All the way back in October 2019, I was given the opportunity to review ‘The Outer Worlds’, by Obsidian Entertainment. I was genuinely shocked at how much I adored the game, with its beautiful art style and immersive game play, it was basically the Fallout franchise in space, and we all know my love for this style of game.

Fast forward to June 2020, and The Outer Worlds has made its debut on Nintendo Switch. Given how incredible the title was on dedicated console, I was keen to see what would be sacrificed to make the game work on a portable device. If you’re after an in-depth review, I strongly encourage you to read the original for Xbox One, here, as I will only be discussing any changes I found during gameplay.

Playing on a Switch is relatively new to me. Yes, I’ve played the occasional Mario game whenever we have an MKAU barbeque, but I had never seen the Switch as anything but a glorified Gameboy. The Outer Worlds has completely reversed my opinion with how seamlessly it transitions from PC/Console to portable console. The graphics do take a slight hit, but are still leagues ahead of where I expected them to be. Due to the nature of the console, textures do appear a little flat when compared to a more powerful system, but they are still dripping with detail.

On a dedicated console, things as simple as floor boards have texture in their details, looking more like individual planks, whereas on Switch, these details have been reduced a little, appearing more as a flat surface and painted to represent wooden panels. Characters have received similar treatment, with many features flattened off to allow things to run a little more smoothly. With this in mind, and understanding that I’m playing on a portable console, I am deeply impressed by how beautiful the game still is.

The controls had me a little confused in the beginning as well. I often found myself pressing B when I was meaning to press A, or Pressing X when I was meaning to press Y. This stems from the buttons being reversed on the Switch, and is no fault of the game or the console. For players used to using the system, controls will come as second nature and will find that it is just a responsive as the dedicated consoles.

With the exception of slightly reduced graphics, players who purchase The Outer Worlds on Switch will have the same amazing experience as players on any other console. It amazes me how well such a small device can handle a game as impressive as The Outer Worlds, and this port is a testament not only to Obsidian for being able to maintain such a high level of detail, but also to Nintendo for creating a portable console that exceeds my expectations.

Written by: Mathew Lindner