Pokemon Sword

 Switch
User Score
4.7

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 5909 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,997 out of 5909
  2. Mixed: 852 out of 5909
  3. Negative: 3,060 out of 5909
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  1. Carlinhos_86
    Nov 20, 2019
    8
    Finally, an actual Pokémon mainline entry for Switch! Despite the dex cut and the removal of mega-evolution, which is a personal favorite feature, it has exactly what I expect from a Pokémon game: an awesome multiplayer VGC format battle system, which remains unmatched by other turn based RPGs. Character models and environments looking better when compared to previous games on theFinally, an actual Pokémon mainline entry for Switch! Despite the dex cut and the removal of mega-evolution, which is a personal favorite feature, it has exactly what I expect from a Pokémon game: an awesome multiplayer VGC format battle system, which remains unmatched by other turn based RPGs. Character models and environments looking better when compared to previous games on the franchise is also a plus.… Expand
  2. AvalonBunny
    Nov 15, 2019
    0
    A behemoth of a franchise given the Indie treatment by their developer. Easier than ever, no endgame content, no real story, or challenge... Just buy used.
  3. Blinkme1186
    Nov 20, 2019
    10
    Okay, not really a 10 but I feel the game is getting an unfair shake and a massive over reaction. Dexit sucks and I think people are missing the point. Gamefreak did not lie, do not read the quotes from others read the interviews, it was about gameplay, ideas and balancing and time...does it still sting they are not in this game yeah...do I miss all my favorites (which all got cut) yeah,Okay, not really a 10 but I feel the game is getting an unfair shake and a massive over reaction. Dexit sucks and I think people are missing the point. Gamefreak did not lie, do not read the quotes from others read the interviews, it was about gameplay, ideas and balancing and time...does it still sting they are not in this game yeah...do I miss all my favorites (which all got cut) yeah, we have built bonds with these mons. But they have roughly a year-ish dev cycle with 800+ old mons, 80+ new mons enhanced graphics (yes they are in fact better than 3DS). People losing it about post game content, I remember people saying nothing about X & Y's bare bones legendary count and non existent post game. in the end its a pain point and I am willing to bet the National dex will in fact return, whether its by popular demand or they just needed more time. Returning to review, it's fun it's a Pokémon game and its soundtrack is out of this world holy smokes, the graphics are a bit dated but fit Pokémon's anime aesthetic.I would kill for some basic voice acting. The new mon designs range from awesome (Dreadnaw, Corviknight and Wooloo are great examples I can see why they wanted them as headliners in the hype runup) are shining examples, to the less than ideal designs like a certain skwovet or chewtle. The gameplay is polished as usual and dynamax is fine...nothing to write home about...I miss mega's, but the extra mechanics added to gym challenges I found very fun and reinvigorated the idea of the Pokémon gym. Post game does leave something to be desired, I wouldn't be surprised if we see events added to game for more stuff like more older mons and legendary's and the like. Divorced from the controversy its a pretty good Pokémon game, easily a 7.5-8/10 for overall enjoyment not the best but easily not the worst either. I'd say just give it a chance with fresh eyes when the anger and bitterness fades a bit.… Expand
  4. NickTheGolden
    Nov 20, 2019
    1
    Rusted cheap cash grab. No effort was put into the game and no respect was given to fans. Absolute disgrace of a product. Main story barebones, world is mostly ugly, no post game whatsoever and last but not least, no national dex. Gamefreak played the fan base for fools and majority fell for it.
  5. mittens2077
    Nov 20, 2019
    6
    A pretty underwhelming introduction of mainline Pokémon games to the home console, something I have been excited for ever since I was a little kid. I definitely enjoyed some of the higher quality animations in a few of the cutscenes, however the visuals are unpolished in a lot of aspects. Some animations are just embarrassing. The story is generic and the game is awfully hand-holdy, evenA pretty underwhelming introduction of mainline Pokémon games to the home console, something I have been excited for ever since I was a little kid. I definitely enjoyed some of the higher quality animations in a few of the cutscenes, however the visuals are unpolished in a lot of aspects. Some animations are just embarrassing. The story is generic and the game is awfully hand-holdy, even for a children’s RPG. You are constantly lead by a trail of breadcrumbs to your next destination to the point where it’s just stupid. Many familiar Pokémon features have been “streamlined” such as receiving forced exp.share from the get go and your Pokémon are healed after just about every battle. Pokémon seem way too easy to level up also. If they were going to remove all the “tedious” mechanics of Pokémon games, why not just start me out with level 100 Pokémon? I’ve always found individually levelling up my Pokémon gave me a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, but that’s just me I suppose. I like most of the new mon designs, but was disappointed to see only 400 or so Pokémon actually made it into the game. Overall, Pokémon Sword and Shield are definitely not worth their retail price of 70-80 aud. If you’re really keen to pick the games up , Get them second hand. Hopefully Gamefreak delivers something special next time. -_-… Expand
  6. Abtron555
    Nov 20, 2019
    9
    A great game with a few flaws that can be easily overlooked. The story isn’t amazing or anything, but it’s definitely not bad, and Gamefreaks decision to not reveal most of the Pokémon was a great because I actually DISCOVERED new Pokémon that I’d never seen before. Some of the graphics aren’t BOTW (but Pokémon doesn’t use cell shading I believe) but just because the environment wasn’tA great game with a few flaws that can be easily overlooked. The story isn’t amazing or anything, but it’s definitely not bad, and Gamefreaks decision to not reveal most of the Pokémon was a great because I actually DISCOVERED new Pokémon that I’d never seen before. Some of the graphics aren’t BOTW (but Pokémon doesn’t use cell shading I believe) but just because the environment wasn’t perfect, the Pokémon were about as close to perfect that you can get, with the humans and Pokémon were very expensive (humans not as expressive as the Pokémon, but they looked better than Sun and Moon). Over all this game is great and my favorite game in the series!… Expand
  7. ginoconde
    Nov 20, 2019
    9
    So what if the national dex isn't complete. One of the major thrills of a new Pokemon game are the NEW POKEMONS! And the animation is bad? So if the animation for this game is bad, than all the animation for the previous Pokemon is bad as well? People need to reassess their opinions and look at the game objectively. For me I enjoyed this game. The game stayed true to it's core. You startSo what if the national dex isn't complete. One of the major thrills of a new Pokemon game are the NEW POKEMONS! And the animation is bad? So if the animation for this game is bad, than all the animation for the previous Pokemon is bad as well? People need to reassess their opinions and look at the game objectively. For me I enjoyed this game. The game stayed true to it's core. You start off with three starters, you explore and catch Pokemons to join your team, and strive to become Pokemon champion. The missed opportunity for me is the story. They could've made it more innovative, something different, something provocative. Despite how awesome Nintendo makes their games, story has always been their Achilles heel.… Expand
  8. Leisj
    Nov 20, 2019
    2
    Pokemon Sword and Shield truly defines what Game Freak had become ever since the release of X and Y, mediocre. This new title feels less like a Pokemon entry and more like a mobile game. It suffers from bugs, awful coding, pitiful framerates, reused animations, awful texturing, dismal draw distance, and many odd, idiotic moves that have set this game up to be one of the worst games of thePokemon Sword and Shield truly defines what Game Freak had become ever since the release of X and Y, mediocre. This new title feels less like a Pokemon entry and more like a mobile game. It suffers from bugs, awful coding, pitiful framerates, reused animations, awful texturing, dismal draw distance, and many odd, idiotic moves that have set this game up to be one of the worst games of the year.
    Everyone knows by now that Game Freak has lied to their fans and customers with their outrageous claims made during the development of the game. They claimed that they cut pokemon and moves to make way for better animations and models and to improve the competitive balancing of the game. Of course, it was leaked that all the models, textures, and animations in the game are reused from older titles. Was it so hard to make new models and animations? Was it so hard to establish a competitive ban list that didn't affect casual players? Was it so hard to do your job?

    How can a Pokemon game in 2019 run at a locked framerate of 30 FPS on a console that can run Doom and Wolfenstein at average to above average FPS? Why are the "wild areas" so barren and empty? Why are the textures for trees and grass worse than those found on Pokemon Stadium for the N64? Why do I need a special in-game item from an NPC to simply lower the volume of the game? These choices are bizarre and ruin the experience for anyone who didn't even care about the national pokedex's removal in the first place.

    All of this coupled with a nice, hefty $60 price tag just shows Game Freak's laziness, incompetence, and money-grubbing attitude towards their consumers. These "critic" reviews clearly explain the issues in the games, yet the scores don't match with the blatant, obvious, experience ruining issues found in the title. The only reason this game gets a two is because, at the very least, the game was readily available at launch and booted up when inserted into the Switch...    … Expand
  9. Maxtri22
    Nov 20, 2019
    9
    Secondo me molto bello e valido critiche ingiustificate l'unica pecca è che dura poco
  10. i_mush
    Nov 20, 2019
    10
    The critiques are so stupid that I have to counterbalance somehow. This game is not a 10, should be a decent 7-8, but still, it’s a step in the good direction and the bad ratings are just rants from greedy and needy people. “There is no story”... like seriously guys, if you’re looking for good stories in Pokémon games, a franchise for kids, I think you are confused to say the least.The critiques are so stupid that I have to counterbalance somehow. This game is not a 10, should be a decent 7-8, but still, it’s a step in the good direction and the bad ratings are just rants from greedy and needy people. “There is no story”... like seriously guys, if you’re looking for good stories in Pokémon games, a franchise for kids, I think you are confused to say the least. There is some real setback when it comes to animations, voice acting and textures, but judging the way game Freak has slowly evolved the game in the years, I think it’s a decent first step in a new generation. The Pokedex has been dubbed down but there are still a lot of Pokémons to use, it’s just gonna be a fresh start in both the competitive and collecting scene for new users, and it’s gonna make the meta game more balanced, and that said, who knows what the future will bring, older mons are gonna be stored in Pokemon Home, they’re just not usable in sword and shield, so there’s really no point getting all crazy about it, if you can’t find your perfect team with 400 mons you’re just wining because you’ve got nothing better to do with your time. Just get the game and enjoy some polished Pokémon naivety.… Expand
  11. Rene69
    Nov 16, 2019
    0
    Ridiculamente corto el juego,la historia es una risa dura 10h si vas a saco.
  12. Raduq
    Nov 20, 2019
    2
    They lost the change to make a very good game. Clearly a rushed project with development problems that business forced to be release probably months before it should.
    Pros: - New Pokemons,
    - Wild area is pretty fun Cons: - No full pokedex, with the excuse to focus on graphics. - poor graphics: they could be much better, not only because they are cartoonish, but they are a bad    They lost the change to make a very good game. Clearly a rushed project with development problems that business forced to be release probably months before it should.
    Pros: - New Pokemons,
    - Wild area is pretty fun
    Cons: - No full pokedex, with the excuse to focus on graphics.
    - poor graphics: they could be much better, not only because they are cartoonish, but they are a bad cartoonish. In the cities, outside wild area you even can't move the camera.
    - Poor developer and plot choices, very ofter you will see just Pokemon's blocking the path for no reason (you need to go somewhere else first).
    - The game is short, and there's no much pos-game.
    - Removed GTS for no reason (probably trying to force you to buy both games to get all Pokemon's)

