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. Akthal
    Nov 18, 2019
    9
    Amo este juego, la verdad no hagan caso a tanto hate, el juego es bueno, pero sin llegar a la exelencia.
    Tiene un apartado gráfico superior que sus antecesores, pero obviamente que para 2019 no es nada del otro mundo.
    El mappeo del mundo es hermoso, de lo mejor que he visto en pokemon. La banda sonora es épica como siempre, tan solo entrar a un gimnasio pokemon y luchar contra el líder    Amo este juego, la verdad no hagan caso a tanto hate, el juego es bueno, pero sin llegar a la exelencia.
    Tiene un apartado gráfico superior que sus antecesores, pero obviamente que para 2019 no es nada del otro mundo.
    El mappeo del mundo es hermoso, de lo mejor que he visto en pokemon.
    La banda sonora es épica como siempre, tan solo entrar a un gimnasio pokemon y luchar contra el líder del mismo se te eriza la piel.    … Expand
  2. Kingbrettalomew
    Nov 18, 2019
    8
    I don’t usually write reviews, but considering the controversy around this one I wanted to share my opinion. First of all, let me get the biggest complaint out of the way. Everyone is upset about the lack of National Dex in this generation. I don’t care about it at all. There’s over 1,000 Pokémon at this point and personally, it’s nice to be able to actually finish a Pokédex for once. NotI don’t usually write reviews, but considering the controversy around this one I wanted to share my opinion. First of all, let me get the biggest complaint out of the way. Everyone is upset about the lack of National Dex in this generation. I don’t care about it at all. There’s over 1,000 Pokémon at this point and personally, it’s nice to be able to actually finish a Pokédex for once. Not to mention I think it creates more balance since you can’t just use some of the more op Pokémon from previous games. I understand the desire to carry over all your Pokémon but it’s honestly not that big of a deal. Okay, with that out of the way, let me just say that I thought this game was a lot of fun and to me that’s what matters most. Does it have perfect graphics? No, but the Pokémon series has never been known for it’s graphical prowess. The graphics and animations have been simple since the very beginning of the series. It’s not a surprise to see the same here, and honestly I don’t think the animations are bad by any means. They are a bit outdated, but did not affect my experience at all. The designs of all the new Pokémon are very strong and the old ones continue to look great. The routes are a bit more linear this time around, but they look great and often have a larger variety of Pokémon than past games. Now the wild area is a different story.

    The wild area is honestly kind of rough. I love the idea of it, but playing with the online functionality makes it very choppy and it stutters a lot. Did it ruin my experience? Not at all. But it is definitely a visual and performance downgrade from the rest of the game. I will say though, that I did not experience any frame rate drops or performance issues anywhere outside of the wild area. I loved the max raids. I played a lot of them and enjoyed every minute. However, the online functions are a struggle. You often have to disconnect and then reconnect because it won’t update to show current raids or trade offers. Once again, it didn’t ruin anything for me, but it is very annoying to see a gigantimax raid and then be locked out because it was old. I also found the lack of global trade system absolutely baffling. You cannot search a specific Pokémon you want and are instead at the mercy of strangers or friends. As far as the gameplay goes it’s classic Pokémon. You still leave get a starter Pokémon and travel the region trying to collect gym badges and be the champion. There’s been a number of improvements to the formula this time. You have to use exp share which to some is for some reason a huge foul. I love it. It’s nice to not have to individually level every Pokémon you have and it keeps your whole time at a consistent pace. It’s no different than a Final Fantasy game where your whole party gets exp at the end of a battle. This game also introduces dynamax which is fun to do but can only really be done in raids or gyms. This prevents it from being too op the way mega evolutions and z moves were. Filling out your Pokédex is easier than ever with the introduction of exp candy. You get them for completing raids and can use them to level the Pokémon in your box easily. There’s also now one use TM’s in addition to the infinite TM’s which allows for some strategy in picking moves. Overall I thought the gameplay was great. I thoroughly enjoyed playing it and quite honestly thought it was the most fun game since X and Y.

    Story wise, it’s really no different from passed games. Pokémon has never been about super engaging serious stories. It’s simple and moves you along and that’s what matters. I actually liked the fact that it was less end of the world/region/Pokémon and instead focused a lot on the spectacle of gym battles. I also thought it was interesting that the main “Team” wasn’t necessarily bad this time around and are really just rowdy Pokémon fans. As far as music goes, there are some seriously stand out tracks throughout the adventure. The gym battles as well as the first legendary encounter have killer music. The rest is serviceable and never got on my nerves nor really stood out. Overall, I understand that this game has some problems. Game Freak upset a lot of it’s fans and create ill will. The graphics aren’t perfect and the online functionality is really outdated and hard to work with. But none of that really bothered me. This game is fun. I really loved my time with it and I’m glad I ignored all the hate and went into it with an open mind. And I’m the end isn’t having fun the point of games? These days we spend so much time worrying about graphics and performance and power when the point of a game is enjoyment and this game gave me more than enough of that. I can say with complete honesty that this is my favorite entry since X and Y. Maybe even Black and White.    … Expand
  3. Miraage31
    Nov 18, 2019
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I disagree mostly with the people defending the game and attacking the game. I consider myself as one of those fans who played the 1st gen games when it was out. Personally, I do not feel like the game deserves a 10 or a 0.

