Pokemon Shield

 Switch
User Score
4.7

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 3465 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,154 out of 3465
  2. Mixed: 587 out of 3465
  3. Negative: 1,724 out of 3465
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  1. BrownKnight
    Jul 15, 2021
    5
    This game is just a disappointment, I'm genuinely sad this is the direction Pokémon is going. This game had so much potential on a much more powerful consolle but it's all wasted. The cause can be summed up just with one concept: laziness. Most of the things they put in was rushed, half-finished, it looks like they don't even care anymore. This game should cost 30 $ AT BEST, it's surelyThis game is just a disappointment, I'm genuinely sad this is the direction Pokémon is going. This game had so much potential on a much more powerful consolle but it's all wasted. The cause can be summed up just with one concept: laziness. Most of the things they put in was rushed, half-finished, it looks like they don't even care anymore. This game should cost 30 $ AT BEST, it's surely not worth 60. Too bad, if they go on like this the franchise is doomed.… Expand
  2. jsharkey621
    Aug 13, 2020
    5
    Simply put, Pokemon Sword and Shield can best be described as phoned in games that take one step forward and 3 steps back for the Pokemon series.

    The Bad: When Gamefreak said they were cutting down the number of available of Pokemon in the game in order to improve the models and animations I was hopeful that we would finally get a main game that had animation quality equal to or    Simply put, Pokemon Sword and Shield can best be described as phoned in games that take one step forward and 3 steps back for the Pokemon series.

    The Bad: When Gamefreak said they were cutting down the number of available of Pokemon in the game in order to improve the models and animations I was hopeful that we would finally get a main game that had animation quality equal to or surpassing games like Battle Revolution (a Wii game from 2006). Instead we get terrible animations where barring signature moves, most Pokemon have a single unique animation or just hop in place to attack and which one they use seems incredibly arbitrary and can lead to comically awful results like pokemon doing a kicking animation for a charging or punching attack and just hopping in place for kicking attacks. In addition, many of the idle animations seem lifeless. In a game that’s main gameplay loop revolves around battles, this is unacceptably bad. Another aspect where this game fails is the content. The routes in this game are incredibly short and linear compared to previous generations and offer no ability or incentive to explore since there are no optional routes and only one item that allows you to explore additional areas that is used in 1 route you can backtrack to. There’s also almost no endgame since the only things you unlock after the endgame are stupidly rare gigantamax raids and the Battle Tower. There are no new routes or optional legendaries to explore/find. Compounding this, all of the towns are small and offer no fun activities to do outside of checking out new clothing options in towns that have boutiques. There are only two “mini-quests” in the game that both occur in the same town. Where are series staples like the safari zone, arcades, and contests? As is you basically just go from town to town to complete the main story and then have nothing to do but grind out max raid battles and the Battle Tower. Finally, why did they remove QoL features like super training for easy EV training? Instead you have to put your Pokemon on jobs in your PC and then can’t use them until the job is done.

    Finally, the online features are abysmal. Playing online in the Wild Area makes your game lag like crazy. They also removed the ability for you to search for online trades based on what you want and then see what others want in turn or vice versa, and instead force you to post a public trade offer and hope that whoever decides to take your offer has what you want... when there’s no in-game chat so you can say what you want. Finally, they didn’t put a refresh button for event cards so half the time you try to join someone else’s raids you discover they already have a full party or started the raid already.

    The Good: I like a lot of the designs for this gen (which is admittedly entirely subjective). I love new mons like Appletun and Corviknight. Also, certain QoL features like being able to transfer egg moves between breeding partners are really convenient. Finally, the Wild Area is a (small, unpolished) step in the right direction for what the series can hopefully become.    … Expand
  3. ND-Bringer
    Nov 11, 2022
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Pokemon Sword and Shield is perhaps the most controversial game of Generation 8. I remember hating this game during my first play through back in high school. With its overpriced DLC and its lackluster post game content. But while taking a look back before the release of Scarlet and Violet, some positive memories came flooding back to me.

    And with more critical eye, I can tribute the moments I did really enjoy all those years ago. Because when you take a moment to ignore the overpriced DLC, as a stand alone game, it's actually quite enjoyable. Let's take look into one of Game Freak's ultimate mixed bags.

