At the end of last year, the Souls-like title Mortal Shell: Complete Edition got a surprise release on the Nintendo Switch.
If you’ve been wondering how this particular version of the game compares to the rest, Digital Foundry has got you covered with its latest technical analysis. So, how does it hold up? Its ambition comes at a cost when it comes to performance and overall playability.
The Switch version uses a newer build of the game, but there are some “obvious” downgrades – with the 4GB of RAM of the system described as being the “limiting factor”. While character texture work is “identical” to the PS4 build, it’s the environments that experience some “serious cutback” – with downgrades to grass foliage density, reduced water physics and draw distance on trees.
Despite this, the Nintendo release still manages to retain “a lot of detail” including motion blur, mist, fog, and even ambient occlusion enabled – adding shading to the world. An advantage the Switch version has is improved lighting in certain segments and there’s also faster loading.
In docked mode, the resolution is reconstructed to deliver 720p but instead runs between 540p and 600p. The portable mode the resolution runs between 360p and 400p (and is again reconstructed via TTA to 720p). In terms of frame rate, the Switch typically runs between 15 – 40 fps across both modes.
All up, DF considers Mortal Shell on Switch to be an ambitious port and a “fascinating” experiment for the hybrid system. You can find out more in the video above.
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