    I will discuss the good things about the game. First is that the wild area is a breath of fresh air and I really like seeing the Pokemons walking around it. What I enjoyed the most about the game was the soundtrack. I really love the music of the game and surprisingly, Toby Fox (creator of Undertale and Deltarune) composed one song for the game. Designs of the new Pokemons are unique in it's own way like Galarian Zigzagoon getting a 3rd evolution or Ponyta becoming a psychic type. Farfetch'd getting it's own evolution (FINALLY!). We also have gyms back and they all have puzzles or challenges we must perform before facing the gym leader which I quite find enjoyable. The characters are likeable which I have to admit. They all look wonderful and are memorable. Last, which some people may not like but I quite like the difficulty, wild Pokemons tend to have higher levels than your Pokemons when you first step in the wild area like that one Onix that is level 28. Now for the things I really dislike about the game, first is the cut Pokemon, this is quite controversial since some people hated it when Gamefreak announced it at e3 and some agreed with Gamefreak. For me I really dislike it because I have a lot of Pokemons who are raised competitively in my old games and I cannot transfer them to my game. Also take note that you are paying 20 dollars more for a game that currently has 400 Pokemons (35 Pokemons have models but they are somehow unobtainable in game) while a 40 dollars game has more than 500 Pokemons in it. Another thing I really disliked were the visuals and animations, they felt lazy and the trees in the wild area looks like one of the trees in a very low graphic setting. They mentioned in the interview about cutting Pokemons for high quality animations but all I get to see is a copy and paste animation from a 40 dollars game. I notice a frame rate drop during the beginning of a battle or when I walk in the wild area and also there are pop ins. The story is predictable, this was my complaint with X and Y which is why I find it disappointing. I was expecting something new and fresh. Funny thing is that almost everyone knew who the antagonist was during his/her reveal. Dynamax as a concept is good on paper but the way it was executed is terrible since it only last for 3 turns. I honestly prefer to have mega evolutions in than having dynamax. Dynamaxing feels like you just mega evolved your Pokemons and you get to use Z-moves for 3 turns. Next is the post game, I find it funny how the director says players have "a lot" to do in the post game which I highly disagree. The post game is lacking compared to the previous entry which had a lot to do. The problem with this game is that much to do except for battling in the battle tower or do raids with other people. This has been a problem with X and Y. The game feels like it was a step back compared to the previous title. I could see myself playing Pokemon Ultra Sun right after I finish the game. The game is not entirely bad or perfect. The appropriate rating I can give for this game is a 7/10 (Ultra Sun is a 8/10). Hopefully the technical issues can be fixed in future patches. I will still look forward to the next game.    … Expand
  4. Kaiserbobasaur
    Nov 18, 2019
    2
    I wanted to love this game. And there are GREAT new Pokémon. Dreadnaw, Cramorant and Dragapault come to mind. However, this thing barely seems like a 3DS game. Terribly rendered graphics, a ton of Pokemon being left out, weird system bricking issues, and annoying side characters all combine to make the WORST mainline Pokémon game ever. Buy at your own risk, but don’t expect anI wanted to love this game. And there are GREAT new Pokémon. Dreadnaw, Cramorant and Dragapault come to mind. However, this thing barely seems like a 3DS game. Terribly rendered graphics, a ton of Pokemon being left out, weird system bricking issues, and annoying side characters all combine to make the WORST mainline Pokémon game ever. Buy at your own risk, but don’t expect an experience on the level of Black and White or even X and Y.… Expand
  5. vivivi
    Nov 18, 2019
    10
    It is very good, even if we cannot see all pokemons.
  6. SpinX22
    Nov 18, 2019
    3
    Would have been an 8 but because of they chose to not include all the Pokemon and remove moves I can't give more than a 3.
  7. Cuhozz
    Nov 18, 2019
    9
    Despite the fact the game could have been better (in graphics) the other features are pretty funny and adictive.
  8. Wildo48
    Nov 17, 2019
    8
    These are top quality pokemon games in terms of the content available, however what's missing brings them down a bit. Raid battles and the wild area are fun but otherwise there isn't too much to do post game. Graphically these games are amazing in some areas but the textures in the wild area are unpolished. Overall these games are good but could be better
  9. playedeverypk
    Nov 18, 2019
    0
    Game freak can you see our dissatisfaction? How do you want to celebrate the 30th anniversary? Did you focused on liitle town hero instead of pokemon? Your game is an unfinished project and have terrible graphic, and you are lazy so much!!! This is the worst game of the year!!! You're kidding me?! Did you the fans, who created better textures in one day than you did in a few years?? ThisGame freak can you see our dissatisfaction? How do you want to celebrate the 30th anniversary? Did you focused on liitle town hero instead of pokemon? Your game is an unfinished project and have terrible graphic, and you are lazy so much!!! This is the worst game of the year!!! You're kidding me?! Did you the fans, who created better textures in one day than you did in a few years?? This game is a joke!!!… Expand
  10. NinjaSox7
    Nov 18, 2019
    10
    The game is very fun and I seriously recommend giving it a second chance.
  11. dooplissmagic
    Nov 18, 2019
    0
    This game is a disaster. A major disappointment in literally every regard. GameFreak clearly doesn't have any love for the franchise what so ever, and should not be allowed to make anymore of these games. Complete waste of 60$ for my part...
  12. mother2fan1
    Nov 18, 2019
    1
    Sure, it's cute and all, but with removing everything that seemed essential to the series, not having anything to do after beating the game, and reusing everything from the old games, you'd have to ask where 3 years of development time went into. I'd pass.
  13. mashedtatter
    Nov 18, 2019
    6


