Skyrim Switch Review

Skyrim, the game that just refuses to die. I feel like there are at least 500 different versions of this game. Hell, there are two different versions of this game being released at the same time this week, those being the PSVR version and the Nintendo Switch version, but it’s the latter we’re here to talk about. Whether Bethesda are just buying time until the inevitable Elder Scrolls VI game or not, the platform variety that they have supported with this specific game is kind of impressive. The Switch is hands down my favourite console of all time; it offers such a unique experience and spin on the traditional ‘underpowered PC in a box’ approach that the other big players reside in, and as a result it becomes incredibly accessible. So how would a game as large as Skyrim translate to such a unique platform? Turns out it translates VERY well.

Given the fact that the game is six years old, I am not reviewing the content of the game, I am reviewing the performance and the experience of Skyrim on the Switch.

So how do you review a six-year-old game which you reviewed the current-gen remaster of a little over twelve months ago? This was the first challenge for me, especially because the version of the game sits somewhere in the middle. It isn’t quite as aged looking as the original version, however the visuals aren’t quite as updated as they are for the Special Edition. Stuff like crepuscular rays (god rays), detail render distances and particle effects are brought way down for the sake of stability on the Switch, and aliasing can be very noticeable when using the game in handheld mode. Given that the handheld mode can only output at 720p, this comes as no surprise. The higher the resolution you have the less AA you will notice (at 4K you can get away with having it off completely). In saying that, this small concession is something that can honestly go pretty unnoticed unless you really look for it… most of the time. There are a couple of exceptions like with the foliage that you see as soon as you leave the cave to escape from Helgen in the game’s introduction, where the anti-aliasing is about all you can see, but aside from this it can be a non-issue for most players. In saying all this, the game still looks great on the Switch, especially when in handheld mode. It sort of felt weird to play a game that tries to make the world seem alive and believable by using a pseudo-realistic art direction in a fantasy-theme on the Switch (especially when compared to games that I play on the platform like Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey which don’t have such serious tones to their art styles) but it definitely works and I would argue that the Switch version is the best way to experience the game for what it is on a console (I’m not counting the PC version here because that would just be an unfair comparison).

Now with all those visual concessions in mind, how does it actually perform compared to its console counterpart? Believe it or not, it actually runs better on the Switch than the PS4 and Xbox One versions. While the game was downloading on my Switch, I decided to load up the PS4 and Xbox One version so I could compare the performance (given the awfulness that is the NBN in this country I had plenty of time). What surprised me was that I was experiencing more stuttering and microstuttering in the frames than I did when I first reviewed it (which you can read here), and this was with no mods installed. Comparatively, the Switch version was quite stable. The only times I had any issues with the frames were when the game would hitch during an autosave (which is pretty forgivable). It is definitely surprising to see a Bethesda game run so well on such a system and it added to the pleasant experience that the game actually was on the Switch. Obviously, when playing the game you are subject to Bethesda’s terrible levels of polish so the bugs and glitches that are in every other version are present here. Some are beneficial, some aren’t, and some are just humorous. If you were expecting a more polished version of the game, it’s not here.

So with all this in mind, how does it feel to play Skyrim on the Switch itself? The short answer is pretty good. This is the first time I’ve really enjoyed playing Skyrim (without mods) since I first played it six years ago. I’m not sure if it’s because I can kill dragons while sitting down and slaying the toilet demon or while on the bus to city, but it just… works.

There are other little additions that were made to better fit Nintendo’s unique platform, mostly revolving around motion controls. Unlike in Super Mario Odyssey you can turn them off as soon as you load the game (something which really annoys me about Odyssey), so if you’re not onto them they won’t intrude on your experience. When playing with the Joycons detached from the console in either variant (docked or undocked), you can lightly shake your right Joycon to bring up your weapons and swing your right hand weapon (note: this only applies to melee weapons and not bows and/or magic). Sure, this is a novel little feature, but it’s also a fun little thing to do as well. It gave me memories of using that exact movement to slay the enemies of the Hyrule Kingdom in Twilight Princess on the Wii. The other little thing is applied when using magic and bows. While you are casting a spell/aiming your bow while the arrow is drawn, you can actually tilt the right joycon (or the whole system if you’re entirely in handheld) to aim, as well as use the right analog stick. While this seems silly initially, it actually makes the aiming feel more believable (especially in handheld mode), because as you naturally breathe and move, so does your aim. I’m normally against such things (I hated it in Breath of the Wild and turned it off instantly), but in this case I feel they have made it subtle enough to work well. Of course, if you don’t like it you can always turn it off – a choice that should ALWAYS be available.

Final Thoughts

Bethesda’s blockbuster action-RPG from 2011 translates impressively well onto Nintendo’s hybrid platform. Taking a vast adventure such as this on the go perfectly highlights why a future where more big titles support the Switch is a future we should strive for. While there are a few concessions like shorter render distances for finer details, toned down lighting effects and noticeable aliasing, the experience as a whole is redeeming enough to warrant those caveats. I would even go on and say that the Switch version is the best way to play due to the accessibility of it and ease of use. Hopefully this is just the beginning for the platform’s future as a mainstay platform.

Reviewed on Nintendo Switch