Xbox has revealed its new handheld line, the ROG Xbox Ally and the Ally X, made in partnership with Asus. And I obtained the prospect to play it throughout Summer time Sport Fest. My colleague Tom Warren has already damaged down how the handheld works with its working system, UI, and integration with the Xbox app and third-party recreation shops. In the meantime, I’ll get into the straightforward expertise of taking part in the dang factor — and the largest promoting level, for me, was consolation.
Regardless of my finest efforts, the eagle-eyed Xbox PR reps didn’t let me peek on the system’s storefronts or play the much-anticipated Hole Knight: Silksong. So for this temporary hands-on overview, I’ll cowl the sport that I did get to play — Gears of Battle: Reloaded.
I can sum up my expertise with the Ally X (as I recall, the much less highly effective white Xbox Ally was not obtainable) with a couple of phrases: I would like this. The Ally X felt roughly the identical weight as a Steam Deck. However with its hand grips, modeled to resemble the shape issue of an Xbox controller, it felt like a literal dream.
I’ve struggled with my Steam Deck for a very long time as a result of it’s not comfy to carry. After prolonged gaming classes, my fingers stiffen into claws that take a second to regain their flexibility and regular use. Whereas I wasn’t capable of spend hours taking part in the Ally X to check my fingers’ endurance, I might already discover the distinction in my fingers inside moments of selecting it up. It felt good to carry, each in weight and type issue.
As for enjoying Gears, it was a seamless expertise. Microsoft had the remaster of the seminal Xbox shooter (its second remaster within the recreation’s 25-year historical past) arrange throughout the totally different platforms that the sport helps. I performed on an everyday Ally at first, then I moved over to the Ally X, and the variations had been refined however noticeable. The system’s weight felt corresponding to a Steam Deck. I carried out higher on the Ally X, which could possibly be a part of getting already warmed up, however my capturing was tighter and extra correct.
Visually, between the Ally and the Ally X, I didn’t discover a distinction, however I actually wasn’t in search of one. I used to be so enamored with how comfy it felt in my fingers that any graphical variations appeared much less vital as compared. I want I might have seen extra of the house UI to evaluate the benefit of loading in video games or leaping from Steam video games to Xbox video games or choose Xbox Play Wherever video games versus these streamed from an Xbox or over the cloud. However like I stated, the eagle-eyed PR of us stored this to a Gears demonstration solely.
I like the portability of my Steam Deck, Change, and PS Portal. These three are my most well-liked methods to play over my desktop and consoles. Whereas there are nonetheless numerous query marks across the Ally X, significantly with its interface and the way it holds up over lengthy classes, that little little bit of consolation has gone an extended method to promoting me on a conveyable Xbox.