An IMDB tomato
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After having taken a quick look at the different features of the service, it is now time to see if it works. Indeed, because of its very dependent aspect of the Internet connection, the experience can be absolutely great as terribly bad. Our first tests took place via a Wi-fi connection in VSDL 2 with a downlink speed of 35 Mbps and 3.46 Mbps of upload. Connected to a 5 GHz Wi-Fi network, our smartphone and an Xbox One V2 controller connected via Bluetooth, we expect an acceptable experience. Otherwise, remember that the service is still in the testing phase.
Shadow Of The Tomb Raider
The first test started on the game Shadow Of The Tomb Raider, a great spectacle solo adventure that lends itself well to exercise. The first steps are quite satisfactory, the video quality is good, we notice very little compression on the small screen and everything is rather fluid. The start of the game is quite contemplative with some platform phases. What is generally to be feared with cloud gaming services is the felt input lag. Here, if you do feel a certain heaviness in the controls, it remains completely playable during movements and different jumps. When the first phases of fire arrive, it's a bit more problematic. The heaviness felt in the controller makes it harder to adjust your shots and align the headshot is necessarily more difficult. The small screen,
Descenders
The second test took place on the Descenders game which we told you about in our last podcast . It is a downhill mountain biking game where you have to have good reflexes to chain turns, jumps, tricks and also avoid trees. On paper, the title is not really intended to be played on a platform like xCloud. In practice, the experience is quite adequate but it still shows its limits fairly quickly. On slower tracks, you can easily play, but as soon as the pace picks up it becomes more difficult to get rid of the feeling of heaviness provided in the controls.
Halo 5
The Halo 5 test is very important since the game seems to run at 60 frames per second in the application and above all, it is an FPS. Playing in subjective view on a local console can already be synonymous with disappointment for some, and fluidity and responsiveness in the hair are the key to avoiding them. With xCloud, the contract is difficult to fulfill. The video quality is there but in terms of responsiveness, we are quite far from the mark and the subjective view forgives much less than during our tests on third-person games. We did not try to launch a multiplayer game, the solo experience was already quite average and it is difficult to see how it would be possible to perform online on such a game. Not sure either that the long sessions are bearable .
Forza Horizon 4
The alternative to the Motorsport series offered by Playground Games goes pretty well via xCloud. Indeed, its more permissive appearance with its off-road trips require less precision. Of course the feeling of heaviness is always present but less annoying. However we quickly notice the lack of vibration in the controller. These are not currently compatible via xCloud and as much to say that it is missing quickly when playing Forza. Information about changes in vehicle grip, different surfaces and other braking has never seemed more essential.
Playable, but with input lag…
In general, xCloud is struggling to convince. While the games are quite playable, the experience is often fairly average for a variety of reasons. The input lag is the main cause of the problem and a GeForceNOW for example handles this aspect much better. Of course, it also depends a lot on your sensitivity and the habits you have. It will be easier to detect disappointments in a game that you play every day on your local console than on a title that you know only through xCloud.
Microsoft's cloud gaming service, on the other hand, serves as a very suitable backup solution. On the road, for example, it's always better to be able to play a few games and chat with friends than to have nothing at all. On the other hand, in this case, it will be necessary to make sure to have a connection not only sufficiently powerful but also and above all stable. Playing contemplative, narrative or puzzle games also makes the service much more enjoyable. We think in particular of titles like Batman: The Enemy Within available in the service or even Life Is Strange which are games where the input lag is less problematic.
Finally, if xCloud is a solution for people who do not have an Xbox console, we can only advise others to take more advantage of “streaming console” if you have a console at home. Although this functionality is still only for insiders, you will then have access to your entire machine remotely. That is to say not only to your games, but also to all your applications as well as social interactions, the interface, the market ... In addition, you will enjoy the Xbox One X versions of your games if it is from that machine that you're broadcasting. Currently, xCloud indeed seems to offer Xbox One versions through its service.
Shadow Of The Tomb Raider
The first test started on the game Shadow Of The Tomb Raider, a great spectacle solo adventure that lends itself well to exercise. The first steps are quite satisfactory, the video quality is good, we notice very little compression on the small screen and everything is rather fluid. The start of the game is quite contemplative with some platform phases. What is generally to be feared with cloud gaming services is the felt input lag. Here, if you do feel a certain heaviness in the controls, it remains completely playable during movements and different jumps. When the first phases of fire arrive, it's a bit more problematic. The heaviness felt in the controller makes it harder to adjust your shots and align the headshot is necessarily more difficult. The small screen,
Descenders
The second test took place on the Descenders game which we told you about in our last podcast . It is a downhill mountain biking game where you have to have good reflexes to chain turns, jumps, tricks and also avoid trees. On paper, the title is not really intended to be played on a platform like xCloud. In practice, the experience is quite adequate but it still shows its limits fairly quickly. On slower tracks, you can easily play, but as soon as the pace picks up it becomes more difficult to get rid of the feeling of heaviness provided in the controls.
Halo 5
The Halo 5 test is very important since the game seems to run at 60 frames per second in the application and above all, it is an FPS. Playing in subjective view on a local console can already be synonymous with disappointment for some, and fluidity and responsiveness in the hair are the key to avoiding them. With xCloud, the contract is difficult to fulfill. The video quality is there but in terms of responsiveness, we are quite far from the mark and the subjective view forgives much less than during our tests on third-person games. We did not try to launch a multiplayer game, the solo experience was already quite average and it is difficult to see how it would be possible to perform online on such a game. Not sure either that the long sessions are bearable .
Forza Horizon 4
The alternative to the Motorsport series offered by Playground Games goes pretty well via xCloud. Indeed, its more permissive appearance with its off-road trips require less precision. Of course the feeling of heaviness is always present but less annoying. However we quickly notice the lack of vibration in the controller. These are not currently compatible via xCloud and as much to say that it is missing quickly when playing Forza. Information about changes in vehicle grip, different surfaces and other braking has never seemed more essential.
Playable, but with input lag…
In general, xCloud is struggling to convince. While the games are quite playable, the experience is often fairly average for a variety of reasons. The input lag is the main cause of the problem and a GeForceNOW for example handles this aspect much better. Of course, it also depends a lot on your sensitivity and the habits you have. It will be easier to detect disappointments in a game that you play every day on your local console than on a title that you know only through xCloud.
Microsoft's cloud gaming service, on the other hand, serves as a very suitable backup solution. On the road, for example, it's always better to be able to play a few games and chat with friends than to have nothing at all. On the other hand, in this case, it will be necessary to make sure to have a connection not only sufficiently powerful but also and above all stable. Playing contemplative, narrative or puzzle games also makes the service much more enjoyable. We think in particular of titles like Batman: The Enemy Within available in the service or even Life Is Strange which are games where the input lag is less problematic.
Finally, if xCloud is a solution for people who do not have an Xbox console, we can only advise others to take more advantage of “streaming console” if you have a console at home. Although this functionality is still only for insiders, you will then have access to your entire machine remotely. That is to say not only to your games, but also to all your applications as well as social interactions, the interface, the market ... In addition, you will enjoy the Xbox One X versions of your games if it is from that machine that you're broadcasting. Currently, xCloud indeed seems to offer Xbox One versions through its service.
