Topic: Feedback re. PS4 with PS Remote Play + Backbone controller on iOS?

Hello,

I hope this question is okay for this forum category. I did a search and couldn't find anything that answers my questions, so thought I'd ask the following question here as I'm using a PS4.

Essentially, I'm wanting to know from real world users what it's like using PS Remote Play on iOS with an aftermarket controller such as the Backbone One. I'm asking because over the last year the Switch has dominated my playtime simply because I can play it without being connected to the TV. I play mostly when I'm getting my daughter to sleep – her on top bunk, me on bottom – as this is the only time I have essentially spare. Basically we talk, when she gets tired we stop and I start playing, then I usually play for a while longer after she's finally dozed off.

Anyway, as much as I love the Switch, I much prefer the games on PlayStation and I was really interested to read about the Backbone One on the front page of this site a few days ago. Last time I researched it – admittedly some years ago – Remote Play seemed a bit crap, but a search around the net seems to suggest with increasing bandwidth things have improved, especially with such a controller.

I don't care about the smaller screen really, just want to play and be entertained but not frustrated by lag etc. If it matters, I don't care about competitive shooters or anything, and am more interested in titles like The Last of Us, Horizon Zero Dawn, et al. A network test on my hard-wired PS4 (during a time there was some usage via other devices,) said my download speed = 195.8Mbps / upload 8.1Mbps,

So, anyone care to comment if they're playing PS4 remote play with an aftermarket controller on a phone?

Lastly, does it really matter about having the latest phone, or is a slightly older phone like the iPhone Xs adequate?

If this is the wrong place to ask this question, Mods please feel free to move it.

Thanks.

EDIT: I did a speed test via speedtest.net via my laptop (on wifi, vs. the PS4 which is hard-wired) and it says my download = 517Mbps / upload = 191Mbps / ping = 5ms

For anyone interested, I bought one and love it. PS Remote Play is working pretty well streaming to my iPhone XS with the Backbone. I’ve set to 720p and High frame rate. Playing TLoU2 there are frame drops here and there and the details in shadows suffer quite a bit - bad visibility due to compression artifacts - but it’s totally acceptable to me, as someone otherwise not able to play on the television. YMMV.

Overall, controller feels great and I’m very pleased. Hope PlayStation improves network services rapidly moving forward as that’s the bottleneck, especially where I live in NZ.

@JaapV good to know, I’ve recently ordered a backbone so this came at the right time.

@colonelkilgore I think you’ll be happy with it. It’s made well and does what it promises. I never thought I’d ever be playing PlayStation games on an iPhone like the switch, but here we go. I love the PlayStation exclusive games and have been missing them a lot, so it’s a welcome development for me. Not the best performance re. streaming all the time, but good enough to scratch the itch. Must check out Apple Arcade and what’s available via the App Store, too.

@JaapV excellent, I’ll be sure to add my thoughts once I get a chance to use it 👍

@colonelkilgore @JaapV The Steam Deck is supposed to be really good. Gotta say that it sounds tempting. I have never done any PC gaming so I don’t have a Steam library (but then again I don’t have a Switch library either) so my start up cost would be quite high. I think the smallest memory unit goes for around $350, which isn’t bad for a portable gaming computer. Then there’s the cost of buying the games again, but now with so many PlayStation exclusives available on PC, with more to come, and some likely day and date soon, it’s also another alternative to the Switch in the absence of a “Vita 2”. Apparently games like God of War run excellent on it, not to mention all the good third party availability. Trophy integration would be the final piece to making it a real tempting option.

Of course the backbone looks like is only $100 and then I wouldn’t have to buy a whole other library of games. I just don’t like that I have to be tethered to my PS5. Also, my iPhone is a couple generations old and I wonder if it can handle the demands.

But you’ve got me thinking about it, anyways. I’ve long pondered joining the Switch movement, but have ultimately held off because I’m too far overloaded with my existing backlog.

@Th3solution I do wonder how much use that I’ll actually get out of it if I’m honest… as I’ve had Switch for over 4 years and can’t remember the last time I used it. I’m kinda thinking it might come in handy if my missus is playing whatever Candy Crush derivative it is that has currently hooked her interest. That way, I can at least be with her on the couch while we both game, as opposed to me being upstairs in the gaming room. Nice idea I suppose… but I’ll wait and see whether it actually works out like that.

