Pokemon Sword / Shield: The Isle of Armor

 Switch
User Score
5.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 520 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 181 out of 520
  2. Mixed: 119 out of 520
  3. Negative: 220 out of 520

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  1. Babajaga88
    Jul 5, 2023
    0
    A bad expansion for a very bad title. Lazy map design with lazy artistic view
  2. Marioipod13
    May 25, 2023
    2
    Not a good postgame DLC storyline, Platinum, Black 2, and UltraMoon did more than double better than this without publishing a DLC. It has some interesting new areas but the story is just all cutscenes and little interaction. Additionally, the DLC is overpriced and split into two versions. It's smarter to buy a trio of Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum than waste money on this.
  3. JulienK06
    Dec 11, 2022
    3
    Underwhelming, it should have had more content even tho the open world was fun to explore in the first 15 minutes
  4. Fazed
    Nov 23, 2021
    4
    Not very fun at all, its basically just a mini pokemon game story rather than a contiuation but you are just overleved as hell so each battle feels more like a pain in the ass rather than a battle. You basically just have to nerf yourself just to make it feel like there is a progression to the game. I think it is a good way to do the pokedex additions and make the area feel more unique.
  5. Nati
    Mar 14, 2021
    0
    This DLC has absolutely destroyed Pokemon Sword/Shield Ranked matching.

    Ranked is just an imbalanced JOKE now that requires zero skill or knowledge and spamming Legendaries. Urshifu is OP... I dont care about your "debate" That pokemon is OP. Not to mention other STARTLING imbalance issues that has ruined a long history of great competitive gameplay. Way to kick the hardcore fans    This DLC has absolutely destroyed Pokemon Sword/Shield Ranked matching.

    Ranked is just an imbalanced JOKE now that requires zero skill or knowledge and spamming Legendaries.

    Urshifu is OP... I dont care about your "debate" That pokemon is OP. Not to mention other STARTLING imbalance issues that has ruined a long history of great competitive gameplay.

    Way to kick the hardcore fans Pokemon, this was a rediculous decision. 0/10

    PS My review is about THE WHOLE game, but Pokemon seem to think these DLC deserves a title on their own. So I will return the favour and 0/10 them all.    … Expand
  6. klhbkjlhjhu
    Feb 26, 2021
    0
    This game basterdized the whole purpose of Pokemon. The game is relatively easy and does not have any challenges like of how Black/White has ( except Black/White is one of the good Pokemon games whereas Sword/Shield isn't. ), what is the point where you are wasting your money on stupid expansions? It seems here that GF is just greedy for money like most multi-billion corporations are. ThisThis game basterdized the whole purpose of Pokemon. The game is relatively easy and does not have any challenges like of how Black/White has ( except Black/White is one of the good Pokemon games whereas Sword/Shield isn't. ), what is the point where you are wasting your money on stupid expansions? It seems here that GF is just greedy for money like most multi-billion corporations are. This game is seriously not worth your time, I recommend you not buying the game for your own sake.… Expand
  7. Warbringer
    Feb 21, 2021
    1
    No story. No Pokedex. Not all Pokemon available. Only handholding. Content locked behind DLC. Content locked behind third party apps like "Pokemon Home" "Pokemon Bank" "Nintendo Switch Online". Gamefreak lied to all of us and they admited it.
  8. Stormwooper
    Jan 4, 2021
    0
    I dont know why crown tundra isn’t included in this page as its icluded as they get packed together, they are basically the same game. The story is short but the areas are awesome.
  9. SwShDie
    Dec 28, 2020
    0
    WAKE UP... GAME FREAK IS SELLING THE CONTENT THAT SHOULD'VE BEEN IN SWSH BACK TO YOU. They refused to back down from making the SwSh base game a steaming pile of dung (THAT's what they call service??) and now they've come at you with a can of grease and a broomstick in order to "give back some content"... for more money after the fact!
  10. Otts
    Dec 20, 2020
    0
    Unfinished product sold with cut content at a full price. Glitchy and disrespectful with its consumers and fanbase. A loveless cashgrab rushed to the market from the highest grossing media franchise in the planet. Underperforming software for the current generation standards. Shameless and sad.
  11. greninjaX
    Nov 25, 2020
    0
    pokemon SWSH and it's expansion pass are stupid wastes of money. gamefreak put zero effort into making this. where's the real 8th gen? is this some kind of twisted joke!?
  12. JuniorTrucho14
    Nov 13, 2020
    0
    Definitivamente a Gamefreak le queda grande la IP. Asqueroso juego hecho a medias incluso con está "expansión". Lo más indignante es que te ponen este desproposito a $90 y eso sin contar lo que se gasta en en Pokémon Home y Bank. Tremando mojón este juego.
  13. vitin
    Nov 7, 2020
    4
    Ao mesmo tempo que a DLC adiciona algumas ideias legais, não é o suficiente por esse preço, mais ainda considerando o quão curta ela é. O Urshifu tem uma mecanica divertida, mas não vale a pena. Talvez depois de jogar o The Crown Thundra eu mude de opinião.
  14. RobbieRelhas
    Oct 28, 2020
    0
    Garbage dlc for a garbage game as expected.
  15. Ed44
    Oct 26, 2020
    0
    Abonnement internet obligatoire pour finir le jeu et cher pour le contenu proposé
  16. Suroguner
    Oct 17, 2020
    0
    I managed to get the DLC for free buy buying a bunch of other better games and collecting the my Nintendo gold coins. Getting into the DLC, it's not worth it. Following pokemon is broken and worse than the previous games in the series that had the feature.

