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. Reciter5613
    Dec 27, 2019
    7
    I've played through it and didn't feel the hate and disappointment like most have. I guess they were expecting something groundbreaking when getting a new game on the latest system. I rent my games and I thought it was OK to try but not great enough to keep.

    The usual formula of the series is still here as to be expected. I wish they would make a more new unexpected story but whatever.    I've played through it and didn't feel the hate and disappointment like most have. I guess they were expecting something groundbreaking when getting a new game on the latest system. I rent my games and I thought it was OK to try but not great enough to keep.

    The usual formula of the series is still here as to be expected. I wish they would make a more new unexpected story but whatever.

    Graphics seem OK since I don't expect them to focus deeply on them. I'm not gonna be like them whining about the tree textures so long as it's not getting in the way of the game.

    Some are angry for not having the national Pokedex keeping them from getting all Pokemon in the game. I mean there are some I wish were in this but it was not a deal-breaker for me.

    The Dynamax system is awesome! Of course, I'm not into having to capture or breed ones for Gigantamax forms. I have a Butterfree and Drednaw that I've trained the whole time and it's sad I can't have them get their Gigantamax forms.

    Online features needed work though. I mean I don't know why they don't let you pick what specific Pokemon you want in online trade and only let you do the random surprise trades.

    The Max raids were great but hard to find other players for the hard ones. They should have it so the notifications pop up faster so players can find other player's raids to enter. I mean at least have a refresh option.

    All in all, Sword and Shield is nice but not groundbreaking. Hopefully, they improve on this in the name game and get less controversy against them.    … Expand
  2. 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
  3. Kyo_Bogard
    Jan 16, 2020
    7
    Demasiado fácil.

    Es un regreso a la fórmula. Pokémon de toda la vida con las suficientes novedades como para que no se sienta el mismo juego de siempre. Los nuevos Gimnasios Pokémon hacen que no sea tan repetitivo. Por otra parte, el área silvestre, aún siendo una gran idea, le falta por pulir ya que tiene grandes bajadas de framerate, sobre todo conectado a internet. En cuanto a la    Demasiado fácil.