    I like this game. I don't LOVE it. But it's not bad. If I had to rank this generation against the rest, I can say it's at least better than every Pokemon game that isn't Heart Gold/Soul Silver, Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire, or Black/White/2. I don't really miss any of the old Pokemon, and even though I having a Living Pokedex on my copy of Ultra Sun, I don't mind not being able to

    I like this game. I don't LOVE it. But it's not bad. If I had to rank this generation against the rest, I can say it's at least better than every Pokemon game that isn't Heart Gold/Soul Silver, Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire, or Black/White/2.

    I don't really miss any of the old Pokemon, and even though I having a Living Pokedex on my copy of Ultra Sun, I don't mind not being able to bring them all over to this game. That said, I get why people are upset, but also think they're blowing it out of proportion. Anyone with half a brain would realize they couldn't just keep throwing the same 800+ Pokemon into each game forever. You call it "laziness", I call it realizing a lot of the Pokedex is useless filler.

    The story thus far (I've only gotten up to fourth gym as of this review, currently 15 hours in and I'm taking my time exploring the wild area) isn't really much to write home about, sure. But you don't REALLY play these games for story, do you? I don't. I play to catch cute creatures.

    The music is some of the best Masuda had done yet. All the battle themes just might end up being my favorites of the whole series.

    The graphics/art are much improved over the last gen, though I will always miss the sprite art.

    Overall, I'd say this game is worth your time if you're not horribly attached to old Pokemon and don't mind that a bunch of moves were cut as well. It's not bad. It's just not great either. Middle of the road, I guess.    … Expand
  14. ArtFR
    Nov 18, 2019
    7
    I finished the game in about 20 hours and had fun, the game is obviously rushed but i still think it isn't that bad
  15. Sdiddy98
    Nov 18, 2019
    3
    I am a long time pokemon fan and have been playing every single game even the worse ones such and let's go. This game was a huge let down. Too many things about this game stack up to give a negative taste about this game. First the routes, everything is linear one lane and no cool places to visit and absolutely no caves that you have to find yourself around. Everything is so linear thatI am a long time pokemon fan and have been playing every single game even the worse ones such and let's go. This game was a huge let down. Too many things about this game stack up to give a negative taste about this game. First the routes, everything is linear one lane and no cool places to visit and absolutely no caves that you have to find yourself around. Everything is so linear that you get healed around every corner. Wild area is a good step but graphics are absolutely atrocious for a switch title. Graphics can be good at some place but absolutely terrible in others. All pokemon models and animations are absolutely the same so why cut pokemon... this is laughable. Now modders are taking it upon themselves to make better graphics and put in the pokemon gamefreak has cut out. If next pokemon is gonna be trash then I'm done with pokemon… Expand
  16. Ogatajira
    Nov 18, 2019
    0
    The game feels pretty rushed with lots of errors and glitches. Images cutting out in battle, sprites clipping into each other, models rotating in circles when they are trying to walk... also the sprites are the same from the previous 3DS games.

    Not including all the Pokemon aside, the new Pokemon designs are cool and are the small saving grace for the game.
  17. Mapleshade
    Nov 18, 2019
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gamefreak ruined the game. Removed everything that made it perfect and just lazingly put in things that were easy like gaint Pokemons. Removed 52% Pokemons. Removed Megas that were actually cool. Even Arceus the God Alpha Pokemon doesn't even exist.… Expand
  18. Juggernub
    Nov 18, 2019
    0
    For a Pokemon game that has turned natural progression into a grindy feel and just no consistency to previous games. Size, weight the look and play style of the Pokémon has completely changed and for the worse
  19. NotCallum
    Nov 18, 2019
    10
    One of the best Pokemon experiences since the likes of X and Y, at least that's my opinion, they've removed alot of the tedious issues the old games had, added alot of new things to do such as the Wild Area and my personal favorite addition is the decent character arks.

    I'm not gonna give any spoilers but if you could just look past the controversies you'll find a really solid Pokemon    One of the best Pokemon experiences since the likes of X and Y, at least that's my opinion, they've removed alot of the tedious issues the old games had, added alot of new things to do such as the Wild Area and my personal favorite addition is the decent character arks.

    I'm not gonna give any spoilers but if you could just look past the controversies you'll find a really solid Pokemon game with loads to do.    … Expand
  20. andreangel
    Nov 18, 2019
    10
    Jogo so peca em não ter todos os PK de resto esta mil vezes melhor que todos os jogos anteriores.
  21. Lalo17837281
    Nov 18, 2019
    9
    Sin contar con el algunos errores visuales considero que es un muy buen juego de pokemon
  22. Methanous
    Nov 18, 2019
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Its a nice game but the acts that has made ruins the experiency like you miss some pokemon .sorry for the english i am brasilian and i am still learning… Expand
  23. RandomAnon
    Nov 18, 2019
    1
    I've been playing this game since Gen 1. I love pokemon, and own every single game excluding Pearl, because I gave it away to people who never got the chance to play pokemon.