    While the game was updated to support players who don't have the dlc, you still have no real way to get the pokemon it has without    I managed to get the DLC for free buy buying a bunch of other better games and collecting the my Nintendo gold coins. Getting into the DLC, it's not worth it. Following pokemon is broken and worse than the previous games in the series that had the feature.

    While the game was updated to support players who don't have the dlc, you still have no real way to get the pokemon it has without some form of payment. While a non-issue for past games, Here it's a bigger problem as it's either a minimum of $8 for a combo of Bank and home, provided you still have a 3ds and a bank compatible game, or a max of $30 (plus tax) for access. One could argue you could get it for free doing what I did, but that technically is just a more expensive way of getting the DLC without giving the money to the pokemon company and Gamefreak.

    One of the advertised features, the apricorns, gives you the wrong idea about getting more apricorn based pokeballs. the only exchange for them gives you totally random items and you must use 4 items at a time. In the past Johto games, these items were given directly to a NPC named Kurt who made the balls for you with them.

    The addition of another wild area seemed good at first, until you start catching everything. Because you can see the pokemon now, what pokemon you can find where is even less of a mystery and you can actively avoid encounters. After that the area becomes boring.

    What could be considered a double edged sword is that because you could come to it at any time, the area scales up ALL the pokemon based on your current progress in the base game.

    the diggers who dig up armorite or are actually worse than the diggers who dig up items and watts as if their shovels break you get nothing opposed to getting what they dug up. It's a gamble to even use them, and I'm not sure if this feature is even legal in Korea.

