"Deus Ex: The Fall": Coming Soon to iOS and Android

[Red Hawk]

Announcement Video

E3 Trailer

IGN Interview: "Deus Ex: The Fall isn't a mobile cash-in"

I'm not sure where to put this since we don't have a "mobile gaming" section, but I feel like mobile devices are just a variant of the PC, so I'll leave it here.

A week ago, the official Deus Ex Youtube channel teased for something called "Deus Ex: The Fall". Turns out that, instead of a direct follow up to 2011's acclaimed "Deus Ex: Human Revolution" on consoles and PC, this is going to be a spin-off game released on iOS and Android.

At first, my reaction was skepticism. I didn't feel like mobile was a good place to develop "hardcore" games, like a Deus Ex game. But then I asked myself: is that really the case? Deep, "hardcore" games have been around on mobile devices for ages (I'd call The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening a mechanically deep "hardcore" game, and that was all the way back on the original Gameboy). From watching the videos and reading the IGN interview, it's clear that the developers are putting their full effort into bringing the whole Deus Ex experience over and making a control scheme with touchscreens that works.

This announcement motivated me to buy the Mass Effect spinoff "Mass Effect Infiltrator" on my phone and see just how 3d shooter mechanics can work with a touchscreen. The story and presentation of "Infiltrator" is nothing spectacular -- unsurprising for a game that costs $6.99 -- but the shooter mechanics work, for the most part. It's clear that a bigger effort is going into Deus Ex: The Fall. I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt that they can make the touchscreen work.

So, yeah, color me excited. A full Deus Ex game that I can carry around with me on my phone, or a tablet if I ever were to buy one? I'm sold. I am concerned that the game will be too performance intensive for my current phone (Samsung Galaxy S Relay with 1.5 GHz Krait CPU and probably (hopefully) a 400 MHz Adreno 225 graphics chip.) I'll probably have to either buy a decent tablet or upgrade to a better phone if I want the full visual experience. Hopefully, since phones and tablets can have a wide range of hardware just like PCs, Eidos will adopt the same approach as with PCs and provide a range of detail settings.

 

[Barfo]

http://forums.anandtech.com/forumdisplay.php?f=37

 

[Red Hawk]

http://forums.anandtech.com/forumdisplay.php?f=37

Yes, but that's more about the software, hardware, and general purpose apps. We don't post threads for games in the "Software for Windows" or "Video Cards and Graphics" sections, do we? (well...maybe threads discussing benchmarks of games in the latter section, but not the games themselves) And like I said, iOS and Android platforms can just be seen as a variant of PC gaming, using different operating systems and control schemes. This is not a "Windows Gaming" section, either.

And I doubt the members who come here to talk a bit about games would even notice this thread if I posted it in that section.

 

[blastingcap]

I would rather they not waste precious resources on crummy mobile games. Those resources could have gone towards the next PC Deus Ex game.

 

[Red Hawk]

I would rather they not waste precious resources on crummy mobile games. Those resources could have gone towards the next PC Deus Ex game.

You're assuming the game is going to be "crummy". It seems to me that they are putting a full AAA effort into the game -- of course, the game could still be terrible, but it's cynical and unfounded to just assume the game will have terrible production values. Also, why assume that this game will pull resources from the next PC/console Deus Ex game? It's a separate game with a separate budget. (btw, I'm pretty sure at this point that the next Deus Ex PC/console game will release on PS4 and Xbox One).

Anyways, according to an official community blog post, the game will be compatible with iPhone 4S and the iPad 2. My phone is either comparable or better than the hardware in those two, but I definitely think it can't run the game at the full blast shown in the trailer footage. This pretty much confirms to me that the game will have adjustable detail settings, just like a PC game.

