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. Will2000
    Nov 16, 2019
    10
    A great game. The low score is completely undeserved and is the result of "fans" angry at it over the fact you can't transfer old Pokemon over. I have no idea what people are talking about with low play times, I'm 7 hours in and have only just beaten the first gym. The graphics are a massive improvement over previous installments to the Pokemon franchise.
  2. Quinneyboi
    Nov 16, 2019
    0
    This game is no improvement. Same old Pokémon game. Graphics are garbage. There’s glitches that happen in the game. Not impressed at all.
  3. Inlustris
    Nov 16, 2019
    0
    I am a simple man, I see no GTS, the game gets a 0 .
  4. Batman431
    Nov 16, 2019
    0
    The Game is Broken, unfinished and the graphics seems to he from 10 years ago.
  5. Theflash2319
    Nov 16, 2019
    0
    No national dex. Unfinished animations. Lack of post game. All for the addition of point less stuff like curry, literally such a stupid concept
  6. SamPorters
    Nov 16, 2019
    0
    - Less Pokemon species than previous games
    - Less moves than previous games
    - Core mechanics of previous games are removed
    - Worst looking graphics than the average PS2 game
    - Close to every animation is reused from previous games
  7. Amenoch
    Nov 16, 2019
    0
    Too much water 7/10, too less pokemon 93/100? What's your point, IGN? Now seriously, tell me when a Pokemon game comes out. I said a trully Pokemon game
  8. Spawnvash
    Nov 16, 2019
    10
    If I compare this to every previous iteration of pokemon I would say is by far the best for 3 main reasons:

    1. Hand-held graphics are great. Compared to previous iterations is amazing, the visual aesthetics make you feel in the country side of a lushy mountainous or fantasy valley. As a sample please refer to the trees swinging with the wind, or musk on the stone railings, birds flying    If I compare this to every previous iteration of pokemon I would say is by far the best for 3 main reasons:

    1. Hand-held graphics are great. Compared to previous iterations is amazing, the visual aesthetics make you feel in the country side of a lushy mountainous or fantasy valley. As a sample please refer to the trees swinging with the wind, or musk on the stone railings, birds flying on the far mountainous landscape. Of course in the TV is not breath of the wild, but again Pokemon was not meant to be played on a TV but rather outside on the move.

    2. Simplicity - less is more: Pokemon old-school fans tend to believe more complex deep and obsolete unnecessary hassles are a must of all games. Let me break this down to you, new-comers to the franchise hate old mechanics, they are dated and would make the game feel like a 2010 game... this is almost 2020 and simplicity wins them all. Easy to pick mechanics, not overcomplicated walking and 25 hours of gameplay is enough. Pokemon is not the only game in the world and if you enjoy only playing one game for the full year please go play FIFA. Simplifying training mechanics is great and although some moves have been removes and cap for some Pokemons, that is ok. Simplified story, thats great! pokemon is a light and joyful game, we don't need Christopher Nolan narratives or ultra dark plot twists, if you want them go play something more mature.

    3. Pokemon cut is great. thank god I don't have to catch **** as pokemons, removing overpowered options and finally saying: If your favourite pokemon got removed, get and fall in love with a new one, seems that some of our pokemon fans don't know how to deal with break-ups. Love the focus on the new gen, rather than relying on old gen designs. At least I know I'm paying for the new content and not just a remaster of old designs.

    New is always better, seems some people are having trouble coping with change, rather than enjoying the new benefits it brings.    … Expand
  9. Sirasseater
    Nov 16, 2019
    0
    Uh oh stinky game. Low effort cash grab trash hope this game flops so gamefreak actually has to try with the next game.
  10. Alvarezz916
    Nov 16, 2019
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Not really sure how I feel about this game. I’ve been having fun playing, but graphics definitely are not good, looking at games that came out two years like Mario Oddesy and Breath Of the Wild. Pokémon Sword and Shield lack in a lot of areas.… Expand
  11. R4F43LL
    Nov 16, 2019
    6
    No geral o jogo é muito bom , porém o corte da dex com a falta de qualidade gráfica acaba deixando o jogo mediano para ruim
  12. Thwsavageminion
    Nov 16, 2019
    9
    Great multiplayer features same mechanics Pokemon has always used but with the dynamax feature it really makes battles interesting, it really doesn't hurt the game to not include the national dex. Ultimately it's a fun game.

    Cons: needs to be easier to find friends and invite them to trades or battles, their system is not intuitive
  13. LJavier91
    Nov 16, 2019
    10
    Buen juego con muy buenos graficos y una gran historia y variedad de Pokémon en las diferentes zonas
  14. kbrooks25
    Nov 16, 2019
    0
    Awful cut-ins and graphics, and a terrible cut to pokemon and moves. Honestly worse than the 3DS games.
  15. Gamefreakout
    Nov 16, 2019
    0
    Don't listen to the paid reviews, this game is utter garbage. I am giving it zero because for the first main series game on the switch for the "long time fans" this is a complete and utter failure. Terrible graphics/animations, boring/predictable story line and the game is deleting save files for other games. Game freak has lied to the consumers repeatedly about this game and need to beDon't listen to the paid reviews, this game is utter garbage. I am giving it zero because for the first main series game on the switch for the "long time fans" this is a complete and utter failure. Terrible graphics/animations, boring/predictable story line and the game is deleting save files for other games. Game freak has lied to the consumers repeatedly about this game and need to be called out. Avoid this game like the plague and we might finally get a capable developer to take over.… Expand
  16. BenzSLR722
    Nov 16, 2019
    0
    Game is rushed. No GTS, wonder trade, and no effort was placed here. All Game Freak cares about is money. Don't believe the critic game reviews because it seems like all those development funds were used to pay the critics
  17. Piecake
    Nov 16, 2019
    0
    Missing Pokemon, bugs galore, horrible textures, bizarre spawning areas for certain pokemon, no difficulty curve at all because of constant xp share, reports of the game breaking save files and switch consoles, I've been waiting 20 years for this, super super disappointing.
  18. Dark_Gator
    Nov 16, 2019
    10
    El juego simplemente me parece maravilloso, aunque extraño algunas cosas como los incontables combates aleatorios que expriman la salud de los PKMN. El juego tiene un balance notable entre combates y exploración. Aunque no es un despliegue grafico escandaloso, te mantiene centrado en lo importante, la diversión.
  19. DrMalign
    Nov 16, 2019
    10
    Buen juego. Ya era hora de un Pokémon de nueva generación. Un must en toda regla.
  20. B4bs
    Nov 16, 2019
    10
    I'm 11 hours in and beat the third gym and damn I'm having a lot of fun, it's the first pokemon game i play since black and white 2 and i'm having a blast! Really glad i bought a switch this year
  21. HyperspaceH0le
    Nov 16, 2019
    10
    Game is better than the previous Gen. A bit more challenging, and the new Wild Area is a beast all its own. 10 hours in and loving it.
  22. pahono6888
    Nov 16, 2019
    1
    It is the shortest Pokemon game ever released. It cut too much content compared to previous games. It is the culmination of years of downgrading products. There is no story but somehow it doesn't leave you alone to explore either. There is nothing to explore. No sense of adventure. There is nothing to do after you beat the main "story". That alone makes it a 4/10. But it is also buggy andIt is the shortest Pokemon game ever released. It cut too much content compared to previous games. It is the culmination of years of downgrading products. There is no story but somehow it doesn't leave you alone to explore either. There is nothing to explore. No sense of adventure. There is nothing to do after you beat the main "story". That alone makes it a 4/10. But it is also buggy and unpolished, so it is a legit 1/10… Expand
  23. Ibarafox
    Nov 16, 2019
    10
    Fantastic music, feels new and familiar at the same time. Fell in love with it at hour two and can't wait for what's in store for subsequent playthroughs
  24. Death_ball13
    Nov 16, 2019
    10
    Absolutely love the open world mix between old and new school Pokémon the game mechanics and handling are amazing this has made me fall back in love with Pokémon after the fault of ultra sun and moon. Graphics are great love the camping and the raids aswell
  25. kelvin78643
    Nov 16, 2019
    2
    the graphic is pretty lag in some places. Also, the story is kinda lagging as I am able to finish in one day. Not much post-story content as compared to the past Pokemon games. hahaha, also the bag is ugly and I realised u took it off during the battle scene.... Lastly, the dynamax Pokemon is kinda like not proportion to the actual size of pokedex. For example, wailord's normal size isthe graphic is pretty lag in some places. Also, the story is kinda lagging as I am able to finish in one day. Not much post-story content as compared to the past Pokemon games. hahaha, also the bag is ugly and I realised u took it off during the battle scene.... Lastly, the dynamax Pokemon is kinda like not proportion to the actual size of pokedex. For example, wailord's normal size is suppose to be super big yet the size is is smaller than a person. This kind of details are super important for the gameplay feel and sense. For example, like monster hunter games, the size of monsters make everything different and the environment we explore in more fun, and adding in more personality and action of them surviving in wild will be nice (etc picking berry to eat). All in all, there is a lot of work to be done. Also, they should remove all Kanto Pokemon like pikachu so as to be fair to the other removed Pokemon and fulfil their statement of wanting people to use new Pokemon only. Not just for the sake of doing less work, and put in popular Pokemon as marketing materials.… Expand
  26. DarckFlow99
    Nov 16, 2019
    10
    El mejor juego de la saga, con unos gráficos nunca vistos en Pokémon, una suavidad impresionante y una historia 100% original
  27. oinutrewas
    Nov 16, 2019
    1
    This is NOT accettable in 2019
    It's the biggest franchise in the world but still we can't get a proper game.

    GF and Nintendo are clearly pointing to the wrong audience with these games, they need to realize that in 2019 most of the people who buys Pokemon are over 18 years old.

    STOP MAKING KIDS GAME
  28. Dillium
    Nov 16, 2019
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. While some areas of the game are absolutely stunning to look at, the wild area, which was the games big selling point, has graphics that would be disappointing on the wii. The trainer and Pokémon models also don’t interact well with the terrain, for example the player often floats, especially when on the bike and water Pokémon don’t make ripples when they are swimming. The game has seen very few improvements in battle animations and many battles have their backgrounds set to a colourful void. Battles also pose very little challenge due to the forces use of a full party exp share leaving Pokémon over leveled very quickly. The story is short and very simple with very little post game content, pretty much just the box legendary, eternatus and a very bland bare-bones battle tower, a world away from the ds games that had multiple post game legendaries and a battle frontier with varied battle challenges that always kept them interesting.

    The addition of certain quality of life improvements, such as the nature changing mints, which make it far easier to obtain competitive-quality Pokémon, are a welcome addition, as is the fact that the player character now has expressions instead of the horrifying blank stares of sun and moon.

    The new gimmick of dynamax and gigantamax are interesting for a while but they just seem like a rehashed version of both mega evolutions and z-moves, both of which were removed from this game. The fact that their use is also heavily limited also makes them feel less impactful.

    The rival Hop shows up a little too often and it sometimes feel like you can’t walk for five minutes without bumping into him, which makes him quickly become irritating.

    Due to this I do not believe the removal of hundreds of Pokémon was a worthwhile trade off given the other issues with the game. However the game is fun, but Pokémon games are almost guaranteed to be fun to play purely due to the premise, but it could have been so much better than it is, it doesn’t feel like playing a switch game, it feels like playing a 3ds game, it feels like GameFreak wasn’t able to take advantage of being on a new console.    … Expand
  29. Safdar-Sap
    Nov 16, 2019
    9
    Good started for open area pokemon game...But game freak need to fix the pixel in the game...and maybe put the voice actor.
  30. Sirotik
    Nov 16, 2019
    10
    Simply the best Pokémon game I've played, the pokedex is a non important detail, the game is marvelous and the landscapes are really beautiful.
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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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