Nintendo Switch 2 Just Got 2 of the Last Decade's Best RPGs
And a third pretty good one
Two of Square Enix's best RPGs of the last 10 years landed on Nintendo Switch 2 over the last two weeks, Dragon Quest 11S and Octopath Traveler 2. There's a Switch 2 port of the first Octopath Traveler as well, though it's not quite a modern classic like the other two. Square Enix did a Square Enix and released these without an upgrade path or the option to carry save files over, so it's hard to recommend them if you're happy enough with the versions you already own. And admittedly, the Octopath ports aren't much different from their Switch 1 versions, aside from better load times. Dragon Quest 11, though — now that's a big difference from the Switch 1 version.
Dragon Quest 11S on Switch 2
Dragon Quest 11 S didn't exactly look bad on the original Switch. It inspired no feelings of unease in me like Tears of the Kingdom did. But it was still a bit gnarly, with crummy textures, low resolution, and a blurry haze over most things. The Switch 2 version looks wonderful by comparison. The game’s world of Erdrea is crisp, clear, bright, and colorful, and you can even play it at 60fps if you're so inclined, and load times are noticeably shorter. Yes, it's annoying that a game nearly 10 years old still needs a quality mode and performance mode on Nintendo's new hardware. And even in handheld mode, you can spot the resolution change when you swap between them. This upgrade is probably better suited for those who haven't played Dragon Quest 11 before, or someone who doesn't mind double-dipping if it's been a while since they last played.
If you haven't played, then it's definitely worth looking into. Dragon Quest 11 is one of the best RPGs of the last few generations. It's classic Dragon Quest, with a story that begins in deceptively simple fashion before heading to some rather dark places. The cast is excellent, easily one of the series' strongest, and Square Enix managed to modernize Dragon Quest combat without altering it fundamentally, thanks to skill trees and surprisingly deep customization.
Octopath Traveler on Switch 2
Octopath Traveler, time has not changed my lukewarm feelings for you, but it has changed you. On Switch 2 anyway. I never thought the original game (or its sequel, for that matter) looked bad on the original Switch. It's kind of hard to make HD-2D look bad. If you do a side-by-side comparison with that version and every other version of the game, though, it's much easier to see that the original Switch version lacks a lot of detail. The Switch 2 version looks close to the same as you'd find on other platforms, but you have to look close to notice. The biggest change really is just the reduced load times.
Octopath Traveler was Square Enix's attempt at a spiritual successor to Final Fantasy 6 in the way Bravely Default was for Final Fantasy 5. It works — mostly. The depth and quality of its eight individual stories vary, and while they eventually intersect in a very satisfying and retro RPG manner, the path to that point is kinda rough. Primrose the vengeful dancer is just a more interesting character than Olberic the sad knight, for example. "Path actions," or special character-exclusive actions, are meant to fill in the storytelling gaps, but their usefulness and effectiveness are rather limited. Combat is the real star here, a rousing revival of classic turn-based battles with some striking pixel art and a steep challenge curve.
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Octopath Traveler 2 on Switch 2
Octopath Traveler 2's Switch 2 port is similar to the first game's. Everything looks slightly clearer and crisper, but you do kinda have to look pretty close to notice it. There's not much difference compared to playing the Switch 1 version in handheld boost mode. However, the load times are cut just about in half, so you're getting into the game in under 20 seconds. With Switch 1, load times from the home screen to the title page lasted just under 40 seconds.
Like with Dragon Quest 11, it's definitely worth considering Octopath 2 if you haven't played it already. Its character writing, world design, and mix of combat skills are on a much higher level than the first game, and where its predecessor never quite lived up to the ambition of recreating the feel of classic RPGs, Octopath Traveler 2 nails it.