    Es un regreso a la fórmula. Pokémon de toda la vida con las suficientes novedades como para que no se sienta el mismo juego de siempre. Los nuevos Gimnasios Pokémon hacen que no sea tan repetitivo.
    Por otra parte, el área silvestre, aún siendo una gran idea, le falta por pulir ya que tiene grandes bajadas de framerate, sobre todo conectado a internet.
    En cuanto a la nueva generación, aún siendo muy fan de las 2 primeras generaciones, no me ha resultado tan mala. No creo que el hecho de no tener a todos los Pokémon existentes sea un punto negativo.    … Expand
  4. Pookytookybaby
    Nov 18, 2019
    7
    I had a lot of fun with the game. I was a little shocked at the lack of graphics and textures, especially in the wild area. Zelda botw and Mario Odyssey set a standard for this generation Nintendo games. This game is not great in that department. I have a lot to say about this game, but not here. Was wanting more out of a console Pokemon game.
  5. BlooperTanooki
    Mar 20, 2020
    7
    It's without a doubt a step backwards from what seasoned Pokémon fans were accustomed, especially with games like Platinum, HGSS and Black an White 2 existing. However, the games do give a fun time, a nice roster of new Pokémon, good characters and incredible music. It's a shame nothing blends together nicely either. It's like a sandwich made of a lot of nice things: Nutella, Jam, Cheese,It's without a doubt a step backwards from what seasoned Pokémon fans were accustomed, especially with games like Platinum, HGSS and Black an White 2 existing. However, the games do give a fun time, a nice roster of new Pokémon, good characters and incredible music. It's a shame nothing blends together nicely either. It's like a sandwich made of a lot of nice things: Nutella, Jam, Cheese, but they don't taste good in the final thing.… Expand
  6. Alvz9
    Jul 20, 2020
    7
    Este juego no es la revolución que todos estábamos esperando. Es bien continuista respecto a las entregas de 3DS; más allá del apartado gráfico, me refiero principalmente a la parte jugable. Creo que el tema de "no agregar todos los pokémones de la pokedex" resta ganas de jugarlo tras terminar la historia principal, y el hecho de que los DLCs añadan más pokémons no soluciona el problemaEste juego no es la revolución que todos estábamos esperando. Es bien continuista respecto a las entregas de 3DS; más allá del apartado gráfico, me refiero principalmente a la parte jugable. Creo que el tema de "no agregar todos los pokémones de la pokedex" resta ganas de jugarlo tras terminar la historia principal, y el hecho de que los DLCs añadan más pokémons no soluciona el problema inicial (de hecho, vuelve grave que se tenga que pagar nuevamente para agregar nuevos pokémons). Espero que la próxima entrega de la franquicia logre posicionar una narrativa más profunda, un nivel gráfico que exprima la potencia de Nintendo Switch, y todos los pokémon.… Expand
  7. DeadSmack
    May 17, 2023
    7
    Can't get the hate on this series. The games are GREAT, the online events were great also. The new regional forms are... meh, i don't like the idea of regional forms, but that's me. The story is not that great at all, but it's entertaining at least. Gameplay is fine, the pokedex are great, and the dlc's add the diversity much needed in the game. While they are not the best games of theCan't get the hate on this series. The games are GREAT, the online events were great also. The new regional forms are... meh, i don't like the idea of regional forms, but that's me. The story is not that great at all, but it's entertaining at least. Gameplay is fine, the pokedex are great, and the dlc's add the diversity much needed in the game. While they are not the best games of the series, or in general, great addition to the franchise.… Expand
  8. Digi
    Nov 24, 2019
    7
    This game is a well made, beautiful looking pokemon game. However huge flaws include the lack of a hard mode, that veterans have been awaiting for decades. Finally the story was quite lacking compared to previous games.
  9. BrightAbyss
    Oct 19, 2020
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Not a ton of new things added and the national dex being cut is a huge con. I am aware of the dlc's coming out later and think that this is a better format than dropping pretty much the same game with a new cover, but the complete lack of a postgame makes waiting for these dlc's difficult. I can't help but feel these games were rushed, and that the creators just needed a little bit more time to make these games perfect. I did enjoy the atmosphere of the gym battles, and I thought most of the new pokemon added had great models, but there are really only 2 new legendaries currently in the postgame, and the battle tower is a joke. Overall, the story isn't terrible, but it's not great either. Team Yell, the newest evil team in the galar region, is by far the worst team to ever be introduced in the pokemon franchise. They play almost no part in the story and have no real purpose. In the end, I do think that this is a step in the right direction for pokemon if they can take these criticisms into account for the next games, as I believe the switch will have a longer lifespan than the traditional handhelds pokemon releases on. Hopefully the upcoming generations won't need to be rushed onto a new console, because I truly believe that we could be in for a treat if the developers are given proper time to make these games great.… Expand
  10. Dsros96
    Jun 3, 2020
    7
    Probably one of the best Pokémon games ever graphics wise. I'm not giving it perfect score because of the Pokedex cut, the lack of postgame, the Mega evolutions being forgotten and the incursions (they are uninteresting). But besides that, this game is amazing. Also version exclusives are a thing from the past and some online functions should be for free but anyway, overall a very good game.
  11. PredatorPlus
    Nov 23, 2019
    7
    Gráficamente es un cambio a favor. El área silvestre se trata de una beta, está muy desaprovechada. En cuanto la historia me ha parecido pésima y post-game de tan solo 3 horas. En 70 horas me he pasado el juego al completo, historia y pokedex con la ayuda de únicamente de los exclusivos. En comparación con el resto de juegos de pokemon me parece que se queda corto en algunos aspectos.Gráficamente es un cambio a favor. El área silvestre se trata de una beta, está muy desaprovechada. En cuanto la historia me ha parecido pésima y post-game de tan solo 3 horas. En 70 horas me he pasado el juego al completo, historia y pokedex con la ayuda de únicamente de los exclusivos. En comparación con el resto de juegos de pokemon me parece que se queda corto en algunos aspectos. Espero que esta base la utilicen bien para el futuro.… Expand
  12. kaelmato
    Dec 1, 2019
    7
    First off, I really wanted to give the game a 7,5 but since that isn't an option I leaned more heavily on the 7 side.

    So lets get the good things out of the way first. The gameplay is fun. The new raid system is suprisingly fun (when it actually works). The wild area is actually a neat idea. The entry for competitive battling has been streamlined a great deal, which is great for people    First off, I really wanted to give the game a 7,5 but since that isn't an option I leaned more heavily on the 7 side.

    So lets get the good things out of the way first. The gameplay is fun. The new raid system is suprisingly fun (when it actually works). The wild area is actually a neat idea. The entry for competitive battling has been streamlined a great deal, which is great for people like me who don't have all day to breed and ev train those perfect pokemon. The music is really good and I absolutely love most of the new designs.

    So why a 7? This game has... Issues. a lot of them.

    I'm not going to touch on the graphics issues as this game in my opinion has passable graphics for a switch game. They're not great, but they're not horrible, it's a switch game.

    So lets start actually with missing features: Over half of the entire national dex have been cut from the game, and while I can live with this decision, I know a lot of others cant.
    The GTS has also been cut, this allowed people to easily trade pokemon around the world without the hassle of going to online forums looking for trades. In fact the online features of the game have been turned to an absolute nightmare. You go online, and you see bunch of people... doing stuff, but there's absolutely no way to interact with any of them in any way. Jacob is searching for a double battle? Well too bad, I can't join him. Nessie wants to trade? Well good luck with that. The only relevant information that shows up is people seeking for raids and even those rarely show up, and when they do show up, the joining window has most likely passed already.

    Moving on,

    The story in this game is actually so bad it would've been better if there wasn't one. Now pokemon games have never had that good stories going on (With the exception of black and white), but this one was especially bad. The lack of any kind of decent post game (with the exception of copy-paste battle tower and version legendary catch) doesn't really help either.

    This game is also incredibly easy, but this has been a trend for years so I cant really pin it on this games faults.

    And last but not least, the fps in wild area when connected to the internet tanks hard. I'm not just talking about few frames here, for instance when you're breeding in the wild area, sometimes it's lagging so bad that when your egg starts to hatch, your character stops in their tracks a few SECONDS before the text box "oh" pops up.

    In conclusion, the game is OK, not great, but it's not bad either. It is actually super fun to play and battling online still feels mostly the same, however the game is plagued with crippling issues that may or may not hinder your enjoyment of the game.    … Expand
  13. Kashmoney
    Apr 17, 2020
    7
    Intro: (note, this review comes from a long time casual player)
    After playing through the game fully now, I can say Pokemon Sword and Shield are still very decent pokemon games and still deserve around a 6 or 7 out of 10 for me. While there are still issues with the games that could use some rework, I still had a very good time playing through the Galar region.
    The Good: Let's start    Intro: (note, this review comes from a long time casual player)
    After playing through the game fully now, I can say Pokemon Sword and Shield are still very decent pokemon games and still deserve around a 6 or 7 out of 10 for me. While there are still issues with the games that could use some rework, I still had a very good time playing through the Galar region.

    The Good:
    Let's start off with the good, the game has a great look pretty good. Yes, the wild areas could be better, but the cities/towns, gyms, and pokemon look pretty solid. The gyms in this game, while easy, felt the closest I believe to the anime. Battles are fought in large coliseums and it's pretty **** cool to see your player battle through the game's leaders and feel like your actually part of the game. Also, in my opinion, this region has some of the most likable new pokemon hands down. All of them felt unique and are some nice additions to the world of pokemon. Character customization is back and it's nothing too amazing, but it's nice that they are still on this trend of being included in the games. The characters in this game are also really great for the most part. Many main characters have a unique personality or cool design to them and it's a really nice crowd of people (my personal favorite is Melony if you know what I mean ;3). Also, this is a very unpopular opinion, but I really like Dynamaxing. Having your pokemon grow to the size of Godzilla and blow up your opponent is really fun and feels like it can give everyone a chance to shine like with z-moves. And while it's not as cool as Megas, I welcome this new way of battling,

    The Meh:
    While the wild area is a really cool idea and is fun, it looks a bit bland. Some areas look like it wasn't properly textured and does look like some old grass stains were left on there (and no, the trees are not the best, but it's a **** tree so who cares). The game also suffers a bit with the National Dex issue. While I personally did not feel affected in my gameplay of the lack of the National Dex, I do still wish they would have allowed players to transfer their Pokemon into the new games with not dex entry like in USUM. 400 pokemon are still a lot however and what's here is a pretty solid roster of mons.

    The bad:
    The game really lacks in the number of dungeons and possible wild areas. There have been many times in the story I wished that there were some dungeons to fight through or more wild areas then what we have. The game's evil team, Team Yell, is also the worst in the WHOLE series. Being nothing but some punks who could have been more was a huge letdown. I felt that there was so much more the team could have done, but they didn't do **** which sucks. This game also suffers from poor post-game. Like X and Y, this game has a lack of post-game and doesn't offer much. I feel once the DLC comes out this could change, but still, it's not great at all.

    Overall:
    This game is fun like other pokemon games. It does need a lot of work, but it's not as bad as some people were putting this game out to be (but hey we all have our opinions). Also with the new DLC coming out, I feel this game might be a start to how pokemon "definitive titles" will play out so here's to hope everything turns out great.    … Expand
  14. Speedie
    Nov 24, 2019
    7
    If you're looking to compare this game to the rest of the Pokemon series, don't bother. Game Freak is taking their world famous series in a different direction, and as a life long Pokemon fan, I'm not upset at all. There are new introductions to the series between battle functions and main quest direction that keep things interesting at all times. There is of course room for improvement,If you're looking to compare this game to the rest of the Pokemon series, don't bother. Game Freak is taking their world famous series in a different direction, and as a life long Pokemon fan, I'm not upset at all. There are new introductions to the series between battle functions and main quest direction that keep things interesting at all times. There is of course room for improvement, as with any video game produced, but it's plenty of fun, and a welcome introduction to my lineup of Pokemon game cases.

    When the game was first announced, and we were told that the National Pokedex was gone (meaning not every existing Pokemon would be in the game) I was quite upset to say the least. I had a feeling some of my favorite Pokemon would be cut, and I was correct. Looking back on it, I was an idiot. The 400 Pokemon included in the game fit so perfectly into the world, being spread out not too thin, but also not having an overwhelming variety in each area. The game feels balanced on the combat side of things due to the limit on specific Pokemon and abilities. Cutting Pokemon from the final project wasn't a split second decision of laziness, it was a decision made to ensure the world feels expansive enough without being crowded, it it works like a charm.

    The story driven content in the game isn't very deep. Not in the slightest. The sad excuse for the "Team" of this generation is something to be disappointed over for sure. The climax has very little build up at all, and a majority of the game is just the protagonist children talking about how they'll be the best trainers there ever was. The post game content is a bit better. More witty, funny, and overall entertaining, but short. I do wish there was deeper lore in the game, or really any significant lore at all to make me excited about the world, but sadly there is no hope. The one slight upside, is that some of the character development is very fun to follow, and caused a few smiles and laughs from me watching the characters change, or chose not to.

    The online features work a bit better than I expected. A bit laggy in the Wild Area sometimes, but otherwise very smooth and reliable. The servers had some issues at the start, but that has nothing to do with the actual experience I had while they were active. The new Raid addition to the game, as well as Trades and Battles are very smooth and work like a regular online game server, which is more than is usually expected from Nintendo.

    In conclusion, this generation is very fun, without a doubt. If compared to the rest of the Pokemon games, sure, it's towards the bottom of the list. As a standalone Switch game though, it truly is a great experience! If you can will yourself to simply get excited about a new video game, and jump into it with a positive, or even neutral mindset, you truly will enjoy yourself. The game is worth a full play through, and deserves praise for the things it does well.    … Expand
  15. 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!
  16. Freesteff
    Nov 15, 2019
    7
    Nach 5 stunden spielzeit finde ich pokemon schild im grossen und ganzen sehr gut die grafik sehr anständig die naturzone ist riesig die sogenanntentem raids machen spass
  17. MarinoMele
    Jun 25, 2020
    7
    A good game, certainly not great, that barely scores a 7.
    Game Freak has to understand that they're not on a portable console anymore.
    The absence of half of the existing Pokèmons is a let-down, I get it, but it doesn't ruin the experience. THE REAL ISSUE HERE IS HOW BAD THIS GAME IS FROM A TECHNICAL STANDPOINT. It's a tragedy that "Pokémon Battle Revolution", a 2006 game for the    A good game, certainly not great, that barely scores a 7.
    Game Freak has to understand that they're not on a portable console anymore.

    The absence of half of the existing Pokèmons is a let-down, I get it, but it doesn't ruin the experience.
    THE REAL ISSUE HERE IS HOW BAD THIS GAME IS FROM A TECHNICAL STANDPOINT.
    It's a tragedy that "Pokémon Battle Revolution", a 2006 game for the Wii, looks incredibly better. Look for yourselves:
    Pokémon Sword and Shield are Nintendo 3DS games, with upscaled resolution and not-enough-upscaled textures. They tried their best to mask themselves as Switch games, but to no avail.

    To add salt on the wound, on top of the poor graphics, the most jarring aspect is that the animations are straight terrible.
    I haven't seen anything this basic since the PS2 era - even Pokémon on Game Cube had better animations (even if extremely over-the-top sometimes).

    The main campaign is pretty enjoyable but you'll reach a point where you start wondering if they ran out of time/resources. There are cities as small as a corridor...
    Not to mention that this game doesn't have the Elite Four:
    You'll re-battle some of the gym leaders instead. It's sad.

    The best aspect of these games is how well-balanced the competitive scene is. Especially double-battles that really are turn-based gems.
    It's truly a pity that COVID-19 put an end to every competition this year...

    All in all this was an overall good experience for a Pokémon game, but since it doesn't cost 40€ anymore... It was not worth the money, sadly.

    Game Freak has to understand that they're not on a portable console anymore.    … Expand
  18. amandamagliaro
    Nov 15, 2019
    7
    Switch is a better console than 3DS, so I was expecting more. But anyway, I was still surprised with the game and the news in this new generation
  19. Dahcs
    Nov 15, 2019
    7
    Before finishing the game, I am actually enjoying this game a fair bit. So far, this is definitely the best the Pokemon series has looked to date. Period. The games run at a stable framerate out side of the wild area, and the battles actually feel pretty immersive. Dynamaxing is a cool feature, and it really shows that that's where a lot of the love and effort really went into, along withBefore finishing the game, I am actually enjoying this game a fair bit. So far, this is definitely the best the Pokemon series has looked to date. Period. The games run at a stable framerate out side of the wild area, and the battles actually feel pretty immersive. Dynamaxing is a cool feature, and it really shows that that's where a lot of the love and effort really went into, along with the gyms. Alot of the user reviews are baseless, and it shows that they have obviously not played the game. I went into this game expecting Pokemon and I got exactly what I expected, and even a bit more. So far, I reccommend it, but definitely not for the full price. Will update my review when I finish the game.… Expand
  20. PointingGaming
    Nov 15, 2019
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I think the game is extremely good so far, as someone who has played Pokémon since Gen 1 I am quite happy, there are some features they did remove, some with obvious reasons some without. Such as global trade, in the previous games they were flooded with cheated in shinys and legendaries. It adds more challenge to the game so you can’t just trade a garbage Pokémon for one super high leveled, and they made it so you can’t catch a Pokémon higher level than what your gym badge allows.

    I enjoy the wide open areas and being able to see other players in the wild areas. I think the dynamaxing is cool, and a lot better than the mega evolutions and the special moves and other gimmicks they have had in the previous games in the main storyline.

    In terms of new pokemon it was a hit and a miss, they have some good ones and some terrible ones. It’s about the same as gen 5 where they had some great ideas, and they also had some absolutely retarded ones.

    So far I am happy with this game, and I am about half way through it I have to say it was money well spent. A lot of people may hate on this game but I believe that it deserves more credit than it is givin considering this is the first main story game that has come out for the Pokémon franchise that isn’t completely pixelated.    … Expand
  21. DiscoToot
    Nov 16, 2019
    7
    An honest review for the common player, bias aside. If you’ve already played through the entirety of Pokemon Sword/Shield, you had the time on your hands and that’s cool. Personally, I have not played through. I don’t doubt the most popular disdain; a considerably short story and post-game, lackluster character diversity and dynamax features. But I want to point out some review pointsAn honest review for the common player, bias aside. If you’ve already played through the entirety of Pokemon Sword/Shield, you had the time on your hands and that’s cool. Personally, I have not played through. I don’t doubt the most popular disdain; a considerably short story and post-game, lackluster character diversity and dynamax features. But I want to point out some review points you’re going to read that are more than likely the fault of bias and nostalgia. - Wild areas don’t lack the richness players claim. The wild area is a new concept. It’s not supposed to be the open field in Breath of the Wild. The mechanics of the wild areas are exciting and challenging. Seeing your wild opponent before entering battle changes how you’re gonna play the game, for the better. It makes it more fun to train, without all of the running away from Zubats so you can battle a Graveller. Much easier and fun to hunt down a Pokemon with a certain nature or ability. - Graphically, the game is just taking flight. The first true 3D Pokemon rendition since Colosseum/XD, this game fulfills the wishes those games dreamed of. While maybe underdeveloped, it’s not ugly or underhwelming. There were no textures and objects to operate from, aside from X/Y/Sun/Moon monster designs. This is the first modern rendition of Pokemon in 3D, it serves in its flashy and expressive gloat. - As for the story, I can’t speak to that. I have not completed the game. BUT. Sun and Moon earned the worst story award. If you don’t tout through the game gingerly, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Pokemon in the context of Shield/Sword is meant to be played more like the pace of a slice of life game. In summation, you will enjoy this game if you like to take your time but not if you like to play through competitively and fast. If you want a fulfilling Pokemon experience instead of a jam-packed Pomemon experience, you’ll enjoy this game.… Expand
  22. Somonoxide
    Nov 16, 2019
    7
    The wheel hasn’t been reinvented. No giant leap forward.

    However! If your a Pokemon series fan this will satisfy your itch. Wild zone has huge potential for future games. Gyms are back with fun “all be it simple” puzzles. The games still aimed at kids, it always will be.... And tbh how many people actually completed the National Dex anyway.
  23. Yauboio
    Nov 17, 2019
    7
    These games are not bad. In fact they are perfectly decent Pokémon games. In some areas there has been great improvement, in particular the menus, the ability to skip some tutorials, the concept of the wild area. However for the first console Pokémon game it's dissapointing and unimaginative. If you love Pokémon you'll have some fun with it but it could have been so much better.
  24. iMDario
    Nov 18, 2019
    7
    +good music
    +dynamax/gigantamax seems ok in competitive
    +new gyms are ok -no national dex
    -GameCube grapichs
    -0 character design
    -poor coded
  25. RandomS0lar
    Nov 18, 2019
    7
    It's an average game and although I thought what game freak did was wrong, I thought it was a pretty decent game. I'm neutral on the national dex because I feel bad for the people that got affected by this but at the same time it doesn't really affect me. I liked the new pokemon and the dark type gym but, I wasn't a fan of Hop. He seemed a little annoying and some of the facial design inIt's an average game and although I thought what game freak did was wrong, I thought it was a pretty decent game. I'm neutral on the national dex because I feel bad for the people that got affected by this but at the same time it doesn't really affect me. I liked the new pokemon and the dark type gym but, I wasn't a fan of Hop. He seemed a little annoying and some of the facial design in this game feels out of place.… Expand
  26. Akayomi
    Nov 19, 2019
    7
    Short version:
    The Good:
    - Refreshing feeling overall - Good character designs - Good looking graphics and animations (Half of the time, more on this down on the 'bad') - Wild Area is amaizing The bad: - Lazy animations on a lot of attacks (Which makes it even worse, considering some attacks have beautiful animations) - FPS drops on the Wild Area, even in Docked mode - Cutting    Short version:
    The Good:
    - Refreshing feeling overall
    - Good character designs
    - Good looking graphics and animations (Half of the time, more on this down on the 'bad')
    - Wild Area is amaizing

    The bad:
    - Lazy animations on a lot of attacks (Which makes it even worse, considering some attacks have beautiful animations)
    - FPS drops on the Wild Area, even in Docked mode
    - Cutting the National Dex to "include better animations". Animations that are not in the game.
    - General unpolished feel to the game. This game needed at least 3-6 more months of development, and it could've easily been the BEST pokemon game of all time. Instead, we get a half-baked, mediocre pokemon game.

    Overall: If you enjoyed pokemon games, you will have fun. The game lacks in a lot of aspects, but it's still an enjoyable experience. I wish GameFreak would've taken more time to polish it a bit more, or at the very least that they adress the issues on patches down the line.

    Long version:
    I'm glad I bought this.

    Yes, the game has issues (FPS drops, some animations are cheap as **** it's generally unpolished, unnecesary dexit) but the game really ISN'T as bad as leakers and naysayers would have you believe. It pisses me off because if they had a few more months (say, 3 months, like Animal Crossing) this game could have been the BEST pokemon game ever. Instead, we get a half-assed mediocre game, but with enough fun stuff that it guarantees a huge profit for GameFreak, therefore they will not learn, and will continue to half-ass games, most likely. That's pretty sad.
    Also, anyone saying "the game is short!!! you can beat it in 8 hours!!" is full of **** I haven't even finished the main story and check it: 26hs and ticking. And I haven't even started doing max raids or anything endgame like that.
    The XP share turned on all the time is a pain in the ass, and we SHOULD have an option to turn it off.
    The difficulty is... very low. You can just mash A and you will probably win most fights. That being said, difficulty does spike in a few battles here and there. But most of the time it's very easy.

    Is this game perfect? No, not at all. Is it bad? Not really. It's average, or mediocre, whatever word you prefer to use. But it's fun. If you walk into the game wanting to hate it, you'll nitpick and hate every part of it. If you walk into the game wishing to have fun... well, you'll have tons of fun.

    Whether or not this game is worth 60$ is up to you to decide. For me, it should be 40$ and not a cent more. But I still bent over and paid full price. Even tho I reckon it shouldn't be full price, I personally am having lots of fun, and that makes it worth my time and money.    … Expand
  27. Krakuan
    Nov 19, 2019
    7
    Its by no means perfect but the game is fun to play. The new pokemon look cool and i particularly like the look of Dragapult and toxitricity. I'm a bit bummed about the fact that i can't bring in Regus ( my swampert from my emerald game) but it's honestly a minor annoyance for me as i tend to use a team of new gen pokemon anyway and only bringing in one or two old favourites from previousIts by no means perfect but the game is fun to play. The new pokemon look cool and i particularly like the look of Dragapult and toxitricity. I'm a bit bummed about the fact that i can't bring in Regus ( my swampert from my emerald game) but it's honestly a minor annoyance for me as i tend to use a team of new gen pokemon anyway and only bringing in one or two old favourites from previous gen games.

    Collecting all the pokemon is only one aspect of pokemon and I've always maintained that its the journey and becoming champion that are the main aspects of pokemon. Personally i don't do multiplayer at all for anything so i don't really do the whole battling other people thing. Dynamax raids are a bummer in this regard but hey i can just not do them so its fine. I would have liked team yell to be a bigger threat and since i still have all my pokemon in my pokebank i have still basically almost caught them all ( still struggling with dreepy aquisition) so it doesn't really matter if i can't have them all in one game as i still have them. I do recommend getting it on special or do what i did and split the price of a sword and shield bundle with a friend or family member to reduce the cost. Graphics are a bit lackluster but honestly as someone who plays almost all his games on low quality i don't really care ( this is a personal thing) and i would have liked the option to turn shared exp so that i actually use pokemon to get them to evolve (this is actually a very good way to find out move sets and abilities about pokemon you thought sucked based on looks but turn out to be awesome when you take the time to battle with them. I would have liked some more end game content like in emerald with the battle frontier or something similar to heartgold with those race minigames and pokemon contests from emerald where you could be a coordinator. All in all its not a bad game its just missing a few minor things some some people are blowing a bit out of proportion. You can still catch all the pokemon you just can't have them all in the same region now and lets be honest that makes sense. Satoshi doesn't take all his pokemon with him when he goes to a new region ( he just takes pikachu) he leaves them in kanto. I view this the same way i just wish i could have taken my version of pikachu ( Regus) with me    … Expand
  28. Cassichu
    Nov 20, 2019
    7
    I have been a long time pokemon fan since before I can remember, and have faithfully followed the franchise through thick and thin, from Kanto to Hoenn to Alola and now to the wide open fields and idyllic landscapes of Galar. I came into this new game with certain expectations - and they were met to a certain degree, and in some areas they fell miserably short. I got a pokemon game, withI have been a long time pokemon fan since before I can remember, and have faithfully followed the franchise through thick and thin, from Kanto to Hoenn to Alola and now to the wide open fields and idyllic landscapes of Galar. I came into this new game with certain expectations - and they were met to a certain degree, and in some areas they fell miserably short. I got a pokemon game, with its beautiful world and its unique character designs, both human and pokemon; I got a promising look into the post-game competitive scene and the excitement of all the new ways to find shinies! Personally, the cut pokedex never bothered me personally - we all knew it was coming, and you would be disillusioned to say that you didn't, what with there being over 1000 unique pokemon and designs when including form variations into the mix - but I will say that the PR response by Nintendo and GameFreak has been disappointing. The game suffers not only because what it could have been, but for the excuses that were given that these features were not available.