    The game starts off with you and your best friend Hop obtaining your Galarian Starters from the Champion himself, Leon. Who decides to endorse your Gym Challenge, hoping to meet worthy opponents in the future. The Gym Leader challenge has returned, now paired with a "Sporting Event" theme. With Galar's design heavily based off of Great Britain, it makes sense to throw the country's love for sports in the mix.

    And while not every Gym Battle is a winner, hearing that roar from the stadium took me back to the days I watched Ash Ketchum compete in the Pokemon League. The closest games to create that effect were the Pokemon Stadium games and it's great to play a core-series game that creates the same effect.

    And to add to the flavor, trainers can now Dynamax their Pokemon and transform them into giants. Increasing their HP drastically and giving them the ability to use powerful new Max Moves to crush opponents into dust. Some Pokemon even have the ability to change their form and Gigantamax, allowing them to use powerful signature Max Moves and show off a Kaiju inspired appearance.

    The only thing standing in the way of my enjoyment is the story. Which isn't as bad and yet somehow just as bad as I remember in multiple portions of the game. Problem number one, Hop, the Master of None.

    While not as pathetic as the X and Y rivals, Hop doesn't build a decent Pokemon team until the post game. And is entire character can be summed up as unfocused. He's really positive like Hau but also pretty bland like most of the Gender-Swap Rivals. And at the end of the post game when he decides to become a Professor, I'm simply confused. Enter the Pokemon Hall of Shame on your right.

    Whenever the story annoyed me, I went to to explore the wild area. A large world designed for those who love to capture Pokemon. At the surface it's really fun to explore. You get to find rare items, high leveled monsters, gorgeous lakes to surf on...it's everything you would want out of long Pokemon level. Hiking through this open world is incredibly relaxing, it's a grand mechanic that several Switch games are aiming for these days. It doesn't feel like you're exploring Galar anymore, it feels like you're exploring the world of Pokemon itself.

    Their's one fatal problem with this set up, some Pokemon are exclusive to the wild area. Making Pokedex completion an eyesore since some Pokemon will only appear once per week...half of the time. I'm not joking when I say it took me two real life weeks to build my original ultimate Pokemon team, because certain members couldn't be found in the wild area yet.

    It's not that there are no decent Pokemon to capture in the main game routes, but it's really annoying that the game will only allow certain Pokemon of the week to appear. It's bad enough that Gamefreak had to remove several Pokemon and moves in order to make room for this new content. But it's outright scummy to make some of those rejected Pokemon obtainable through overpriced DLC.

    And as for the adventure itself, it's still enjoyable. Rising from the ranks of the Gym Challenge tournament aiming to dethrone Leon. But the game gets unbelievably easy after the fifth gym. Version exclusives mean nothing to me, Rock Types and Ice Types are not difficult to defeat.

    The villains of this game are a huge let down as well. With Chairman Rose being a weak twist villain with a pathetic Steel-Type Team to match. His plan is to use the Legendary Pokemon as an energy source, he just needed a master trainer to control it. And while Leon did say he would comply and battle Eternatus after the tournament, the Chairman proceeds without him, due to his inability to wait one day.

    And then theirs Sordward and Shielbert...who are perhaps the most annoying villains in the entire Pokémon franchise. They have all the most annoying quirks. Ex Machina fleeing powers, an army of evil NPCs, boring Pokemon teams. And if you want the new staple legendary Pokemon on your team, you have to complete a post game challenge where Sonia mentions her new assistant, who has no name.

    So in conclusion, the game gets annoying half way through. It reminds a lot of Skylanders Trap Team. A game with really fun new gameplay mechanics, a predictable story, overpriced extra content, and a bunch fun boss battles mixed in with pathetic ones.    … Expand
  4. LordJazbin
    Apr 19, 2021
    5
    I think there's too much hate around them, Sword and Shield are definitely not bad games... But after Sun and Moon that was great... This is just: disappointing. In every way. And even worse than XY.

