صدر Square Enix Chrono Cross: Radical Dreamers Edition On multiple platforms this week, including Switch. So how does the Nintendo version hold up?
Well if you Read our Nintendo Life reviewYou probably know how it will turn out…according to Digital Foundry — it’s kind of a serious nightmare. In fact, this latest version seems to have gotten worst It performs more than the original 1999 PlayStation version and is more of a “rework” than a complete reboot.
Here is a summary of the frame rate differences between the “Classic” and “New Visuals” modes in Remaster (via Eurogamer):
To put it bluntly, frame rates on PS5 and Switch are just as low as the original PS1 – and sometimes even worse when the ‘new’ graphics mode is selected. The issues are visible right from the start, with the first opening lobby dropping to 20fps compared to 30fps on the original PS1. It’s not nearly as low either, as more tax scenes could see the frame rate cap drop to 20, 15, or even 10 frames per second, the original was perfect – the original PlayStation ran the game with frame rate fluctuating wildly between 10 and 30fps too – but it’s worrisome that running enhancers on modern consoles will result in low frame rates in some of the same scenes.
Selecting classic mode in the remaster menu improves things, but it doesn’t guarantee a 30fps lock. Overall, it seems to put frame rates on par with the original PS1, with fights still dropping to 15fps and lower. However, regardless of the mode used, additional issues are introduced during battles in the Remaster – such as the post-battle victory mode – that were not present in the original PS1. “
As for resolution, the Nintendo Switch version goes down to 720p in docked mode, which DF says “works in its favour” when it comes to performance issues:
“…if you don’t have the original Chrono Cross on hand, the editor still has some value. If you opt for the Switch version, playing in Portable mode lowers the resolution to 720p, bringing both 2D and 3D elements into your presentation. Regardless of platform, the story, gameplay, and atmosphere of Squaresoft’s classic JRPG still resonates in 2022 – Despite some technical and technical limitations.
Here’s what to expect outside of mobile games:
“For new and classic graphics modes, and all 3D elements (character models and 3D battle sequences), we measure the original resolution in the region from 900 pixels to 936 pixels. The new character models are reserved for the new graphics mode only, and this one also features 1080p HUD overlay. These repaired 3D models can be found on both PS4 and Switch in matching quality. Meanwhile, Classic mode uses original PS1 models, restores 240p wallpapers and portraits, with larger on-screen text, and doesn’t look great on a 1080p or 4K screen, especially in the outside world where we’ve accurately rendered 3D elements running on a map Bitmap. At times, the new mode is preferred on larger screens.
There are many other issues such as AI scaling and architecture issues – the Digital Foundry summarizes this optimizer as a “disappointing thing”. You can get the full summary in the video above, or on Eurogamer.
How did you find the Chrono Cross remaster on the Switch so far? Tell us in the comments.
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