Topic: Xenoblade 2 chronicles performance and resolution

I'm thinking of getting xenoblade chronicles 2. When it came out I heard that it looked and played great in docked mode, but had a lower resolution and bad framerate in portable mode. I mostly play in portable mode, and don't want to be very disappointed by this. What are your opinions? Has the game gotten any patches to look and play better since launch?

@Kriztian I mostly play in docked mode, but the few times I played in handheld mode the picture quality seemed to be all over the place.

The first time I played in handheld I noticed that the game gets kinda blurry when there's lots of action going on, especially in the towns or in areas with lots of details. But last time I checked handheld, I was on the dead Titan and it ran crisp and smooth and looked awesome.

I played about 60-40 portable and docked, and clocked up serious three-digit hours on the game. Not going to say I never noticed a resolution drop - there were at least a couple of instances that really stood out, and the game takes its time adding texture to assets whenever you warp - but I never really noticed any frame rate issues. Certainly, there was nothing in the game that in any way detracted from my enjoyment.

Full disclosure, though - I am rarely bothered by these issues, and certainly not in an RPG. The only time it's likely to bother me is in a full-on action game, as when Hollow Knight once started to judder on me in a boss fight until I turned it off and reloaded.

Framerate dips in BOTH docked and handheld, it's not exclusive to either.

It's no big deal though. Handheld is blurry at times and it can dip pretty heavily when action gets intense, but I was never really bothered with it. The game's strong artstyle and effects helps mask a lot of the low resolution anyway, since it's a perfect match from docked. Even Odyssey and BotW cut back a slight bit of effects in portable.

Like you, I play my Switch in handheld mode almost exclusively. I have a great 4k def. tv. I’ve just always loved handhelds.

Xenoblade 2 is one of my favorite Switch games. I’ve never had any issues with the graphics.

Ignore everyone here, handheld mode is near unplayable and if you plan to play in handheld most of the time you'll be severely disappointed. It runs worse than most Wii games.

Only problem I noticed was resolution. It plays fine otherwise.

@Mew I agree it was unplayable on release but they've patched it since then. I play exclusively in handheld mode now.

@Aurumonado i've only played it patched and it still never even hits anywhere near native res and runs at a worse framerate than docked. i think yall just have low standards.

it's actually a pretty beautiful game, art design wise, and handheld mode tramples all over this

@Mew I don't remember Wii games having a high draw distance and lots of effects, and when they did like Xenoblade 1 the framerate also tanked heavily (worse than Xenoblade X and 2) when action got hectic and that game needed a bit more timing due to burst affinity prompts. AND that game's draw distance is extremely poor and not as extravagant as Xenoblade 2. Just take a look at the minimap and see when NPCs spawn in, especially in the Refugee Camp and Alcamoth.

In fact, a lot of Wii games were very simple in design. Galaxy were small planetoids. Minigame compilations like Wii Sports. Boxed-in areas and views in Metroid Prime 3.

Say what you will about handheld performance but saying it's worse than most Wii games is a stretch.

I played like 99% in handheld, and while I know sometimes it can look as ugly as possible, I personally don't mind. I can still play it normally, and I barely realise any frame rate dips. Resolution dips are really obvious though and make things kinda grainy.

@Mew then I imagine the switch is unplayable.

So many people like this today. I guess they never played video games until 2014.

OP: Get it. Its the best game on the system.

I noticed a graphical downgrade when it first came out. Now you can slightly notice it. Even as it was when it launched it was completely playable. Never noticed any frame rate issues. Only frame rate issue I have noticed on the system was in BOTW in the korok forest when running.

I'm not a stickler for those things though. Surprised I noticed it in BOTW. Only other game ive ever noticed it was in Perfect Dark if you had 8 Sims and explosive weapons (game would nearly crash).

Game is one of the best not worth missing for the sake of a few hiccups in handheld mode.

I played it back in December when it released, mostly in portable mode, and while there are certain areas/situations where the resolution gets really blurry, I never noticed any framerate issues.

Mew is overexaggerating. Don't get me wrong, handheld mode has probably the worst resolution I've seen in an exclusive AAA game for Switch, but they have patched the frame rate issues and I haven't noticed a difference lately between it and docked play. I heard from someone that the Torna expansion looks a lot better in handheld mode, can anyone confirm?

Not doing a side by side but they appear the same to me. Looks good.

@Kriztian The resolution can dip pretty low in handheld mode, unfortunately. Unacceptably so, considering it's an exclusive. The framerate issues are mostly gone now, though, and it's nowhere near being unplayable. It's a good enough game that I'd recommend playing it regardless of which mode you primarily play in.

also everyone's lying it's not even that good lol

@Kriztian I have dropped 270 hours in this game mixed largely between portable and docked. There are some times when the textures load in a little slow and the resolution drops somewhat noticeably. But in my entire time playing it has never had a meaningful effect on gameplay.

While everyone is entitled to their own opinions, I have found most of the complaints have come from graphics snobs who nitpick every game half to death. Again to each their own, but there is literally no RPG on Switch I suggest higher than Xenoblade Chronicles 2. And if you can afford it, get the DLC when you buy it, so you can enjoy it while playing through the story. The story is fantastic and enthralling. The music memorable and well suited to the environments and situations, some of the characters' visual designs can be a good bit fan-service-y but their personalities are well developed and well written... (with the execption of a handful of minor side characters). The Voice acting is some of the best for a localized game, but the option to retain the Japanese is also there as well.

Don't let the complaints of a vocal minority discourage you. The game is fantastic! At 270 hours I can tell you I am no where near done. (but if you only care about the main story you're looking at 75-100 hours at a casual pace)

@Mew