    Despite not being through the DLC's story at the time of writing, the dlc is just not worth it. Not even by the method I used to get it. On the plus side, I got a bunch of better games along the way.    … Expand
  17. doltorb
    Oct 14, 2020
    1
    I can't believe I spent £70 on this game. I spent 25 hours in total playing (most of which seemed to be spent watching story animations waiting to be able to do anything) and feel like I have done everything there is to do already.
    This has to be the most simple plot of any pokemon game I've ever played. Every step of the way you are led through the basic maps without really having to    I can't believe I spent £70 on this game. I spent 25 hours in total playing (most of which seemed to be spent watching story animations waiting to be able to do anything) and feel like I have done everything there is to do already.
    This has to be the most simple plot of any pokemon game I've ever played. Every step of the way you are led through the basic maps without really having to explore at all, the cities are visually impressive but lack any actually interesting features. The standard good guys vs bad guys subplot is simpler than any other game and lacks any difficulty. There is no post-game content other than the isle of armor DLC which basically just adds a second wild area and a tiny plot that can probably be completed in 30 minutes.
    The graphics are impressive but don't make up for how lacking in substance this game is.    … Expand
  18. BigTaco
    Aug 31, 2020
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Buy this expansion if you just want another wild area. This exp. forces you to use a pokemon in some fights. This honestly should have been like $10. Easy money grab.… Expand
  19. NuiHarime
    Aug 27, 2020
    0
    una gran mierda, solo miseria sin contenido descatable, tiene mas pokemon smeralda que esta basura
  20. Jippe89
    Aug 19, 2020
    3
    This DLC is a big disappointment, a cash grab. No substantial content except time wasting tasks and old Pokémon to catch.

    Yes it's a nice experience to traverse around this island with all Pokémon roaming about, bits that's not enough to demand extra payment for. It's a lackluster "story" and tedious tasks (Diglett...) that should have offered an upgrade. A (for a Pokémon game) boring    This DLC is a big disappointment, a cash grab. No substantial content except time wasting tasks and old Pokémon to catch.

    Yes it's a nice experience to traverse around this island with all Pokémon roaming about, bits that's not enough to demand extra payment for.

    It's a lackluster "story" and tedious tasks (Diglett...) that should have offered an upgrade. A (for a Pokémon game) boring game just got worse. That pains me.    … Expand
  21. GabFire
    Aug 9, 2020
    0
    Tutorial de como estragar uma franquia super conhecida e aclamada por todos, terceira e melhor parte:
    Passo número 1: Chame a Nintendo!
    Parabéns!!! Você concluiu seu tutorial.
  22. amn94
    Aug 5, 2020
    0
    Este DLC es la muestra del futuro deceso de la franquicia... contenido que debería estar incluido en el juego base, ningun arreglo a la gran cantidad de bugs que hay , es penoso que el primer juego 3D de Pokemon, el Stadium logre que los pokemon se sientan mas vivos que estos pokemon que vuelan como drones, se estancan en paredes, aparecen y desaparecen, etc...

    Es el principio del fin    Este DLC es la muestra del futuro deceso de la franquicia... contenido que debería estar incluido en el juego base, ningun arreglo a la gran cantidad de bugs que hay , es penoso que el primer juego 3D de Pokemon, el Stadium logre que los pokemon se sientan mas vivos que estos pokemon que vuelan como drones, se estancan en paredes, aparecen y desaparecen, etc...

    Es el principio del fin de Pokemon, pero no es culpa de la empresa, sino de los consumidores que comprarán absolutamente todo lo que tenga Pokemon en el nombre, y luego se quejan de que van a tener que pagar 400 dolares para una experiencia completa....    … Expand
  23. TestingTest123
    Aug 4, 2020
    1
    How are people actually willing to pay $30 for this?

    - The DLC is extremely easy even compared to the already piss easy main game, due to the amazingly bad level scaling where Pokemon were generally around the levels 50-70s and your Pokemon will be around levels 80-100s. You will just be mindlessly tapping A for every single battle to the point where it becomes tedious as all hell to    How are people actually willing to pay $30 for this?

    - The DLC is extremely easy even compared to the already piss easy main game, due to the amazingly bad level scaling where Pokemon were generally around the levels 50-70s and your Pokemon will be around levels 80-100s. You will just be mindlessly tapping A for every single battle to the point where it becomes tedious as all hell to "play".

    - Wild area was ok-ish but honestly not enough to justify a $30 price tag

    - Following Pokemon was a nice touch to bring back from LGPE. However, Pokemon will constantly teleport and pop-in from nowhere when they lag behind the player. This is quite distracting and honestly became annoying to look at after a while.

