I reviewed Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition’s Nintendo Switch release when it launched last year, after enjoying the original Wii U version. With the Nintendo Switch 2 having been released after the remaster’s launch, we’ve finally seen the release of a full-on Switch 2 upgrade for the RPG, which promises to make it look and run better than it did on the original Switch. Let’s take a look at how well it lives up to those claims!
Immediately after booting up the game and loading in, I noticed how vivid the game looked. A lot of the nearby textures in general appear to be much sharper, though I did still notice some pop-in when travelling around N.L.A., but it’s really not enough of an issue for me to be especially bothered when weighed up against the numerous improvements. I’m still impressed that what began as a Wii U game, now over a decade old (typing that out made my stomach hurt), can look this solid, even two console generations later.
For me, though, the most exciting and noticeable improvement was the frame rate. Previously, the game stuck with a fairly consistent 30 fps, which worked well enough and was understandable given its original release in 2015. Thanks to this new patch, I was able to run around Mira at a superbly steady 60 fps. Both in battle and while dashing through different biomes, I never experienced any noticeable drops in the frame rate. Running or flying around in a Skell is also a buttery smooth experience, which surprised me a little bit given how much the scale of things changes when you jump in, though the increased speed of moving in that will increase the noticeable pop-in if you’re going through a dense or heavily-detailed area.
Now, in terms of value, it’s worth noting that this isn’t a free upgrade. The Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade for Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition costs $5 USD or $7 CAD, which isn’t necessarily breaking the bank for most, but is worth mentioning nonetheless. I’d say that the performance upgrade alone is worth it if you do put a decent amount of importance on 60 fps as I do, and won’t be too put off by dropping a fiver or so on the update.
If you’ve yet to play Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, I’d say it’s certainly worth dropping the cash to get to play through the game in this, I guess you could call it a “more definitive” way. If you’ve already played through the entirety of the game and aren’t planning on revisiting it, however, then it may be a little bit harder to justify dropping any cash on this when it doesn’t add any form of new content. That being said, it’s sharper and smoother, and though it would have been ideal for the upgrade to be free, the price is low enough that I’m not too bothered.
If you want to see the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition in action for yourself, you can check out our montage video below:
