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. Lil_noggin
    Jul 19, 2023
    9
    To me it's a really great game that's part open world part story and I like all the pokémon that they have, including all of the new ones and the regional pokémon. In fact, it's the pokémon game that got me into other pokémon games it also has a pretty good online mode and I can see you why people wouldn't like it though because it's mostly just different than the other pokémon games butTo me it's a really great game that's part open world part story and I like all the pokémon that they have, including all of the new ones and the regional pokémon. In fact, it's the pokémon game that got me into other pokémon games it also has a pretty good online mode and I can see you why people wouldn't like it though because it's mostly just different than the other pokémon games but it's also one of the first pokémon games to have pokémon out of the grass… Expand
  2. Rab1219
    Jul 3, 2023
    9
    Amazing Pokemon game! Only thing stopping it from being a 10 is the amount of cutscenes
  3. drseven
    Jun 30, 2023
    8
    Fun and addictive game that preserves the essence of the Pokemon saga. the attempt to implement a more open area is a bit mediocre. As a negative point, the caves are very uninspired. The implementation of raids can extend the life of the game ideal for play with your friends.
  4. Danikyo-Inverso
    May 13, 2023
    10
    De lo mejor en toda la franquicia, y aunque no es tan bueno como la gloriosa 7ma generación, este juego supone un gran paso adelante en el aspecto gráfico y competitivo, con mas de 400 pokémon capturables, uno esta servido en cuanto a contenido se refiere, y aunque muchos digan lo contrario, las animaciones son de lo mejor en la saga
    Artísticamente hermoso.
  5. Gorgola34
    May 5, 2023
    9
    Juegazo la octava generación, los legendarios increíbles, la historia simple pero contundente y los dlcs con los pájaros legendarios Buff vaya sacada y la ambientación no puede ser mejor, muy muy recomendable
  6. Lugizz
    Apr 2, 2023
    8
    The game is enjoyable even after my 5 playthrough i still find things i didn't see before.
  7. yangfanhong
    Mar 29, 2023
    8
    Yeah i know this game is not good enough for a series with such sale numbers, but at least i had fun.
  8. abc1234567890
    Mar 9, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I love action-packed battles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!… Expand
  9. Gaaaferraz
    Feb 10, 2023
    8
    Um ótimo jogo, com grandes novas adições ao mundo de pokemon. Vou separar aqui em pontos negativos e positivos:
    Positivos
    - Gameplay
    - Novos pokemons
    - Tematica
    - Mapa
    - DLC
    - Amigos
    - Estadios
    Negativos
    - Puzzles e misterios
    - Historia
  10. PotatoePink
    Jan 31, 2023
    8
    A very good Pokémon game. Not much after scarlet and violet released but still worth playing if you like Pokémon games.
  11. empowell
    Jan 17, 2023
    8
    This game was fun and a good escape. I thought the graphics were great and this was the nicest looking Pokemon game on the Switch.
  12. Gustavo1
    Dec 15, 2022
    9
    O jogo é muito bom mesmo por causa de várias novas mecânicas que foram nós apresentadas, a história não pode ser uma das melhores mas a Pokedex está com uma boa variedade de pokémons novos.
  13. KinimodYunmi
    Dec 12, 2022
    10
    Die neue Grafik und das neue Movement ist perfekt, hat extre viel Spaß gemacht, wirklich alles top!
  14. Unnypops
    Nov 20, 2022
    8
    The hate for these games is unjustified. These games aren’t perfect but they’re fun.
    The graphics do not bother average players. A good chunk of people have been hating on every single Pokémon game since X and Y for no real reason. They have no idea what they actually want. They just like to complain.. so do yourself a favor and ignore most of these negative reviews. Shield is fun,    The hate for these games is unjustified. These games aren’t perfect but they’re fun.
    The graphics do not bother average players. A good chunk of people have been hating on every single Pokémon game since X and Y for no real reason. They have no idea what they actually want. They just like to complain.. so do yourself a favor and ignore most of these negative reviews. Shield is fun, especially with the DLC.    … Expand
  15. BorisThe_Spider
    Nov 21, 2022
    8
    I'm not here to complai about National Dex and other things. I'm here just to score the experience of one person that stopped playing main Pokémon games since 2003. It was overall fun, to me this game represents to discover lots of new Pokémon. And the wild area was also a good experiment to prove new and more free ways of gameplay. The main issues of playing this title was the drop of FPSI'm not here to complai about National Dex and other things. I'm here just to score the experience of one person that stopped playing main Pokémon games since 2003. It was overall fun, to me this game represents to discover lots of new Pokémon. And the wild area was also a good experiment to prove new and more free ways of gameplay. The main issues of playing this title was the drop of FPS and the boring and linear difficulty of it.… Expand
  16. BloodMutt
    Nov 21, 2022
    10
    I don't know why everyone has hated on this game. It was good and I played it through to completion.
  17. divegold
    Nov 19, 2022
    10
    Pokemon sword and shiel is great! It has the best gym environment, the best gym leaders and a wonderful soundtrack! Not to mention the well-built dex! The best pokemon experience I've had on the switch
  18. GCDeadshot
    Nov 15, 2022
    10
    I love Hop sooo much, he's my favourite rival, his whole character is heart breaking and his theme makes me really happy!
  19. TaniaTucker
    Nov 10, 2022
    10
    A mí me ha gustado. Veo otras críticas que se quejan de los gráficos, pero sí veo un avance. Aún así, sí eres capaz de dejar a un lado eso, el juego es precioso. La historia está bien, me encantan las zonas salvajes, pasé horas y horas buscando pokemons jejeje y los DLC fueron una delicia. Para mí es recomendable
  20. plattym3
    Nov 9, 2022
    9
    Had a whole bunch of fun with this title playing alongside my son who was playing the opposite title at the same time. I hear all the complaints, but hey, as someone who's not in for competitive play, I just want to collect fun-looking monsters and win, it was perfectly fine. Could the graphics be better? Sure, but nothing's perfect.
  21. Reference_Queen
    Oct 6, 2022
    10
    This game is for chill people. It fixes the quality of life problems of previous games & is very easy.
    It's different from the past games, and that's what gets it a lot of bad reviews. It's very easy, it's not balanced for competitive play, the story is mediocre, there's not a ton of available pokemon (looking at Skitty), the postgame is short, and it's easy to complete the entire game in    This game is for chill people. It fixes the quality of life problems of previous games & is very easy.
    It's different from the past games, and that's what gets it a lot of bad reviews. It's very easy, it's not balanced for competitive play, the story is mediocre, there's not a ton of available pokemon (looking at Skitty), the postgame is short, and it's easy to complete the entire game in two weeks. I love all of these things (except the lack of Skitty). This game was designed for children to play and I appreciate that – the first game I ever played was Pokemon White and I still haven't beaten it. Tiny Me got frustrated just trying to find my way to the next gym.
    Sword/Shield fixes everything I hated about the previous Pokemon games, and that's a long list:
    Curry is my favorite feature. Cooking makes it possible to heal your pokemon without using items or a pokemon center, and gives XP. Curry also makes it easy to make your pokemon love you, so friendship evolutions are a LOT easier. Friendship and happiness are combined in this game, so there's no "affection isn't the same as friendship" bullcrap like Sun/Moon. Getting Eeveelutions is a simple process.
    HMs are gone from this world, finally. Flying to a location is just going to the map and clicking where you want to go, and a flying taxi takes you there. A godsend.
    Most pokemon encounters are in the overworld, and caves are no longer the most annoying thing ever! Repels aren't a necessary item anymore.
    The X menu tells you where your next objective is and how to get there, so you can't get lost or forget where you were supposed to go.
    Leveling is very easy and the EXP is automatically distributed throughout your party. Playing with your pokemon is a lot more fun and open, with the ability to throw balls for your Yamper and Legendary; you just can't pet them (this also gives XP which is nice). Dynamax is a fun thing that helps make the game super easy, and raid dens give XP Candies and sometimes Rare Candies, which makes leveling even easier. With XP Candies, you don't have to grind wild pokemon all the time.
    Boxes are accessible from the X Menu wherever you are, and they're much easier to use.
    There are both regular TMs and breakable TRs that are free and purchasable.
    Moves can be deleted and relearned whenever you visit a Pokemon Center.
    Berries are easily acquired but not easily farmable like the Poké Pelago of Sun/Moon.
    It's also fun to customize your character with clothes! Since money is so plentiful, you can pretty much buy everything eventually :D
    This is my personal favorite Pokemon game because it applies to my style of gameplay: "Who wants things to be hard?" I'd recommend SWSH to anyone who disliked previous Pokemon games for being too difficult, people who like messing around after beating the game, and for anyone who wants to play a chill game where nothing threatens you :3    … Expand
  22. Imanello777
    Oct 1, 2022
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The Game is totally ok but its a little bit too easy, like the trainer battles and the fight against leon. Also its bad that you cant get legendarys (suicune and more) a second time in the crown tundra.… Expand
  23. rebuzzi
    Aug 22, 2022
    10
    its not as bad as people say, i really enjoyed the game! the new pokemon designs are amazing! im ready for the next generation
  24. GavinRhodes
    Jul 28, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Pokémon Sword And Shield are the second best Pokémon games in the entire franchise after generation five i love the dynamaxing mechanic and the gigantamaxing. the game has such a cool region with interesting gym leaders and the dex cut is no big deal because the wild area offers a massive varity early on in your adventure when choosing a team for your adventure.… Expand
  25. Ardho
    Jul 27, 2022
    8
    its an okay game...........................................................
  26. Nintendist
    Jul 2, 2022
    10
    i love this game. is so good and very very strategic. one of the best games ever
  27. Darkspawn677
    Jun 4, 2022
    10
    Pokemon sword and shield is good but it should have mega evolution dynamax and z moves in one game and i liked mega evolution more than z moves
  28. Zumbie101
    May 7, 2022
    8
    Enjoyable game, wild area is fun and the locations look nice and varied. I do find the story gets a but rushed and nonsensical however its pokemon so not exactly playing it for the story.
  29. Rapeest
    Mar 30, 2022
    10
    This game is probably the best Pokémon game to come in a long time. So many unique pokémon and fun fights will make you forget about the real world.
  30. Ventu
    Mar 27, 2022
    9
    Pokemon Shield me ha parecido un salto a mejor con respecto a la generación anterior. La nueva región es variada, con una historia entretenida, y los nuevos Pokemon tiene diseños generalmente buenos (aunque algunos de ellos, al igual que las últimas generaciones, rozan lo absurdo). Es cierto que el no poder capturar todos los Pokemon de pasadas generaciones es una decisión más quePokemon Shield me ha parecido un salto a mejor con respecto a la generación anterior. La nueva región es variada, con una historia entretenida, y los nuevos Pokemon tiene diseños generalmente buenos (aunque algunos de ellos, al igual que las últimas generaciones, rozan lo absurdo). Es cierto que el no poder capturar todos los Pokemon de pasadas generaciones es una decisión más que cuestionable. La parte de mundo abierto, me ha parecido que es el enfoque hacia donde debe de orientarse la franquicia, y las nuevas mecánicas de combate me han parecido interesantes. En definitiva, me parece una muy buena generación, siendo un cambio a mejor para el futuro de la franquicia. Muy recomendable.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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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