    My biggest gripe: The game is super, super, super short. It's like... probably less than 9 hours. You can watch a streamer beat it in one sitting, and I beat mine in one too. The Pros: There are new    I've been playing this game since Gen 1. I love pokemon, and own every single game excluding Pearl, because I gave it away to people who never got the chance to play pokemon.

    My biggest gripe:
    The game is super, super, super short. It's like... probably less than 9 hours. You can watch a streamer beat it in one sitting, and I beat mine in one too.

    The Pros:
    There are new animations. All pokemon 'roar' when they appear, this is because Dynamaxing makes them make another cry.

    Competitive battling was made way easier! I love this! I can now do all my work so quickly, and have a competitive perfect pokemon in just an hour.

    Dynamax raids are super fun. I spent 8 hours just running around doing them.

    Your rival actually is a jerk. I actually appreciate a mean rival sometimes, and one of the ones in this one is.

    And that's all!

    The cons:
    The game is *short*. Pathetic! Absolutely pathetically short. On a blind playthrough, it can be beaten in one sitting. For a 60 USD game this is ridiculous! I beat this game in a really short amount of time, and only have a reasonable play time due to Dynamax raids.

    The pokedex removal. This was a stupid excuse. If all the pokemon were given new models, I'd accept it, but they still literally walk animation to turn around, they still don't even following you, they are exactly the same models, just smoothed and updated to fit on the Switch! Still unnacceptable.

    The lack of difficulty.
    The laziness involved with creation - it feels extremely unfinished.
    There's no real character development.
    This game feels *super* unfinished! Horrendously so.
    It takes longer for me to beat Pokemon Let's Go!, and probably even Pokemon Red, which only takes me about 5 hours and 40 minutes to beat. This game is a shameful display of what Pokemon is doing, and as a long time fan, who buys multiple copies of each game that comes out for competitive reasons, I put my foot down.

    You get no more money from me, Game Freak. Pokemon Sword and Shield is by far the biggest disappointment ever created for it's time, and is unreasonably priced.

    Continue to play Pokemon Sun, and Moon, or Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon. It is a much better game.    … Expand
  24. ArjenSnow
    Nov 18, 2019
    8
    Llevo 2/3 de la aventura del juego y me esta gustando, por lo menos mas que Sol y Luna. El apartado gráfico esta muy bien (Menos en la zona silvestre) y el diseño de los Pokemon es por mucho, bastante mejor que la generación anterior.
    Espero que hagan algunas actualizaciones del juego para mejorar la calidad del mismo.
  25. KasaiWolf
    Nov 18, 2019
    0
    If I could I would score a 0 for these games.

    -GameFreak lied about the models and cut 400 odd Pokemon for it.
    -Wild area is very lazily done and very bad graphically
    -Games feel very empty in design and in length
    -Almost no post game
    -No mega evolution or Z moves.

    Overall I could write forever on why these games are bad but this should scratch the surface.
  26. GerfyGerber
    Nov 18, 2019
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Finished the whole game in 16 hours. Story was very bland and boring, with no villain until the last hour of the story that was completely obvious and really sucked. 2 legendaries after last gen had a lot of great ones. Of course there's Dexit, which I personally didn't care much about, but it's still worth mentioning. The online is godawful even for Nintendo standards. Characters were handholdy and bland the whole game through, with only Marnie being somewhat interesting. Wild area is neat, but the ever present lag just sucks the fun out of it. Dynamaxing is a dumb mechanic, and Gigantimaxing is even dumber, the Corviknight that I raised from a Rookiedee CAN'T gigantimax because reasons, I have to catch a specific one from a raid battle, what happened to bonding with Pokemon?? Only good thing i can really was is that the music was great as usual.

    Overall, very bland, short and incredibly disappointing. Stop pushing a Pokemon game out every year, it is killing this once great franchise.    … Expand
  27. Gibus_Mann
    Nov 18, 2019
    5
    The Good:
    - Some move animations are well done, such as Brave Bird, Boom Burst, and all G-max moves
    - The Wild Area gives a feeling of adventure and challenge - The human models look well done and there is a significant amount of customization for the player model The Meh - The majority of the new Pokemon designs don't seem very 'Pokemon-like' - Most of the music doesn't have the    The Good:
    - Some move animations are well done, such as Brave Bird, Boom Burst, and all G-max moves
    - The Wild Area gives a feeling of adventure and challenge
    - The human models look well done and there is a significant amount of customization for the player model

    The Meh
    - The majority of the new Pokemon designs don't seem very 'Pokemon-like'
    - Most of the music doesn't have the same memorable feel like prior Pokemon games
    - There is little, to no, improvement in Pokemon animations for Gen 1-7 Pokemon

    The Bad
    - There is no National Dex
    - The story, and some parts of the game, seem rushed and incomplete
    - The post-game is weak or non-existent