    Pokemon games now are yearly releases with very poor quality.    … Expand
  13. Antob
    Nov 20, 2019
    10
    Изумительная игра, начиная с DS3DS с удовольствием наблюдал развитие серии и в этой, что бы нытики не говорили, есть все, что нужно: свободное перемещение по диким местам, гимы и мини игры. Зато в пещерах нет ненавистных зубатов и поиска людей с нужными мувами, чтобы двигать камни и рубить деревья. Пожалуй, лучшая игра серии за последние лет 10.Изумительная игра, начиная с DS3DS с удовольствием наблюдал развитие серии и в этой, что бы нытики не говорили, есть все, что нужно: свободное перемещение по диким местам, гимы и мини игры. Зато в пещерах нет ненавистных зубатов и поиска людей с нужными мувами, чтобы двигать камни и рубить деревья. Пожалуй, лучшая игра серии за последние лет 10.
  14. TaraBaby
    Nov 20, 2019
    2
    It's a Pokemon game. Yep, I said it. It follows the same formula that stopped being fun after Pokemon Black & White. But, that's not all, you get 50% less Pokemon, no Mega Evolutions, etc etc. The graphics look like crap. No seriously, this should be called Pokemon RPG Maker that's how bad the textures look. If you have never played a Pokemon game you might like it but I suggest a REALIt's a Pokemon game. Yep, I said it. It follows the same formula that stopped being fun after Pokemon Black & White. But, that's not all, you get 50% less Pokemon, no Mega Evolutions, etc etc. The graphics look like crap. No seriously, this should be called Pokemon RPG Maker that's how bad the textures look. If you have never played a Pokemon game you might like it but I suggest a REAL Pokemon game Fire Red and Leaf Green or Heart Gold & Soul Silver.

    If they wanted to just make the same game only lazier then coming to the Switch was a mistake. Pokémon Colosseum still remains the best console Pokemon game by a 1000 miles.    … Expand
  15. Gamer_93
    Nov 15, 2019
    0
    As much as Pokémon fans have been lambasted for review bombing, you don’t need to look far to see the open world capabilities of the Switch being beautifully utilised with Breath of the Wild and the sheer jump in quality between Mario Odyssey and the 3DS Mario Titles. So when Pokémon Sword and Shield are released and you don’t have to look far to see that the graphics and tropes areAs much as Pokémon fans have been lambasted for review bombing, you don’t need to look far to see the open world capabilities of the Switch being beautifully utilised with Breath of the Wild and the sheer jump in quality between Mario Odyssey and the 3DS Mario Titles. So when Pokémon Sword and Shield are released and you don’t have to look far to see that the graphics and tropes are virtually the same as you could find on the 3DS titles. This game does not feel like an upgrade or the glorious launch into the next generation of Nintendo consoles, but rather a lazy, half-asses, cash grab for Nintendo at the expense of the fans who made them the gargantuas they are today. Considering we’re talking about the single most successful media franchise in the world, the lack of quality in these two entries has no justification. I’m offended by these excuses of next gen games.… Expand
  16. theruins
    Nov 20, 2019
    9
    as a new pokemon player, this game is huge and so much fun. i can understand some of the disappointment from veterans, but for noobs, this is just brilliant!
  17. Lysio
    Nov 20, 2019
    9
    Thisgame is a good classical RPG of the pokemon Genre, and by its look by far the best one. It doesnt really brother me, that there arent all pokemon in the game, singe it provide many hours of fun, it deserves a 9. It isnt quite perfect tho. The lag in online play is pretty noticable yet still its pretty good playable. The level scaling is the best of ALL TIME it was quite challenging andThisgame is a good classical RPG of the pokemon Genre, and by its look by far the best one. It doesnt really brother me, that there arent all pokemon in the game, singe it provide many hours of fun, it deserves a 9. It isnt quite perfect tho. The lag in online play is pretty noticable yet still its pretty good playable. The level scaling is the best of ALL TIME it was quite challenging and i like that. Theyve learned from the past, and thats good.… Expand
  18. HOFFERN
    Nov 20, 2019
    4
    Its just ok. The game is not bad, but it is literally just a copy of the older games. Sure, new region and bosses, as well as new Pokemon. But also the same backstory as any other game, the same mechanics, and even animations are the exact same as the last game. I hate the new mega pokemon feature.. I really don't see the point in it, should have just kept them normal, and instead focusedIts just ok. The game is not bad, but it is literally just a copy of the older games. Sure, new region and bosses, as well as new Pokemon. But also the same backstory as any other game, the same mechanics, and even animations are the exact same as the last game. I hate the new mega pokemon feature.. I really don't see the point in it, should have just kept them normal, and instead focused on making a more engaging world that the Pokemon actually live in. This could have been the chance to see a great open world rpg Pokemon game, but no.. its just more of the same. They even didn't give us the chance to get the old Pokemon inside the game... you will not find most of the old characters from the original 150, and also most of other Pokemon as well. Just new ones, and a few of the old ones like Charmander.

    Some critics are saying this is the best Pokemon game... I dare to say the opposite. It is a hollow copy of what Pokemon once was, a remake with some new characters.. and I should not have wasted 20 dollars more than a DS game for a game that is literally the same as the old ones. It is probably the worst game in the series so far, at least we knew Pokemon Go would be a simplified remake of the old games.. but this just feels like a fake remake.. as if someone made a Pokemon game without having access to the actual Pokemon IP, a Chinese copy if you will.. and you should wait for the price to drop if you are considering it.    … Expand
  19. Gord352
    Nov 20, 2019
    8
    Right I feel like I should put in an objective review as everyone is bombing this whether they've played it or not. I'm only a casual Pokemon fan and haven't played the mainline games in a while so I was quietly anticipating this release without ever feeling that hyped up.

    Now I've played it I can honestly say it's a fun game! It's not a classic by any means but if you can get past the    Right I feel like I should put in an objective review as everyone is bombing this whether they've played it or not. I'm only a casual Pokemon fan and haven't played the mainline games in a while so I was quietly anticipating this release without ever feeling that hyped up.

    Now I've played it I can honestly say it's a fun game! It's not a classic by any means but if you can get past the controversy of dropping the national dex (seriously this had to happen at some point people - you can't just keep adding till you have 1000's of Pokemon!!) then you will have a good time with this.

    The Wild area is better than it's ever been allowing you to avoid certain tough pokemon but still surprising you with random encounters - this was the best way they could have gone about it.

    Also the stadium battles are awesome and I personally like the change with the dynamax battles too.

    My few issues are yes the graphics and performance of the game are subpar. I really like the art style but the bad textures and lack of details in places are a shame. It doesn't ruin the game though. In fact my biggest criticism is that the game is easier than I remember the old ones being. You can't blast through it in like 25-30 hours! It should be longer. At least there's tonnes of replayability as with any pokemon game.

    At the very worst this game is a 6/10 and at best is an 8/10. I'm going in the middle with a 7 (i'd probably give it a 7.5 but this site doesn't allow it).

    It's a step towards a major new Pokemon era title but unfortunately fell short in a number of areas. At least they can add more Pokemon with patches or DLC even though it is annoying.    … Expand
  20. Megatorpon
    Nov 20, 2019
    7
    The content of the game is really weak, short and the company lied about what they were announcing.

    The graphics are endlessly better in BOTW so it's known that the console has enough power to move it well. It's a really enjoyable game, I loved it but I can't say it's not true everything fans are complaining for. For a Pokemon game, the quality of content of this one is quite quite    The content of the game is really weak, short and the company lied about what they were announcing.

    The graphics are endlessly better in BOTW so it's known that the console has enough power to move it well.

    It's a really enjoyable game, I loved it but I can't say it's not true everything fans are complaining for. For a Pokemon game, the quality of content of this one is quite quite lower.

    Even with that it has amazing things, such as the music, the design of the new Pokemon, the gym battles (I mean, the mechanic of the stadium and the epicness of the battle itself) and the wild area.    … Expand
  21. LBrize
    Nov 20, 2019
    5
    I was a bit older when Pokémon first came out and so I missed the whole craze through the 90’s and early 2000’s. I like RPGs, so I have e always wanted to get into Pokémon at some point. I took this opportunity to do just that, and I must say I have barely put the game down since I started playing! It is more fun than I ever imagined, Some are complaining about the graphics or otherI was a bit older when Pokémon first came out and so I missed the whole craze through the 90’s and early 2000’s. I like RPGs, so I have e always wanted to get into Pokémon at some point. I took this opportunity to do just that, and I must say I have barely put the game down since I started playing! It is more fun than I ever imagined, Some are complaining about the graphics or other technical issues, but honestly the game looks just fine. It looks very much like the cartoon, and to me it’s not supposed to look like Red Dead Redemption 2; the game purposely has a cel-shaded, cartoon-look to and I think it’s quite beautiful!
    Finally, the gameplay. It’s varied, responds well, feels intuitive, and most importantly, it’s an absolute blast to play! Best game on Switch since Breath of the Wild!    … Expand
  22. shawtz
    Nov 20, 2019
    3
    Overall a very lackluster game, especially in comparison to other games in the series, like Pokemon Platinum or Black/White 2. Even against some of the weaker titles, like Pokemon X and Y those games are smash hits in comparison to this game. The game just doesn't run well, even though it looks like a n64 game and is locked at 30fps. I will not be picking up another title in the seriesOverall a very lackluster game, especially in comparison to other games in the series, like Pokemon Platinum or Black/White 2. Even against some of the weaker titles, like Pokemon X and Y those games are smash hits in comparison to this game. The game just doesn't run well, even though it looks like a n64 game and is locked at 30fps. I will not be picking up another title in the series until Game Freak makes a game that is up to quality to the older gems.… Expand
  23. Vasiliid
    Nov 20, 2019
    10
    Good game, if you like Pokemon world, all thacute little creatures, that definatly your game, fun to catch, fun to fun to play that's all what need from good game!
  24. darksideangel
    Nov 15, 2019
    0
    feels like i’m watching my childhood get murdered infront of my eyes Gamefreak, stop developing your series with increasingly low effort, checked out cash grabs. Care about your fans. this isn’t cute anymore
  25. MrWriter
    Nov 19, 2019
    6
    The graphics don't bother me, the animations do a little after being told they had been improved.

    The story is boring as **** this is my biggest gripe. I had the same issue with Sun and Moon. The games have more cutscenes and stop and start gameplay than a Kojima game! I don't care about Hop (stupid name) or Leon, or Bea (again stupid name) just give me my Pokemon and let me go on my    The graphics don't bother me, the animations do a little after being told they had been improved.

    The story is boring as **** this is my biggest gripe. I had the same issue with Sun and Moon.

    The games have more cutscenes and stop and start gameplay than a Kojima game! I don't care about Hop (stupid name) or Leon, or Bea (again stupid name) just give me my Pokemon and let me go on my adventure!

    Speaking of which, the story needs to change in two ways. One, add voice actors to talk through the scenes which are important.

    Secondly can we not have a new type of story? Or just have a minimal story and let us focus on catching and training Pokemon and getting badges?

