Digital Foundry || Exclusive: Dying Light on Nintendo Switch Tech Review - Another Miracle Mobile Port?

[ILikeFeet]

Dying Light is out soon for Nintendo Switch - and Digital Foundry has exclusive access to the game. This is one of the most challenging ports we've seen and Techland has done a remarkable job in scaling down and optimising this brilliant game for a vintage 2015 mobile chipset. John Linneman has all of the details.

summary forthcoming

• uses TAAU
• outputs 720p and 1080p, native is lower of course
• XBO is sub-1080p already
• DoF is shallower due to resolution
• IQ is less blurry than expected
• shadow res is way lower
• texture res is lower, but still good in gameplay until you get up close
• AO is lower quality but less error prone than the original
• no motion blur
• TAAU causes shimmering
• draw distance reduced, lower LoDs, etc
• screen composition is retained
• animation rate for distant actors is cut in half
• loading times are better than on PS4
• frame rate is generally 30fps+ (unlocked)
• devs are thinking about implementing a frame rate cap
• night time has sub 30fps moments
• The Following DLC is also 30-36fps
• no surround sound, 2.0 stereo only
• when you're not looking for faults, it's a good port
• John recommends playing Dying Light

EDIT: article

Dying Light on Switch - another mobile miracle?

www.eurogamer.net

 

[ILikeFeet]

summary completed: it's a good port of a good game

 

[Skittzo]

Impressive.

 

[Jaded Alyx]

Most impressive.

 

[Hyrulean]

Makes only wonder what Dane Switch will allow developers to do.

 

[9-Volt]

Smaller devs with limited money and resources: Let's port every PS4 game we have to Switch!

Huge publishers with billion dollars of money and multiple studios: I can't port this super popular PS3 game to Switch, what if nobody buys it?

Cough Ubisoft cough

 

[Oregano]

Wow, that's actually surprisingly impressive.

 

[Legion of Primes]

It’s actually a good port it seems. I will definitely have to pick this up soon

 

[storres]

May get this game!

 

[storres]

Smaller devs with limited money and resources: Let's port every PS4 game we have to Switch!

Huge publishers with billion dollars of money and multiple studios: I can't port this super popular PS3 game to Switch, what if nobody buys it?

Cough Ubisoft cough

Thought you meant Square Enix

 

[MRC-OSF]

Awesome...was hoping it was a good port.

 

[Mendinso]

Looks like if they can cap the frame rate and fix minor frame pacing issues, it looks like we'll be good?

Really overall impressed by the port quality, not gonna lie. Shame Dying Light 2 won't get a native port, given the results here (though, John definitely notes the huge difference in tech/what it's doing, so I get it) but maybe whatever that next Switch hardware that's being in developed, we could see a native port. So hopefully we'll see less Cloud versions going forward whenever that happens.

Either way, it does make a few games skipping out on native ports a bit more frustrating to see, given the quality of the port here and how demanding the game overall is. Really hope a few developers (though, realistically, often the publishing end at fault for these decisions) reconsider some of the stuff in the future.

 

[9-Volt]

Thought you meant Square Enix

Ubisoft, Square, Namco... They're all the same.

 

[Imitatio]

Huh, no motion blur? Interesting choice for a ~30 fps title, I'd say.

 

[ILikeFeet]

Smaller devs with limited money and resources: Let's port every PS4 game we have to Switch!

Huge publishers with billion dollars of money and multiple studios: I can't port this super popular PS3 game to Switch, what if nobody buys it?

Cough Ubisoft cough

funnily, John brings up Kingdom Hearts in the video

 

[Imitatio]

TAAU seems to be a rather interesting method of upscaling the image. The results aren't too bad in this case. I'd like to see other games utilising it.

 

[ILikeFeet]

TAAU seems to be a rather interesting method of upscaling the image. The results aren't too bad in this case. I'd like to see other games utilising it.

many games do use it. it's built into UE4, for instance. I think this had to have been added to the Chrome Engine though

 

[Imitatio]

many games do use it. it's built into UE4, for instance. I think this had to have been added to the Chrome Engine though

Huh, interesting. I've never really come across it before for Switch games (or don't remember doing so).

