60 frames is too little? Digital Foundry criticises the image quality of Xenoblade Chronicles X on Switch 2

The premiere of Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition on Nintendo Switch 2 was supposed to be a technological showcase of the new console's capabilities. It runs at 60 frames per second, the smoothness is clearly better, but experts from Digital Foundry temper the enthusiasm. According to their analysis, the biggest issue lies in the image quality.

60 FPS is here, but the image is “blurring”

The DF team emphasizes that the game actually runs at stable 60 FPS in both docked and handheld modes, which is a significant step forward compared to earlier versions. The fluidity and responsiveness are at a higher level. The problem arises with the visual presentation itself. In motion, surface details tend to blur, resembling an oil painting effect. Thin elements, such as cables or power lines, may appear distorted and slightly wavering instead of perfectly straight. In static frames, the image looks sharp, but in dynamic scenes, reconstruction artifacts become noticeable.

This is not pure 1080p

According to analysis, the game does not render in native 1080p. All signs point to a lower internal resolution and subsequent image reconstruction. Game files mention the use of SMAA, however, the final effect does not resemble traditional anti-aliasing of this type. Digital Foundry suggests that the implemented solution may resemble a light form of machine learning-assisted scaling, but not a full DLSS implementation. Although the Switch 2 supports DLSS, its implementation requires additional developer work, and the current solution looks more like a post-process upscaler. Importantly, even in handheld mode, where pixel density is higher, artifacts remain noticeable.

Digital Foundry admits that switching to 60 FPS significantly improves gameplay comfort. This is the first time Xenoblade Chronicles X runs with such fluidity on hardware from the Switch family. At the same time, experts note that the visual compromises are clear enough that it’s worth being aware of their existence before purchase. They also hope that future updates could improve the quality of reconstruction.

Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition on Switch 2 offers significantly better fluidity, but at the cost of image quality. 60 FPS is a strong advantage, but the expected improvement in sharpness and clarity of the graphics has not met all expectations.

source: twistedvoxel.com