Lies of P just happens to be one of my favorite games, and I’ve clocked countless hours playing it on both PC and Xbox Series X. So, when I found out that the game was also being released for the Nintendo Switch 2, I was both curious and skeptical. It’s not that I don’t like the Switch 2. It’s just that I’ve seen my fair share of games from more powerful consoles make their way to Nintendo hardware with mixed results.
Still, when I had the opportunity to check out Lies of P: Complete Edition on the Switch 2, I figured, why not take the chance? To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t expecting much, but I came away very impressed with what Round8 Studio was able to accomplish with this port. However, since we already have a Lies of P review posted on the site, we won’t be reviewing the game again. Instead, we can talk about how we feel about this version and how it plays on the Nintendo Switch 2.
How Does This Port Stand Up?
When Neowiz and Round8 Studio first brought Lies of P to PC, I was floored by how well the demo ran. It wasn’t just a “here’s a slice of the game that isn’t ready, but play it anyway” situation. Instead, it was a glowing representation of what was to come, and the game ran amazingly well. That demo was what made me even more interested in Lies of P. Now, with the Switch 2 version looming on the horizon, I was eager to see if Round8 Studio could replicate that same magic.
During my time with the game, I played Lies of P: Complete Edition for the Switch 2 in both docked and handheld modes so that I could properly gauge how the game performs. To keep the comparisons consistent, I completed the same roughly 20-minute playthrough, from the beginning of the game through the first boss, using every available graphical preset in both modes. This allowed me to compare the frame rate, image quality, and responsiveness under the same gameplay conditions. So, let’s start with docked mode.
Docked, or TV mode, gives you access to three different presets: Performance-Centered, Balanced, and Quality-Centered, with all three modes outputting to an upscaled 4K signal. Performance mode targets 60 FPS and appeared to stay close to that target during my testing. To me, that is the best way to play fast-paced action RPGs and Soulslikes. However, that comes with a compromise, as there is a noticeable dip in visual quality. Character textures can look blurry and aren’t nearly as detailed as they are on a more powerful console.
Balanced mode appeared to run at around 45 FPS during my testing but improves the visual quality, making it the middle ground between the available options. Then there’s Quality mode, which offers the best overall visual quality out of all three modes. However, it locks the game to 30 FPS. While it looks very impressive, especially for the Switch 2, the lower frame rate does have an impact on gameplay.
For me, Balanced mode is the best option. It provides a much better frame rate than Quality mode without looking as blurry as Performance mode. More importantly, the controls still felt responsive, and I didn’t notice any input delay that affected my ability to dodge or land perfect guards.
When it comes to handheld mode, there are currently only two graphical options: Performance-Centered and Quality-Centered. Playing in Quality mode once again drops the game to 30 FPS, and I simply couldn’t enjoy the game that way. While Performance mode is much better, it isn’t a true 60 FPS experience like it is in docked mode, with the frame rate appearing to hover around 40 to 45 FPS during my testing.
However, because the Switch 2 supports VRR in handheld mode, it performs much better than those numbers might suggest when you see it in action. VRR is clearly doing some heavy lifting here. The lower resolution and softer image quality are also less noticeable on the Switch 2’s smaller screen, which helps Performance mode look better in handheld play than it does when viewed on a larger display.
Across both docked and handheld modes, HDR is far too dark by default, causing shadow detail to become difficult to see in some of the game’s darker areas. However, once I adjusted the HDR settings, the image looked much better. Outside of the softer image quality in Performance mode, I didn’t notice any major texture pop-in, distracting visual artifacts, or other significant visual issues during my playthroughs.
Finally, since I installed the game on the Switch 2’s internal storage, loading into the game from the title screen takes about 15 seconds, while respawning after death takes around four seconds. This is roughly what I’ve seen from most games installed on the internal storage, but it is still noticeably slower than the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions of the game.
I’m Very Impressed With What I Played
After spending a few hours with the game in both docked and handheld modes, docked is clearly the better way to play. However, because the game will receive a day-one patch that is expected to improve performance further while playing in handheld mode, I’ll revisit my impressions once that patch is released.
Still, given the difference in power between the Switch 2 and consoles such as the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, it would be an understatement to say that I’m impressed. Normally, when I want to play Lies of P on a portable device, I reach for my Legion Go 2. While that device does provide a better overall experience, it also comes at a premium and usually requires me to mess around with graphical settings, TDP or the loud fans. On the Switch 2, I can simply pick up the device, select the game, and start playing. Sure, it comes with compromises in visual quality, but they aren’t that bad considering the Switch 2 doesn’t have the same raw power as the Legion Go 2.
Round8 Studio has clearly delivered a well-optimized version of Lies of P, and I honestly never expected to see this game make its way to Nintendo’s latest console. In fact, it gives me hope that we’ll see even more action RPGs make their way to the Switch 2.
Lies of P: Complete Edition releases on August 6, 2026, for Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.
If you enjoyed this preview, explore more of our in-depth video game previews across PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.
Review Disclosure Statement: Lies of P: Complete Edition was provided to us by Neowiz for preview purposes.
