DE is a great game, but the Switch 2 edition isn’t for everyone

With the surprise reveal of the Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition Switch 2 Edition last week, I excitedly hopped back into the massive, sprawling landscapes of planet Mira to reunite with Elma, Lin, Lao, and the rest of the crew in New Los Angeles. However, despite the story being just as good as I remember, people aren’t happy with this port.

In my Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition review last year, I gave the game a 9/10, calling it “an open-world masterpiece” and “a must-play for RPG lovers,” and this remains true. I love XCX and think you should play it if you have the chance, but is the Nintendo Switch 2 edition for you?

Personally, I’m primarily a handheld gamer, and this fresh port boasts 1080p in handheld mode and up to 60fps. However, the general consensus is that due to some ineffective AI upscaling and artifacting, the game really doesn’t look its best, and I agree, characters in densely forested or highly populated areas look a little extra crunchy.

Then there’s docked mode, which is advertised as supporting enhanced resolutions up to 4K and improved performance up to 60fps, and it looks pretty good! I think those of you out there who primarily play Switch 2 on their TV will be pleased with how the game looks, and as the upgrade is about the cost of a takeout coffee, $5, I don’t think you’ll regret your purchase.

Controversially, I’m infinitely more interested in gameplay and story, so a slightly lower framerate and crunchy images don’t generally tend to bother me. After playing the original Final Fantasy 7 for the 100th time, I’m pretty easy to please in the looks department, so if you can relate to that sentiment and don’t already own XCX, I don’t fully see a downside to purchasing this version just so you can play this masterpiece of a game.

Ultimately, as I mentioned, this upgrade isn’t particularly helpful to me as a handheld gamer, and I’ll be honest, I didn’t play much of the remaster last year in docked mode, so I can’t say I’m all that impressed. I know I said this edition is relatively cheap, but personally, as someone who already owns the original Switch version, I can’t really see the point in upgrading with the way things are.

Reportedly, Nintendo is offering refunds to anyone not pleased with the game’s performance, and we’re hoping that the poor response may prompt them to fix the issues players are facing and truly make the game shine as it should.

So, do I recommend you purchase Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition Switch 2 Edition? Right now, I don’t think so. You might as well save your $5 and play the perfectly fine original Switch version. However, if the handheld mode gets tweaked and the ineffective upscaling and artifacting are improved, then $5 is an absolute steal.