Xenoblade Chroncles 2 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition

When the game was released on Nintendo Switch in December 2017, it proved to be a very ambitious JRPG for the Tegra X1 which, we know, was certainly not a monster of graphical or computational power, but it still held its own (at the time) quite well (comparable to an Xbox 360/Playstation 3 in portable mode and a little more in docked mode). However, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 It was plagued by significant processing limitations: initially, the resolution dropped to 368p in portable mode, the frame rate often dropped below 30 fps during exploration, and sharpening filters degraded the image. While we enjoyed the game on the original Nintendo Switch, neither Nintendo nor Monolith Soft intervened to fix these limitations or optimize the code. Now, with the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, the second chapter of the Xeno saga can finally have its say.

With this version Nintendo promises up to 4K at 60 fps in docked, 1080p at 60 fps in portable. In reality the internal resolution is around 720p in docked, raised via upscaling. The result isn't a true native 4K, but it's a tangible improvement: textures, edges, and the image certainly appear much cleaner when compared to those reproduced on the first Nintendo Switch. In portable mode, the difference is even more marked. Despite rendering internally at around 468p, the greater power of the Nintendo Switch 2 and the upscaler deliver a moving image that no longer loses resolution like the previous version, providing an experience worthy of the Full HD panel equipped with the Nintendo Switch 2. Sure, it lacks OLED, but the colors rendered are still of a good quality, and if it was already a technical miracle on the first Switch (LCD version), the current Switch 2 can only be as good in terms of color fidelity.

Where the Switch 1 version slipped below 20 fps, The Switch 2 Edition consistently targets 60 fps in both modes, transforming the response to commands and overall fluidity.. Even in portable mode the target is reached with few regressions, perceptibly smoother than in docked mode. As for the two chapters Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition and Xenoblade Chronicles X – Definitive Edition, the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of both chapters mentioned above, as for chapter 2 a double buffer v-sync: the frame rate inexplicably collapses to 30 fps for no apparent reason. This is particularly noticeable in cutscenes or moments of intense visual intensity, introducing a perceptual gap between fluid moments and the drop in frame rate, although not terribly so. A shame.

Nintendo itself has also confirmed some technical issues that will be addressed in the near future: amiibo corruption and the low volume of battle music. Some issues have been fixed with version 1.0.1, but the amiibo bug remains unpatched. Nintendo has confirmed data updates are in the works, without announcing a specific date. It's unclear whether these patches will also address the framerate issue described above.

The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition includes new content: theThe rare MOMO gladius obtainable through a dedicated quest, the Mercenary Assault mode and new costumes for Pyra and Mythra. Torna The Golden Country, the expansion that explains the prelude to Torna, is updated to version 2.0 with specific optimizations for the new platform in the same vein as the base game, namely higher resolution, improved framerate and a revisited UI of some menus.

Nine years after its original release, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is finally receiving the treatment its ambition deserved. The move from 368p with a shaky frame rate to a clean image and a near-solid 60 fps in the vast majority of situations represents a tangible generational leap. Double-buffer v-sync remains a bit of a thorn in the side, despite significantly improving the Nintendo Switch version released in 2017, and the wait for a patch for residual bugs suggests a certain rush in development. However, we highly recommend it for anyone who actually missed the second installment on the original Nintendo Switch.