So, let’s see if other outlets are on the same page, shall we?
Tech Radar Gaming (5/5) – I can’t wait to stop typing these words so I can sink more hours into it. This is a major technical achievement on basically every level, resulting in an outstanding port of one of the best games ever. Essential.
RPG Fan (95/100) – If Switch 2 is your only means of playing Elden Ring, then by all means, it’s time to dive into The Lands Between. It may be best experienced elsewhere, but Tarnished Edition is still the complete experience with few caveats.
Game Reactor UK (9/10) – The Switch 2 isn’t the best place to experience Elden Ring for the first time, but that doesn’t detract from the quite incredible feeling of being able to play a game of this scale and calibre on the go, something I, as a little boy playing Game Boy games, never thought would be possible. The expected glitches are, by and large, the only compromise I’m personally more than willing to accept in order to play one of my favourite games whenever and wherever I like.
Nintendo Insider (9/10) – Elden Ring Tarnished Edition does a pretty solid job of converting FromSoftware’s lauded epic to the Nintendo Switch 2, even if it ends up being more similar in terms of technical performance to the original release than more modern ones. I doubt many will mind those sacrifices in order to have the game portable-ready wherever it’s needed. Those who already exhausted the game on other platforms won’t find much new here beyond that portable aspect and a few extra goodies, but that might be enough given just how well-crafted Elden Ring is. As for newcomers, I would say that if you enjoyed Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom and are looking for something that scratches a similar itch but with a lot more spice, this might just be your next favourite game.
Game Spew (9/10) – If you’re planning to play it solely on a big TV, then, there are better ways to play Elden Ring. But if you only have a Switch 2, or want to play it handheld, the Tarnished Edition will serve you well. My biggest complaint here isn’t with the port but with the game itself, with the included expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, introducing a new blessing-based progression system that artificially increases the difficulty. Still, more Elden Ring is only a good thing.
The OuterHaven (4/5) – I greatly enjoyed my time so far with the Switch 2 port of Elden Ring! While the image quality/brightness suffers a bit in handheld mode, I saw no visible bugs, issues, pop-ins, or anything that hindered the gameplay experience. If you’ve been wanting to check out Elden Ring and its DLC, but had no way to play until now, I would highly recommend investing in Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition!
The Sixth Axis (8/10) – Switch 2 owners are about to discover the world of Elden Ring. If they’ve never experienced it elsewhere, then the magic that stretches through every fibre of the game remains intact, and in handheld especially, offers a thoroughly enjoyable version of the game. If you’ve played elsewhere, however, the performance downgrades may be too much to take.
Overall then, it sounds like if you’re not bothered about the dip in performance when compared to the likes of the PS5, then Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition on Switch 2 is well worth your time. It’s currently sitting at an almighty 91 on Metacritic based on 31 reviews so far, and that’s just awesome.
The wait has seemingly been worth it.
