iOS (iPhone/iPad) Critic Reviews

Resurgence works better than one might expect, but if you're looking for a full-fledged PC and console experience without the compromises and constant monetization, the mobile version won't quite convince you, but it can still be fun.

The Division Resurgence is a polished, content-rich shooter than outpaces most mobile games around. It delivers Ubisoft's ever-so-satisfying gunplay and sprawling version of New York City, without compromising the series' vision. With the first shared open-world in Division history, I can't see these games without it going forward.

The Division Resurgence effectively translates the Ubisoft series experience into a content-rich mobile format with solid gameplay, also thanks to the many customization options available for both players who prefer the immediacy of touch controls and those who want to use a controller.

The Division Resurgence had every reason to be a compromise. A lighter version. A stripped-down experiment. Instead, it’s something far more ambitious; we got a mobile game that genuinely understands what makes The Division work, and manages to translate that into a portable format without losing its identity. No, it’s not perfect, and yes, the monetization lingers. But, we got touch controls, while solid, they can’t fully replace a controller. And performance will vary depending on your device. But the core experience? It’s shockingly intact. Ubisoft successfully brought The Division to mobile devices. There’s just one problem. My phone battery didn’t sign up for this (so keep that in mind when playing games like these). If you look past that small hiccup, you get a bold, content-rich mobile adaptation that captures the essence of The Division remarkably well, even if your battery life may never forgive you.

At its core, this is a very ambitious and impressive video game that's a massive improvement on much of what the mobile platform offers, but it's weighed down and held back by the inclusion of the intrusive and demoralising mobile elements that continue to give the platform a bad rap. Does it work as a game to log into for 20 minutes a time while commuting to work? Without question. But could you sit down and play The Division Resurgence for hours, eventually clocking hundreds of hours into the gameplay as is easily the case with its console and PC counterpart projects? No, it does not have the structure or legs to be such a title.

I have enjoyed playing The Division: Resurgence, but it's a rediscovered joy of improving my character stats and churning through looter shooter missions. There's the foundations here for more, but with a low stakes main story, and too many points of friction through the UI and gameplay, the main thing it's made me want to do is go back and play the console games.