    Conclusion:
    Despite some improvements, overall, Pokemon Sword and Shield failed to live up to the expectations of a mainline game on the Nintendo Switch. If it were a 3DS game, it would be considered an improvement over the main lines series. But because it is on the Switch, it will be compared with, arguably unfairly, with other Nintendo titles such as Zelda: BOTW and Mario Odyssey. In that comparison, it simply falls flat.    … Expand
  28. Achiyugo
    Nov 18, 2019
    0
    Hilarious. The rating matches the percentage of Pokémon left in the game. RIP
  29. Paladore
    Nov 18, 2019
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Terrible game. Garbage battle animation.. why are we still swiping at the air and not at Pokémon.. garbage dynamax dynamic. Within the first hour I saw 3 reused character models.. game is pretty much on roller coaster tracks.. when are we getting a real Pokémon game. Huge disappointment. Don’t get me started on all the retarded looking new Pokémon and names. Red and blue is the best… Expand
  30. TrainerEstew
    Nov 18, 2019
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Tl;Dr: On their own, Sword and Shield aren't bad games. In the context of the other Pokemon games, however, they feel a bit hollow. They feel more like foundations for the future of Pokemon rather than true next-gen Pokemon games.

    Addressing the most common concern: "Dexit." Yeah, it sucks. A lot. The main game has fewer Pokemon than X/Y's main game, and the game honestly does not feel like there's anything in there that justifies the exclusion of Pokemon.

    For the rest of the game, it's... Pokemon. The routes feel a little too short, but the formula is there and as solid as ever. The new designs are great, in my opinion. The selection of Pokemon was solid, and I was happy to see there wasn't much of a Gen 1 bias (except in Gigantamax forms).

    The wild area felt... Barren. It wasn't very large, but it was ugly as hell and the pop-in was horrible. Pop-in was actually pretty bad throughout the whole game. Frame rate was a big concern of mine going in, and it's a big concern of mine having finished the game. It was far from a stable 30 - mine dropped briefly during most "split" effects in battles and dropped continuously anytime there was a "split" effect and sandstorm was active. I also noticed a few frame drops in the wild area while boosting through it on the bike, which was annoying. And, oddly enough, one section of the icy city had frame drops by going in front of a vendor.

    The main "story" felt... Entirely unfinished. There were a lot of events that occurred in the middle of the game, but the player was never part of them. The climax was really cool, but it felt like there was little to no build-up to it. Lots of areas felt rushed. It really feels like GameFreak might be planning a third version to "complete" the areas and story, which is a shame.

    Raids, however, made the wild area a lot more palatable. Raids were a genuinely great addition that I hope to see in future games.

    Lots of QoL features added, but also too many taken away for my liking.    … Expand
  31. Peacekeeper291
    Nov 18, 2019
    10
    It is more Pokemon. They added enough new things to make it sufficiently better to me.
  32. FullmetalB
    Nov 18, 2019
    9
    Very addictive game, simple but beautiful graphics, so much content, pleasing music and overall great fun.
  33. Zanaarkand
    Nov 18, 2019
    10
    Most fun I’ve had on not just a Pokemon game but any game within recent years
  34. C-Mo
    Nov 18, 2019
    9
    Ich muss eine Lanze für das Spiel brechen:

    Pokémon Schwert/Schild sind fantastische Spiele, die sich sowohl an neueinsteiger als auch an Veteranen richten soll. Es ist sehr gut gebalanced und bietet die ein oder andere kniffligere Herausforderung als es früher noch der Fall war. Zudem ist die Story sehr gut inszeniert und interessant auch für mich, der die Reihe schon seit den Anfängen    Ich muss eine Lanze für das Spiel brechen:

    Pokémon Schwert/Schild sind fantastische Spiele, die sich sowohl an neueinsteiger als auch an Veteranen richten soll. Es ist sehr gut gebalanced und bietet die ein oder andere kniffligere Herausforderung als es früher noch der Fall war. Zudem ist die Story sehr gut inszeniert und interessant auch für mich, der die Reihe schon seit den Anfängen genießt und liebt. Klare Empfehlung!    … Expand
  35. awesomecreatx
    Nov 18, 2019
    7
    The game is quite enjoyable in my opinion, I can see y people are mad, and i respect their wants. But personally, I am loving the game. It does have many issues such as the muddy textures and max frame rate at 30 FPS, and the drops in the wild area to 10 FPS are common, but the core combat is very fun and enjoyable like normal. The main Problem is that it did not innovate enough, but theThe game is quite enjoyable in my opinion, I can see y people are mad, and i respect their wants. But personally, I am loving the game. It does have many issues such as the muddy textures and max frame rate at 30 FPS, and the drops in the wild area to 10 FPS are common, but the core combat is very fun and enjoyable like normal. The main Problem is that it did not innovate enough, but the game is still very fun.… Expand
  36. BigBocelot
    Nov 18, 2019
    10
    This is the best Pokemon game to date. The Galar region is absolutely stunning and the music to go along with it is truly some of the best in the series. The Pokemon designs are some of the most unique I’ve seen since generation 3. The series took a much needed Pokédex cut and too be honest I think they should have removed even more to make way for these better designs and just for aThis is the best Pokemon game to date. The Galar region is absolutely stunning and the music to go along with it is truly some of the best in the series. The Pokemon designs are some of the most unique I’ve seen since generation 3. The series took a much needed Pokédex cut and too be honest I think they should have removed even more to make way for these better designs and just for a breath of fresh air. The customization has been improved and I can make my trainer look how I would look in the world of Pokemon. I look forward to what comes next now that GameFreak has their first home console Pokemon game under their belt… Expand
  37. Trevantula
    Nov 18, 2019
    9
    National dex or not this game gives you so many Pokémon to use early game and has made so many positive changes to the franchise. I loved every second of my journey and am looking forward to all the raid battles and competitive tournaments Nintendo will be holding
  38. darsparx
    Nov 18, 2019
    6
    I'm going with this rating because it's objectively not a terrible game. Sure it's largely meh because I feel they rushed it out to hit that holiday season deadline which doesn't work and from experience in past titles never worked. They need to stop with this and go back to a slower release pattern. Not to mention just give us a patch to further refine the stuff they obviously didn't haveI'm going with this rating because it's objectively not a terrible game. Sure it's largely meh because I feel they rushed it out to hit that holiday season deadline which doesn't work and from experience in past titles never worked. They need to stop with this and go back to a slower release pattern. Not to mention just give us a patch to further refine the stuff they obviously didn't have the time to finish before release that could've been fleshed out better and more refined graphically. I feel like others are just review bombing the game for no reason other than to jump on the bandwagon, it's not a "terrible" game. Not fully great but somewhere between great and meh.… Expand
  39. Victahhh
    Nov 18, 2019
    9
    Genuinely enjoying this game a lot, as someone that hasn't played Pokemon since Ruby/Sapphire.
  40. paravrais
    Nov 18, 2019
    10
    A lot of people writing reviews who clearly haven't actually played the games and have no intention to, so I thought after putting in my first 35 hours I'd leave my own.

