Dying Light Platinum Edition arrives on the Nintendo Switch next week, and ahead of its release, the tech experts over at Digital Foundry have shared their own technical review of the game.
So, has Techland succeeded with the Switch port? In docked mode, the survival horror game runs at 1080p and 720p in handheld mode, but there's a bit of a catch:
"Techland is using what seems to be a new TAAU feature - temporal anti-aliasing with upscaling. The idea here is to reconstruct the image over several frames to match the target output resolution: either 1080p in docked or 720p in portable. Naturally, the actual base resolution is lower, often counting around or below 720p in docked mode, but the result is interesting: it looks reasonably close to native when standing still but as you move, you'll notice some image break-up."

On the performance front, Dying Light on Switch is running at an uncapped framerate of 30-36fps, which isn't the best at times:
"On paper, this may not seem like a big deal, but what's happening is that we're basically seeing inconsistent frame-times of 16ms, 33ms and 50ms - and this results in inconsistent motion. It's like incorrect frame-pacing but slightly different in how it manifests, creating a slightly jerky look to the action."
"There are genuine drops beneath 30fps - in the city at night, for example... if Techland can implement a decent 30fps cap, this should make the game look and feel smoother overall."
Fortunately, the framerate stays "above 30fps" most of the time - and apparently, Techland is even looking into a patch to resolve this issue.
Overall, though, Digital Foundry says Dying Light on Switch is an "intelligently designed port" that holds up, and is "a lot more appealing" in handheld mode.
Will you be checking out this game when it arrives on the Switch next week? Comment down below.
[source youtu.be, via eurogamer.net]
Comments 80
Everything's impossible to port on the switch...until it isn't
Great to see how many ports rise to the challenge and succeed at preserving most of the look & feel at less than 25% of the Watts. Save the planet, get a switch and have access to all the greatest games!
But do get an emulator for n64, because of the crazy "expansion pack" price...
Another great port, it seems. I'll get it eventually.
Wow looks alot better than I expected it to be , Ialready own it on ps4 & completed it again recently but I'll definitely get it on switch eventually
Just waitin’ for the sequel, thanks
@YusseiWarrior3000 with enough cutbacks you can port anything to the switch. Question is, are the cutbacks, time, resources and money spend worth a port.
@YusseiWarrior3000 well it had issues on PS4 and Xbox One too
It appears to be another miracle port.
@nintendolife I will be waiting for the review of this
Why choose for uncapped fps, instead for an capped 30 from the start, if it ends up giving frame-pacing issues?
While I already have it on PS4, I loved it so much that I'll definitely buy it on Switch for portability.
@YusseiWarrior3000 The graphics are not what make the game demanding. It’s the sheer number of zombies on screen.
Frame time issues? Hmm. I believe Crysis remastered had that issue on Switch as well.
@nessisonett like WWZ?
@Zag_Man well, at least the first game is native at the very least. Better than like KH on Switch for example imo.
Also it appears Dying Light 2 is focusing on next gen consoles more so imo it is kind of understandable that it is a cloud version
Another "miracle port" that runs well on Switch, you love to see it.
Definitely getting this.
@anoyonmus Yeah, there’s hundreds of zombies on screen at once at times which has to be demanding not just visually rendering them all but running the AI processes for each individual one.
I'm happily eating crow here. I was dismissive of this port when I first heard about it because I just took it for granted that this game would be too much for the Switch, and that it would be a trash port with subpar performance and visuals. Honestly, I'm glad to be wrong!
Looking good! Will wait for reviews on this one, though.
@nessisonett I see
@YusseiWarrior3000 Are you 12? Or do you just have zero technical expertise in the slightest? The Switch does not have ‘enough RAM and a great prodecesor (sic) to run almost everything’. That’s just blatantly untrue. The entire reason you get these specific ports made by specialist devs is because it absolutely is not simple at all to port to the Switch.
But Switch can't run that...
Tell that to someone who didn't play Alone in the Dark the New Nightmare and Perfect Dark on GBC and Kill.Switch, Max Payne, and Rogue Spear on GBA and still to this day remember them as great games. Not even counting the many DS versions of other games.
Yeah, I know, those were cheap to develop separate versions, not ports, and Switch is in that area where developing for it isn't that cheap anymore, but porting to it is not always easy.
Anyway, I think it looks very good, and I'm not used to 4k tv's or anything, haven't even seen a PS5, for all I know its very existence is a lie. Wii U kind of made me want to return to handheld-only gaming with its gamepad, Switch completed that. To me, it's just handheld gaming that slowly evolves (and some games that look better than anything I played before that I love despite not being their best running version; some that look terrible, whether that is because they're lazy ports of beautiful games or just bad looking games, I don't care, I don't compare).
Definitely happy with the work they did on porting this so I'll be picking it up once I'm able to get ahead of the OLED.
@YusseiWarrior3000 Opinion is utterly pointless here. I could say my opinion was that the Earth was flat but that’s just untrue.
