Review: This is a review of the Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition update for the Switch 2. If you’re looking for the review of the original Switch base game, we invite you to check out the review written by our tester Myriam Baulne.
The Switch 2 is, in many ways, an improved version of the original Switch, both in terms of its design and its backward compatibility with the games of its younger sister. Thus, several developers have decided to offer updates to their games, paid or not, in order to take full advantage of the improved capabilities of Nintendo’s new console.
This is the case of Nintendo themselves, who are offering a paid update to Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, launched on Switch last spring. This update, available at a cost of $6.99 CAD, does not add any new content. It is above all a technical update that promises improved textures, an increased resolution (1080p in portable mode, 4K on the TV) and above all, a refresh rate of up to 60 frames per second, in portable or TV mode.
The update is also included if you buy the Switch 2 version ($89.99).
A great comparison of the Nintendo Life Channel
Is the update worth it?
This Switch 2 version has been the subject of a lot of (virtual) ink over the past few weeks. Many players were disappointed with the new textures, in particular.
It should be noted that it seems that the developers of Monolith Soft, in all likelihood, have not drawn new textures for this new version, or anything ambitious like that. It would simply be an automatic enhancement of the resolution of the original textures.
Some players have therefore deplored these textures, finding that they sometimes give a plasticine look to environments, especially in cutscenes.
For our part, we will not go that far. Yes, Xenoblade Chronicles X was originally released for Wii U in 2015, and the title is starting to betray its age slightly. We are offered a layer of polish on this game that is more than 10 years old, but it remains a game from 2 generations ago, not a game developed from A to Z for the Switch 2.
So it’s not the most beautiful game on the console. But 10 years later, the vast wilderness of the planet Mira is still impressive, especially since the whole thing is offered to us without any obvious slowdowns.
On Nintendo’s page, we remain conservative by specifying that the refresh rate reaches up to 60 frames/second, but in reality, if the refresh rate varies, we didn’t notice it with the naked eye. The image is smooth and clear.
The issue, once again, is around the price. For a game that is 10 years old, slightly revamped, Xenoblade Chronicles X looks damn good on Switch 2. The problem is that it is offered at $89.99, the same asking price for a state-of-the-art game that pushes the limits of technology like Resident Evil 9 Requiem.
Nintendo has proven to us that they don’t believe in the devaluation of games over time, quite the contrary (Xenoblade Chronicles X is MORE expensive than it was 10 years ago), but the rest of the industry has made it a standard, which may explain some frustration among gamers on a tight budget.
If you want to explore the planet Mira, we believe that the Switch 2 version of XCX is unequivocally the best way to do it, despite some more or less successful textures. And if you already own the title on Switch 1 and want to play it on Switch 2, the update is worth that $6.50.
But the fact remains that in the current economic context, the asking price for this new version of Xenoblade Chronicles X will put many off.
