I'm getting there
So I played some more ZZZ Cloud, now on desktop.
The impressions are completely different from playing the proper version with higher-end hardware.
Two main cons is that it's
> looks way worse
and
>playing it for two hours and a half has used up around 10.2 GB of data (to be fair, I was on a Discord video call the entire time, so let's cut out like 1.2 GB for that)
You can't really configure the graphics either - you can toggle Motion Blur and that's about it.
However, gameplay-wise, with 5ms latency I can't really say it felt any different to play than the regular version.
Additionally, it only takes up like 500 MB of space installed.
And funnily enough, I can see myself using it occasionally (if Hoyo doesn't revoke my access of course) for a few specific scenarios:
>1) The aforementioned Discord calls and such
I'm using Nvidia Broadcast to process my camera output, and that starts to stutter when I'm playing a GPU-demanding game, which ZZZ is but ZZZ Cloud isn't.
>2) When I'm using my oven for a long time
I'm renting an old apartment, and if I go a bit too much over ~1500W for too long, it'll trip the breaker.
I can run my oven and, say, browse web or watch videos, but not play GPU demanding games at the same time.
So, IMO, the current uses I see for the cloud version are:
<1) You don't really have a gaming PC or a console and you play the game on the phone/tablet, but you mostly do that from home (or somewhere else) where you have a stable and unlimited WiFi connection
Cloud version looks much better than the mobile version and it plays largely the same. If data doesn't limit you, and you get good latency while playing it, I don't really see a reason not to.
It will run well (i.e. much better than any mobile device can run it) on virtually all non-ancient smartphones.
I would also assume it uses massively less battery as well.
<2) You do have a PC but it's not really "gaming-grade" and can't run ZZZ well.
Again, might as well run the Cloud instead of barely (if at all) running the actual game.
The above point about unlimited Internet still applies, though. You ain't playing it on a metered connection.
<3) You are in a scenario where you're very limited in electricity or storage but not in data.
Niche, but works. Even for me.
<4) You forgot to do your daily after a new patch, and you forgot to update the game on your phone as well.
Might as well just open the Cloud version to spend your stamina. Sure, it uses ~700 MB per 15 minutes, but updating the game will require way more.
Sure, it'll play like shit, but you realistically only need to run like one Routine Cleanup or HIA so you don't overcap.