    - Story was straight up non existent and the DLC can be completed in about 2 hours (being generous here).

    - The Digletts (why?)

    - Another battle tower clone (no effort as per usual).

    This just goes to show that Gamefreak realizes that they can just keep cutting content and brain dead consoomers/casuals will just eat it up no matter the price.    … Expand
  24. LewisDisease
    Jul 27, 2020
    3
    Content took like a total 2h to beat, being generous, taking it slow and trying to enjoy it.

    Nothing of substance other than the first time exploring the Island, the Kubfu storyline and the challange battles at the dojo. I don't know why I keep expecting greatness from Pokemon games in 2020.
  25. mtkf
    Jul 26, 2020
    4
    Wayyyy too short for it's price. Game Freak really screwed up Pokemon this generation. Sword and shield should have been a 3ds game with a $40 price tag
  26. Lobo_Nocturno
    Jul 18, 2020
    0
    Sorry but Gamefreak is not allowed to sell us pokemon from old games, previous games had this feature de facto. Poor adition to a poor base game. Offensively easy and there is no difference between Shield and Sword DLC so it's nonsense selling them separate... a total mess.
  27. Harrison17
    Jul 2, 2020
    3
    debería estar todo ese contenido en el juego inicial una verdadera estafa de Nintendo y game freak
  28. NERDAleck
    Jun 29, 2020
    0
    Funghimax? Wtf? This is pokemon? Are you serius?
    I can’t believe.
    This dlc is ridicolous!!
  29. Squaf
    Jun 28, 2020
    3
    Not worth the price. The base game is limited in what you can do, and the main storyline is dry. You level up so fast that by the time I got to the end, I was at least 10 levels ahead of the opponents. This game pales in comparison to every other Pokémon game I’ve ever played (smart phone games excluded). The graphics aren’t terrible, but compared to Switch games like Mario Odyssey or BOTWNot worth the price. The base game is limited in what you can do, and the main storyline is dry. You level up so fast that by the time I got to the end, I was at least 10 levels ahead of the opponents. This game pales in comparison to every other Pokémon game I’ve ever played (smart phone games excluded). The graphics aren’t terrible, but compared to Switch games like Mario Odyssey or BOTW it’s pretty bad. Spending $30 on the dlc that I beat in one day is probably the biggest waste of money I’ve ever spent. The best part of the game is definitely the Wild Area, and even that gets pretty underwhelming after a while. Over all it seems like they were rushing to release the game, knowing long time fans would buy it regardless of quality.… Expand
  30. Gallego
    Jun 28, 2020
    0
    Contenido de pago recortado de un juego base desastroso, el cual ni siquiera añade contenido acorde a su precio. Una total basura.
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Awards & Rankings

7
#7 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
69

Mixed or average reviews - based on 42 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 42
  2. Mixed: 26 out of 42
  3. Negative: 1 out of 42
  1. Universo Nintendo
    Dec 16, 2020
    70
    When reviwed from a zero point, Isle of Armor renews the metagame and includes a significant amount of content. It is just a pity that there is no sign of challenge to live up to the eight months of training. When out of this vacuum, however, it is clear that this expansion is much more complete than the base game, expanding its experience.
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  2. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Oct 26, 2020
    80
    The overall evolution of the Pokémon gameplay experience has taken another step forward thanks to DLC. [Issue #48 – September/October 2020, p. 28]
  3. GameMAG
    Sep 12, 2020
    50
    A tiny boring plot, four new monsters for the series, and optimization of some game mechanics are clearly not enough for fans of the franchise, nor for ordinary players. The overall impression of the Expansion Pass, of course, can be formed only after the release of the final part - The Crown of Tundra. Now we can only say with complete confidence that The Isle of Armor is not worth the money.
    Read full review
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