    Good part is: Pokémon designs and music. But in terms of the story is one of the worse, difficulty is really bad, game is dull...
  5. Pnwotter
    Apr 19, 2021
    5
    I have been a long-standing pokemon fan and the degredation of the series is really starting to get tiring and sad. This game is playable but hardly much fun. I spent 30 hours on it and finished all the main fame and the tiny bit of postgame content, then paid for the DLC and finished that in 10 hours. The DLC is way wayyyy more fun than anything in the main game. The DLC should not makeI have been a long-standing pokemon fan and the degredation of the series is really starting to get tiring and sad. This game is playable but hardly much fun. I spent 30 hours on it and finished all the main fame and the tiny bit of postgame content, then paid for the DLC and finished that in 10 hours. The DLC is way wayyyy more fun than anything in the main game. The DLC should not make the total game cost 90$ though. Absolutely not worth the money.

    Performance and presentation-wise there is such a mixed bag in this game- some areas are really pretty, some are and interesting and fun- but then a majority of it is poorly textured and the pop-in of the pokemon in wild areas, especially in the DLC is massive in its immersion-breaking and made me put down the game multiple times because it was so jarring. The storyline is bland and the game doesn’t stop holding your hand, it has not even 1/2 the depth and lore of earlier games like Gold/Silver or Diamond/Pearl. I found myself also uninterested in any of the lore put in this game because its breezed over so quickly and is only used as a plot device to bring you to the next gym. None of the characters are memorable and they don’t have any complexity to them.

    The raid-battles and gigantamax mechanics DID add some interesting and fun changes to battles, but not enough to save the very poorly written story and dialogue. I wanted so much more for this game and got a “meh” experience.    … Expand
  6. Bearoo
    Aug 18, 2021
    5
    Rather mixed feelings regarding Pokemon Shield and Sword. The game seems rather lazy with it's design. No new animation for battles, not all Pokemon are available and the Dynamax... not really an innovative idea. I much more prefer mega evolutions from back in the day.
  7. grimreapersims
    Nov 1, 2021
    7
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  8. Hkeitz323
    Nov 8, 2022
    5
    Pros:
    - A myriad of well-designed pokemon
    - Really cool gym leaders - Added a lot of cool features (accessing the PC from the menu, G-max) - Easy-to-access online features Cons: - Game has horrible pacing, and shoves in the entire plot at the very end of the story - Can't transfer pokemon without a pay wall (pokemon home) - Is way too short for a $60 game - No difficulty and no    Pros:
    - A myriad of well-designed pokemon
    - Really cool gym leaders
    - Added a lot of cool features (accessing the PC from the menu, G-max)
    - Easy-to-access online features

