and damaging his package.

Hideo Kojima’s dystopian walking simulator that sees Sam Porter Bridges (Norman Reedus), a deliveryman trying to deliver packages while avoiding BTs (Beached Things), who refuse to crossover to the other side and wreak havoc on the living who survived the cataclysmic event called the Death Stranding, is getting another life on the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max and other Apple devices.

It won’t require an internet connection; the entire game downloads onto your Apple device. As far as how much memory it will gobble up remains a mystery.

Kojima’s latest game, until the sequel arrives, was a visual spectacle on the consoles, and to see it running damn near flawlessly on the iPhone 15 Pro Max is mind-blowing.

We didn’t play using touch controls, but with a Backbone One, the game felt good as we navigated the rocky terrain to keep Sam from falling and damaging his package.

It also looked crisp and ran smoothly on the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s Super Retina XDR display.

We also saw it running on a Mac Mini M2 connected to a large television, demonstrating Apple’s continued advancements in making its devices attractive to gamers.

Consider us thoroughly intrigued by the prospect of taking Sam Porter Bridges’ adventure on the go whenever Death Stranding launches on the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max.

Resident Evil 4

Also, when Resident Evil 4 arrives on December 20, it will allow you to continue from where you left off on another device, thanks to cross-platform progress.

Resident Evil 4 was another title we got to experience on the iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPad, and yes, it runs very smoothly. While touchscreen controls are available, we highly recommend using the Backbone One device or your favorite console controller for a proper playthrough.

The iPad version will also allow you to remap your button schemes on your virtual controller.

Also, when Resident Evil 4 arrives on December 20, it will allow you to continue from where you left off on another device, thanks to cross-platform progress.

You can also adjust the graphics settings like you could on a PC.

Before its launch, we reviewed Resident Evil 4 and proclaimed that no studio currently is making better remakes than Capcom. When it arrives this year, we shall see if the full game delivers that same greatness on the iPhone 15 Pro Max and other Apple devices.

Tom Clancy’s The Division Resurgence 

While the touchscreen controls are very responsive, we highly recommend controller use for this one, combined with the touch features for navigation…

Another game that showcased the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro gaming capabilities was Tom Clancy’s The Division Resurgence.

Ubisoft’s mobile take on its popular looter/shooter franchise didn’t feel like a mobile knockoff but a full-fledged game that just happens to be on your smartphone.

We got to experience the game using the touch controls on the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s screen, and it was, at times, confusing, but there are dedicated buttons for actions like vaulting, shooting, and opening crates.

Resurgence’s menus can be overwhelming to first-time Division players, but they are a breeze to navigate for veterans.

While the touchscreen controls are very responsive, we highly recommend controller use for this one, combined with the touch features for navigation, which is a nice touch if you’re playing Resurgence via the iPad, as we did during the preview.

We got to experience some side missions and one of the game’s campaign missions, in which we faced a very challenging boss who required multiple attempts before we finally defeated him.

We look forward to playing The Division Resurgence again when the regional beta arrives on November 16.

Sonic Dream Team

It definitely plays like a much prettier version of Temple Run or 2013’s Sonic Dash.

Following its surprise announcement, Sonic Dream Team is a more traditional mobile gaming experience that Apple hopes will boost its Apple Arcade library due to its exclusivity.

The game is beautifully designed, and the colors pop off the screen. However, it doesn’t feel like your typical Sonic game because the camera is so far away from Sonic and the other playable characters.

It definitely plays like a much prettier version of Temple Run or 2013’s Sonic Dash. It’s another game that might take some serious getting used to using on-screen controls.

Sonic Dream Team will arrive at the Apple Arcade on December 5.

Apple’s future in gaming is very bright, and the company is making a valiant effort to turn its popular devices that gamers will happily use over all the other options.

The idea of playing seamlessly across your iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and MAC computers is a reality, and Apple must be taken quite seriously in video games. We haven’t even seen what things will look like when the Apple Vision Pro arrives, which Apple also has plans to use in its new gaming ecosystem.

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Photo: Bernard Smalls / Apple / SEGA