    The games are fantastic. Lovingly crafted and exploring them is filled with moment after moment of childlike wonder. So many little details in the worldbuilding and dialogue that add to the UK setting. As you play    A lot of people writing reviews who clearly haven't actually played the games and have no intention to, so I thought after putting in my first 35 hours I'd leave my own.

    The games are fantastic. Lovingly crafted and exploring them is filled with moment after moment of childlike wonder. So many little details in the worldbuilding and dialogue that add to the UK setting. As you play through the story you consistently get the sense of Gamefreak going above and beyond. The actual narrative is very basic (it's still a pokemon game) but exploring each new area and encountering new pokemon has never been done better. A lot of quality-of-life improvements in these editions make your playthrough that much more enjoyable, and once you're finished with the story you have ranked online battles, completing your pokedex (over 400 is quite enough for me), battle tree equivalent (I forget what it's called), shiny hunting, and the new raid system that adds a lovely co-op element to the post-game too.

    I was worried the new pokemon designs wouldn't be up to the standard of the last game (which introduced some of my favourite pokemon) and was careful to avoid spoilers beyond the officially announced designs. Such a good decision to go into it blind because there are some fantastic designs here that are far better than those they showed previews of. Every time I found a new pokemon it broke my heart a tiny bit in the best way. I love these little guys.

    Oh, I shouldn't forget the music. Pokemon is known for its delightful soundtracks but, honestly, this is the best offering since the impeccable soundtrack of Gen 3. So many polished and unforgettable tracks.

    Overall these editions have exceeded my (already high) expectations and made me incredibly excited and hopeful for the future of pokemon as a series. More in this direction, please.    … Expand
  41. Jenosaur
    Nov 18, 2019
    8
    Going into this keeping pre-launch criticism in mind, it maybe doesn't build a ton on the game's 20-year+ old mechanics but still feels fresh and very fun. I would've enjoyed seeing more new designs rather than old Pokemon injected in but it doesn't take away from it for me at all. Graphics aren't amazing but a fair upgrade from DS. If you really don't want to support the dev then buy aGoing into this keeping pre-launch criticism in mind, it maybe doesn't build a ton on the game's 20-year+ old mechanics but still feels fresh and very fun. I would've enjoyed seeing more new designs rather than old Pokemon injected in but it doesn't take away from it for me at all. Graphics aren't amazing but a fair upgrade from DS. If you really don't want to support the dev then buy a used copy, but I think most would be pleasantly surprised.… Expand
  42. CDizzness
    Nov 18, 2019
    10
    After playing literally all night, I believe I have more grounds to review this game properly. While it is far from perfect, this is in fact the best Pokemon game I have played in my opinion; I have played all of them as well. The game is charming, fun, and has a lot of character, plus being based in England only makes it that much better. Let's address a few things, first off, I dont careAfter playing literally all night, I believe I have more grounds to review this game properly. While it is far from perfect, this is in fact the best Pokemon game I have played in my opinion; I have played all of them as well. The game is charming, fun, and has a lot of character, plus being based in England only makes it that much better. Let's address a few things, first off, I dont care about the cut Pokedex, I think 400 Pokemon is plenty, heck, Id be fine with 150. When I play newer Pokemon games, it's always overwhelming with how many Pokemon there are to catch, and me being OCD MUST "Catch Em' All" so thank you GF for making my life a little easier. I have read a lot of people stating the graphics look like a "PS2" game which is complete rubbish. The PS2 would not have the power to play a game such as this, sure the AA isnt the best, but considering this is GFs first attempt at a true full-fledged Pokemon console game, I am giving them the benefit of the doubt. (PS, I have had no frame rate issues on my play-through) They have always developed on low-spec hardware, so to make a jump like this is no easy task. (Pokemon Colosseum DOES NOT COUNT, nor do the Random Pokemon Stadium games, I dont even think they were developed by GF, dont quote me though.) This is a fully featured Pokemon game, which returns back to the series roots. I love the exp share, it makes it less of a pain to level up which is something I always disliked about the other games. (yes I know you can give Pokemon Exp share items in older games) Seriously though, I dont know what sort of people are playing this game that are review bombing it, but I think if anything it deserves a solid 8.5. Literally everyone I know loves it and noone has anything negative to say. My only complaint would be the fact that you cant make the little icon on the bottom left go away...its pretty much always there. Nonetheless a wonderful addition to my Pokemon collection and I cant wait to see what is in store for Pokemon in the future. The implementation of the Wild Area is amazing btw, I believe this a sneak peak into where the series is going. (Completely open world Pokemon game, sign me up) There are only 10 routes, but the map is massive, so who cares if there are not 30 something tiny routes. it makes more sense this way. Long story short, if you love Pokemon, and you can accept minor changes I highly recommend this game. Oh! I almost forgot, you can play online with other trainers all around the world and battle Dynamaxed Pokemon together, which Dynamaxing is AMAZING. Seeing a Pokemon that is the size of Godzilla gives me life. Also, you can set up camps and trainers can stop by and hang out. It really brings new life into Pokemon. (Addressing the amount of time it takes to completely beat the game, I am 25 hours in and just now beat the 8th gym leader)… Expand
  43. Omniarch
    Nov 18, 2019
    10


