If there's one area that the Xenoblade series has struggled with on Switch, it's performance and resolution — especially in handheld mode. But the folks at Digital Foundry have some pleasant news to deliver regarding Xenoblade Chronicles 3, the latest game in the series which releases this Friday.
Something we noted in our review of the game was that "this new entry is a big step up from its predecessors" in terms of performance. And Digital Foundry has reached a similar conclusion to us in its technical analysis of the game.
The first big improvement it notes is in the image quality. The game will render at 1080p docked and 720p in handheld mode, which is a jump from the previous entry in the series, Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Digital Foundry has even gone on to say that this game delivers "one of the sharpest images from all the high-end titles we've seen on Switch", even if the resolution can slip to lower levels at times.
Character and world rendering are two of the game's best assets, and improvements have been made to the game's animations, including areas where the character's feet will adapt to the surroundings, resulting in less clipping. Cutscene animations have also seen a boost, with per-object motion blur used (both in cutscenes and in gameplay too!).
There are, however, some constraints to environmental rendering. The level of detail pop-in is mixed when transitioning between quiet and busy environments, with trees, rocks, and other background details appearing. But this doesn't diminish from the majesty of the world.
Performance, while having seen a bit of a bump, is still hit and miss says Digital Foundry. While the game maintains a steady 30 fps throughout the environment, it varies on what's going on at any one time, as well as the size and scope of the area. But the game is much more mixed when it comes to combat, and Xenoblade Chronicles 3 introduces a seven-character party system. So all of the effects and animations on screen are multiplied compared to previous entries.
So, essentially, while there are some hiccups, this seems like a pretty big step-up for the series! You can check out the full breakdown from Digital Foundry above, and let us know whether you're impressed by what you've seen and heard about the game in the comments!
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[source eurogamer.net]
Comments 24
But gaming Twitter (lol) insists this will be "too blurry," for them.
The good news keeps on coming.
Hopefully this will also be the case for the next Zelda as well as seen as these guys lend a helping hand doing it.
@IronMan30 Its Twitter what would you expect lmao
That’s great, hope Nintendo releases a new switch in the next couple years though because this is further proof that the switch just can’t keep up, even with its exclusives
Glad to hear the game has been optimized well.
@CorePrideX basically the most absurd takes on just about anything. Lol
No surprise there, as XC2 was probably developed for WiiU mostly, seeing how soon it came out on the switch
Only bad thing is that during combat it can go down towards mid 20s. Similar to SMT V though because it’s a more menu based combat game the modest frame rate drops isn’t as impactful
@IronMan30 Well in the video they say it's actually 540p upscaled (sometimes less) to 1080p. Of course, NL skipped that out. I've been playing it for a few days and while it is a great technical achievement on the Switch, it does have a fuzzy look.
Xenoblade Chronicles i still don't know if I should try this Frenchies, i don't like the graphics nor the anime style of the characters... But I'm curious about the gameplay and the story...
@Matroska well that last part is a matter of opinion but gaming Twitter whines about everything so it's hard to take it seriously for me.
Will be almost time to test the KS 4K enhancer Pro to clear up game play.
Impossible, twitter dorks told me the game runs at 240p 15fps!
@IronMan30 they make some of the worst bedwetters in here seem rational. 😀
I'm actually surprised...even though it's just an upscale, this is substantial. No more doubts about BotW2 now!
@Mutsu I played the 3DS remaster and couldn’t get into it after giving it a good 7-8 hours.
@Li_Bae ugh not worth it then 😫
@IronMan30 that's why emulators exist
@Mutsu If you don't think it will be for you, it may not be but I don't usually like anime JRPGs and HEAVILY enjoyed the first and second.
@Chlocean Yeah... I don't like JRPGs but again this is a big game if it's fun to play it should worth it, hopefully they'll make a demo version available...
@IronMan30 - Docked it looks great, in handheld, it’s quite blurry.
@mattitudemf I was actually okay with XC2 in handheld but I'll see for myself later today on 3.
@IronMan30 - It’s still playable, but the system is definitely starting to show its age in handheld mode with certain games
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