    Cons:
    - Game has horrible pacing, and shoves in the entire plot at the very end of the story
    - Can't transfer pokemon without a pay wall (pokemon home)
    - Is way too short for a $60 game
    - No difficulty and no postgame
    - The game feels unfinished at some parts, with the Wild Area specifically being very buggy
    - Extra content is locked behind payed DLC, which is an extra $60    … Expand
  9. kems
    Oct 29, 2022
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Historia 5
    Historia sencilla, predecible, sin mayor complejidad. Después de la 6ta medalla se vuelve excesivamente acelerada, muy probablemente por los tiempos de desarrollo. Mediocre inclusive para lo que se espera de un Pokémon.
    Desarrollo 8
    El desarrollo del juego es bueno, sin muchos altibajos. El momento más débil es justamente la parte final, donde más debía relucir, quitándole mérito a un avance con un buen ritmo la mayor parte del juego. El cambio en los gimnasios es bastante positivo, el torneo que reemplazó el Alto Mando pudo haber sido bueno, pero fue muy soso.
    Personajes 9
    Cada personaje secundario que acompaña la historia tiene su carisma, personalidad y desarrollo armonioso Lo más débil son los personajes principales y el team Yell, que podría no estar y de hecho mejoraría.
    Diseños 8
    En cuanto a personajes, nuevamente son sobresalientes sus diseños, todos menos los protagonistas. En cuánto a los nuevos Pokémon, son los mejores en mucho tiempo, ya sea por su apariencia final o por el concepto que está detrás de éstos, teniendo en su gran mayoría una gran armonía; son muy pocos los casos donde haya un pokemon genérico o con un concepto débil detrás. El diseño del mapa es pobre, donde al salir de la Wild Area, las rutas son básicamente pasillos que conectan a la próxima ciudad.
    Gameplay 9
    Los cambios en gameplay que apuntan a modernizar mecánicas que ya hace tiempo se sentían antiguas es bienvenida. El fin de los encuentros aleatorios, el wild area, los raids (que pudieron ser más difíciles, pero es una buena adición), la mayor accesibilidad para la crianza. El core gameplay se mantiene igual que siempre, pero sigue siendo efectivo y cuenta con agregados atractivos.
    Duración 9
    El juego es tan largo como quieras que sea, pudiendo ser bastante extenso si te gusta explorar y ser completista al 100% o cazar shinies y criar Pokémon perfectos. A pesar de ello, luego de cierto punto se hace evidente que tuvieron que lanzar el juego antes de terminar todo lo que tenían planeado.
    Postgame 3
    Patético. Únicamente en su evento final hay algo bueno. Terminado ese pésimo postgame, existe un frente de batalla que pese a ser simplón, se agradece su adición.
    Gráficos 5
    Las gráficas de los Pokémon y los personajes está bastante bien, pero desentona con el pésimo apartado gráfico y texturas del resto de los elementos, principalmente el wild área donde algunas texturas a plena vista recuerdan los tiempos del N64.
    Música 9
    Banda sonora bastante cumplidora. Algunos temas a veces se sienten genéricos o fuera de lugae, pero en general cumplen bien, con buenos temas y buena implementación de éstos. Sin estar al nivel de otras IP donde es realmente sobresaliente, cumple en totalidad su cometido.
    Sonido 6
    En contraste con unos temas que acompañan bien al juego, se encuentra el tema sonoro, donde la mayor deficiencia es la falta de voice acting. Mientras el juego era portátil, jamás se sentía necesario contar con uno, pero al dar el salto a una consola de sobremesa, pide a gritos el haber tenido. Desde que inicias el juego, la intro que intenta ser épica, se cae sola al ver un estadio repleto con el presidente Rose anunciando a gritos lo que nos encontraremos, mientras mueve la boca sin emitir sonido.
    Performance 2
    Todo el apartado técnico es lo más deficiente del juego, se vio en la parte gráfica y sonora, pero también en ciertos tiempos de carga, como en el online. Si intentas hacer algo online, lo más recomendable es quedarse parado esperando a conectar. porque el framedrop es severo, especialmente en el wild área. Incluso si no te interesa el online, el pop up es increíble. Los personajes, los árboles y los Pokémon, prácticamente te saltan en la cara, más aún si vas en bicicleta. Faltó tiempo de otimización.
    Multijugador 9
    El multiplayer y el online es un aspecto muy fuerte en Pokémon, de lo más positivo y da para jugar cientas y cientas de horas. Queda al debe la falta de personalización al no poder buscar intercambios y depender de la suerte del jugador que te encuentres o tener que coordinarte con alguien mediante otro medio previamente.

