Zack Fair's story made its Switch debut last week in Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII Reunion, an impressive remaster of the 2007 PSP favourite and prequel to Final Fantasy VII. The game launched on multiple platforms, and many were concerned that the Switch version would suffer thanks to the incredibly detailed visuals.
Leave it to the team at Digital Foundry, however, to break everything down for the Switch version. In their in-depth analysis of all versions of the game. Despite being a 'remaster', Crisis Core has been entirely rebuilt in Unreal Engine 4, which is why the action is smoother and the world looks so great. So, is it consistent on the Switch, or are there some major caveats?
One thing Digital Foundry points out alongside the impressive visual overhaul is that the game's animations have been carried over from the original PSP game. So some animations look a little outdated. Interiors and exteriors are also pretty small and while some textures have been updated, many of them have been reused over and over as a result of the smaller, mission-based level design. Though the open areas and sections of Midgar look much better.
Even though the game has been rebuilt in Unreal Engine 4, the Switch version of Crisis Core is a solid one — crisp screen space reflections are present, and many of the remaster's texture overhauls don't suffer too much (rocky areas and grass are the most notable downgrade here). The overall screen picture is a little darker, however, due to the different gamma configurations on the hybrid console (compared to PS5).
Regarding handheld mode, Digital Foundry noticed busy surfaces and artefacts that are generated by screen space effects and reflections. Though the most noticeable difference with the Switch version is the use of capsule shadows for character models in outdoor areas.
Lastly, the Switch version of the game targets 720p while docked and aims for 30fps at max, and it's consistent in both areas. Resolution can drop to around 576p, but because of the technology used, this often isn't noticeable in more static cutscenes. Undocked, while Crisis Core aims for 720p (and again, mostly hits that target), it can drop even lower to 432p. Frame pacing is inconsistent compared to other console versions — and this is the only thing that's stopping this version from being a "top flight conversion".
Check out the full video at the top of the article or over on the Digital Foundry YouTube channel, and then give our review a read to find out why we were impressed with this remaster on Switch: