Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition on Switch 2 Disappoints Digital Foundry for Major Downgrades

Last week, Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, the updated version of the 2013 game, was released without warning on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. The ports were made by Aspyr, the same team that worked on other Tomb Raider remasters.

Both editions came under the scrutiny of Digital Foundry, and the verdict is far from positive. These versions suffer from major compromises and a visual presentation that falls short of today’s remaster standards on Nintendo platforms. In some cases, the visuals even regress compared to the original PS3 and Xbox 360 versions

Noticeable Visual Downgrades

According to Digital Foundry, the most obvious differences involve shadows and vegetation. Comparing the Switch 2 version to the PS4 hardware, there is a clear reduction in shadow resolution and the removal of dynamic vegetation shadows, replaced by static ones. Ambient occlusion has been reduced, and while a few plants have been added, many others were removed, resulting in emptier and less consistent environments. There are also issues with tessellation, missing geometric details, and misaligned textures.

The PS4 version had already sacrificed some effects from the PS3 and Xbox 360 releases—such as screen-space rain and higher geometric density—but made up for them with other improvements. The Switch version, however, seems to combine the worst aspects of both. One major omission is TressFX, the hair animation system introduced on PC and later brought to PS4 and Xbox One, which made Lara’s ponytail movement look far more realistic.

Performance and Final Verdict

There are still some positive points: texture quality has been improved, and on Switch 2, the game runs at a stable 60 FPS, something the PS4 version could not achieve without boost mode or PS5 backward compatibility. However, the resolution remains locked at 1080p in both docked and handheld modes—indicating that Aspyr may not have fully utilized the console’s power.

In conclusion, Digital Foundry notes that certain compromises are understandable on the original Nintendo Switch, given its dated hardware, but they are unacceptable on the Switch 2, which has already proven capable of handling much more demanding games such as Star Wars Outlaws.