    Valoración final 7
    La experiencia se nota muy recortada, pero a la vez es disfrutable. Finalmente la sensación que deja es agridulce, siendo el mejor de la saga en muchos aspectos y el más deficiente en otros muchos. Queda la sensación de ser una oportunidad desaprovechada, donde teniendo el cuidado que se merecía, pudo haber sido de los mejores de la franquicia.
    Finalmente, siendo fan de Pokémon hace más de 20 años, debo decir que una vez más me atrapó sin soltarme, pero queda claro que el enfoque es sacar el juego más recortado posible que permita ser funcional para continuar exprimiento la franquicia al menor costo.    … Expand
  10. denisferro
    Nov 16, 2021
    5
    Nada nesse jogo funcionou direito...
    Acredito que as únicas coisas de positivo são as batalhas (inclusive online) que ficaram ótimas, a wild area que dá um gostinho de mundo semi-aberto e a trilha sonora que é ESPETACULAR.
    De resto, é tudo muito fraco... História contada de forma totalmente horrível... Após a metade é percebe-se que é tudo rushado.. Graficamente tem hora que é bonito    Nada nesse jogo funcionou direito...
    Acredito que as únicas coisas de positivo são as batalhas (inclusive online) que ficaram ótimas, a wild area que dá um gostinho de mundo semi-aberto e a trilha sonora que é ESPETACULAR.
    De resto, é tudo muito fraco...
    História contada de forma totalmente horrível... Após a metade é percebe-se que é tudo rushado..
    Graficamente tem hora que é bonito até, e tem hora que é simplesmente terrível...
    Um game que tinha um enorme potencial e acabou sendo um total fracasso em termo de qualidade...    … Expand
  11. BADxPENY
    Sep 19, 2021
    7
    I would like to give this a higher rating, But there are some parts of the game that just dont work. One is if you can only use one uniform in gym battles the whole game, what is that point in obtaining new gym suits? its is a waste of time to change into a suit you have no control over, when in the tv show they wear what ever they want!
  12. carlosplays
    Nov 6, 2021
    7
    Pokemon games follow a standard formula and this one was no different. I was surprised how easy the game was though...despite not being quite familiar with the new Pokemon after skipping generations it was still a breeze and the game felt a little on the shorter side. Still it wasn't bad at all. It's definitely not a bad game to spend a week or two with if you grind through. I kept puttingPokemon games follow a standard formula and this one was no different. I was surprised how easy the game was though...despite not being quite familiar with the new Pokemon after skipping generations it was still a breeze and the game felt a little on the shorter side. Still it wasn't bad at all. It's definitely not a bad game to spend a week or two with if you grind through. I kept putting it down and then forcing myself to finish it and then I finally did without too much fanfare.… Expand
  13. Parco8
    Mar 5, 2022
    7
    This is a great Pokémon game. I don't care about the missing Pokémon. The bad critics are only caused because of the bad answer Game Freak gave about the Dex cut. It is a thing they would have done someday. The story is linear, a sufficiency without any problems. Designs and musics are perfect, those are things Game Freak never made a mistake about. Besides that, the short time theThis is a great Pokémon game. I don't care about the missing Pokémon. The bad critics are only caused because of the bad answer Game Freak gave about the Dex cut. It is a thing they would have done someday. The story is linear, a sufficiency without any problems. Designs and musics are perfect, those are things Game Freak never made a mistake about. Besides that, the short time the developers have for making these games are the main reason why it shows big criticisims. At the end of the game it slowly loses originality like they didn't have enough time to think exciting challenges to put at the end. Single player endgame's kind of absent, too. It can't be less then a 7 for me by the way.… Expand
  14. gameing
    Aug 16, 2021
    5
    Pros: its Pokémon
    Cons: its Pokémon
    Its a very flawed experience however it is still fun at the end of the day.
  15. Luche
    Aug 14, 2021
    5
    Este fue el primer juego que terminé en la Switch (y será mi primera review en la web), lo adquirí junto con la consola y era de los que me incluía la compra de segunda mano, así que no tenía muchas expectativas y tras muchos años fuera del mundo de las consolas me dejó bastante frío. Me pareció excesivamente sencillo, no es que esto fuera un problema si no fuese porque no sentí que meEste fue el primer juego que terminé en la Switch (y será mi primera review en la web), lo adquirí junto con la consola y era de los que me incluía la compra de segunda mano, así que no tenía muchas expectativas y tras muchos años fuera del mundo de las consolas me dejó bastante frío. Me pareció excesivamente sencillo, no es que esto fuera un problema si no fuese porque no sentí que me plantease ningún tipo de desafío. El uso de los tipos de pokemon es casi irrelevante, no tuve que modificar mi equipo durante todo el juego salvo una vez para el gimnasio de hielo. Mi recuerdo de los pokemon de antaño no era excesivamente complejo pero si planteaba desafíos no ya en las batallas en sí, si no en ciertos momentos del juego como aquella cueva tras el primer gimnasio en el rojo/azul.
    Es destacable que hay elementos que parecen señalar un camino muy interesante para la saga (que quizás culminen en el Arceus) como el área silvestre o las pruebas de gimnasio, personalmente el Dinamax no me entusiasmó pero es otro elemento a explotar. Pero ambos elementos se sentían en una fase beta, sin explotar completamente, quizás en el caso de las pruebas de gimnasio precisamente por su escasa dificultad.

    La parte gráfica no me decepcionó tanto como he visto por aquí, personalmente el juego lo vi bonito, no soy un experto en este aspecto y pienso que no soy muy exigente pero puedo decir que me agradó.