    Dynamax is just another pointless gimmick, they should of stuck to mega evos. I don't mind the game being easy, but I understand others do, so a hardcore mode, or even version might of been a good idea. Make Sword the easy game, and Shield the harder one. Now the good things. The open areas with wild Pokemon? Brilliant, I feel like I have reason to revisit areas.

    I like the gym challenges, breaks up the game.

    And I like the new Pokemon.

    I'm struggling to play this, since Friday I've only played 6 hours and have 2 badges. The stop, start story with its snoozefest text is what's putting me off most.

    Again I had the same struggle with Sun, and even Ultra Sun. However I'm a huge fan of completing the nat dex. So I battled through the story, and then got close to 90 hours, filling the nat dex (and breeding and trading). I just don't see that happening with Sword.

    I hope something hooks soon, but right now, I'm kinda regretting my purchase.

    6/10    … Expand
  26. Fliphip1409
    Nov 19, 2019
    8
    Played for a few days now and really enjoying it. My first experience since Pokemon Red and it’s taking me back. Nice that my son can play/watch too. It’s now got him in to Pokémon Go which again is a great thing! Voice acting (although I know it is expensive and arduous) and a full Pokédex would have allowed me to give a 9 or 10. There is a lot of text and to fully submerge myself in toPlayed for a few days now and really enjoying it. My first experience since Pokemon Red and it’s taking me back. Nice that my son can play/watch too. It’s now got him in to Pokémon Go which again is a great thing! Voice acting (although I know it is expensive and arduous) and a full Pokédex would have allowed me to give a 9 or 10. There is a lot of text and to fully submerge myself in to the world would have been easier without having to read so many MPC’s boring comments! Overall, a great game that delivers lots of promise for the future of Pokémon on the Switch.… Expand
  27. Evamer
    Nov 19, 2019
    0
    This game is everything But what Game-Freak promised.Instead of a game for the veteran fans we got a game for 6 year old kids. Honorable mention on how horrendous most Pokemon designs are,it feels like they went out of their way to make them extra sloppy and unnatural(especially their colour pallets are just a joke).
  28. James9000
    Nov 19, 2019
    0
    So many issues that it's almost un enjoyable the first two hours are hand holding cringe
  29. camb198
    Nov 19, 2019
    10
    Best Pokémon game I have played to date. In total I have played Pokémon yellow (on my pikachu edition GB), red, blue, gold, sapphire, sun, and now sword.

    As someone who has never gotten into competitive Pokémon and have played very casually, this game looks like it may be the one to change that.
  30. pokemonfan566
    Nov 19, 2019
    0
    This is a great Pokemon game. They have made plenty of positive changes to the formula and the structure and I'm having a blast playing it, especially as a lifelong Pokemon fan.

    The game isn't too short: yes you can run through it if you want, but why would you? Catch the new guys, make some curries and explore the wild. The game not having the full national pokedex isn't a problem:    This is a great Pokemon game. They have made plenty of positive changes to the formula and the structure and I'm having a blast playing it, especially as a lifelong Pokemon fan.

    The game isn't too short: yes you can run through it if you want, but why would you? Catch the new guys, make some curries and explore the wild.

    The game not having the full national pokedex isn't a problem: I have only just completed the first badge and am struggling to figure out who I want in my team. There are so many cool looking Pokemon to explore and use. I think I have about 60 in my dex already (which is more than most of these 11 hour playthroughs you read about have by the end).

    The graphics aren't bad, the world looks great: I don't even know where these criticisms are coming from, mine looks great in handheld mode (which let's be honest, is how it should be played).

    The game isn't linear: yes there is a linear nature to it, but the wild areas give you the ability to explore and do what you want - raid battle, catch pokemon, look for hidden items, set up camp, etc.

    Overall, I think maybe the competitive Pokemon community is upset by this game, but most typical lovers of Pokemon and the Pokemon games will find Sword and Shield to be the best games since the Gold/Silver/Ruby/Sapphire remakes.

    Highly recommend you buy.    … Expand
  31. zaef
    Nov 19, 2019
    4
    This had the potential to be great but fell short due to a few issues. First off many of the new Pokemon and Galarian forms are well designed and pretty cool. Also many of the new features are a welcome addition. All of this however does not make up for the removal of the National Dex and the choice to force players to use Exp. Share.
  32. jenkins748
    Nov 19, 2019
    9
    I’m loving it. Haven’t played Pokémon since ruby and sapphire so for me this is all very fresh. Couldn’t give a **** about Dexit. Plenty of things to do and a huge variety of Pokémon of which I’m slowly starting to learn. Loving the graphics and gameplay. So addicting.
  33. Franri
    Nov 16, 2019
    10
    Very enjoyable game, doesn't deserve the hate it's getting. Animations are fine, the gameplay is fun, music is gorgeous.
  34. Mikki1986
    Nov 19, 2019
    10
    Have only played pokemon blue red amd yellow and go, pokemon shield is far the best one of them. Took me about 30hr to beat the game and tbh im ready for second run
  35. Yuesergio
    Nov 19, 2019
    8
    No cumple con el objetivo de atrapar público nuevo, exceptuando el área salvaje continúa siendo un Pokémon clásico (sin pokédex nacional) Falta de pulido y texturas en ciertas zonas, fondos blancos, desaparcen entrenadores y caída de frames, reutilizado de moldes, en cuanto a historia es buena y si eres fan o as tocado un Pokémon antes te atratapara hasta terminarlo las dinámicasNo cumple con el objetivo de atrapar público nuevo, exceptuando el área salvaje continúa siendo un Pokémon clásico (sin pokédex nacional) Falta de pulido y texturas en ciertas zonas, fondos blancos, desaparcen entrenadores y caída de frames, reutilizado de moldes, en cuanto a historia es buena y si eres fan o as tocado un Pokémon antes te atratapara hasta terminarlo las dinámicas implementadas y la diversidad de cosas para hacer son sus puntos fuertes… Expand
  36. NellieBellie
    Nov 19, 2019
    8
    In no way does this game deserve a 4 out of 10

    Look I love pokemon, I have adored the franchise since the first game and followed it all the way through. This by far, is the most immersive pokemon world to date. It is the best looking pokemon game by far ( which should be expected ). Is it without flaws? No, no pokemon game is. I went into this game extremely sceptical and even    In no way does this game deserve a 4 out of 10

    Look I love pokemon, I have adored the franchise since the first game and followed it all the way through. This by far, is the most immersive pokemon world to date. It is the best looking pokemon game by far ( which should be expected ). Is it without flaws? No, no pokemon game is.

    I went into this game extremely sceptical and even hating on G.F for the flaws but after playing I have been swayed.

    cons:
    - The story is kinda short
    - The difficulty is a little easier ( but still harder than Sun and Moon )
    - The textures and some environments could be designed much better
    - Lack of NPC's and things to do outside of story and catch pokemon

    Pros:
    - The world is gorgeous, the towns are huge and ooze atmosphere and the routes look lovely
    - Gen 8 is one of my fave generations of pokemon designs ever, I've seen maybe one or two duds.
    - The additional of pokemon that run around adds a level of immersion and ease that I adore
    - The wild area is a great building block to something far better
    - Competetive play has been made far easier with nature changing, IV checking and EV changers being far more available.
    - Music

    I have played 13 hours and I just got the 5th badge, if you take it slow and don't steam roll it you can very easily have a 20-30 hour game experience long before you catch all the pokemon.

    This game is not perfect, nor did I really ever think it was going to be, Gamefreak was plauged by the Pokemon forced release cycle and were using far greater hardware for the first time with Pokemon,

    They built and engine, it does work, but it needs refinement, on the next pokemon game they won't need to build an engine. they'll be able to focus solely on refinement and I believe they will do so.

    This as a stepping stone into the future of pokemon is great and I am positive the future games will show how much they are capable of listening and adapting the criticism. Gamefreak has done it before, so I am sure they'll do it again.    … Expand
  37. Starfree
    Nov 19, 2019
    8
    This game has some problems that it shouldn’t have, but overall super fun game, and one of the best games on Switch. I do feel like the game isn’t finished in a few areas and the story is kinda lacking, but most locations look beautiful and the new Pokémon are awesome. There aren’t really any drops in frames and no graphical glitches... or any glitches of any kind so I don’t know whatThis game has some problems that it shouldn’t have, but overall super fun game, and one of the best games on Switch. I do feel like the game isn’t finished in a few areas and the story is kinda lacking, but most locations look beautiful and the new Pokémon are awesome. There aren’t really any drops in frames and no graphical glitches... or any glitches of any kind so I don’t know what everyone is talking about. This game is great… Expand
  38. Meteorsmash
    Nov 19, 2019
    0
    The Short Version: Hire Genius Sonority again for 3D games. Gamefreak is incompetent.

    The Long Version: GameFreak wanted to spare efforts cutting down content as much as possible for maximum profits, their reason for doing so is: "It's Pokemon! Even if it's garbage it will sell! The consumers are kids and adults who disregard quality after all, right?" WRONG! And I think the overall    The Short Version: Hire Genius Sonority again for 3D games. Gamefreak is incompetent.

    The Long Version: GameFreak wanted to spare efforts cutting down content as much as possible for maximum profits, their reason for doing so is: "It's Pokemon! Even if it's garbage it will sell! The consumers are kids and adults who disregard quality after all, right?" WRONG! And I think the overall Metacritic score speaks volumes. Let me list the issues of the game once again...
    -The game is full of low quality environments and textures.
    -Pop-in is Awful.
    -Cutscenes that look like they were meant to have voice acting makes the game feel awkward...this is inexcusable in 2019
    -ALL FAN-FAVORITE POKEMON CUT FROM THE GAME!! There's NO starters from previous regions, NO fossil pokemon, No legendaries from previous games either, hell, they went out of their way to piss a lot of people off. What was the point of Pokemon Home then??! Greedy and lazy summarizes GameFreak's "efforts" this generation.
    -Story is the most dull and boring I've seen in any pokemon game...
    -Recycled models and animations from the 3DS, AND NO, THEY ARE NOT "NEW" MODELS, THEY ARE THEY VERY SAME! There's a pretty absurd rumor online that the models were made from the ground up, that's an obvious lie, unless you are blind.

    Overall: Gamefreak need to wake up, it's 2019, this piece of garbage is inexcusable, Switch games so far have set the bar pretty high, if you compare this game to Zelda, Mario, Xenoblade, Smash, etc. GameFreak should feel ashamed of themselves for releasing this game in its current state, shame on you...    … Expand
  39. KegMinami
    Nov 19, 2019
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As a long-time fan of the series, I have been looking forward to mainline Pokemon’s debut on console for a while. Unfortunately, this game doesn’t quite live up to expectations. Minor spoilers ahead:

    The Good:
    -The Wild Area. Easily the best thing about this game. It’s a little barren, but definitely innovative and a step in the right direction.
    -Max Raid Battles. Co-op is not something I considered in Pokemon outside of multi-battles, but this is a welcome surprise. I haven’t been able to find the more difficult raid bosses yet, but I fear, based on the rest of the game, that even they would be too easy if my friends and I challenged them with our best Pokemon and a strategy in mind. Outside of difficulty, however, they are a nice addition to the series.
    -Soundtrack. Overall, it’s fairly solid. Quite a few good battle tracks, and the overworld music is comfy.
    -Atmosphere. The Galar region is a nice, cozy one with pleasant scenery that can actually be impressive at times.
    -Pokemon. There are a few that aren’t so good, but for the most part, the new Pokemon line-up isn’t bad. The galarian forms and evolutions, in particular, are great additions.
    -Competitive Play. There are a lot of quality of life changes that help newer players get into the competitive aspects of the game. Even as a veteran, these are appreciated. And, to its credit, the reduced Pokedex could potentially make it easier to get a feel for what the major threats are, and how to combat them.

