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Fantasy Life i: The Woman Who Steals Time from Degree-5 is lastly accessible worldwide for all consoles and PC (Steam) after an extended wait. You’ll be able to learn my full 10/10 overview of the sport right here. I initially wrote about my ideas on the sport’s technical facet with over 20 hours performed throughout the Steam Deck, Nintendo Swap, and ROG Ally. I’ve since performed it on PS5, Xbox Collection X, and in addition Nintendo Swap 2. This characteristic has now been up to date to cowl Fantasy Life i Swap 2 efficiency impressions, Swap vs Swap 2 comparisons, Steam Deck really helpful settings, ideas on the PC port, and extra. Be aware that there are not any story spoilers. I’ve additionally examined cross save forwards and backwards throughout Steam Deck, Swap, PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Swap 2, and ROG Ally to make sure it really works properly throughout the greater than 80 hours I’ve spent with the sport to this point.

This text has been up to date as of June 12 with model 1.3.0 on Swap/Swap 2 and model 1.3.1 on PS5/PS4/Xbox/Steam.

Fantasy Life i Nintendo Swap efficiency impressions

Whereas a lot of the hours I’ve put into the sport have been by means of the Steam launch, I’ve since examined the Nintendo Swap model after my digital pre-order unlocked. Fantasy Life i has cross save, and I’ve synced my Steam save to take a look at the busier areas and in addition to check out a brand-new save on consumer profile. I needed to see how the opening felt to get a good suggestion of Fantasy Life i’s Swap efficiency from day one. Be aware that that is with model 1.1.0, which is a bit behind the PS5, PS4, and Steam variations. The Swap model additionally didn’t have an early unlock for the Digital Deluxe Version like different platforms.

Fantasy Life i on Nintendo Swap runs higher than I anticipated based mostly on the Swap footage from the final Direct. I’ve solely performed it handheld to this point, and the general visuals are softer than you’d count on on Swap even when performed on the go. Load instances aren’t dangerous, however the efficiency is unfortunately inconsistent with dips beneath 30fps typically together with in just a few cut-scenes. Even when it seemingly holds its goal body price for a while, body pacing or hitching points dampen the expertise. This occurs in busier areas just like the sandy components of Ginormosia and even close to the Capital of Mysteria with a whole lot of NPCs. I used to be positively anticipating a rougher expertise than this, however it is not near supreme. 

I hope Degree-5 to see in an replace is touchscreen help. Whereas it is not one thing you’d want throughout fight or exploration, having touchscreen help to progress cut-scene conversations or navigate by means of the menus would’ve been good. Past that, the Swap model has respectable HD Rumble and is playable, however I would not suggest getting it until you might be enjoying the sport on one other platform and utilizing the Swap model with cross save as your method to play on the go when wanted.

It stays to be seen, however It could be nice if the Swap model’s present efficiency points might be resolved when performed by way of backward compatibility on Swap 2 earlier than the official Nintendo Swap 2 Version releases. Till then, this Swap port is sweet to need to play alongside one other model, however not one I would suggest as your primary method to expertise Fantasy Life i proper now. Hopefully a few of the efficiency points might be addressed in updates. 

Fantasy Life i Nintendo Swap 2 Version impressions

Fantasy Life i on Nintendo Swap 2 is a massively improved expertise in comparison with the unique Swap model, however it is not good. The advance to picture high quality and efficiency are highlights, however I hoped to see extra. In the case of picture high quality, it appears higher than Swap 1 and is superb on the Swap 2’s personal display, however it isn’t as crisp because the PS5 or Xbox variations when enjoying docked on a 1440p show. The opposite subject is in efficiency which is not as stable as it’s on Steam Deck or the opposite consoles. One factor to notice is that panning the map round with the cursor is clean on Swap when it has points on PS5 and Xbox.

In the case of load instances and recreation really feel, Fantasy Life i on Swap 2 is a incredible expertise solely second to Steam Deck OLED on the transportable facet. I hope future updates can repair the few efficiency points I bumped into whereas exploring Ginormosia with pals. When you already personal Fantasy Life i on Swap, the improve is crucial for those who play on Swap 2.

Fantasy Life i Nintendo Swap vs Nintendo Swap 2 comparability

Due to cross development, I moved forwards and backwards throughout the Swap and Swap 2 variations of Fantasy Life i. I’ve included a comparability of the sport when performed in handheld mode beneath exhibiting the decision and draw distance variations. It’s value noting that the Swap 2 Version of Fantasy Life i additionally targets 60fps whereas the Swap model struggles to carry 30fps generally. Past visuals and efficiency that are each improved on Swap 2, the load instances are superb, however not as quick as PC and PS5 in my testing. Rumble can be improved on Swap 2, however which may be as a result of the rumble throughout the board feels higher on Swap 2 in comparison with Swap 1. 

Fantasy Life i PC graphics choices and port options

As a result of Megaton Musashi W: Wired  had such an ideal PC port that scaled properly on handhelds, I wasn’t too nervous about Fantasy Life i, however I am very impressed with the Steam model. It has a great deal of graphics choices, scales properly, and works fairly properly with mouse and keyboard enter as properly based mostly on the little I performed with these controls. 

If you’re enjoying on Steam Deck or different handhelds operating SteamOS, you may run into a difficulty the place the sport locks you out of fixing show mode and backbone. I will get to that beneath. Fantasy Life i allows you to alter show mode (windowed, borderless), decision with help for 16:10, toggle v-sync, restrict body price (30, 60, 120, uncapped), toggle movement blur on, use a graphics preset (low, medium, excessive, customized), allow HDR, and alter display brightness.

