Digital Foundry has released an in-depth tech review of Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition on the Switch 2, rigorously evaluating how both the main story and the Phantom Liberty expansion perform on Nintendo's latest console. The review highlights a significant achievement: the inclusion of the Phantom Liberty expansion, especially since CD Projekt Red chose to bypass older consoles like the PS4 and Xbox One, focusing instead on the more powerful hardware available in current-generation systems. The ability of the Switch 2 to manage this demanding content is indeed commendable, although the hardware does face its challenges in delivering a seamless experience.
Cyberpunk 2077 on the Switch 2 offers players four distinct visual modes: 30fps quality and 40fps performance, each available for both handheld and docked play. Here’s a breakdown of how each mode handles resolution:
Handheld Performance: 640x360 - 1280x720Handheld Quality: 800x450 - 1440x810Docked Performance: 960x540 - 1920x1080Docked Quality: 1280x720 - 1920x1080The use of DLSS technology enhances the gaming experience significantly, although high-paced action sequences may introduce visual issues, such as blurriness and temporal noise. Interestingly, when comparing the Switch 2 to other consoles, the visual quality is on par with the PS5, making it superior to the Xbox Series X and PS4. Many textures are intentionally consistent across platforms, yet where differences exist, the Switch 2 stands out as one of the more capable consoles.
In terms of texture quality, DLSS is effectively utilized, resulting in improved image clarity on the Switch 2 compared to the PS4. However, when it comes to the density of pedestrians and vehicles in the streets of Night City, the Switch 2 closely resembles the PS4, leading to a less populated feel in the game. This decision was likely made to maintain stable frame rates, and despite this limitation, Digital Foundry acknowledges the impressive capabilities of the console.
Regarding shadow rendering, the Switch 2 performs admirably in indoor settings, producing higher quality shadows than those seen on the PS4. However, outdoor shadows, particularly those cast by sunlight, are noted to be slightly inferior. Frame rate performance on the Switch 2 is generally solid, maintaining the 30fps target in quality mode during the main story. In contrast, the Phantom Liberty expansion features more intricate environments that can cause frame rates to drop to as low as 20-25fps.
When players opt for the 40fps performance mode, the experience varies. Indoor areas typically run smoothly at around 40fps, while outdoor environments and intense shootouts can see the frame rate dip down to 30fps or lower. Interestingly, while playing in handheld mode, the frame rates are reported to be largely similar to those in docked mode, although Digital Foundry could not conduct thorough tests in this area. Thanks to VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), it is suggested that portable play may offer the smoothest experience on the Switch 2, though moments where performance dips below 30fps become noticeably impactful.