    The Bad:
    -Graphical Issues. Not something I usually consider in Pokemon but it’s noteworthy in these games. It’s one thing to have the infamous “N64 trees;” I can tolerate that much. But there are much bigger issues than those. For example, meeting your rival in a city and suddenly appearing in an open field to fight, or fishing on a pier and appearing in the SAME open field for the fight. Not to mention the berry trees in the Wild Area that COMPLETELY lack any kind of shading and stick out like a sore thumb. When the graphical issues of the game affect immersion, it becomes a real problem.
    -Hand-holding. While the removal of tutorials is a great thing, there’s STILL a lot of hand-holding in these games. The sense of adventure is ruined by having Sonia or Hop leading you around on a leash constantly. I’d like to be able to explore a little on my own, rather than being shoved around constantly.
    -Routes and Dungeons. Most of them are glorified corridors that are very short. Nothing even near the scale of Mt. Moon, the Whirl Islands, and Mt. Coronet. I don’t think there’s a single route that takes you off the beaten path and into a new area to explore. Considering how an emphasis seemed to be placed on the exploration aspect with the introduction of the Wild Area, the parts of the game that AREN’T the wild area are sorely lacking.
    -Post-game. The initial story is fairly short, even for Pokemon. This would be fine if there were more to do afterwards, but there isn’t... While I wouldn’t expect anything like HG/SS’s post-game, S/S fail to deliver. Nothing but a short post-game story, max raid battles, league rematches, the Battle Tower, and competitive play. And even then, the Battle Tower is a shadow of its former self: no super modes, returning characters, triple/rotation modes, and a single boss. There’s nothing really new to see or explore.
    -Difficulty. It’s a children’s game, yes, but these games simply feel too easy with the new EXP Share mechanics. It would be fine if there were any challenging fights to compensate, but there aren’t. Nothing like Totem Pokemon or Ultra Necrozma from even the previous game. The game made me wish for a Challenge mode a la Gen 5, just to provide a challenge for long-time fans without relying on artificial difficulty.
    -The Elephant in the Room. The lack of the national dex, among other features, is a heavy loss for this game. The idea that my favorite Pokemon can NEVER be used in this adventure is disheartening. Not only that, but the lack of features like varied battle styles made the game feel a bit dull after a while. I found myself wishing I would be challenged to a Triple, Rotation, or Inverse battle. Even a reworked Battle Royal would be appreciated.

    Throughout the journey, you’ll see glimpses of good and innovative ideas that just aren’t fleshed out enough. The game’s presentation is poor, often immersion-breaking, and harms what would otherwise be a pleasant region. The removal of features and many Pokemon is a bummer as well. Overall, the game feels rushed. If careful time and consideration had been put into its development, it could have been a great game. But in it’s current state, it just feels painfully mediocre. As a person who’s been a fan since Gold and Silver, I’m whole-heartedly disappointed.

    Tl;dr: If you’re on the fence wait for the inevitable third version.

    Edit: There seems to be a Switch-bricking issue now? Great...    … Expand
  40. RuleNo2
    Nov 19, 2019
    0
    This is a great Pokemon game. They have made plenty of positive changes to the formula and the structure and I'm having a blast playing it, especially as a lifelong Pokemon fan.

    The game isn't too short: yes you can run through it if you want, but why would you? Catch the new guys, make some curries and explore the wild. The game not having the full national pokedex isn't a problem:    This is a great Pokemon game. They have made plenty of positive changes to the formula and the structure and I'm having a blast playing it, especially as a lifelong Pokemon fan.

    The game isn't too short: yes you can run through it if you want, but why would you? Catch the new guys, make some curries and explore the wild.

    The game not having the full national pokedex isn't a problem: I have only just completed the first badge and am struggling to figure out who I want in my team. There are so many cool looking Pokemon to explore and use. I think I have about 60 in my dex already (which is more than most of these 11 hour playthroughs you read about have by the end).

    The graphics aren't bad, the world looks great: I don't even know where these criticisms are coming from, mine looks great in handheld mode (which let's be honest, is how it should be played).

    The game isn't linear: yes there is a linear nature to it, but the wild areas give you the ability to explore and do what you want - raid battle, catch pokemon, look for hidden items, set up camp, etc.

    Overall, I think maybe the competitive Pokemon community is upset by this game, but most typical lovers of Pokemon and the Pokemon games will find Sword and Shield to be the best games since the Gold/Silver/Ruby/Sapphire remakes.

    Highly recommend you buy.    … Expand
  41. zman2134
    Nov 19, 2019
    10
    In short, these are some of the best Pokemon games in a very long time, and as of right now I would consider this generation of Pokemon my third favorite overall. The visuals are impressive, especially in the towns and routes (Ballonlea is my personal favorite). The updated pokemon models and attack animations are appealing to look at. New features such as the expansive wild area andIn short, these are some of the best Pokemon games in a very long time, and as of right now I would consider this generation of Pokemon my third favorite overall. The visuals are impressive, especially in the towns and routes (Ballonlea is my personal favorite). The updated pokemon models and attack animations are appealing to look at. New features such as the expansive wild area and camping with your Pokemon are great, especially when done with others. The max raid battles are especially fun in multiplayer, especially when you encounter a new Pokemon this way. Many of the new Pokemon are very well designed, and it's especially great that most of them were not revealed prior to launch, so finding new Pokemon on nearly every route was very fun and exciting. Most of the negativity here is obviously about the national dex (although many of the people here will try to convince you otherwise).
    All in all, these games are definitely worth a try, whether you're a hardcore fan or not. It's a great next step for the series and makes me even more excited for what's yet to come!    … Expand
  42. Noono
    Nov 19, 2019
    3
    If we take a step back and look at Sun and Moon or X and Y those games are just the same as this if not better. The only redeeming qualities this game has is the nice shadders, new pokemon, new gimmicks and mechanics, an entirely new story along with it. But, all of that is significantly reduced when you realize how much is pulled away from the game itself since X/Y and S/M have more toIf we take a step back and look at Sun and Moon or X and Y those games are just the same as this if not better. The only redeeming qualities this game has is the nice shadders, new pokemon, new gimmicks and mechanics, an entirely new story along with it. But, all of that is significantly reduced when you realize how much is pulled away from the game itself since X/Y and S/M have more to offer in not just content but in gameplay as well with reduced bugs from launch. If I was a kid and played all 3 of these back to back I guarantee that I would have much more fun playing X/Y or S/M purely for the fact there's better ideas and more to do in those games. The issue isn't even content if they just added literally anything fun or cool into the games I wouldn't have just thrown it away but there isn't a thing to enjoy when I can just play the free version on my phone when the wild area is the same thing like a great idea? Now, what are you gonna do with it? It's like they were thinking of something and said let's just move on XD but I will say the art design and music for the games are pretty good altogether also so congrats for getting something right!… Expand
  43. LosAndos
    Nov 19, 2019
    9


    The real disaster happened on November 18 2016, when Gamefreak released a Pokemon Game with: A tutorial lasting more than an hour Cutscenes lasting longer than 10 Disney movies Horrible Pokemon designs The same boring map design everywhere Annoying NPCs Every dialogue being about friendship and stuff like that Dancing-1-Hit-KO moves (how creative!) The most childish story

    The real disaster happened on November 18 2016, when Gamefreak released a Pokemon Game with:

    A tutorial lasting more than an hour
    Cutscenes lasting longer than 10 Disney movies
    Horrible Pokemon designs
    The same boring map design everywhere
    Annoying NPCs
    Every dialogue being about friendship and stuff like that
    Dancing-1-Hit-KO moves (how creative!)
    The most childish story ever in a Pokemon Game
    I could mention so many more points why Sun/Moon is the game that should get all the hate.

    All this is NOT the case in Sword/Shield, but it was in the "just great" Sun/Moon.

    Sorry for being real, now have fun disliking my review, nerds.    … Expand
  44. Floobersman
    Nov 19, 2019
    3
    Example of Game Freaks unwillingness to give their fans a AAA game that they deserve and instead create a game that reuses a lot from the previous installment. Adding complete open world freedom as any current AAA rpg has and instead stay with an insanely linear guide that doesnt give you freedom that you want.
  45. chasmrift
    Nov 19, 2019
    9
    Okay here is an no hate, no bs, review of SwSh.

    Story: this game has a story with little to no plotholes that make you actually care about the narrative, have the most genuine emotions for the NPC characters in any game of the franchise, and leaves a fulfilling, yet epic conclusion Postgame: I dont know where this false rumor is coming out that there is no post game, but there is.    Okay here is an no hate, no bs, review of SwSh.

    Story: this game has a story with little to no plotholes that make you actually care about the narrative, have the most genuine emotions for the NPC characters in any game of the franchise, and leaves a fulfilling, yet epic conclusion

    Postgame: I dont know where this false rumor is coming out that there is no post game, but there is. It's about 4-5 hours long and YES this is postgame because it occurs after you beat the main story, credit rolls, then take you to the start menu, the missions you conduct IS the postgame and it has a very wholesome conclusion.

    Pokemon: Yes not national dex bothers everyone. I have some favorite pokemon who did not make the final cut but it doesnt take away from the quality of the new region. The new pokemon have great designs, every single one of them feels like a refreshing new take on them besides being the typical first route pokemon. When the new mons, galar variants, new evolutions to "old" pokemon and even gigantamax formes, the amount of new and unique pokemon is there. People have to give it a legitimate chance to take its natural course.

    Wild Area: Very cool idea that add risk/reward element to early game players. With the insane amount of high level pokemon that may or may not run at you to force an encounter will give nuzlocke players heart attacks and break the hearts of people like me when they wouldnt let me catch a lvl 47 snorlax while I was only in the 20's. Read some review that said it is dead, the only reason it will feel dead is if you choose to not connect to the internet. Unfortunately for those w/o internet you may not enjoy the area as much without interactions.