@YusseiWarrior3000
but what is the belief based on.
I enjoy the switch as much as the next person but there are definitely a large amount of games which have trouble maintaining 30fps.
that's the reason why these "miracle" ports are seen as impressive, just look at the development process of the ori ports, it takes an incredible amount of work.
add to that the amount of variables at play when it comes to making games run on different hardware and the general power gap between the switch and other systems which only further complicates things. (and i imagine will only get more complicated once devs have fully transitioned over to ps5/xsx)
The statement that any game could be made to run on the Switch is what is referred to as trivially true. Certainly with enough sacrifices to visuals and performances, you could conceivably port any game imaginable to the Switch (Total War: Warhammer? Sure, why not!). The question is whether or not the end result would be worth it. In the case of Dying Light, the answer is obviously yes, but this will not necessarily be true for every game.
Had my copy since yesterday and put mabey 8 hours into it. It looks great and runs very well, especially in handheld mode on an oled Switch. I played some docked mode also and it still looks great, but it really shines in handheld/tabletop mode. The game supports gyro aiming for bows/guns and has motion controls for swinging weapons using joy-cons or a pro controller. The HD rumble feels good and it supports touch screen controls for the map. As a person who loves local wireless play, it even support that for up to 4 player co-op, so I'll definitely pick up another copy soon. All in all it's a great port that shouldn't be missed if you are on the fence about getting the Switch version!
For anyone picking up a physical copy, the game has an update of 1.2 gb. I don't know about a day 1 patch yet.
Anyone know if the local multiplayer is just two consoles wirelessly connected or what?
@DTfeartheBEARD
How is the density of mobs? did they cut too many zombies from areas?
@YusseiWarrior3000 what? 4 GB isn't enough. For most games the standard amount of RAM is at least 8 GB
@aresius The density of Zombies seem just fine. The areas are randomly generated so sometimes you will only see a few zombies in an area and sometimes an area will be filled with zombies. Feels just like the PS4 version to me.
@HollowSpectre local wireless play for up to 4 consoles connected together wirelessly.
@DTfeartheBEARD
Perfect thanks that’s was my only doubt with the port
Definitely skip - too much pop-in. Just like in Snowrunner.
@YusseiWarrior3000 you literally said Switch has enough RAM. It doesn't
I already had it pre-ordered. Never played it on PS4 and feels like a perfect HALLOWEEN game. There were so many haters talking about how it will run like garbage in forums all over the place. Glad to know it's holding up. I always had faith in Techland.
@YusseiWarrior3000 Yes, online co-op for up to 4 players as well. Unfortunately I have only played online with a random person who turned out to be Switch Up from YouTube lol. I'm even included in their review video for the game, which was uploaded today. Since the game hasn't officially released yet for Switch, I haven't been able to find any online lobbies to join.
Looks fantastic. Looking forward to picking this up.
@patbacknitro18 Me and the Kingdom Hearts fanbase waiting for real native ports of the KH Series on switch:
@Savage_Joe Techland said they would according to DF
This is an impressive port. At best it is at least an 8 or 9 out of 10
@DTfeartheBEARD Cool. That's what I thought just couldn't find any info on it.
Saw a few videos on this and was really impressed. Picking it up on Tuesday bright and early at Walmart for the discount.
@Would_you_kindly Would you kindly accept my appreciation for the reference that is your username ❤️
@HollowSpectre https://youtu.be/r7HAp6N6gMk
With all the games I want to play/buy right now, this will probably have to wait, but still looks rather impressive.
Is this the best zombie game on Switch?
Surprised nobody else has been able to implement TAA upscaling for Switch games. Guess that's a technique that needs to be learned.
Seems like these devs are already suited for a DLSS Switch...
@GrailUK I'd say so. It's the best Zombie game that I have played in general.
And to think Square is to lazy to port over games from PS2 era.
@anoyonmus I remember when 8MB of RAM used to be enough. Last time I had a computer I upgraded it from 8MB to 16MB of RAM 😁
@GrailUK Most definitely
@YusseiWarrior3000 Do you think the Switch could run MS Flight Sim? Because its so demanding that its cloud only on X1 and X1X because the consoles can't run it, the X1 the weakest console of last gen and the X1X the most powerful console of last gen can't run it yet you think with enough cutbacks the Switch what's weaker then both could run it?
The Switch can run a lot sure but there's a reason Control and Hitman 3 are cloud only and why Dying Light 2 will only be cloud only if it comes over and its simply because the console is too weak to run them.
Its getting a next gen patch so i think i shell stick with the Ps4 version as the cut backs are too much for me, cool that's its on Switch though and is petty solid.
@WallyWest lmao. It runs at 30 fps on XSX/S
@JustMonika I mean even right now 8GB of ram is plenty for now. Also 8 GB can work for a lot of games. So nothing to worry too much yet
@anoyonmus I'm not on about the Series consoles i'm on about the One consoles you know the last gen machines what still outclass the Switch, they can't run Flight Sim so its cloud only for those consoles.