    En conclusión, el juego me dejó un poco frío y sin interés en rejugarlo o probar las expansiones y un poco decepcionado con mi recuerdo de infancia, y desilusionado con próximas entregas. Espero que sea de alguna utilidad pese a que ya hay tropocientas críticas del juego.

    Saludos!    … Expand
  16. BoopWalks
    Sep 5, 2021
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Its alright?
    the game has some elements of greatness - dynamaxing being a much better system than the past two power-up gimmicks (Mega's being restricted to only 48 pokemon, z moves just being one-hit ko buttons). Dynamaxing has great side effects that come with its moves, which change how you look at battling - do you use max overgrowth for its healing side effects? Or do you use max knuckle to raise your attack? A game where all pokemon can power up is great, and the pokemon's stats do not change - no absurd base 180 dragon ascents or insane "Light that burns the sky" here.

    The rival's are mixed - Bede is your typical rival like Silver, or Blue, who is out to be better than you, who has this snobbish attitude. He often tests you, blaming his defeat on stupid excuses, obviously acting like a spoilt child. Which is not a bad thing - whenever you see bede, you want to beat his team. However, he is not the games main rival, and dissapears between gyms 4 and the game's end.

    Your main rival Hop, starts off as your typical friendly rival, similar to Hau or Bianca, until his confidence is effected, and he begins to doubt himself. This doubt could have gone somewhere, but ends up with Hop cheering up after 1 or 2 more gym badges, going back to normal. His sudden announcement that he wants to help at the pokemon centre comes out of nowhere, and should have been developed more. Your final rival is Marnie, who is just a throwaway character. They're just there to be "cute", and don't show much emotion at all.

    The evil team is probably the worst. They're just a group of fans. There's no evil organisation which is a mafia that steals pokemon like team rocket. They don't match the morally grey team plasma, or just the deviant team skull. They're just ugly-looking fans, who never cause that much trouble. The other evil team in this game, Macro Cosmos, are drived by the dumbest plot. "Energy will run out in 1000 years so lets resummon a pokemon warned about in ancient times!". Stupid.

    Animations are reused from the 3ds games. Not many old moves look better. Blastoise still shoots water out of his head.

    The game's story is feeble, it's routes are not expansive, but some of the environments are rather nice looking - like the slumbering weald, or glimwood tangle. The best thing about the game compared to its predeccessors is the gym challenge, and how it feels like a sport, not fighting in a room with 2 or 3 other trainers watching.

    The national dex cut was pretty annoying also. But the game introduced a lot of items competitive players welcomed - nature mints and heavy duty boots for example.

    The game is ok if you like it for battling or whatever    … Expand
  17. Raftalos
    Sep 26, 2021
    5
    The game has no reason for being this ugly, it looks like an upscaled 3ds game. The innovation is minimal, mostly just some generational gimmicks as usual. It's still a pokemon game and there are some cool new ones so I wouldn't give it below 5, but if you want better pokemon games, don't buy this one.
  18. ChristianBentro
    Oct 20, 2021
    7
    Is a great looking game compared to 3DS titles. Falls short on the story but makes up for it in the environment. I would have liked to have seen more animations, seemed as though they used upscaled 3DS models. The DLC was very good and added some much needed story elements.
  19. Herbalmouse1305
    May 29, 2022
    6
    this is a pokemon game

    plain and simple, if that statement does not appeal to you, please god dont buy this game. luckily it does appeal to me, and i mustered quite a bit of fun out of this. not enough to get the dlc tho. Btw dexit is fine, it was inevitable. their excuse kinda sucked, as this game doesnt look too good, but with PLA and Sc/Vi it looks like the smaller scope is    this is a pokemon game

    plain and simple, if that statement does not appeal to you, please god dont buy this game.
    luckily it does appeal to me, and i mustered quite a bit of fun out of this. not enough to get the dlc tho.
    Btw
    dexit is fine, it was inevitable. their excuse kinda sucked, as this game doesnt look too good, but with PLA and Sc/Vi it looks like the smaller scope is starting to pay off    … Expand
  20. sunny_rip
    Feb 5, 2022
    7
    Pokémon Sword and Shield are alright games in the series, I feel like they deserve more credit, but as time goes on, I'm more willing to point out it's flaws.