    Raid Battles: Very cool concept taken from Pokemon Go that has awesome rewards for anyone looking to either lvl up their pokemon fast, or for future inventory investments for competitive play. The biggest issue with max raid battles are, the 4 or 5* raids can become borderline impossible without being high enough level or having friends to organize as a group. THEY ARE doable with the NPCs but when you cannot run away and are stuck with a partner Wobbuffet constantly spamming counter, or a togepi who hardly attacks, then it can be extremely frustrating to battle. Don't rely on people in your server joining because randoms hardly join your max raid battles unless it is an extremely sought out pokemon or an event gigantamax mon. Plus the game only gives you 3 minutes to recruit players for it. Speaking of which

    Y-Comm: This is the biggest con honestly. The feature is absolute trash compared to the PSS system from gen 6. It even makes Festival Plaza look appealing in comparison. The game takes forever to let you refresh your feed, the specific filters are VERY hit or miss, and connecting with friends who mutally have and favorited your trainer card should be an easy process to connect with for things like trading. Unfortunately instead of letting the trainer card just serve as a sporty version Pal Pad, it just lets you sit there in agonizing shame of seeing your friend pop up on the feed looking for trade or raid partners and ironically you cannot connect directly even though you guys planned for the trade. The use of codes for private room is a cool, but unnecessary concept. Especially when it's only 4-digits and when using it w/ numbers my friend and I agreed on (ex. 1508), I would connect with randoms but then sit and wait for 30 minutes to not even connect with my friend to swap Ponyta/Farfetch'd between our games. Hopefully this is cleaned up in the future (probably wont)

    Comp: This is the best game for competitive VGC. The barrier of entry for breeding or hyper training is lower than ever, moves, and abilities have been adjusted, with great new additions for items, moves, abilities, type combinations, changing natures, raids/Brilliant aura pokemon offering guaranteed IVs in applicable situations as well as EV training being simple with the overworld encounters.

    Overall this game is criminally being tarnished by "fans" and the outside media because its the cool thing to do. This isnt an EA game (being really broken or bad w/ reports of them paying off review sites) so, it should say something when the people who are hired to review games give it good score, but the user score is so low. People have a right to give honesty in reviews, but take the reviews with a grain of salt. When you read them carefully (like the referenced wild area review), you will see most are purposely leaving key information out or purposely being vague for their benefit. Be smart out there, gamers.

    Context: been a fan of pokemon for 18 yrs, only info I had prior were from officially released trailers, purposely avoided spoilers, and treated it like any other game (buying via amazon in the event I did not like it to get a refund). Glad that's out the way    … Expand
  46. QuestionSleep
    Nov 19, 2019
    2
    Como fan de la saga desde PKMN Esmeralda, este juego es decepcionante en (casi) todos los sentidos.

    Primero, el recorte de la pokédex la justificaron con que debían rehacer todos los modelos lo cual es falso, los modelos de 3DS siguen estando vigentes solo con texturas en alta resolución. Los gráficos en el overworld son decepcionantes, dignos de un juego de hace 15 años. El clima    Como fan de la saga desde PKMN Esmeralda, este juego es decepcionante en (casi) todos los sentidos.

    Primero, el recorte de la pokédex la justificaron con que debían rehacer todos los modelos lo cual es falso, los modelos de 3DS siguen estando vigentes solo con texturas en alta resolución.

    Los gráficos en el overworld son decepcionantes, dignos de un juego de hace 15 años.
    El clima dinámico está mal implementado, se ubica por zonas y si sales de ese lugar automáticamente se cambia el clima a otro. No es para nada fluido como lo hace BotW o GTA, se siente artificial y cutre.

    Las animaciones son recicladas de juegos de hace 6 años y solo cambian los efectos los cuales a veces están mal implementados como Blastoise disparando hidrobomba directo de su frente en lugar de usar los cañones, algunos están muy bien hechos como el ataque especial de la evolucion de Scorbunny, lo cual hace que se sienta muy inconsistente.

    Sobre como cuentan la historia es muy similar a Sol y Luna, te llevan de la mano todo el rato, los escenarios son más grandes pero de nada sirve si todo el tiempo te están limitando y poniéndote barricadas para que por aquí o allá no pases.

    La cinemática del inicio, de cuando te presentan a los iniciales están muy bien (algo raras por que no tienen actuación de voz pero aun así mueven la boca) pero hay otras que son con el motor del juego (la gran mayoría) donde los personajes para moverse tienen que girar como si fueran tanques.

    La música es buena y algunos diseños también están cool. Bien ahí con los diseñadores y músicos del juego.

    Terminaré con una frase de Miyamoto, un juego retrasado es eventualmente un buen juego pero un juego apresurado será un mal juego por siempre.

    Itoi, creador de Mother también en una entrevista cuenta como los programadores en los 80's no se permitían decir que no, lo que los diseñadores tenían en mente, los programadores tenían que hacerlo realidad. Una lastima que eso no se note en este juego.
    Ojalá Pokémon vuelva a su época dorada como en las primeras 5 generaciones...    … Expand
  47. Jojoca
    Nov 19, 2019
    0
    Rushed game, gamefreak lied,this is a disrespect for pokemon fans,anyway i hope the next game they give the best to bring back the true fans
  48. Alastor15
    Nov 19, 2019
    9
    Maybe this game is not perfect, but if u are really a fan of the series u will still enjoy the game and the mechanic. From what i've seen, many reviewers are demanding too much. hahahha. giving this game below 5.0 score is already a biased review i think.
  49. Edswitch
    Nov 19, 2019
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. O jogo finalmente está trazendo câmera livre e cenários mais abertos pra franquia , eu simplesmente amei Pokemon Sword and Shild… Expand
  50. GrayWynters
    Nov 19, 2019
    2
    A mild step forward in graphics and gameplay, but not enough to compensate for the sheer volume of removed content. The graphics look better than on the 3DS, but issues like close pop-in and lack of turning animations mar this somewhat - and this is most apparent in the apparently crowning jewel of the game - the wild area.

    Pokemon Sword has the makings of a good game, but they're    A mild step forward in graphics and gameplay, but not enough to compensate for the sheer volume of removed content. The graphics look better than on the 3DS, but issues like close pop-in and lack of turning animations mar this somewhat - and this is most apparent in the apparently crowning jewel of the game - the wild area.

    Pokemon Sword has the makings of a good game, but they're thoroughly underdeveloped, leaving the result as an inexplicable attempt at "less of the same".    … Expand
  51. Mimicat
    Nov 19, 2019
    4
    Not the best, not the worst.

    Pros: landscape, towns, music and new pokemon designs, storyline and wild area concepts and the gym challenge. Cons: lack of an immersive storyline, inconsequential grunts, lack of depth to the main 'villain's' motivation, abundant cut-scenes, hand-holding (albeit slightly improved from S+M), rail-roading, linear routes and lack of dungeons, lack of side    Not the best, not the worst.

    Pros: landscape, towns, music and new pokemon designs, storyline and wild area concepts and the gym challenge.
    Cons: lack of an immersive storyline, inconsequential grunts, lack of depth to the main 'villain's' motivation, abundant cut-scenes, hand-holding (albeit slightly improved from S+M), rail-roading, linear routes and lack of dungeons, lack of side quests or npc challenges, quick and dull post game.

    I feel like the game is represented well by the cities within it, they appear busy and full of life, and yet empty at the same time.

    While personally Dexit for me is not an issue - anyone with half a brain could see was going to become a problem for years - if feels like it could have been handled better. Maybe having 200 (give or take) new native pokemon and regionals and exclude all older pokemon to save arguements?
    But why not just widen those time targets Game Freak? I'd rather have a quality game than a new gen within 3 years of the last.... Oh that's right, because it's a guarenteed money maker...

    All in all, it's a 'nice' game, but incomplete.    … Expand
  52. woof
    Nov 19, 2019
    9
    This game is gorgeous, and despite a couple animation quirks, it more than delivers as a worthy first Pokémon Switch entry. The new mon designs are fun and interesting, the characters and creatures look wonderful, and the gameplay is a real step up from the previous title. A fantastic, engaging, and very well executed title.
  53. GlassCannon
    Nov 19, 2019
    8
    A few days ago I left a very abrupt review of the game that got removed, so I think I should explain exactly why I enjoyed this game so much.

    Firstly, I want to address a misconception that is often levied against Game Freak. Earlier they said they were focusing on, in their exact words, "higher-quality animations." As a company making a sudden jump from 240p 3DS graphics to the    A few days ago I left a very abrupt review of the game that got removed, so I think I should explain exactly why I enjoyed this game so much.

    Firstly, I want to address a misconception that is often levied against Game Freak. Earlier they said they were focusing on, in their exact words, "higher-quality animations." As a company making a sudden jump from 240p 3DS graphics to the Nintendo Switch, there is a significant amount of time that would have to be spent improving the resolutions of models and developing new overworld assets. However, many people took this to mean "high-quality animations," and while I'll be the first to admit that some of the animations are comically bad, I see far too many people using this misunderstanding as ammunition against this game. So please stop.

    The quality-of-life changes to competitive play are incredibly promising. Whether it was intentional or not, Game Freak established a strong balance with the Pokemon that they included in the Galar Dex. Dynamaxing, as bizarre as it looks, is strongly balanced as well.

    One thing I loathed in Generation 6 was the addition of Mega Evolutions. One thing I always looked forward to in Pokemon was seeing new evolutions of older Pokemon. Sinnoh in particular was strong in this area. However, rather than creating new evolutions, Megas added a few spikes to existing Pokemon and called it new content. With a few exceptions such as Camerupt, most of the designs were incredibly uninspired. With the Galar region, new evolutions are brought back in a fresh new way with Galar forms. A lot of the new designs are strong, continuing off of the precedent they set with Sun and Moon.

    Obviously the game isn't perfect. The graphics aren't strong in a lot of areas, but it is a passable transition to console for a company that's made most of its games for handheld systems. I think we can expect much better graphics when Gen 9 rolls around. The story is fairly weak and short, but some of the battles do provide a genuine challenge even with Exp. Share always turned on.

    Removing the need for tedious grinding does make Galar more fun than some previous installments. The more time I can spend on Max Raid battles, the better.

    Overall, while the game does have some significant inconsistencies and is far from perfect, there is far too much hatred towards it for what it brings to the table. If I could do a decimal score, I would say this game is a 7.6/10.    … Expand
  54. hundera
    Nov 19, 2019
    2
    Despite my general feelings about some of the revealed content during this games hype cycle, I bought this game and played it for work. I knew I would be disappointed and kept my expectations low and the game still failed to meet them. Ignoring the removal of features from prior installations, there are still a myriad of problems plaguing this game. And most of the new features, thoughDespite my general feelings about some of the revealed content during this games hype cycle, I bought this game and played it for work. I knew I would be disappointed and kept my expectations low and the game still failed to meet them. Ignoring the removal of features from prior installations, there are still a myriad of problems plaguing this game. And most of the new features, though good in concept, fall flat in execution.

    The game has serious issues with slowdown during regular game play and cut scenes and lags when online. The camping mechanics (a hugely marketed feature), though cute at first, get boring very quickly when you realize just how shallow they are. Raid battles are an interesting idea, but with the way they're implemented they become a tedious grind as time goes on. The return of the Battle Tower is a nice addition to this game, but it's so bare bones and lacking in features and content, it may as well have been left out again. Pokemon in the over world is a good mechanic borrowed from an earlier game, but it's implemented poorly and is more annoying than anything as it seems to lack any reason for it's existence anymore (shiny and rare Pokemon) beyond a graphical flare. Locking people out of catching wild Pokemon at higher levels is by far one of my least favorite new "features" and it honestly ruined one of the only features I was really looking forward to. The Wild Are was something I had higher hopes for than not at all. As a concept it's not bad. It's open world and sprawling, it has camera controls, all sorts of Pokemon exist in it, it's your hub for raid battles and online. The whole concept is actually pretty fun. And then it falls flat. Locking people out of Pokemon, making raid battles tedious, the constant pop in, the bad online, and the huge amounts of frame rate issues all completely kill this feature as being anything worth looking forward to. Not to mention how INCREDIBLY empty the Wild Area actually is. Despite it's moderate to small size (maybe 5 minutes across at the largest part on bike and 30 seconds at the smallest part), and despite it's cacophony of in world monsters and regenerating items, it still somehow finds a way to feel like a huge empty landscape devoid of life and purpose. Finally, the bugs. Oh dead god, the bugs. This game is a glitchy buggy mess. If you haven't seen some of the lists online about this, I suggest you look around for them. Everything from music triggers missing in battles, to soft locks, to hard crashes, to bricking consoles. Along side the frame rate issues and lag, this game legitimately feels like it's held together with duct tape and chewing gum.

    The music is kind of boring and repetitive outside of one or two tracks. Some songs have a serious issue matching the feel and quality of others. And the graphics, while heavily stylized in an interesting way, still don't feel like a good aesthetic and somehow sometimes don't seem to match themselves. The game has an issue of clashing colors and poor textures disguised as intentional choices for the sake of art. And the story line is short and unremarkable. The whole game for someone who knows how to play and doesn't drag their feet could probably be beaten in like 15 hours. If they're a good player who goes fast, maybe 8. And that's not even accounting for speed runs.

    My ultimate opinion is that this game isn't worth it. Don't buy it. Get it used if you absolutely must, but it is definitely not worth the full 60 dollar price tag. For 40 dollars or less when used, you can get the last big Pokemon game they released instead. A game with more content and less issues. I'm giving this game a 2, because: at least it didn't cause my switch to catch on fire when I turned it on and for all of the short comings of the game, it had some really good ideas. They just weren't realized and that's disappointing.    … Expand
  55. jalannin
    Nov 19, 2019
    7
    Unlike most of the review bombers who haven't actually played this game, I have. The game isn't perfect, but it's far from a 0. It's not my favorite Pokemon game by any stretch, and I do wish there were more features/Pokemon, however it is a fun game. The storyline is pretty basic and linear, the NPC animations are pretty stiff, and the characters are mostly not relatable. I wish GameUnlike most of the review bombers who haven't actually played this game, I have. The game isn't perfect, but it's far from a 0. It's not my favorite Pokemon game by any stretch, and I do wish there were more features/Pokemon, however it is a fun game. The storyline is pretty basic and linear, the NPC animations are pretty stiff, and the characters are mostly not relatable. I wish Game Freak would have tried to push the Switch more than they did, but at the end of the day, this is still a fun Pokemon game. From the start of this game, you will see more Pokemon than any previous entry, simply because random encounters are gone. Being able to see Pokemon before battling is far superior to random encounters (I know Let's Go did this first, but I love that it found it's way into the mainline). It makes the world feel more 'lived in'. The problem is you can see these Pokemon pop up on screen which takes you out of the game a little, but it's still better than random encounters. Don't get me started on Team Yell, it's just a poor excuse for a 'Team Rocket'. All of this being said, when you enter a battle it still feels like Pokemon which is perhaps the most important aspect for any Pokemon player. I still link up with friends and battle them prior to each gym, and now that we are done with the main story we'll continue to battle our beefed-up teams and that's the most important thing about Pokemon to any fan.… Expand
  56. XsGamer
    Nov 19, 2019
    10
    Pokemon sword/shield provide a different experience than previous games. None of my favorite pokemon are in the game. However that sort of thing doesn't bother me. Unlike people complaining about the lack of the entire dex I know it would take tens of thousands of hours to animate every single action and attack.

    The biggest downfall is the performance issues when you play with the    Pokemon sword/shield provide a different experience than previous games. None of my favorite pokemon are in the game. However that sort of thing doesn't bother me. Unlike people complaining about the lack of the entire dex I know it would take tens of thousands of hours to animate every single action and attack.

    The biggest downfall is the performance issues when you play with the online enabled in the wild area. Other than that it's really not a big deal. The entire experience is enjoyable and I've done nothing but enjoy my time spent playing.    … Expand
  57. Shadowdrives
    Nov 19, 2019
    7
    The raid battles with friends are fun, the fps is fine other then going to the wild area online the story is okay, didn't like the rival at all.
  58. XperiencdGamR
    Nov 19, 2019
    9
    The truth. Its a great pokemon game!!! For everything everyone says its lacking it more than makes up for in its Online battle system, its wide variety of pokemon to collect from multiple generations, and its open wild areas to catch pokemon from. Does it give fans every thing they asked for. No, but it does give some of the key aspects fans wanted, all while not deviating too much fromThe truth. Its a great pokemon game!!! For everything everyone says its lacking it more than makes up for in its Online battle system, its wide variety of pokemon to collect from multiple generations, and its open wild areas to catch pokemon from. Does it give fans every thing they asked for. No, but it does give some of the key aspects fans wanted, all while not deviating too much from your standard pokemon adventure youve come to love. Dont listen to all the negative reviews , try the game yourself, and put in more than 1 hour worth of game time, and you will come away happy and glad you played this game.… Expand
  59. Mayo-13
    Nov 19, 2019
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Just recently finished the game, and I had a blast with it! Although I was not happy with half the pokedex being removed, I quickly got over it after seeing a lot of the cool pokemon in the region, my favorites being Dragapult and the hilarious yet powerful Appletun. I also really enjoyed the characters although Hop being a little too lame of a character. The game surprised me and the negatives are outweighed by the positives… Expand
  60. guyquest
    Nov 19, 2019
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A disappoint entry into an otherwise stellar series. The first entry on the Switch cut so much content that games from 20 years ago are more robust. It wasn't just Pokemon that were cut either. No elite four, no mega evoluations, no z-moves, no GTS; not to mention series favorites like following pokemon still aren't back. The game itself is also somewhat buggy, but I assume that will get patched at least. I do not recommend this game.… Expand
  61. picnick
    Nov 19, 2019
    0
    This game has too many problems to recommend.
    No national dex, Bad Performance, Bad textures & WAY TOO MANY UNSKIPPABLE CUTSCENES. all of this could've been fixed but pokemon is too lazy. I will wait until they release a good game before I buy another pokemon game.
  62. Ben-j-man15
    Nov 19, 2019
    9
    I believe this game is great. I had so much fun creating my team, with new and interesting pokemon, such as dragapult, grapplockt, centiscorch and others. The main story, though lacking, is fun and interesting to play through. I understand that the game is not perfect, but is a great addition to the nintendo switch lineup, and I would recommend it to anyone who asks.
  63. gdgalex
    Nov 19, 2019
    7
    To get the elephant in the room out of the way, yes, this game plays and feels like a slightly upgraded 3DS game. The pacing and movement of everything in the game, from controlling your character on the map to how battles flow, are slow and occasionally less responsive than in Sun and Moon. The content in the game's story is also somewhat lackluster, especially when considering theTo get the elephant in the room out of the way, yes, this game plays and feels like a slightly upgraded 3DS game. The pacing and movement of everything in the game, from controlling your character on the map to how battles flow, are slow and occasionally less responsive than in Sun and Moon. The content in the game's story is also somewhat lackluster, especially when considering the endgame in comparison to previous entries in the series. But at its core, this game still accomplishes everything you would expect put of a Pokemon game while introducing an interesting take on the traditional structure the series has followed. If you are looking to play a Pokemon game because you enjoy the standard adventure through a new region with Pokemon to catch and try out in battles, you won't be disappointed by what the game has to offer. To avoid spoilers, I'll give a general list of what I liked and what I disliked.

    Liked:
    The Wild Area. It's a sizable open area that, despite not looking the best at times and dealing with the game's problematic tip-in graphic issues, provides the most open and exploratory feel in the game. This one place seems where Pokemon has always wanted to go, and I hope they continually improve this kind of thing in future games. Wild Pokemon being visible in the overworld really makes the game look and feel more alive.

    The gym battles are genuinely more of a spectacle than they were before. This likely has to die oth Dynamax being limited primarily to these battles and raids, so it actually feels special.

    The massiv ramping of QoL improvements the game has, such as being able to skip tutorials and adding a number of late game items that make competitive battling much more accessible.


    Disliked:
    Your primary rival is far too talkative. They definitely tried to emulate Sun and Moon here.

    The evil team is a a failure of emulating Sun and Moon's Tram Skull. They really want to have the same effect, but they ultimately come off as less comical and more imbecilic than anything else.

    The difficulty limit seemingly set for most Trainer battles. Many areas of the game boast wild Pokemon that are genuinely more of a challenge than these Trainers. While it was appreciated that wild Pokemon were at generally usable levels when caught while progressing through the main story, having the Trainers not bumped up to at least that strength turned them into little more than treasure chests that talked. This makes the game incredibly easy in comparison to practically every other title in the series and ultimately turns it into somewhat of a bore once you get a few good Pokemon on your team. The game definitely should have had difficulty levels, with the current build being either normal or easy.