    The game itself is solid (though the lack of a real VILLAINOUS PRESENCE really was something that I found more disappointing than I thought I would), but I will say that they are lacking in some respects. The wild area is an amazing concept, but never quite reached its full potential, the story was shallow and I found myself reminiscing about the deeper more engaging stories of generations past; the textures were rough visually in some places, and we all know about the animations.

    My score comes from a place of concern and love. This was a pokemon game - but it was nothing more. It wasn't unique and revolutionary like Pokemon Black/White's story, and it wasn't the first of its kind for the time like Pokemon Yellow/Red/Blue. Pokemon has and continues to be one of my favorite franchises, and while I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in Galar thus far (~50 hrs at the time of this review), I am left with wanting more.

    More content, a deeper story, a heftier post game concerning more than just the competitive scene that will turn off plenty of casual players. I loved Sword and Shield, more than likely many of the upset fans leaving their countless reviews here - but as a fan of the franchise, I want it to be better. I want it to be more than what we've been shown and to take advantage of all the resources laid out at their feet. I hold close to my heart a dream that soon, we'll be given the pokemon game we want that gives us a new look on the franchise without wiping clean the slate that they have laid out for us in generations past, where we're given voice acting, a more high-def view of the world, and a story that carries more weight. Pokemon may be considered a child's game, but it carries with it the nostalgia and the love of generations of fans - and GF/Nintendo haven't quite found the balance where it caters to both.

    Pros:
    - Beautiful at a glance, a new take on how a pokemon game is laid out
    - Amazing new designs, human and pokemon alike
    - Small steps towards innovation in the form of the Wild Area and erasure of restrictive HM moves
    - Customization is much more varied and refreshing; finding a trainer that looks like you is a hard task
    - A genuinely enjoyable experience for a casual player, as well as old fans looking for a comfortable playthrough

    Cons:
    - Limited graphics compared to what the Switch is capable of
    - A story that lacks the weight/impact of previous titles
    - A lackluster post-game unless you're looking into getting into the competitive/shiny breeding scene
    - Where there is some innovation, there feels like there's a loss of soul that makes pokemon what it is

    Any hard core pokemon fan would be remiss to not get these games, but the $60 price tag is certainly something that hurts a game that feels like it would have been nearly the same as a $40 DS title. I would recommend the games wholeheartedly, but with the footnote that it's all what it appears on the surface: a pokemon game. Time will tell if this whole debacle will finally get through to GameFreak and Nintendo as a whole, but for now - until the next games come out - I will enjoy my foray through Galar. I hope those that give these games a chance will do the same.    … Expand
  29. BobeoFunnelcake
    Nov 21, 2019
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It’s a solid Pokémon game, and is the first to bring back the enjoyment I felt playing black and white for the first time. Animations leave things to be desired, but what it lacks in animations it makes up for in new Pokémon designs. The wild area makes leveling up much easier, as opposed to grinding in previous games. Dynamaxing Pokémon is certainly an interesting mechanic, though I’m disappointed that mega evolutions were removed, as that felt like a new constant game mechanic. It’s a perfectly fine Pokémon game, however I hoped that gen 8 would’ve done more with the series, but if you like Pokémon games, I’d say give it a shot.… Expand
  30. Keeb79
    Nov 27, 2019
    7
    OK, this game is really difficult to talk about, as it gets a lot of things right, but also a lot of things wrong. Let's start positively, though.

    Most of the things that this game does will satisfy fans, at least I think so. There's about 90 new Pokémon and most of them are great, you'll definitely get a lot of fun battles out of them, even if the game isn't all that challenging. The    OK, this game is really difficult to talk about, as it gets a lot of things right, but also a lot of things wrong. Let's start positively, though.

    Most of the things that this game does will satisfy fans, at least I think so. There's about 90 new Pokémon and most of them are great, you'll definitely get a lot of fun battles out of them, even if the game isn't all that challenging. The Gym Challenge is a fun idea, and with a little bit more exploration, would have really improved this game. There isn't a lot of outstanding points to make, but this game does most things pretty well.

    But I know why you're here. The Pokédex has been Thanos Snapped, the story is well... non-existant and most of the characters are boring and have no personality. Look, these are major flaws that do prove how rushed the game is, but if you're just a casual player looking for some Poké-fun, you will probably look past these annoyances and be able to enjoy the game for what it is. No, it's not as good as let's say, Sun & Moon, but it still holds up... decently. At least I think it does.

    You don't have to agree with me, but I think it's ok. 7/10/B-    … Expand
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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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