    Pros: -Really high quality batch of new Pokémon. -Stunning looking towns and cities. -(With the DLC) you get a lot of content and ways to play online. -Competitive Battling is incredibly accessible and easy to get into. -Cool    Pokémon Sword and Shield are alright games in the series, I feel like they deserve more credit, but as time goes on, I'm more willing to point out it's flaws.

    Pros:
    -Really high quality batch of new Pokémon.
    -Stunning looking towns and cities.
    -(With the DLC) you get a lot of content and ways to play online.
    -Competitive Battling is incredibly accessible and easy to get into.
    -Cool characters with some really nice designs.
    -Dynamax and Gigantamax are fun.
    -Z Moves are removed.

    Cons:
    -Wild Area graphics can look kinda rough sometimes
    -The story isn't that good.
    -Some evolution methods are incredibly annoying.
    -If you don't get the DLC, then there isn't much to do in the post game.
    -Removes Mega Evolution.
    -Some Pokémon are very hard to obtain.    … Expand
  21. PokeMaester
    Nov 22, 2021
    7
    I absolutely love this remake, opening the game gave me goosebumps and playing it gives me flashbacks of playing this game with groups of friends in high school. So many fond memories. However I only have 1 real complaint which took away quite a bit of my personal rating which are the flash animations that pokemon make during an attack even when animations are shut off. Normally theseI absolutely love this remake, opening the game gave me goosebumps and playing it gives me flashbacks of playing this game with groups of friends in high school. So many fond memories. However I only have 1 real complaint which took away quite a bit of my personal rating which are the flash animations that pokemon make during an attack even when animations are shut off. Normally these flashes do nothing to me; I can't say the same for others. But for me, if I'm in a Team Galactic fight the flashes can trigger seizure auras. I remember pokemon would blink in the DS version; in this one the moves make brilliant tiny flashes. I quickly took some medication before it got serious, but it would be very nice to be able to shut the flashes off and I would give it a 10.… Expand
  22. FullFeeder
    Jan 26, 2022
    5
    Amazing game, overall a fantastic addition to the franchise, even though graphic wise it's average at best.
  23. albegres
    Feb 5, 2022
    7
    70/100
    If you're into competitive Pokémon battles, this is one of the best in the series! If you're not, this game has a boring story, even more than the previous games. Artstyle and music good as always. Story and graphic are terrible, sadly.
  24. SIRBIGWELD
    Mar 8, 2022
    5
    Pokemon Sword and Shield are very lazy, uninteresting games. Whereas previous pokemon games specifically the DS era had significant charm and plenty of content, these games lack miserably in both regards. With very limited post-game content and the most flaccid graphics ever produced, they are just unpleasant to look at and have no semblance of an interesting story to give you a reason toPokemon Sword and Shield are very lazy, uninteresting games. Whereas previous pokemon games specifically the DS era had significant charm and plenty of content, these games lack miserably in both regards. With very limited post-game content and the most flaccid graphics ever produced, they are just unpleasant to look at and have no semblance of an interesting story to give you a reason to look. Battle timers for online battling are still a major issue, and the lack of many pokemon from previous games is disappointing. DLC feels like it made up for what should have been in the games, to begin with. They are still pokemon games, however, and there is some fun to be had, it's nice to have a legitimate online ladder and competitions from time to time. New pokemon designs are a very mixed bag, generally on the worse side. Dynamax is a generally unpleasant gimmick. The game is laughably easy. The two strong points in the game are the wild area, which definitely could be improved, and the fantastic soundtrack, as is the case in most pokemon games.… Expand
  25. Ventuski
    Apr 6, 2022
    7
    First Pokemon game I've played since Gold on GBC. Probably a timid entry regarding the changes they wanted to introduce in this console generation, specially after playing Legends Arceus. The main story felt short and the post game was ackward story wise. Still a enjoyable Pokemon journey.
  26. VincentKirby
    Jul 9, 2022
    5
    This game is lazy af and we know Game Freak can do better than this. Also the absence of the National Dex is sad to see and the game looks flipping hideous
  27. FireBroFilms
    Aug 15, 2022
    5
    ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎
  28. Derpcat
    Dec 6, 2022
    5
    I haven't played many Pokemon games. Before this, only Diamond. But this game was the reason I bought a Switch. I thought it would be great! But, as you can see, I didn't love it so much. Why? Isn't a Pokemon game a Pokemon game, at heart?