    The facial expressions in the game outside of pre-rendered movies are lacking. So are the unique trainer animations. Watching your primary rival DBZ charge every time he talks excitedly gets very old very fast.    … Expand
  64. edwinborerito
    Nov 19, 2019
    4
    I'm speechless by the amount of lazyness put into these games. And fanboys who justify that mediocrity. This is NOT an indie project, this is a multi billionaire franchise, people! Just buy Digimon Cyber Sleuth The Complete Edition to enjoy a great monster JRPG on the Switch
  65. OverlyEpux
    Nov 19, 2019
    0
    Garbage. Absolute Garbage. Gamefreak lied to us during development, cut out mons from the dex, and wrote a game that *will* brick your switch due to insecure NAND access. This game was a lazy cash grab and it's very sad to see from a company who has consistently delivered great games. This is unacceptable and I warn you all DO NOT buy this game.
  66. Kurabara
    Nov 19, 2019
    10
    Having an amazing time with the latest entry in the series. Loving the new music and console experience while still retaining the on the go factor. The new gym missions add fun activity before each battle and the roar of the crowd as me and the gym leader battle gets my blood pumpin. The ponded is cut down in this version but that’s actually a plus for me. With all the new additions IHaving an amazing time with the latest entry in the series. Loving the new music and console experience while still retaining the on the go factor. The new gym missions add fun activity before each battle and the roar of the crowd as me and the gym leader battle gets my blood pumpin. The ponded is cut down in this version but that’s actually a plus for me. With all the new additions I was starting to get stressed trying to figure out how I was going to catch them all. Unlike previous versions I feel more compelled to switch out the Pokémon on my team and try different strategies beside just beating the enemy with level advantage. I’m looking forward to playing some more after I post this review.… Expand
  67. hirundo
    Nov 19, 2019
    10
    This is the best pokemon game I have played. The new pokemon are amazing, I have found new favourites. The design is so beautiful, really had a touch of British everywhere, although some of the idioms were out dated, but that made it more endearing.
    The camping, the cooking, and the raids really rounded this game out. The gym battles felt more epic than ever with the whole crowd cheering    This is the best pokemon game I have played. The new pokemon are amazing, I have found new favourites. The design is so beautiful, really had a touch of British everywhere, although some of the idioms were out dated, but that made it more endearing.
    The camping, the cooking, and the raids really rounded this game out. The gym battles felt more epic than ever with the whole crowd cheering for you and watching you on TV at home. It captured the heart of the UK, its love for sport, food and countryside. I love it. I have played only this game and nothing else since release!    … Expand
  68. HomelessToggle
    Nov 19, 2019
    8
    It has definitely no stunning gameplay, it also doesn't have the sickest graphics, but this isn't what pokemon is all about. Many people are for example sad, that they can't take all their 700 Pokemon to their new-gen. I for one, who has started playing Pokemon with 10 and Pokemon black, am happy, that I now don't have to catch up with all (would be nearly 1000 Pokemon I guess) to get myIt has definitely no stunning gameplay, it also doesn't have the sickest graphics, but this isn't what pokemon is all about. Many people are for example sad, that they can't take all their 700 Pokemon to their new-gen. I for one, who has started playing Pokemon with 10 and Pokemon black, am happy, that I now don't have to catch up with all (would be nearly 1000 Pokemon I guess) to get my full Pokedex. I now have a chance to play Pokemon as it felt in the first-gen when you could catch 99% of the pokemon you need to complete your dex in one game. This is and Shinihunting is a very calm experience, which defenetly has the charm Pokemon should have! 8/10… Expand
  69. FrostbyteXP
    Nov 19, 2019
    8
    Playing this game is definitely a trip if you are not a new player to pokemon, if anything they made this game for the newer kids to the franchise from what i feel, i do enjoy the pokemon they add but am taken away from the fact that they take away majority of our hard work with the fact that our usually included national dex has been casted away. it hits me like DMC: devil may cry gamePlaying this game is definitely a trip if you are not a new player to pokemon, if anything they made this game for the newer kids to the franchise from what i feel, i do enjoy the pokemon they add but am taken away from the fact that they take away majority of our hard work with the fact that our usually included national dex has been casted away. it hits me like DMC: devil may cry game where it has become another game made differently to support the franchise but almost as if they threw this game out only to be somewhat unfinished but it is not a horrible game, it has many things about this game that keeps me coming back especially encounters, the fashions, the evolution's and i see what can seem underwhelming about this game but it is still solid, can't wait to finish it, I'll come back after i finish it.… Expand
  70. HerbSmith
    Nov 19, 2019
    8
    Overall pretty fun game. I enjoy the gameplay and the story is pretty good. There is a couple issues but its good. The gym battles have these really fun and cool challenges that make every gym unique. The new wild area is amazing and has a lot to do. 8/10 would recommend
  71. ChrisLioneel
    Nov 19, 2019
    10
    Juegazo que cumple muy bien con las expectativas esperadas, lo único malo que le veo seria el postgame el cual es algo flojo, pero igualmente me encanto
  72. unpluggedeagle
    Nov 19, 2019
    10
    Great Game the transition into the new era is a bit rocky but the game shows great potential for the series with the wild area and multiplayer features.
  73. Yeet_It
    Nov 19, 2019
    7
    Tbh I only got this game becuase I beat all the fire emblem routes and I wanted another RPG to play and it was okay but it could have been a lot better in some aspects.
  74. seaprot
    Nov 19, 2019
    3
    This is a predictable pokemon sequel. GameFreak lost the best chance to bring players an incredible Pokemon game, after all it’s the first core Pokémon game on a Tv console. It just scratches the capacity of what Nintendo Switch can do, badly optimized, technically poor. Yes, it’s still pokemon, so it’s you can have some kind of fun, but the game is one of the easiest in the series,This is a predictable pokemon sequel. GameFreak lost the best chance to bring players an incredible Pokemon game, after all it’s the first core Pokémon game on a Tv console. It just scratches the capacity of what Nintendo Switch can do, badly optimized, technically poor. Yes, it’s still pokemon, so it’s you can have some kind of fun, but the game is one of the easiest in the series, incredibly linear and the story is not really captivating, the rival Hop is pretty annoying as well. Hope the next game GF makes a better job… Expand
  75. GP_Gamer
    Nov 16, 2019
    10
    While flawed, it is still really fun to discover all the new things in this brand new adventure. Would recommend.
  76. Rirato91
    Nov 19, 2019
    8
    Muy buen juego, no se lleva mas por la falta de pokemon, pero fuera de eso excelente trabajo, un poco corto, el que te correteen los pokemon es algo muy divertido, asi como el tambien buscar uno en especifico, con solo ver lo y tocarlo puedes iniciar la batalla, el encontrar objeto por las excursiones dinamax es perfecto y rápido.
  77. Insejnar
    Nov 19, 2019
    2
    Where do i begin... I was really hopeful for these games thinking how cool it would be to play a mainline pokémon game on a console and how it will look way better, It didn’t look better. Framerate dropping during cutscenes and battles felt reasonable on the 3ds sun and moon era but now it baffles me how the games can look so cheap with such terrible animations when walking or when usingWhere do i begin... I was really hopeful for these games thinking how cool it would be to play a mainline pokémon game on a console and how it will look way better, It didn’t look better. Framerate dropping during cutscenes and battles felt reasonable on the 3ds sun and moon era but now it baffles me how the games can look so cheap with such terrible animations when walking or when using some attacks. This could’ve been amazing but gamefreak messed it up. Still no character customisation apart from choosing skin colour and clothes/hair. I was really hyped to get a mantle like leon but that seems impossible.

    And then we get to the pokemon and the ones they chose to bring over. When they announced the end of national dex i said fine, they will be able to pick the right pokemon from each generation. But now that I’ve played through both games it feels like a huge troll. I saw maractus, throh and sawk, diggersby, pelliper, vanillite line, delibird, baltoy, seismitoad, BASCULIN!?, barbaracle, elgyem and beheeyem, shiinotic and just dumb **** Sure there’s some good choices like machamp, lucario, gyarados and excadrill but overall it’s a huge disappointment. Also charizard gets sucked off again and i hear people are not happy about that. It has some good ideas like the wild area and dynamaxing but it feels tedious that the Gigantamax form raids are Impossible to find if you aren’t the luckiest person alive. The online raidsystem does not work it’s impossible to get into a good raid and if you are connected online while in the wild area the game starts lagging and people and pokemon can appear out of the blue because the game’s rushed.

    It feels bad to say that the franchise I’ve always loved and respected has let me down so much.
    2/10    … Expand
  78. CodieFrink
    Nov 19, 2019
    9
    It's not perfect, but it's a Pokemon game that lets me do everything I expect from a Pokemon game, and then some.

    Having it on the Switch is something I've been wanting for a long time!
  79. Kr94
    Nov 19, 2019
    8
    I've been playing Pokémon since I was very young, starting with Gen 1. I don't have the time for all the 'beneficial natures' or 'competitive movesets' or 'balanced metagame' that most of these negative reviews seem so hugely focused on.

    Fact of the matter is that I enjoyed this game. A lot. More than any main series or spin off title in the series since gen 5. Sure it has the odd flaw,    I've been playing Pokémon since I was very young, starting with Gen 1. I don't have the time for all the 'beneficial natures' or 'competitive movesets' or 'balanced metagame' that most of these negative reviews seem so hugely focused on.

    Fact of the matter is that I enjoyed this game. A lot. More than any main series or spin off title in the series since gen 5. Sure it has the odd flaw, but if you're really put off continuing this beloved franchise by some absolute nonsense like breeding mechanics etc then you probably shouldn't be playing Pokémon. Let people enjoy things, don't tear a game down purely because of some stupid thing that makes literally zero difference to the non-entitled portion of the audience    … Expand
  80. Northlane
    Nov 19, 2019
    9
    This is the most fun I’ve had with a Pokémon game for a while now. The Galarian forms give old Pokémon a time to shine. New Pokémon look great. Amazing visuals and battle mechanics. The music is great too. Stop focusing on mediocre stuff that doesn’t take away from the game at all.
  81. maicallist
    Nov 19, 2019
    2
    Seriously lack of contents, I don’t even mind the pokedex. I feel like I have more to explore in the first gen than sword/shield.
  82. GenoCL
    Nov 19, 2019
    1
    Unpolished, unfinished, bugs everywhere and that's just the beginning. This game is a mockery, it's Game Freak laughing at the face of its fans knowing they'll buy anything.
    Let's start with the obvious lie: GF saying they remade every model from scratch. What a lie that ended up being.
    Let's see the technical flaws: sudden weather changes everywhere, NPCs freezing then you climb    Unpolished, unfinished, bugs everywhere and that's just the beginning. This game is a mockery, it's Game Freak laughing at the face of its fans knowing they'll buy anything.
    Let's start with the obvious lie: GF saying they remade every model from scratch. What a lie that ended up being.
    Let's see the technical flaws: sudden weather changes everywhere, NPCs freezing then you climb ladders, NPCs freezing when you mount your bike, NPCs popping out of thin air right in front of you, tiny Wailords (this pokemon is supposed to be... well a whale), bad unfinished animations (after GF saying they cut half the pokemon to work on better animations), your bike actually floats in the air, the models (humans and characters) turn around like they are in Resident Evil (making the walking animation) and all this is just the beginning. THIS IS A $60 GAME IN 2019. I refuse to accept that.
    Not to mention this may be the most ugly and uninspired generation of Pokemon ever but that's a subjective gripe.
    Don't buy this game, don't support this game. Game Freak CAN NOT release games in this state and expect people to accept them. This game is NOT THE STANDARD for 2019 and shouldn't cost $60.    … Expand
  83. Doubblepizza
    Nov 19, 2019
    2
    Roster is disturbing and should not be Pokémon. Frame drops and lack of any good story.
  84. VGabrielLM
    Nov 19, 2019
    1
    I always loved the franchise and the games, pokémon is a part of me. It's indescribable how disappointed I am with Sword & Shield. Game Freak just killed the game. Bad graphics, bad story, lazy development, it's ridiculous how they just threw up this game, you feel it was made in a hurry just to be released in the Christmas season and sell millions. ... at least the music is great... asI always loved the franchise and the games, pokémon is a part of me. It's indescribable how disappointed I am with Sword & Shield. Game Freak just killed the game. Bad graphics, bad story, lazy development, it's ridiculous how they just threw up this game, you feel it was made in a hurry just to be released in the Christmas season and sell millions. ... at least the music is great... as always. Simply not worth buying, it's waste of money. They JUST KILLED Pokemon. Game Freak and Pokemon Co. NEED TO WAKE UP. It's POKEMON. It's a billionaire franchise...… Expand
  85. Muramas
    Nov 19, 2019
    2
    I was really disappointed with the animations, the music and the length of the game. For a $80 game I don't see the amount of polish as it should be.

    I am not even annoyed by the culling of pokemon.
  86. Sturmwolken
    Nov 19, 2019
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. These are genuinely some of the best Pokemon Games of all time, and more than that, serve as the best blueprints going forward. Let me explain with a handy little pro-cons list;

    Pros:

    The Pokemon Designs are, IMO, the greatest we've ever gotten. From Yamper to Eterneus, Runeringus to Galarian Weezing, there isn't a single design I would consider bad.