@nessisonett Well, he just didn't know it all. If you're young, own a switch, and never had an opportunity to see or compare it to games running on superior hardware, I guess it's hard to understand what's out there. We were all oblivious at some point in our lives. He'll understand the inadequacy of the Switch once he gets the chance to game on a high-tier rig with a nice 4k screen.
It's clear not too many people are concerned about hardware. The sales and the popularity speak for themselves. The game developers just have to make the best with what they have to work with.
Heck, the port of the Witcher 3 on the Switch was well done. True, it looks bad in comparison to how it was intended to look, but they did a great job tailoring both the visuals and performance of the game so it would better accommodate the Switch's hardware disadvantage. It's all about the moolah, so if low-end hardware continues to fly off the shelves, then the Switch will live on, at least until the demand dies down.
I do sometimes wish it was a tiny bit higher spec. I never cared much about visuals since I'm satisfied with the console and its games, but I admit it grinds my gears when I feel the FPS drops below 30.
@WallyWest ik that but I am saying that Flight Simulator is so demanding that it runs at 30 fps on XSX/S (natively) and XSX/S is the most powerful Xbox rn
@Torn I kinda wished the Switch had at least 6 GB of RAM. Then it wouldn't be too difficult
Not as good as Crysis 2 and 3.
@WallyWest Hitman 3 is cloud only, according to the developer simply because they didn't have the manpower to port it to Switch. I got no doubts that Switch could handle Hitman 3 natively if they would invest the money and around a year of work.
Love to see it.
Switch is pocket friendly, tabletop is great, and docking is super fast. Bring as many competent ports over as possible.
Crysis 3 Remastered is another that surprised me. Didn't like the first game, and the Gyro aiming was borked. But this 3rd one is 100% legit.
@RasandeRose I actually doubt the Switch could handle it, there's way too many systems and things going on for the Switch to pull it off.
@anoyonmus I said 8 MEGABYTES, not GIGABYTES of RAM, lol
Not a game I’m interested in but very pleasing to see another really good port on the Switch. Back when the system launched if you’d have told the sceptics Switch would get quality ports of Doom 2016/Eternal, Rocket League, Witcher 3, Alien Isolation, Metro, Sniper Elite 4, Ni No Kuni 2 and others you’d have been laughed at.
@JaxonH "Crysis 3 Remastered is another that surprised me. Didn't like the first game, and the Gyro aiming was borked. But this 3rd one is 100% legit."
100% agree. I got the collection over the weekend and couldntcget on with the 1st at all. Chucked the 3rd on to see what the jump was like and its night and day on every aspect. That bow.. 👌👌
Obviously a very solid port considering the limitations of the Switch hardware. This along with the Crysis Trilogy running very well shows what's possible if time and effort is put in... Great third party content for the Switch.
@westman98 they can implement TAA but that vastly increases development costs and the budget they get from the publisher isn't enough so that's why you don't see it.
Development costs and timing is one thing gamers don't appreciate when they moan about certain ports. I have no doubt some development teams have had small amounts of money and unrealistic deadlines when getting ports ready for switch.
@JustMonika sorry my bad
@anoyonmus This was 1995 after all 😅
This sure is a great port. A lot better than i expected.
Still...
I prefer to play it on PC on Ultra, 1440p and 165hz (RTX 3070 / Ryzen 9 5900X).
It's a light-weight game on my PC.
@JustMonika i see
Techland commented on this video.
Thank you for this review! We’re flattered by the positive response but as there are still things that we can improve - our players can expect free post-launch support with fixes, quality improvement patches and more!
To be honest. I had this game on the PS4 and have been wanting to pick it up again. Im really glad to see it plays pretty well overall. I personally enjoy playing whatever game I can on the Switch regardless of the compromises (most of the time). The form factor of the Switch is more than enough for me to spend some good money on the same game again.
@B_BIackNinja_N As i posted above, they will improve the gameplay even more in upcoming upgrades.
@Ventilator Right I was mainly talking games with cutbacks overall. But I'm excited to see them address what they can through the updates they have planned.
@B_BIackNinja_N Unlocked fram rate would be perfect for Switch Pro which i think they aimed for, but it never launched.
Smart move, but is sadly why they have to make it locked 30 FPS instead. Switch Pro could have ran it at 60 +/- without patching.
Techland were just thinking ahead of time. Nintendo didn't.
Many Xbox One/PS4 games were only running at 30 FPS even with unlocked framerate. LOL.
That's why same games ran at 60 +/- FPS on the powerful Xbox One X from 2017. On top of it same games loaded 5 times as fast on Xbox One X.
Pre ordered it and not my copies arrived on Saturday! Been having so much fun playing with my wife!
@Ventilator or they don't wanna have to unlocked it again when it comes to the next gen Nintendo console.
Had this on the Xbox One back in the day, never got to play it properly because the ex wife didn’t let me use the tv.
Different story now, literally just purchased this and going to rag it tonight and this weekend! ✌️ (Being single is underrated)
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...