 

[blastingcap]

True, let me rephrase: I'm disappointed this game is coming out on an OS and UI that I have zero interest gaming on, and would prefer that they push out the next Deus Ex on PC. Company resources are finite, so I do think this could impact how quickly they can push out the next Deus Ex on PC. You say that's not necessarily true and I agree, but to the extent it has a negative impact on the release date or quality of the next Deus Ex PC game, I am bummed.

You're assuming the game is going to be "crummy". It seems to me that they are putting a full AAA effort into the game -- of course, the game could still be terrible, but it's cynical and unfounded to just assume the game will have terrible production values. Also, why assume that this game will pull resources from the next PC/console Deus Ex game? It's a separate game with a separate budget. (btw, I'm pretty sure at this point that the next Deus Ex PC/console game will release on PS4 and Xbox One).

Anyways, according to an official community blog post, the game will be compatible with iPhone 4S and the iPad 2. My phone is either comparable or better than the hardware in those two, but I definitely think it can't run the game at the full blast shown in the trailer footage. This pretty much confirms to me that the game will have adjustable detail settings, just like a PC game.

 

[Ideophobia]

I have an iPad, but it is not for gaming. In fact, I hate playing games on it.

 

[zerogear]

Same. Won't even bother touching it.

I saw this title on YouTube, and was like ooohhh new Deus Ex. Then they started spouting crap about mobile OS and touchscreen. Turned off the video after 30 seconds.

 

[Bateluer]

True, let me rephrase: I'm disappointed this game is coming out on an OS and UI that I have zero interest gaming on, and would prefer that they push out the next Deus Ex on PC. Company resources are finite, so I do think this could impact how quickly they can push out the next Deus Ex on PC. You say that's not necessarily true and I agree, but to the extent it has a negative impact on the release date or quality of the next Deus Ex PC game, I am bummed.

Agreed, touch gaming is for garbage like Words with Friends, Candy Crush, and Angry Birds. It doesn't translate well to more serious titles. The processing power is there, the controls aren't.

Did they mention what they plan to sell it for? A mobile game doesn't really move unless its 5 dollars or less. If there were price this much higher than that, their sales will drop off exponentially. If they attempted a 59.99 price tag, no one at all would buy it.

 

[surfsatwerk]

Quite a shame.

 

[Red Hawk]

True, let me rephrase: I'm disappointed this game is coming out on an OS and UI that I have zero interest gaming on, and would prefer that they push out the next Deus Ex on PC. Company resources are finite, so I do think this could impact how quickly they can push out the next Deus Ex on PC. You say that's not necessarily true and I agree, but to the extent it has a negative impact on the release date or quality of the next Deus Ex PC game, I am bummed.

That's more understandable. It's OK to be disappointed that this is coming out on a platform you don't prefer to play on (even if you do have access to the platform). I'm just fed up with the nerd rage going on right now with tons of people saying things like "this f***ing sucks, this is going to be f***ing terrible. I hope this game f***ing flops! F*** Eidos and f*** Square Enix!"

Agreed, touch gaming is for garbage like Words with Friends, Candy Crush, and Angry Birds. It doesn't translate well to more serious titles. The processing power is there, the controls aren't.

Did they mention what they plan to sell it for? A mobile game doesn't really move unless its 5 dollars or less. If there were price this much higher than that, their sales will drop off exponentially. If they attempted a 59.99 price tag, no one at all would buy it.

I disagree. Like I said, I've been playing "Mass Effect Infiltrator" on my phone, and it uses a sort of dual virtual thumbsticks control setup (with no limited area for where your thumbs can go, you can basically use any part of the screen). It works well and I find that it's pretty fun. Really, the idea of being able to play a full Deus Ex game on my phone gets me giddy the more I think about it.

You're certainly right that mobile requires a lower price range, and Eidos knows it too. From what I've read, they will be releasing the game in 5-6 hour long installments, each costing $6.99. That's the same price as Mass Effect Infiltrator; I already think that game was worth my money, and this game looks even better.

 

[bguile]

Well, I am excited for it.

