Pokemon Sword / Shield: The Isle of Armor

 Switch
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Mixed or average reviews - based on 42 Critic Reviews What's this?

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5.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 520 Ratings

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  • Summary: THE ISLE OF ARMOR - In The Isle of Armor expansion, you'll head to The Isle of Armor, the stage of your new adventure in the Galar region. The Isle of Armor is a giant island full of environments not seen in Galar beforeyou'll find wave-swept beaches, forests, bogs, caves, and sandTHE ISLE OF ARMOR - In The Isle of Armor expansion, you'll head to The Isle of Armor, the stage of your new adventure in the Galar region. The Isle of Armor is a giant island full of environments not seen in Galar beforeyou'll find wave-swept beaches, forests, bogs, caves, and sand dunes!,There are also plenty of Pokémon that make this island their home, living freely amid the lush natural surroundings.,There's even a dojo here that specializes in some very particular training styles! You and your Pokémon will take up an apprenticeship under the master of this dojo and train hard to become even stronger.… Expand

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Pokemon Sword And Shield - Expansion Pass Trailer

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 42
  2. Mixed: 26 out of 42
  3. Negative: 1 out of 42
  1. 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]
    All this publication's reviews
  2. Nintendo Enthusiast
    Jun 22, 2020
    80
    Overall, if you're a fan of Pokémon Sword and Shield, you'll probably enjoy The Isle of Armor. It's not perfect and it feels a little skimpy, but the decent amount of postgame content that is there contributes quite well to the main title. It truly feels like an expansion rather than something excised from the main game, which is the best you can hope for when it comes to DLC.
  3. IGN Spain
    Jun 18, 2020
    76
    Despite not being the primary DLC for the Pokémon Sword and Shield Expansion Pass, The Isle of Armor has enough quality content to bring us back to the eighth generation. Even if its history is short and shallow.
  4. Destructoid
    Jun 17, 2020
    70
    You're getting a very small narrative and another big interconnected Wild Area: that's pretty much of the gist of it.
  5. Meristation
    Jun 26, 2020
    70
    Isle of Armor is an interesting shot of new content which the original Pokémon Sword and Shield players will be able to extend the game experience for a few hours. It is not necessarily better, but it does successfully complement the previous experience. Smart map design, 100 new returning Pokémon, some quests to face… but the story is too short, though. Good enough.
  6. LevelUp
    Jul 5, 2020
    60
    The Isle of Armor is an expansion that does things right, but in the end it feels like an underwhelming experience. The main story leaves a lot to be desired and I can't help but think that some of its improvements should be on the base game.
  7. Daily Star
    Jul 15, 2020
    40
    Now that you have already paid for both expansions, let’s hope The Crown Tundra is a better experience all around.

See all 47 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 122
  2. Mixed: 25 out of 122
  3. Negative: 71 out of 122
  1. KrissTRS
    Jun 19, 2020
    10
    Personally I adore all pokemon games and more of it is just perfect for me and the new wild area/entire new area is large expansive and feelsPersonally I adore all pokemon games and more of it is just perfect for me and the new wild area/entire new area is large expansive and feels lived in unlike the base one wich felt more barron
    Over all perfect for anyone who slightly enjoyed the base game. The story could have been longer but its aboit 2 and a half hours a quarter of the base game so with the other part it will be enough and more for me    … Expand
  2. hkjhkjh
    Jun 17, 2020
    8
    Pro:
    +Much more complex and more variety than the wild area
    +Some of the areas like the swamp or the forest look much better than we know    Pro:
    +Much more complex and more variety than the wild area
    +Some of the areas like the swamp or the forest look much better than we know from the wild area, it's still not switch standard but still

    Con:
    -No new pokemon or galarean form beside the ones we already knew about (Kubfu, Urshifu, Slowpoke, Slowbro), atleast i didn't enounter one in the 10h i already played
    -Not much trainer battles and most of them are very easy (exept the last one)

    Neutral:
    ~Pokemon follow you which is really nice BUT only on the isle of armor and because of the postition of the camera and the fact that most pokemon are slower than the player u don't see them most of the time because they are too much behind

    Overall about what I expected,, it's really ok, especially considering that was only the first DLC, really looking forward to the next one    … Expand
  4. marvsfontanilla
    Mar 31, 2021
    7
    Story: 7
    Graphics: 8
    Sound: 7
    Gameplay: 7
    Game Time: 5 Hours (Main Story)
  5. MohammadBAghri
    Jun 27, 2020
    4
    This text does not contain spoilers
    And that's just a short review, not all parts of the game, and it's just a summary.
    The graphics,    This text does not contain spoilers
    And that's just a short review, not all parts of the game, and it's just a summary.
    The graphics, gameplay, and storyline aren't as compelling as they should be.
    This is an unresolved issue and unfortunately this game does not have anything attractive.    … Expand
  6. CKaedhan
    Jun 21, 2020
    2
    Here are the reasons why you would want this DLC:

    -The new legendary -Pokemons to catch from the island And then the QoLs/"""P2W"""    Here are the reasons why you would want this DLC:

    -The new legendary
    -Pokemons to catch from the island

    And then the QoLs/"""P2W""" elements:
    -Gigamax Soup that gives Gigamax gene so your Shiny Charizard can now gigamax instead of just Dynamaxing.
    -Cram-o-Matic, some recipes are crazy good, 4 candy into a talent pill!
    -The island currency that allows you to access some features such as resetting EVs or teach the new abilities.
    -EVs Drinks at a reduced cost.

    Gameplay wise, you have a weak story and "Mastery challenges", a series of battle that forces you to use a certain type. You also have a quest to find 150 Diglett that was the best experience of all the DLC.

    The story is:
    -Battle 2 trainers.
    -Battle 3 pokemon.
    -Go find Mushrooms.
    -Another Trainer battle.
    -Get the Legendary and max out his happiness.
    -5 Trainer Battle.
    -Find a Pokemon.
    -Find another Pokemon.
    -Find a third Pokemon.
    -One Last battle to conclude the DLC.
    Fin.

    All of this in less than 2h and the content isn't even level scaled.
    I know a fellow pokemon fan that usually take AGES to finish a game, he finished it in 6 hours while taking his time.

    But what about the new island? It's big and diverse. You have a desert, forest, beach and even a neat sea to explore. The textures are still ugly as hell but it isn't as empty as the main game's Wild Area.

    There is actually a bug that prevents Pokemons to be registered in the Pokedex if they come from Pokemon Home. Without this bug I would have completed 100% of the DLC, with of course no guide on how to find the Diglett.

    It's more of a "Pay For Quality of life" type of DLC, like a premium pass that increases your inventory size or ease the access to some elements. You don't pay the DLC for the gameplay or extra challenges. You pay it to complete/fix Sw&Sh features. And they charge you 15$ for it.

    That's a 2 for me, a DLC should bring new ways to enjoy the game. Correction, fix and quality of life should be free update.
    Do you remember that Breath of the Wild DLC Pass was 20$ and added much more ?    … Expand
  7. Babajaga88
    Jul 5, 2023
    0
    A bad expansion for a very bad title. Lazy map design with lazy artistic view
  8. Lareplay
    Jun 18, 2020
    0
    This game, it's so unattractive! The added areas are all small volumes, with no answers to what you've been doing for a year! The game is soThis game, it's so unattractive! The added areas are all small volumes, with no answers to what you've been doing for a year! The game is so boring, fun! You can tell it's a real rush.… Expand

See all 122 User Reviews

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Awards & Rankings

7
#7 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2020