Tales of Xillia Remastered is great on PS5, but what about Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch?

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I recently tested how Tales of Xillia Remastered performs on different consoles after looking at Tales of Graces f Remastered on the Nintendo Switch. As part of a series of tests I’ve been doing since the Switch 2 launched – covering RPGs like Dragon Quest and Ys – I’ve been evaluating backward compatibility. My findings for the Tales series on Switch 2 were mixed. Since Bandai Namco didn’t create a dedicated Switch 2 version of Tales of Xillia Remastered, it runs on the new console through backward compatibility. This article will detail how the game looks and performs on the original Switch, Switch 2, and PlayStation 5.

Tales of Xillia Remastered Switch port impressions

I was hoping to see a version of Tales of Xillia Remastered built for the newer Nintendo Switch, but Bandai Namco only released it for the original Switch. They announced the game would run at 30 frames per second, with a resolution of 720p in handheld mode and 1080p when docked. After playing it for a day after purchasing it from the eShop, I’m even more let down with how the game performs on the original Switch.

The game looks sharp on the handheld’s screen, but the graphics themselves appear a little blurry. The lack of detailed textures and smoothing effects is noticeable, especially when moving around. While I could adjust to the less-defined visuals, the frame rate still drops below 30fps in busy areas like towns and while exploring, even with reduced graphical details compared to other versions. For example, in the Fennmont – Central Plaza area, the frame rate occasionally dips when the camera moves and characters appear nearby – this happens more often on the Switch than on other platforms.

I’ve been playing on my Switch OLED, and while the combat itself wasn’t bad in the first few hours, it definitely wasn’t smooth. There was a little bit of slowdown right before and after fights, and honestly, everything just feels a bit sluggish overall. The biggest problem, though, is the loading times – they’re way longer than on other consoles I’ve tried, which really drags things down.

Tales of Xillia Remastered Switch on Switch 2 gameplay






Tales of Xillia Remastered Nintendo Switch 2 impressions

Playing Tales of Xillia Remastered on the Switch 2 through backward compatibility improves many of the problems I experienced before, but it’s not perfect. Load times are significantly faster, however the game still doesn’t look as sharp as it could. It remains limited to 30 frames per second, so the smoother 60fps combat many players were hoping for isn’t available. I didn’t encounter the frame rate drops in towns or while exploring that I experienced on the original Switch, at least in the first few hours of gameplay.

Although Tales of Xillia Remastered runs better on the Switch 2, the improvements feel like a quick fix rather than the fully optimized experience players were hoping for – specifically, smooth 60fps battles and sharp graphics. The game’s image quality isn’t ideal, and actually looks worse on larger 1080p screens because it’s still running at a lower 720p resolution. A version of Tales of Xillia Remastered built specifically for the Switch 2 would make a huge difference, and hopefully, we’ll see that happen for both this game and Tales of Graces f Remastered. Tales of Vesperia already plays well on the Switch 2, but these other two deserve a more substantial upgrade.

Just so you know, the visual comparison was made using a 4K capture card with the PS5 version, and the Switch version on both the new Switch 2 (docked) and the Switch OLED (also docked). The images were then adjusted to clearly show the differences between each version.

Tales of Xillia Remastered PS5 impressions

Tales of Xillia Remastered on PlayStation 5 is a significant upgrade over the Switch version, offering vastly improved graphics and performance. It delivers a smooth, consistent 60 frames per second experience, with only brief pauses during autosaves. Loading times are also incredibly fast, making the game feel responsive and snappy.

The main visual problem across all versions of the game – including the PlayStation 5 and PC – is weak texture filtering and a lack of anti-aliasing. This causes textures on distant floors to appear pixelated or blurry.

Tales of Xillia Remastered PS5 gameplay





Tales of Xillia Remastered load times across PS5, Switch 2, Switch, and PC

As a big fan, I really wanted to see how fast Tales of Xillia Remastered loaded on everything! So, I downloaded the PS5 version directly to my PlayStation, the digital Switch version to the Switch 2’s storage, and also put the digital Switch version on an SD card in my Switch OLED. Then, I tested the Steam version on both the Steam Deck and my ROG Ally, installing it on their internal storage each time. Just a heads-up: if you pick up a physical copy of the game on Switch, your load times will probably be quite a bit slower than what I found in my testing.

Like my previous tests, I quickly pressed buttons to skip introductory screens and save time. The results below show a range because I ran the test three times. For Tales of Xillia Remastered, I measured load times from the dashboard to the title screen, but also highlighted that the Switch version takes longer to load everything – including battles and moving between areas – compared to other platforms. I tested loading from both the field and a town for save files, and timed how long it took to load into a battle and regain control of the character afterward.

Platform Dashboard to title Loading saves Loading areas Battle in / out
Switch 43 – 45 7-9 3.5 – 4.5 2 – 2.5 /  3
Switch on Switch 2 22 – 24 4.5 – 5.5 2 – 2.5 1 – 1.5 / 1.5 – 2
PS5 6 – 7 2.5 – 3.5 1 – 1.5 0.5 / 1
Steam Deck 15 – 17 4 – 4.5 1.5 – 2 1.5 / 2
PC ROG Ally 11-12 3 1 – 1.5 1 / 1 – 1.5

Note: All load times above are in seconds.

It’s good that the Switch version of Tales of Xillia Remastered has faster loading times, but it’s clear there are limits to what can be achieved with backward compatibility. Overall, the PS5 offers the best performance and a smoother gaming experience.

I’m hoping future updates for Tales of Xillia Remastered will improve the game’s graphics, specifically the texture filtering and anti-aliasing, on all systems. Ideally, a 60fps option would be added for the Switch version, which could potentially allow the game to run at that speed on the newer Switch console through backwards compatibility, similar to how some other games work. However, there’s a chance the game might struggle to maintain a selected frame rate, causing slowdowns – something that happened with the PC version.

There’s some good news for players hoping to experience Tales of Xillia Remastered on the next Nintendo Switch: many of the frustrating issues are improved. However, it’s still limited to 30 frames per second, even during combat – a limitation the original PlayStation 3 version didn’t have. On PlayStation 5, the game runs smoothly and looks good overall, with just a few small problems.

Just a quick note about how these comparisons were made: on both the Steam Deck and ROG Ally, we used the built-in Steam recording feature while the game ran at 60 frames per second. For the Switch and the new Switch 2, we had to use the system’s capture tool, which isn’t ideal, but it was the only way to record handheld gameplay. Also, please don’t focus on the moving enemies in the background – it was impossible to keep them all in the same spot for a fair comparison.

If you want the best way to play Tales of Xillia Remastered, I suggest getting the PS5 or PC version, especially if you plan to play on a TV or at home. While a Switch 2 might improve things, the Switch version isn’t great. You’ll have a much better experience playing on the Steam Deck or ROG Ally.

Tales of Xillia Remastered is now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC through Steam. If you’re thinking of purchasing the game, you can find details about the included downloadable content here, and learn about the Grade Shop here.

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2025-11-01 20:28