XCOM 2 for iOS - Graphics and Performance Update Review

Powerful new update optimises XCOM 2 Collection on iOS. Let's have an in-depth look!
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How I measure FPS: github.com/cirquit/trdrop
Note, the framerate displayed is for demonstration purposes only, and should NOT be used as 100% accurate data.
0:00 - Introduction
0:12 - Supported iPhone & iPads
0:20 - Optimisation Options
1:26 - Performance Mode
1:46 - Energy Saving Mode
2:19 - Graphics Mode
3:55 - Camera Elevation Marker
4:52 - Mouse & keyboard support
5:34 - Conclusion

[@mikerahl123]

It's nice to start seeing games for IOS start to move away from the "lowest common denominator" model of performance. I like the graphics on the new update.

[@TheLegend-yl6eu]

Your sound reminds me of professor snape 😂

[@zivkitaro]

Thank you for all the updates and information.

[@MrMacRight]

Any time!

[@BrotherBrown.]

Will this run on iPad mini 6?

[@usafballer79]

I have this on switch, PC, consoles, and ipad - lol. Is the ipad version, with this update, still inferior to the Switch though for shadow/texture?

[@MrMacRight]

I think the Switch and iOS are very similar in terms of graphics. However frame rate is much better on high end iOS devices.

[@kingsuyup]

how to set the graphics to the performance mode? i've check on the setting but there is no graphics options

[@RSMoreno]

Go to “Options and Support” Then look at bottom right for “Optimization Mode” Click right or left arrow to choose

[@duduburgos]

What about multiplayer online? Does it have versus against friends?

[@MrMacRight]

No multiplayer sadly.

[@RSMoreno]

I just started playing on an M1 12.9” and it plays so well. I played X2 a bunch on a PS4 (non-Pro) and the load times are faster on iPad. Start and load time on ps4 takes a few minutes.. only 10 seconds on M1!!! Maybe I’m in the minority but I like how the controller on ps4 more than touch. Load times and portability make me not want to play the PS4 version.

[@pipikakachu]

Feral are the best mobile devs period

[@Jwatchdizzledrip3003]

@ Young Khalid Written: June 3, 2021 Looks like I beat you to the comments first by a day lol. Man oh man, was this Quality Of Life Xcom 2 iOS update needed as now the game looks on par with PC”LOW/MIN” graphics with a much improved 50-60 unlocked FPS. Going to get an M1 iPad in October to check it out

[@pipikakachu]

@@Jwatchdizzledrip3003 Divinity came out !!!!!

[@Jwatchdizzledrip3003]

@ Young Khalid I know. The next ps4 game to come out will be Alien Isolation this year in December but until that time, my M1 iPad I’ll get in October will be busy playing XCOM 2 Collection and Divinity: Original Sins 2 on 60FPS (Plus AI or future games if Feral or other developers decide to make it M1 exclusive like Divinity is)

[@AdmiralBison]

I have the game and I know it plays well with touch, but I can we also have controller support? Controller support can also be considered a QOL update. It just adds to the convenience of playing games when you have an iPad hooked up to a tv and not having to reach out to touch the screen. - Apple seriously needs to seriously provide proper external display support.

[@RitaMaSTeR]

Thank you, I hyping to get it on android, or at least watch soe reviews on android, will you review android performance and batery optimization on android version?

[@ismathem]

Picked it up for android and I'm enjoying it quite a bit. The devs did a good job on the port.

[@RitaMaSTeR]

@@ismathem thanks dude, what phone are u using? Have u played enemy within? My OnePlus 7t battery goes down the drain lol Iam scared of xcom2

[@ismathem]

@@RitaMaSTeR I have Enemy Within a well. I play on a Note 20 Ultra, so it run well. Still testing out the battery life though.

[@RitaMaSTeR]

@@ismathem thank you, I hope you share the battery performance tks

[@ismathem]

@@RitaMaSTeR I get about 2~3 hours of gameplay before needing to recharge the phone

[@doomhammer]

The ladder (elevation) update seems like a small one but it made a huge difference!