 

[JoetheLion]

When I look at the game and the direction they are taking it, I think to myself that it is indeed "The Fall".

 

[dust]

This thread made me start a new Human Revolution play. I don't regret it one bit, I'd forgotten how much fun I had with it before.:thumbsup:

 

[gorcorps]

In the past we've put mobile game threads in console gaming because it's close to a mobile gaming device. You wouldn't put a thread about a Vita game in PC gaming, so why would a phone game go here?

 

[StrangerGuy]

I would rather they not waste precious resources on crummy mobile games. Those resources could have gone towards the next PC Deus Ex game.

Nah, you don't get it. The gaming industry thinks they aren't successful enough on mobile because they haven't spend $100M+ on a game there yet.

 

[Red Storm]

While most games fail with touch controls, some do get it right. Off the top of my head the one and only "real" game I can think of that worked well on mobile devices is Bastion. So it is possible, it's just up to the developers.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Put in decent controller support and I am sold.

No reason we can't have "serious" mobile games. My PS3 remote work fine with my phone/tablet, and for those that can't mess with that there is cheap consoles like the M.O.J.O.

As it is my phone is my primary gaming platform, but I am mostly playing emulators of titles on my bucket list.

 

[Red Storm]

Put in decent controller support and I am sold.

No reason we can't have "serious" mobile games. My PS3 remote work fine with my phone/tablet, and for those that can't mess with that there is cheap consoles like the M.O.J.O.

As it is my phone is my primary gaming platform, but I am mostly playing emulators of titles on my bucket list.

I don't think controller support is enough. We need official first party controllers from Google and Apple for the developers to take it more seriously. I honestly don't know why they aren't going after the console market. They won't make headway with "hardcore" gamers but I really believe they could dominate the same crowd of casual gamers that made the Wii an overwhelming success.

Imagine plugging your tablet/phone into your TV and playing games on the big screen. Then when you're done you take your tablet with you on the go. The controller could also double as a remote which lets them eat into the HTPC market as well. People want convergence, that one device that does it all. It's why the smartphone market exploded as fast as it did. An official controller (and remote) could open these same devices to two new markets.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I don't think controller support is enough. We need official first party controllers from Google and Apple for the developers to take it more seriously.

To be fair, Samsung does have an official controller for the S4.

 

[Red Storm]

I didn't know that, but even so it has to come from Google and Apple, not Samsung.

 

[Red Hawk]

Official release date is July 11, but it seems to have already hit the iOS App Store. VentureBeat review: http://venturebeat.com/2013/07/10/d...the-franchises-complex-quality-to-ios-review/

 

[ChronoReverse]

Hmm, it's on Android too? Tempted by it since I really like Deus Ex but I really can't stand playing games on a phone. If this were PC it'd be a 100% buy.

 

[Red Hawk]

Wait, why was this moved to Mobile Devices & Gadgets? It's not a forum for games, it's a forum for various other software. You don't post threads about games in "Software for Windows" or "Operating Systems", you post in in "PC Gaming". And mobile gaming is essentially just a form of PC gaming. This thread won't get noticed by people who actually care about gaming if it's over in this section.

 

[Bateluer]

Wait, why was this moved to Mobile Devices & Gadgets? It's not a forum for games, it's a forum for various other software. You don't post threads about games in "Software for Windows" or "Operating Systems", you post in in "PC Gaming". And mobile gaming is essentially just a form of PC gaming. This thread won't get noticed by people who actually care about gaming if it's over in this section.

I asked the mods about where Phone/Tablet gaming related threads should go, and the last I heard, it was MD&G. Seems like either a separate forum or Console Gaming would be more ideal though, but thats above me.

PC Gaming and console gaming are for exactly what the name says on the tin; PC games (e.g. Windows) and console games (e.g. MS, Sony, Nintendo). Phone/tablet games are in the domain of MD&G, at least for the time being.
-ViRGE