    With that out of the way, I've found Pokemon Sword and Shield to be exactly what I expect from a Pokemon game. It's cute, charming, relaxing, and offers a lot of new Pokemon, many with designs that I actually like. The Galar region is a unique one with an architecture and layout we haven't seen before. The Wild Area is incredibly fun and offers a lot of new features like camping,

    With that out of the way, I've found Pokemon Sword and Shield to be exactly what I expect from a Pokemon game. It's cute, charming, relaxing, and offers a lot of new Pokemon, many with designs that I actually like. The Galar region is a unique one with an architecture and layout we haven't seen before. The Wild Area is incredibly fun and offers a lot of new features like camping, cooking, and playing with your Pokemon. Raid battles and dynamaxing are intense and add a new dynamic to important events, although a bit gimmicky (just like z moves were. bring back megas please!)

    While I will miss many of the Pokemon from the national dex, especially in competitive, I understand that i am no longer the target demographic. I'm 25 and have been playing since Pokemon Red, and this latest entry (as with all of the entries of the last decade) is for children. Pokemon is a children's game, and the fact that I have to explain that is embarrassing. Your kids will love it, and that's always been the primary goal of Nintendo and GameFreak.    … Expand
  44. Bruhboinohomes
    Nov 18, 2019
    0
    Rushed game, brought nothing new and exciting to the series, dynamic and gigantamax are a ridiculous gimick that require minimal skill level and are simply broken in their base stats. Game graphics and animations are a mess especially as this a AAA title game with one of the largest companies helping fund the game and put it on a system that has supported beautiful and great games, likeRushed game, brought nothing new and exciting to the series, dynamic and gigantamax are a ridiculous gimick that require minimal skill level and are simply broken in their base stats. Game graphics and animations are a mess especially as this a AAA title game with one of the largest companies helping fund the game and put it on a system that has supported beautiful and great games, like the breath of the wild. Game freak has honestly no excuse for producing a game of this incomplete and almost ps2 looking quality game. Game freak needs to get their so stuff together and think about their fans and a good game rather then money … Expand
  45. rvbfreak
    Nov 18, 2019
    3
    As a game by itself, it's very mediocre. As a Pokemon game, it is seriously lacking. It seems like Game Freak played it very safe and in turn made a sequel to the Let's Go series rather than a true mainline experience. I can overlook the pokedex cut, the lacking animations, and the graphics. Really, when have those ever been the staples of a Pokemon experience? However, what I can'tAs a game by itself, it's very mediocre. As a Pokemon game, it is seriously lacking. It seems like Game Freak played it very safe and in turn made a sequel to the Let's Go series rather than a true mainline experience. I can overlook the pokedex cut, the lacking animations, and the graphics. Really, when have those ever been the staples of a Pokemon experience? However, what I can't overlook is the forced hand-holding, the mandatory Exp. Share, and virtually no endgame options. I wasn't looking for a casual game; I was looking for a game I could grind for 500+ hours, training my party with specific IV/EV stats like I could with Emerald and Diamond. It's safe to say, Sword and Shield is not the game I was looking for. I'll go back to playing the classics and wait for the reviews before I buy the next game.… Expand
  46. abedejo
    Nov 18, 2019
    0
    I hate everything about the game. I make account just to do this review. I want my money back. Give me my refund or I will never buy a game from Nintendo again!
  47. saucyham
    Nov 18, 2019
    0
    They cut a ton of Pokémon and the excuse they used was “we made new models and animations” that was a lie, the models and animations are recycled. Over bad performance and the game is so easy it’s boring. Don’t buy
  48. HestoIV
    Nov 18, 2019
    10
    This game is the best in years. I haven’t had this level of fun since the earlier gens of Pokémon.
  49. Caasalazarsa
    Nov 16, 2019
    4
    I feel it's gonna happen like X/Y people loving at first and later realize it had nothing special to offer with no replay value. With the fact a community member can fix and can even include not programmed mod, there's no way to defend such level of incopetence and laziness.
  50. kraklin
    Nov 18, 2019
    9
    I play Pokemon games since the 1st gen and I believe this is a very good game that could have done something more, but it does not negate the fact that it is a lot of fun.
    Personally, I‘ve enjoyed the new pokemons and I feel that for nowdays, it is worth the 60$ price point.
  51. r1ch4rdbono
    Nov 18, 2019
    4
    Sadly one o the worst games of the franchise. I could spend hours listing what I dislike so i'll point the good aspects that for me are resumed in the new pokemons and cities(but this could be more, they are diferent just by the design, but you found the same thing in every city, nothing unique).
  52. RebaDerps
    Nov 18, 2019
    10