    The story-where to begin? They highlighted gyms, even though they were gone for, like, 4 years. Whatever. This chairman guy sees potential in you,    I haven't played many Pokemon games. Before this, only Diamond. But this game was the reason I bought a Switch. I thought it would be great! But, as you can see, I didn't love it so much. Why? Isn't a Pokemon game a Pokemon game, at heart?

    The story-where to begin? They highlighted gyms, even though they were gone for, like, 4 years. Whatever. This chairman guy sees potential in you, and same as the champion. So you join the Pokemon league. Oh boy! Pokemon games always have at least satisfactory stories, but this one makes no sense.

    Pokemon games play very similarly. Don't fix something that isn't broken, right? Well, it gets stale. These games have become more and more linear, and you don't get to do decide your fate... at all. It becomes very, very, VERY boring. There is an open-world area called the wild area. I think that it is the predecessor to Legends: Arceus or Scarlet & Violet. But it's just so worn in and small. 6/10 gameplay. Way too boring.

    The presentation isn't great. It doesn't load that well. If you're expecting a game that looks good and runs well, like Super Mario Odyssey, don't be surprised if it's not what you want. It doesn't load that well, look good, and runs at 30 fps. The music is pretty good, though. Toby Fox composed a song. 7/10 presentation. Nothing to say.

    It's content is a bit light. The main adventure is too easy, and takes 10 hours. The post-game takes about 5 hours. Then you can "Catch Em All!" and shiny hunt. Yeah, this should be a 40 dollar game. Captain Toad Treasure Tracker cost that much. I didn't play it, but I hear it has a lot of content. 6/10 content.

    It is way too linear, and what was good in it is way too worn in. I don't get why Scarlet & Violet has a lower user score. It is ambitious, big, and creative. Gen 8 was pretty good, but this game wasn't. I'm sorry, everyone in the U.K.    … Expand
  29. baja_dan
    Oct 27, 2022
    6
    A solid entry in the franchise mixed with a few new ideas. I enjoyed the online play and battling my friends from across the world. The new "open" areas were interesting, but felt like they could have benefitted from some more polish. I noticed some frame-rate issues and a few bugs during my 200hr playthrough. I've been a fan of the series since the red/blue/yellow days, but I stoppedA solid entry in the franchise mixed with a few new ideas. I enjoyed the online play and battling my friends from across the world. The new "open" areas were interesting, but felt like they could have benefitted from some more polish. I noticed some frame-rate issues and a few bugs during my 200hr playthrough. I've been a fan of the series since the red/blue/yellow days, but I stopped playing the series during the DS run due to fatigue and how the Pokemon Company hadn't really strayed from it's basic formula. I think that helped me view this entry with a fresher set of eyes overall.… Expand
  30. saplign
    Feb 2, 2023
    5
    ‎this one is definetly a 5 out of 10‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎
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Awards & Rankings

76
#76 Best Switch Game of 2019
3
#3 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 89 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 69 out of 89
  2. Mixed: 20 out of 89
  3. Negative: 0 out of 89
  1. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Apr 30, 2020
    90
    Sword & Shield have a lot to love for old and new fans, and they're pure quality from top to bottom. [Issue #44 – January/February 2020, p. 72]
  2. GameCritics
    Feb 6, 2020
    75
    I enjoyed my time with Pokemon Sword and Shield, but I ended feeling conflicted. I appreciate many of the changes and felt that it generally respected my time, but I almost felt like a passive participant. The more complex gym challenges had a meatier role, but the narrative shouldn’t have been shoved to the side. Overall, I would recommend it to players who want to have a Pokemon experience, but this one won’t stick with me the way the older ones have.
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  3. Game World Navigator Magazine
    Jan 14, 2020
    78
    Pokemon Sword/Shield is uncharacteristically user-friendly: now there’s no need to backtrack half across the world to heal your entire team of pokemon or to get to a particular city, for example. [Issue#242, p.66]
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