[@Jwatchdizzledrip3003]

Written: August 3, 2021 I read an article on TouchArcade saying the developer of Eisenhorn iOS only had 700mb-300mb of game ram of the then 1GB ram to work with! 300mb was used by IOS itself to function and the other 400mb was for the potential default apps(safari, ECT) remembering stuff by taking ram daily. Xcom 2 iOS needs 4GB ram(3.3GB) to play the new “graphics mode” 1.4.6 update for best graphics(Low PC graphics)but since iPad Pro 2021 has base 8GB ram(7.3GB) the iPad is only using its 8 core GPU, 8 core CPU and 8GB RAM at 50% max, meaning the graphics could easily increase to Medium PC graphics as X2 is only half taxing on iPad Pro 2021 hardware. Alternately, taking 300-700MB and temsing it by the ram for the highest graphcs on X2(4) should give us what the game is limited to for operation: 300x4=1.2GB 700x4=2.8GB so 4GB ram phones have 1.2GB free ram for background apps.

[@Jwatchdizzledrip3003]

Ah, i see Feral has finally updated Xcom 2 for iOS with better textures/shadows. Before on the initial launch 6 months ago, Xcom 2 iOS was running on even worse graphics than the PC"Low/min" graphic setting, and now it seems to at least be on PC"Low"graphics settings but will need Character shadows to be on PC"Low" graphic fully. Honestly, I think Feral could easily manage X2 iOS on PC"Medium" graphics settings on iPhone 12, iPad pro 2020 or even iPhone 11 since it doesn't really seem like PCs Low vs Medium graphics are too different texturally.

[@pipikakachu]

Maybe it’s the amount of Ram it needs access to

[@Jwatchdizzledrip3003]

@ Young Khalid This 1.4.6 XCOM 2 update needs what I assume is close to 4GB ram to play the graphics setting at min with A12 chip found in iPhone XS on PC”LoW” graphics settings. I think now that the iPhone 12 has 6GB ram with A14 or the 2020 iPad with 6GB ram with A12Z, we can play XCOM 2 at PC”Medium” graphics settings...which means the M1 iPad Pro with 8GB ram easily can and iPhone 11 with A13 can too

[@Jwatchdizzledrip3003]

@ Young Khalid Wait until this December because I have a feeling Feral will update XCOM 2 again with better Quality Of Life PC Medium” graphics for the M1 and other 6GB devices.

[@Jwatchdizzledrip3003]

@ Young Khalid This Quality Of Life update is not bad though because X2 iOS is still a very beautifully huge game with basically every DLC included from the PC/PS4 version at launch. I don’t really care about graphics that much so the default one was still a good one for me...this graphics update is just a bonus

[@pipikakachu]

@@Jwatchdizzledrip3003 let’s not forget that the 1tB model of the iPad Pro has 16gb of Ram !

[@mp3545]

Quick question: I noticed that even though mouse input “isn’t supported” that you were using it just fine in game. My issue is that the in-game mouse cursor doesn’t sync with the regular iPadOS cursor that appears in game. I’m wondering if anyone else has seen that problem and potentially has a solution. It’s interesting that mouse input “isn’t supported” when they’ve even been able to implement features like right-click and elevation change with middle mouse scrolling (as a touch gesture with the Magic Mouse no less!).

[@MikeJones-oe3do]

I have the the iPad 8th gen, graphics look washed and not very sharp, actually like the graphics in enemy within better.

[@howar31]

I can't see the graphic difference :c

[@JPinJPN]

When they will release for the androids….(sigh)

[@andresbaeza525]

=(

[@ismathem]

It's out today

[@allieboy181]

What do you expect? It’s a port of a PC game on your iPhone and iPad. Be lucky we even have both XCOM games at all lol

[@nisetsu]

The game looks and runs like crap on PC so don't get your hope up for a big improvement from an M1 update.

[@MrMacRight]

It runs great on macOS... well on machines with dedicated graphics that is :)