Nintendo Switch 2 Critic Reviews

If Xenoblade Chronicles 2 were a Blade, the original Switch was its Driver one that couldn’t maximize its potential. Thanks to the Switch 2 update and its technical and gameplay improvements, it finally has the Driver it deserves.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is everything I wanted out of an upgrade, with sharper visuals, 60 FPS performance, and one of the original game's biggest frustrations finally fixed. More than anything, it gave me an excuse to return to Alrest and experience one of my favorite games of all time in the best way possible. Nearly nine years later, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 remains an unforgettable RPG that stands among the very best games I have ever played.

When it launched in 2017, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was too ambitious for the Nintendo Switch hardware (and Nintendo knew it). Its story—filled with memorable cutscenes—its engaging characters, and its massive world (which makes the player feel like an ant amidst the vastness of the colossi) can now finally be enjoyed with the quality they always deserved.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition makes an all time great even better, and there's never been a better time to jump in.

Over time (and at least one additional replay) I’ve become more comfortable with the tonal dissonance beating at the heart of XC2. And it’s not like I was ever unhappy with either the fan service or the serious narrative. It was just the juxtaposition that threw me at the time. So, while this might not be my favourite title in the overall series, I do think it is magnificent, and all the better now we can see the creative vision that the developers had for it in the first place.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is an essential JRPG, and on Switch 2 it finally feels like it’s reached its ultimate form with upscaling that massively improves clarity and performance, and some light bits of added content alongside.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition had the biggest job to do of any of these updates, thanks to the age of the original Switch release. Thankfully, it mostly hits the mark. There are still a few graphical issues that keep it from being all it could be, but it’s hard to argue that this isn’t a clear and obvious upgrade in most ways that count. It features smoother framerates, improved resolution, more visual details, some genuinely useful quality of life upgrades, and even has some new content to check out. If you want to cruise the clouds of Alrest in style, this one’s well-worth picking up.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition brings the audiovisual treatment and performance that this absolutely epic RPG more than deserved, and adds a number of very welcome changes concerning the Field Skills, as well as the new Merc Assault. For those who own the original version, this update is more than worth the effort, whereas new players will find themselves at awe with the staggering amount of exploration to do and the enormous world unfurling in front of their eyes.

You’ve likely played Xenoblade or know what to expect at this point. The bottom line is that if Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was already a must-play almost a decade ago, you’re doing yourself a disservice by not having this in your Switch 2 collection in 2026.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 arrives on Nintendo Switch 2 in the version it always deserved: sharp, smooth, and enhanced with a few extras that round out the experience.