The Fantasy Life i graphics preset mechanically adjusts particular settings you can additionally alter individually. These are shadow high quality (low, medium, excessive), anti-aliasing (FXAA, TAA), toggle world illumination, toggle ambient occlusion, toggle display area reflections, toggle depth of area, alter object high quality and show depend (low, medium,excessive).

Fantasy Life i Steam Deck impressions

Fantasy Life i is Steam Deck Verified. I do know that does not imply as a lot because it did earlier than in terms of new video games, however on this state of affairs the ranking is totally justified. Whereas it initially may take a minute or two to obtain or replace Epic On-line Companies once you launch it for the primary time, all the things works completely out of the field. Sure, regardless of it utilizing anti-cheat, it really works tremendous on Steam Deck. I’ve put in round 20 hours simply on my Steam Decks out of the full playtime to this point. Every part from textual content enter citing the keyboard to efficiency is flawless with HDR supported on the Steam Deck OLED. 

There’s one small subject proper now which will or could not have an effect on you once you play it. When you attempt to change any graphics settings, the sport will change from 800p / 16:10 to 720p and 16:9. Since Fantasy Life i on Steam Deck locks the show mode and backbone choice by default, the repair entails utilizing the “SteamDeck=0 %command%” (with out the quotes) as a launch choice. This allows you to alter no matter settings you need in-game.

Barring that, Fantasy Life i is ideal on Steam Deck. I’ve examined over a thousand video games on Valve’s handheld through the years and usually take a look at new and older titles for our RPGs on Steam Deck characteristic , however Fantasy Life i is among the greatest by far for a way properly it performs and fits the system. You’ll be able to even faucet to progress dialogue and use the suitable trackpad for precision placement throughout the constructing part (by means of Steam Enter).

Fantasy Life i Steam Deck really helpful settings and a repair

For the reason that Fantasy Life i cut-scenes are capped on PC to 60fps, I like to recommend aiming for 60fps on each Steam Deck LCD and OLED for probably the most constant expertise. When you play on an OLED, ensure you aren’t operating the sport capped at 60fps in-game on the 90hz show. I ended up sticking to the sport uncapped, however utilizing the Steam Deck fast entry menu to cap it to 60hz for a clean expertise all through. In actual fact, I’ve solely had just a few cases that lasted a second or two in menus the place the body price dropped beneath 60fps within the time I’ve put into Fantasy Life i on my Steam Decks. 

Lots of the choices that have an effect on efficiency aren’t actually helpful when performed on the smaller display. The primary setting I like to recommend throughout the board is disabling the depth of area. I hate the way it blurs components of the display. Past that, you could possibly simply set the sport to medium and never fear about the rest. Utilizing the Excessive preset will end in drops properly beneath 60fps so I don’t suggest it on Steam Deck. I additionally turned down shadows like I often do. 

Fantasy Life i ROG Ally impressions and really helpful settings

As typical, my ROG Ally testing has been carried out on a ROG Ally Z1 Excessive with the GPU set to 5GB VRAM. I am on the most recent driver replace that was shipped final week and all the things is updated. I did not spend greater than an hour with Fantasy Life i on ROG Ally as of this writing, however when testing on Steam Deck, I found just a few stress check places which made this simpler. I needed to see how a lot I might push the visuals on ROG Ally throughout its totally different modes and in addition see if I might hit 120fps on it in handheld mode. 

For the absolute best visuals, when enjoying at 1080p and utilizing the excessive preset, you may get a stable 30fps within the 30W mode. When making an attempt this on the 25W mode, I observed it drops a bit to the excessive 20s in very busy areas. I do not suggest aiming for 30fps in Fantasy Life i given the visible variations doesn’t justify the excessive efficiency penalty.

When operating at 1080p and utilizing the low preset, Fantasy Life i within the 25W mode runs at 70fps or extra. Dropping to the 15W mode leads to body charges within the mid to excessive 60s right here. I then turned the decision all the way down to 720p and used the low preset. The end result was between 100 and 120fps. Getting 60fps locked when utilizing the 15W mode will not be doable until you drop to 720p. The 900p mode is shut, and VRR helps, however you will note drops into the 50s typically. 

Which is the very best transportable model of Fantasy Life i?

The Steam Deck OLED adopted by Nintendo Swap 2 (enjoying the upgraded Nintendo Swap 2 Version) is one of the simplest ways to play Fantasy Life i proper now. As soon as Degree-5 can iron out the few remaining efficiency points on Swap 2 and add in HDR, the Swap 2 Version shall be pretty much as good as enjoying the sport on a Steam Deck OLED. Proper now the Steam Deck OLED has higher efficiency, load instances, and in addition HDR help that works properly.

You probably have a Steam Deck LCD although, I like to recommend enjoying Fantasy Life i on Nintendo Swap 2 by means of the Nintendo Swap 2 Version with the depth of area turned off. You’ll lose the again buttons for those who play on Swap 2 handheld, however you get a greater display and battery life in comparison with the LCD Steam Deck. The ultimate level of competition is that Degree-5 is gradual with some options and updates on Nintendo Swap and Nintendo Swap 2 making these variations lag behind with main updates generally. This occurred with the brand new digicam, quick journey, and farming enhancements which might be on PS5, PS4, Xbox Collection X|S, and Steam however not on Swap/Swap 2 till a later date. 

Fantasy Life i: The Woman Who Steals Time is now accessible for Nintendo Swap 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Collection X|S, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Swap, and PC (Steam).When you’re planning on getting it or have already got it, be certain that to take a look at all our Fantasy Life i recreation guides right here.