Xenoblade Chronicles X on Wii U delivered a remarkable open world with brilliant visuals bearing in mind we were dealing with a console that sits within the same technological generation as the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. And what this new and improved ‘Definitive Edition’ on Switch proves is that the game still holds up today, comparable with some ninth generation console efforts.
In the latest video from Digital Foundry, we get to see what made this Wii U title so impressive back in the day, and then learn how the Definitive Edition on Switch improves on that. If you’re looking for the quick-and-dirty version of what’s discussed in the video, you can find that below.
- dynamic resolution scaling
- tops out at a native 1080p
- portable mode mostly runs at 720p
- motion blur is still present
- significantly more environmental detail
- improvements to shadows, textures and polygonal complexity
- more vibrant lighting
- boosts to distant detail
- increases to overall image quality
- character models have been revamped with changes to eye size, color and positioning
- improved skin shading
- more appealing face shapes
- upgraded the game’s user interface
- modified other elements related to battle
- no collision detection for moving vehicles, much like the original game
- pre-rendered video sequences all exhibit raised black levels and therefore look washed out
- largely steady 30fps, but it’s not locked
- nice use of fog and beautiful sky system
- foliage doesn’t really move or react to players
- water is simple
- shadows are fixed in place
- surround sound support