    The Graphics. Complain all you want, Sword and Shield have the best graphics of a Pokemon Game yet. I will concede that the Wild Area looks a bit rough at times, which is true for most wide open areas in any game, but in more enclosed areas the game looks simply stunning. Galar Mine No. 1, the Slumbering Weald, the Glimwood Tangle... god, I could gush about these environments for ages.

    The Characters. God, the characters are wonderful. Hop is probably the best friendly rival, since he has a great character ark, proper motivation, and is more fun than some of the other friendly rivals we've had. Bede is wonderful for all the right reasons, being so fun to hate and love, while Marnie is just a joy. That isn't even getting into the gym leaders, or all the other trainers around the region who are just oozing personality.

    The Soundtrack is genuinely the best OST in the series, coming from a series with historically amazing OSTs. God, every song is gorgeous and oozes with love and care.

    Mixed:

    The only mixed thing that I can't say whether it's good or bad is the Wild Area. It's a fun place to mess around in, but... it just feels kind of empty. I know that it's supposed to be a, well, wild area, but their just isn't much to do. However, I will say that the Wild Area makes grinding so, so much easier, and the wide verity of Pokemon available in it make it fun to revisit every so often. It's also, for the most part, fairly optional to go through. Aside from getting to Hammerlocke and Motostoke the first times around, you don't need to go through it if you don't want to.

    Cons:

    The main con of the game is it's story. It's not... the worst of the series, but def. isn't good. They were setting up for something pretty cool by having many characters actively trying to keep you from discovering stuff, but the end of the game where the story actually is feels rushed, like an afterthought. However, it seems like Game Freak was aware of this, and does somewhat make fun with many characters around the big bad kinda calling him a dumbass.
    I will say that the buildup is wonderful, slowly learning about the lore of the region, discovering more about the ancient hero's, but the payoff is just... eh.

    Overall, this is absolutely one of the best Pokemon Games ever. Not as good as my personal favorites, (Gen 5), but certainly better than many other previous games. I rate it a 10, rounding up from a personal score of roughly 9.5-9.6. The cons are overwhelmingly outweighed by the pros, and it sets up so many wonderful ideas that I hope Game Freak cashes in on. Honestly, I you have a Switch, I cannot recommend this enough.    … Expand
  87. Isitrolc
    Nov 19, 2019
    5
    Il y a de bonnes choses et le jeu est globalement très sympa avec une direction artistique qui fait mouche de temps en temps, mais là il faut que GameFreak se fasse aider où que le jeu passe dans un autre studio. Au final peu de surprises, une technique à la ramasse et trop de choses introduites dans la saga retirées ici pour un résultat pas au niveau
  88. Cippy93
    Nov 19, 2019
    0
    The same same game by 10 years. The graphics is like the ps2... And the framerate dropsdown!!!!
  89. Hertzdonut2309
    Nov 19, 2019
    8
    It definitely has its problems, but I wouldn't say it's bad. Most of things people complain about are things that shouldn't really matter. Note I said most not all, there are a few things GameFreak could and should have done better but for the most part it's a solid game.
  90. Samuelde
    Nov 19, 2019
    0
    Pokémon espada no es un mal juego pero es increíble que en 2019 no puedan poner a todos los Pokémones y no puedan hacer luchas como en Pokémon stadium
  91. Ditude
    Nov 19, 2019
    4
    Un juego vacío. Creo que para ningún fan de la saga ha sido una sorpresa encontrarse con un juego que no transmite nada. Una historia simple, unos personajes desperdiciados, un trabajo por parte de Game Freak que no ha estado a la altura.
  92. TurricanFan64
    Nov 19, 2019
    0
    A carbon copy of Pokémon Shield, and as such also a pile of ass. I had more fun playing Metroid Prime: Federation Force, and I was led to believe that game was like Turrican 2. -10/10, exact same **** for the exact same price.
  93. CarnageReigns
    Nov 19, 2019
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game is short and the post game is lacking. I only played this in handheld mode but the visuals are stunning. Just a beautiful game to behold. Ballonlea is gorgeous. The wild area is a nice touch as well. Outside of that this is not to write home about. It's a very easy, handhold-y experience that lacks difficulty. For $60 and the current game we have the post game should have included another region. There needs to be more to the game to justify the price. The lack of content bombs what had the potential to be a worthwhile game.… Expand
  94. DGonzalez
    Nov 19, 2019
    0
    This game is not horrible, but the game is extremely disappointing. It is not something that should come out of any major company and does not justify a 50 percent increase in price from the previous entries. The game encompasses laziness, with terrible graphics, subpar story, and an unappealing roster of returning and new pokemon. This game is not worth any of your time, especially if youThis game is not horrible, but the game is extremely disappointing. It is not something that should come out of any major company and does not justify a 50 percent increase in price from the previous entries. The game encompasses laziness, with terrible graphics, subpar story, and an unappealing roster of returning and new pokemon. This game is not worth any of your time, especially if you are a hardcore fan.… Expand
  95. Darito
    Nov 19, 2019
    0
    A lazy attempt to take money from nostalgia, its sad to see how much potential was discarded
  96. mwkelly13
    Nov 19, 2019
    10
    Despite the worries, Pokémon Sword and Shield is a very entertaining game which kept me engaged throughout. It was everything I like about Pokémon. The region and new Pokémon designs are incredible. My favorite part of these games is the addition of max raids. I love being able to play cooperatively!
  97. rabbit94
    Nov 19, 2019
    3
    The general Pokemon formula of catching and battling is intact, which makes the game fun. I thought this was incredible for the first few hours, but after yet another big story moment that I don't actually get to play (or even see), I'm over it. The whole story is happening in the background and is being handled by NPC's off-screen. Technical problems, painfully easy, and a skeleton ofThe general Pokemon formula of catching and battling is intact, which makes the game fun. I thought this was incredible for the first few hours, but after yet another big story moment that I don't actually get to play (or even see), I'm over it. The whole story is happening in the background and is being handled by NPC's off-screen. Technical problems, painfully easy, and a skeleton of what could have been the best Pokemon game to date.… Expand
  98. Leobriistow
    Nov 19, 2019
    4
    I played through this game like every other in the series. As a hardcore and longtime fan I am disappointed by the lack of charm in this game. Game Freak, factually, lied. There were some aspects I enjoyed about this game however, which stops me from giving it a 0.
  99. TNL12
    Nov 19, 2019
    3
    Although there is some long overdue streamlining and quality of life changes to some important features like breeding and raising pokemon and the wild area is at first, an exciting sight for fans, there is a distinct hollowness to these games that just doesn't quite feel like Pokemon at its best, in fact I'd argue this is mainline pokemon at its worst.

    The wild area with its dynamic    Although there is some long overdue streamlining and quality of life changes to some important features like breeding and raising pokemon and the wild area is at first, an exciting sight for fans, there is a distinct hollowness to these games that just doesn't quite feel like Pokemon at its best, in fact I'd argue this is mainline pokemon at its worst.

    The wild area with its dynamic weather and over world encounters is like something straight out of fan wish lists, in theory. In practice it's a flat, rather eerie expanse of literal pop-in-and-pop-out mons because of the abysmal draw distance. The environments look... okay, to be polite. The lack of experience in developing 3D environments is somehow more egregious than it was in gen 6 and 7, because now there is an unwarranted sense of scale, that makes things seem emptier, colder and sparser; this sense of emptiness is especially pronounced with the Wild Area. There are some nice touches and some degree of effort with having overworld pokemon appear in somewhat unique or unexpected ways (e.g. dandelion-like Eldegoss gracefully drifts down from above), but most of the time its *poof', pokemon appears out of thin air in uncomfortable proximity.

    There are some incredibly questionable textures and geographical features but some (fewer) areas are actually quite beautifully created, on the surface. What is incredibly frustrating is how small and hallway-like many routes and areas are and just how much is only scenery. The amount of times I felt penned in to an obnoxiously small amount of space with inaccessible hills and trees in the distance, was frustating. There are now hardly any dungeon-type areas and the ones there are have no real sense of exploration, just A-B in pretty much straight or gently curved lines.

    The massive inconsistency is ultimately distracting and really makes you long for a game where the care and craft in some of the art direction was the same across the board. Compared to the highly saturated and over-vivid colours of Alola, Galar is for the most part, a drab, washed out and hazy looking region almost *too* faithful to the UK in that respect (I live here), but I really don't think this was the intention. The story and cutscenes, in all honesty really hurt the game experience overall. There is a rigid, dead-eyedness to the way some models move and interact in the game a lot of the time and the storytelling (read: far too many voiceless cutscenes) is weak. You feel like you're waiting for a climax in the story that kind of doesn't happen. The same handful of bland but somehow still irritating characters weave in and out of your adventure at various points which I think some would find frustating. I did. In terms of difficulty, I have to say this campaign feels like probably the very easiest I have personally played. It feels like a chore to find ways to challenge yourself (I chose not to evolve my mons if I could avoid it) because the game effectively poses none itself. Leveling happens at an almost frustratingly prodigious rate. I even ended up avoiding some trainer battles and basically didn't need to battle wild pokemon either at all for fear of over levelling. The battling and battle animations are very disappointing, especially given the sort of words we were hearing from Gamefreak in interviews. Aside from the odd instance of (sometimes too long) unique and characterful animations for some brand new moves, the animations just simply feel outdated and wooden overall. Not really the high quality animations we were promised. Compare this to Camp, where you really see a lot of mons come to life in expression and personality. However camping itself becomes a repetitive and bland experience with not much to actually do aside from wanting to see and interact with different mons briefly. ... what else to say? To say the game lacks polish would be a gross understatement, it feels utterly unfinished in some aspects because of the massive inconsistency of quality across the board, mostly for the worst. This is not the game fans were promised and its simply sad how rushed and half baked it feels, especially with this being on hardware as potentially powerful as the Switch, it's just so outclassed by many other games on the console. It also really pales in comparison to any other mainline pokemon game, in my opinion. Oh, did I mention Dynamax/Gigantamax? Yeah, they're in the game. That's about as much as I care to think about them.    … Expand
  100. RogerBV
    Nov 19, 2019
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Facilidad extrema, historia poco creativa y nada envolvente, personajes cliché, interrupciones del gameplay por secuencias de historia cada 5 minutos, un villano plano sin gracia. Sigo sin entender porque Rose quiere sumir a Galar de nuevo en la negra noche. El postgame es el peor chiste que se les ha ocurrido. A todo eso agréguenle las animaciones recicladas de juegos anteriores, y que la Wild area se siente desierta. Definitivamente es el peor juego de Pokemon.... hasta ahora… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

79
#79 Best Switch Game of 2019
1
#1 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 87 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 66 out of 87
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 87
  3. Negative: 0 out of 87
  1. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Apr 30, 2020
    80
    Sword & Shield stumble in a few areas and history may not be kind to them, but they're setting up a future that I'm excited to see. [Issue #44 – January/February 2020, p. 73]
  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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