 

[Rika]

summary completed: it's a good port of a good game

Good to hear! I liked Dying Light but never completed it for myself on any console or PC. I don't think I own it on PC, actually. I am waiting for the new one to release too.

 

[Tron1]

Cool. I personally have watched multiple videos of this game and none of them make me want to buy it. I hope it has success sales wise though.

 

[kimbo99]

Already preordered. Double dip complete.

These types of ports deserve our support. Putting the "tough" ones on switch is always a miracle to me

 

[ILikeFeet]

Dying Light on Switch - another mobile miracle?

www.eurogamer.net

 

[asun]

Wow. That’s pretty impressive! It’s too bad it’s a first person game. Those always give me motion sickness.

 

[Phantoon]

Impressive.

Most impressive.

You'll find Techland are full of surprises

 

[MrFlibble]

Impressive.

Most impressive.

Edit: Goddamn @Phantoon , that'll teach me to spend ages looking for a pic.

 

[Cat]

In general, I'm kind of against all these ports (personally - it's great it exposes them to a new audience), but Dying Light would be one of the few exceptions. I've owned it on PC for the longest time but just couldn't get round to finishing it, despite liking it.

It will stand out as a pretty unique Switch experience.

 

[Twinsen]

Seems like one of the best ports out there. Game looks incredible. Hope they make the game cap at 30fps instead of going above. Should be fixed with a patch.

 

[Beard]

Damn, I might buy the Switch version. Dying Light is a great game and you’re looking at a ton of content here, with all the DLC included.

 

[Cat]

Seems like one of the best ports out there. Game looks incredible. Hope they make the game cap at 30fps instead of going above. Should be fixed with a patch.

Yeah, a lot has been made about the new-generation 60fps standard, and as great as it is, stable framerates are what matter.

30fps or 60fps, I care more if it's solid.

 

[ShadowFox08]

Wow, neat! Is this getting a physical retail copy released?

 

[Rainbow]

Hope that I can buy Dying Light in digital form. Here in germany its on the "Index" of fordbidden games. Sadly, my nation is very backwards in a lot of things.

Guess theres the possibility to buy it from another e- shop. But first i have to learn how that works

 

[Mbolibombo]

This is impressive, nice to see a quality port of a demanding game. Will be very interesting to see how World War Z fares hopefully digital foundry covers that game to.

Hope that I can buy Dying Light in digital form. Here in germany its on the "Index" of fordbidden games. Sadly, my nation is very backwards in a lot of things.

Guess theres the possibility to buy it from another e- shop. But first i have to learn how that works

A digital copy should be farely easy to get by just swapping country on the e-shop for a couple of minutes =)

 

[LoneRanger]

Is it a good game Dying Light? I’m considering buying this as it turn out to be a very good port.

Curious to see DL2 performance in PS4/XOne consoles as its a much more demanding game, pushing way beyond its limits.

 

[Twinsen]

Is it a good game Dying Light? I’m considering buying this as it turn out to be a very good port.

Curious to see DL2 performance in PS4/XOne consoles as its a much more demanding game, pushing way beyond its limits.

It is very good. A lot more fun in online co op though. Scary when playing by yourself.

 

[Beard]

Is it a good game Dying Light? I’m considering buying this as it turn out to be a very good port.

Curious to see DL2 performance in PS4/XOne consoles as its a much more demanding game, pushing way beyond its limits.

It’s fantastic. Probably the best zombie game outside of some Resident Evil entries.

 

[Twinsen]

If the matchmaking is like on PC then the online should be really good. Easy to have people join you and the other way around.

Wonder how the player population will be. Borderlands is doing pretty good on switch.

 

[Marce-chan]

That's definitely the most impressive and best PS4/XBO port ever. It looks almost the same as the original versions, the compromises made were so sutil that the overall look and visual effects of the game remain. Big congratulations to developers. Looking forward to buy the game on the Switch. Looks stunning.

