Filling in the gaps between releases on Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo has been pushing out updates for Switch games that give them a boost on the successor console. Taking advantage of the extra horsepower of Switch 2, titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Splatoon 3, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond have all had upgrades that grant them better framerates, higher resolutions, and sometimes other features such as Joy-Con 2 mouse mode.
The confusing thing is why some games’ patches are free, and others require parting with a bit of cash. A handful of titles have had paid upgrades that slot in additional content alongside their performance enhancements, like Jamboree TV being added to the Switch 2 version of Super Mario Party Jamboree, while the likes of Super Mario Odyssey received a free update to give it those lovely fps and resolution boosts.
In Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition’s case, it isn’t certain why the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrade costs money at all, given it’s a patch in the same vein as Mario Odyssey, with no extra Switch 2-specific content – and, if you’ve been keeping up to date with recent headlines, there is a lot of controversy that cannot be avoided regarding this upgrade pack, making the ask for those few pounds even more mystifying.
As someone that hasn’t played the original 2015 Wii U game or its subsequent Switch port, Xenoblade Chronicles X gives strong vibes of another exploration-based role-playing game: Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion. Although the overall feelings for Marvelous’ sweeping sci-fi epic weren’t entirely positive for a multitude of reasons, there is a lot in common between that title and Monolith Soft’s second game under the Xenoblade moniker.
Caught in the middle of a war between two alien civilisations, a bombastic start sees Earth getting destroyed, with the few humans able to escape attempting to locate and colonise a new planet to call home. Two years adrift, one human colony is attacked and crash lands on Mira, which just so miraculously can uphold some kind of human life, among all manner of incredible, beautiful, and dangerous creatures.
Players are asked to create their own avatar, modifying everything from hairstyle to facial makeup. Although some options from the original Japanese version are absent, a unique voice may even be selected, with individual actors listed alongside each option – a welcome aspect that isn’t often seen in games. Bizarrely, though, despite the plethora of voice cast choices, the main character is a mute outside of battle.
Once set, things move quickly, as this once dormant human is woken up from stasis and thrown right into the vast expanse of Mira. Remember Link running to the edge of the cliff at the beginning of Breath of the Wild, and seeing all of Hyrule before him? Think that but not as epic. Mira seems grander and more horizontal, and there is a lot going on in every single segment, but this map is also designed for mech-based fast travel, so the two overworlds function differently.
After getting established in New Los Angeles, players are pretty much given free reign. Story progression is available, but it quickly gets locked to player level requirements, which isn’t the most appealing thing in the world for those keen on getting swept up into a JRPG storyline. Xenoblade Chronicles X encourages getting out into the field and completing the many, many, many side quests on offer. Hunting, fetching, mineral gathering, probe planting, artifact scanning; the typical activities associated with open world games are at the forefront of this adventure, for better or worse.
In many ways, this is the type of game to easily lose oneself in, getting caught up in the beauty of the world while battling some of the biggest foes seen in RPGs, almost mindlessly taking on hunts and side quests. Text-based quest dialogue can be unexpectedly funny, and Mira is a gorgeous place with a lot to do, but it is overwhelming in what it offers and how it presents itself. Since the story missions very quickly get tied down to requiring levelling up, players must accept that they must explore and complete sometimes menial tasks in order to finally get to the good stuff.
Combat can equally be a learning curve, with a huge amount of depth to the abilities at the team’s disposal, with many linked to classes that can be progressed down a tree system. Automated attacking may initially seem odd, but the tactical side comes from knowing what special arts to deploy and when, while simultaneously manoeuvring around the field to target specific areas of enemies’ bodies. It can be a lot to manage all in one go, and looks messy in action, with players needing to keep an eye on party members’ stats too. It will take time to get used to.
With the online functionality, though, anyone struggling can party up with other players’ avatars. Simple missions can be completed this way for hefty EXP gain, but they can even be taken into story quests that will provide a huge advantage, especially if able to bring in someone of a much higher level than your own team. Since online avatars can be seen in the overworld to recruit, it’s always worth bringing them on board for an hour, then making the most of them to take down tough foes.
What of the Nintendo Switch 2 upgrades, then? The biggest and most worthwhile addition is a boost to the framerate, meaning Xenoblade Chronicles X now plays beautifully at 60 fps. Resolution while docked is massively increased, and it definitely shows on a big screen. Mira’s landscapes cannot be helped but be observed, and the ability to zoom the camera into a first-person perspective, as well as out so far as to give a view for miles, means this world can be more fully appreciated than ever before.
The controversy lies in how visuals have been upscaled, particularly in handheld mode. Although docked looks mostly fantastic, while playing this game portably, there is a disturbing swirly effect going on that, dare it be said, looks like some kind of terrible AI soup. It is incredibly apparent when looking at textures of distant mountains, but it is clear on nearby rocks, trees, and even the ground being stood on.
In motion, it isn’t always as noticeable, but it is there, and stopping for a second brings it right back to the fore again. It is all kinds of wrong, ravaging the art style and altering the feeling of the game drastically when played this way. It is even more damaging considering Xenoblade Chronicles X is one of those games perfect for portable play, tackling a few side quests here and there. It is shocking that Nintendo didn’t release this for free. In this state, even though docked isn’t devoid of the problems, it is highly recommended to stick to playing on the TV where possible, at least until this issue is hopefully addressed with an update.
my brother was playing the sw2 updated ver and he reported that his console got abnormally hot while playing it in docked mode. He said that it had to power down to cool off because of how hot it got.
Hot damn, I’m gonna have to double-check on that. I did play it handheld after some long docked sessions but didn’t notice that myself. I’ll defo have to follow up on that. No one wants melted $500 plastic.
yeah it was something that happened automatically. I checked online if anyone else has the problem, and he wasn’t the only one. Shocking that Nintendo would release something like this if true.
Glad you mentioned it! There’s enough in the game to come back to, but if it’s gonna melt the dock and portable looks like soup, it’s not a good look at all. Bad enough they were charging for it, but this compounds it :/