REVIEW: ‘Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition’ Is The Definitive Version

Monolith Soft and Nintendo have been bringing over past Xenoblade titles to the Switch 2 over the course of the last 8 months or so, with the latest being Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Switch 2 Edition. While they’ve all been solid upgrades, with higher resolutions and frame rates, they haven’t been without issue. Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition hit higher frame rates, but issues persisted with image quality. 

Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition Switch 2 Edition had clearer image issues and a more stable frame rate, but still had frame drops in bigger open areas. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is the continues the trend of improved performance, and while minor issues still persist, it’s a fantastic way to experience a great RPG.

Does Monolith Soft’s port ambition pay off?

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 follows the story of Rex, a young boy who lives off salvaging items from the great cloud sea. He quickly gets thrust into a massive adventure, meeting a living weapon named Pyra as they set out on a journey to find the fabled land of Elysium.

And the game is as good as it always was, a charming and fun adventure full of great characters and huge moments. It’s even better now, with many of the Switch 2 enhancements genuine game-changers compared to the original Switch edition.

When Xenoblade Chronicles 2 originally came out in 2017, many praised the combat and story, but the performance was a point of contention. Rough visuals and performance, especially handheld, held back the game from being everything it could be.

Graphic upgrades make a gameplay difference in Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition for Nintendo Switch 2,

The Switch 2 edition feels like that dream realized, with a constant feeling that this was always how it was supposed to be. The visuals are crisp and detailed, performance is a night-and-day difference, and handheld actually feels great. It’s not perfect, with some of the same issues that are present in the other ports, but it’s the definitive way to experience it. 

The Switch 2 version of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 sports higher frame rates and better resolution. Handheld, the resolution hits 1080p and looks fantastic. Foliage is dense and detailed, with a lot of the visual noise that was present in the original release gone.

Grass looks far better than before, along with trees and rocks in the environment, especially at a distance. The fog-like smear over the environment at a distance is still present, but less dramatic than before. Docked, the visuals reach up to 2160p, making it even better and cleaner. 

One knock against the visuals, though, is that it sometimes takes a second for the textures to lock in place. They seem to load in slightly slower sometimes, where it almost looks like the original image is smoothed out in real time. It’s usually most noticeable when going into a new area, but resolves itself quickly. It’s not too jarring, but it can be noticeable. 

Frame rate across both handheld and docked is a largely solid 60fps. The fluidity of motion, especially in combat, is incredibly important, and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Switch 2 Edition largely holds up, but it’s not perfect.

There are drops, both in and out of cut scenes, where the frame rate falls for a second or two before snapping back up. It’s most evident in busy or large areas, with slight dips even in Torigoth. The drops are infrequent, but they do happen, and are noticeable when they do. 

The biggest takeaway from the performance upgrades is how good Xenoblade Chronicles Switch 2 Edition looks and plays handheld. Gone are the blurry textures and inconsistent performance that plagued the original, with handheld now looking basically as good as it did docked on the original Switch. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Switch 2 Edition finally lives up to the handheld dream in a way it just never did before. 

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Switch 2 Edition is the definitive version of this RPG.

Xenoblade Chronicles Switch 2 Edition does more than just performance upgrades, with some new content also being included in the package. There are new Blades to use in battle, new cosmetics, and a new minigame. They’re all fine additions that round out the experience.

There is one thing that felt noticeably missing, though. Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition for Nintendo Switch 2 added an Ether Jet, a high-speed vehicle, which made traversal a lot more fun and engaging. It would’ve been awesome to have the same type of addition here, with some of these large areas being a long run across. It’s not a massive problem, but playing these two ports close together did make the absence noticeable.

The Xenoblade Chronicles Switch 2 Edition successfully continues Monolith Soft’s port ambitions. The image is cleaner and more detailed, even if some issues persist at longer distances.

The frame rate is solid, though some dips are noticeable. It finally feels like it always should have been handheld, being a fantastic way to experience another great Nintendo RPG. Xenoblade Chronicles Switch 2 Edition is the definitive version of the title, with plenty of reason for both newcomers and veterans of the series to give it a go. 

Xenoblade Chronicles Switch 2 Edition is out now on Nintendo Switch 2.