 

[Mondo]

Considering how most other PS4/Xbox One > Switch ports end up looking like, this is incredibly impressive and I'm considering picking it up because it seems like a lot of attention, technical knowledge and care has gone into making this look as close as possible to the versions on other platforms despite the difference in hardware. Great work by Techland here.

 

[Beard]

After watching the video, this might actually be the most impressive PS4/XBO "downport" ever. I'd argue it's even more impressive than The Witcher 3!

 

[Subnats]

Outside of the shadows being fairly soft looking you could've told me this was the PS4/Xbox One version and I'd believe you. Very impressive work here, maybe even the most impressive Switch downport.

 

[ILikeFeet]

a lot of people talk about the GPU but the thing that holds back these ports are memory and cpu performance. if the switch had a higher clocked cpu, I think you could see this game running at 60fps. people with an overclocked switch might be able to do it

 

[k samedi]

Can't wait to dive into this one. One of the PS4 games I always wanted to try on my Switch. Looking at the video, the graphics really do seem impressive. Looks like a better port than something like Witchter 3 (which already runs fine imo). Kudos to the devs for putting so much time and energy into it.

 

[Malakai]

If that dude says mobile chip on more time....I swear, I don't understand him labeling the Switch as a "mobile chipset" when the PS4 run on two duck taped tablet x86 CPU...I guess the PS4 is a mobile device. So many back handed compliments.

 

[ILikeFeet]

If that dude says mobile chip on more time....I swear, I don't understand him labeling the Switch as a "mobile chipset" when the PS4 run on two duck taped tablet x86 CPU...I guess the PS4 is a mobile device. So many back handed compliments.

probably because it's predominantly designed for battery powered and portable thermal constraints

 

[Teal'c]

Impressive work, I decided to repay the team's efforts by ordering the game a few days ago.

 

[anderson64]

I think I will pick this up after I finish Metroid!

 

[Lant_War]

If that dude says mobile chip on more time....I swear, I don't understand him labeling the Switch as a "mobile chipset" when the PS4 run on two duck taped tablet x86 CPU...I guess the PS4 is a mobile device. So many back handed compliments.

It quite literally is a chip designed for mobile devices

 

[Dash Kappei]

If that dude says mobile chip on more time....I swear, I don't understand him labeling the Switch as a "mobile chipset" when the PS4 run on two duck taped tablet x86 CPU...I guess the PS4 is a mobile device. So many back handed compliments.

It’s not John “labeling it”, it literally is a mobile chipset. Please let’s not witch hunt here.

Anyway, I can’t find the game on the eShop or even most EU Amazon stores, is it going to be delayed? Game was supposed to come out today.
€50 is 20 bones too much for my taste but the game is great and this seems a fantastic port!

Edit: you can’t add text above a post if you quote someone when replying? I’m browsing on mobile.

 

[Polygon]

Smaller devs with limited money and resources: Let's port every PS4 game we have to Switch!

Huge publishers with billion dollars of money and multiple studios: I can't port this super popular PS3 game to Switch, what if nobody buys it?

Cough Ubisoft cough

I don’t know how the new AC trilogy would run on the current Switch. It’s in the realm of impossibility. The only open World Switch games have very light NPC counts versus the new AC trilogy or Watch Dogs Legion. They would be 10-15fps even heavily stripped back. Look at LA Noire for instance, 20-25fps and it was a last gen game. Switch CPU is in a word atrocious for big current gen AAA open world games with many NPC’s.

 

[Polygon]

If that dude says mobile chip on more time....I swear, I don't understand him labeling the Switch as a "mobile chipset" when the PS4 run on two duck taped tablet x86 CPU...I guess the PS4 is a mobile device. So many back handed compliments.

You’re getting butt hurt too easily. He’s giving it a compliment and he always has been very complimentary to Switch. He’s the only reason we get Switch DF videos…

He’s merely pointing out that it isn’t a fair fight in comparisons as it’s a 10 watt mobile chipset versus 200 watt dedicated consoles.