I play about 50/50 remote play and then on the TV itself. In my experience, the reliability comes down to your internet connection speed and stability. Your internet sounds more than adequate.

I generally play 'easier/smaller' games like platforms or narrative games on my Backbone. I wouldn't play something like Death Stranding or HZD because the screen is too small and the controls are not as each manoeuvre (though I do play them on my iMac via Remote Play). You probably can but I'd get frustrated if I died because of a rare moment of lag.

I highly recommend the Backbone but I think Nintendo games are designed in a way they're a joy to play on the Switch. PS4/5 games aren't so there will always be ones it's just not fun to play in handheld mode.

@colonelkilgore Believe it or not, part of my issue is that I still have a little backlog on Vita, which has been collecting dust for the past year. I think the last game I played on it was Persona 5 Dancing in Starlight. There’s a few games I really need to play on my Vita, like the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection (although mainly I just need to play MGS2 since I’ve played 3 and Peace Walker before) and Trails of Cold Steel. I’ve been sitting on them for a while and I just feel more drawn to the full PS5 experience whenever I have free time.

@Th3solution well if you do get around to starting Metal Gear Solid 2 I’ll be really interested to hear your thoughts. As you probably remember, I played it about a year back and even though it’s clearly aged (as any PS2 game has)… I absolutely loved it (although the plat-requirements still cause me to wake up in a cold sweat all this time later 😅).

@colonelkilgore Yes, I very much recall your escapades with MGS2 and the Herculean task of its platinum. I have no plans to go for the plat, but I just never really gave the game a full shot back in the day and I need to rectify that. I’ll definitely let you know if/when I try it out. I hear the Vita controls are crap, but I’m willing to bear with it since I already own the cartridge. Hopefully my Vita still works. I really need to turn it on and see.

@Th3solution well, the vita controls may well be crap but… you won’t need to fill a toothpaste cap with blue-tack in order to mimic the touch sensitive Dual-shock 3 facia buttons 😉

@colonelkilgore 😂 For sure.

Incidentally, speaking of Vita and on topic — I used my Vita for remote play a fair but in the PS4 early days. I played some Dragon Age Inquisition on it and I think some other stuff like Life is Strange. At the time I thought it was pretty cool, but it was finicky and dropped connections from time to time. And the controls were pretty annoying with using the back touch pad for the R2, L2 triggers. And the games looked fantastic on the small screen due to compressed resolution, but it was small to the point that it adversely affected some aspects of gameplay. Definitely it’s a better fit for non-skill intensive gaming.

I assume that remote play has come a long way though,, and I think my internet connection is much better nowadays. I’ll be interested to hear how you like your backbone.

Currently, I am an Android user. I have a Huawei Mate 10 which I still love dearly due to the big screen and the 16:9 aspect ratio. I've just bought a Razer Kishi as it was on sale here for 40 euros. Unfortunately, it doesn't work with the official remote play app but there is a third party app called PSPlay (5,99 euros) which supports the Razer Kishi with PlayStation devices. I'm actually stunned how freaking well it works. Now, I've heard that the Backbone is of higher quality and yes, the buttons and triggers on the Kishi feel a bit "cheaper" but it works like a charm. So far, everything was running absolutely smoothly without any hiccups whatsoever (250 mb down connection). What surprised me even more how manageable the input lag is, I could even play the likes of Elden Ring or Horizon with it comfortably. Obviously, I wouldn't use it for games that require frame perfect timing but for anything other than that, I am beyond surprised.

I’m finding the lag playing The Last of Us 2 is more than adequate. Controls / inputs are really snappy. Now and again there’s a few frame drops, but it’s rare. I’m pretty impressed! It’s funny you mention Death Stranding, @ScarletSpidey as that’s what I’m hoping to play next. The small screen might not be ideal, but I hope it’s better than nothing?

I’m also not sure what the PS Network speed is like in NZ compared to the rest of the world or if it matters, but it seems to work well enough.

And again, the backbone is a great controller!