    Excellent game! They brought back gyms, the new Pokémon designs aren’t mostly inanimate objects, the graphics looks great, you can breed Pokémon again (unlike Let’s Go), there’s a new shiny hunting method, and overall the story is simple and not too convoluted like previous games. Older games had a tendency to try and force me to feel something for the characters, like the forced romanceExcellent game! They brought back gyms, the new Pokémon designs aren’t mostly inanimate objects, the graphics looks great, you can breed Pokémon again (unlike Let’s Go), there’s a new shiny hunting method, and overall the story is simple and not too convoluted like previous games. Older games had a tendency to try and force me to feel something for the characters, like the forced romance in ORAS or pity for what’s-her-face in USUM. I hated that. I couldn’t even finish Sun and Moon. This game however makes a great comeback, even if the Pokédex is smaller. I feel like the new Pokémon make up for it.… Expand
  53. winoc
    Nov 18, 2019
    4
    While I have fun playing the game, issues from dexit to short main story, lack of post-game activity to the absolute zero improvement on graphic and animation makes me couldn't give it a passing mark. The wild area is refreshing but far from perfect. I hope that Game Freak understands that fans are not satisfied with this game and they will improve on the next one.
  54. cdtommy
    Nov 18, 2019
    8
    This is coming from a guy who hasn't played a mainline game since Black and White on the DS, so take that as you will, but I've played close to 6 hours already and I've thoroughly enjoyed the game. Sure Pokemon may have been cut and graphics aren't the best, but the gameplay is really engaging. It's just straight up Pokemon fun. The wild area though a little underwhelming is amazing. To beThis is coming from a guy who hasn't played a mainline game since Black and White on the DS, so take that as you will, but I've played close to 6 hours already and I've thoroughly enjoyed the game. Sure Pokemon may have been cut and graphics aren't the best, but the gameplay is really engaging. It's just straight up Pokemon fun. The wild area though a little underwhelming is amazing. To be able to walk around in a vast area with 2nd and 3rd evolution Pokemon is just amazing. Overall Sword and Shield may not be perfect, but it's classic Pokemon at it's core.… Expand
  55. ExcuuuseMeZelda
    Nov 18, 2019
    10
    Hello, firstly, i would like to tackle the national Dex problem. i'd like to point out that updates to the game will likely fix this, as the Switch can do updates much better than previous Nintendo handhelds. just wait a bit, and we will get our favorites back. now, i would like to point out missing features. this is the fist HD Pokemon game, we could have gotten more lets go games whileHello, firstly, i would like to tackle the national Dex problem. i'd like to point out that updates to the game will likely fix this, as the Switch can do updates much better than previous Nintendo handhelds. just wait a bit, and we will get our favorites back. now, i would like to point out missing features. this is the fist HD Pokemon game, we could have gotten more lets go games while they ported everything over. i think a few people here are not considering that we could get a game with all the features, but then the developers would have to work 100 hour work weeks, and yes, this has happened before, but not with Nintendo companies. overall, this product is slightly unfinished, and i am rating the finished version for future convenience. if the Poke problem really bothers you, just wait a while and you will get your Pokemon. note that the next Pokemon will also be on the switch, so they are working on porting more features into High Definition , and will put them in sword and shield in updates. it just makes sense. overall, i would recommend waiting until they start adding more Pokemon to buy, but when they do, BUY IT… Expand
  56. Lentor
    Nov 18, 2019
    6
    I was quite honestly disappointed with Pokemon Sword. While the game had some good in it, it still left a lot to be desired.

    First, let's start with what I liked about the game. This time around, I actually liked the new Galorian Pokemon. Their designs are mostly either really cute (I mean you just can't say no to Yamper) or really cool looking. I feel like this is genuinely the first    I was quite honestly disappointed with Pokemon Sword. While the game had some good in it, it still left a lot to be desired.

    First, let's start with what I liked about the game. This time around, I actually liked the new Galorian Pokemon. Their designs are mostly either really cute (I mean you just can't say no to Yamper) or really cool looking. I feel like this is genuinely the first Pokemon game in a long time where I wasn't at a lost for which Pokemon I wanted on my team (Generally speaking I try to use only the new Pokemon for my adventure).

    The next thing I liked, was more a concept than the actual feature itself and I felt that it still had a lot to be desired: The Wild Area. I think Gamefreak really needs to double down on the Open World concept for the mainline entries going forward for Pokemon, and quite frankly that should have been the case for this generation. So what I liked about the Wild Area was the open world Idea, and also that You could actually see Pokemon pop up out of the tall grass as well as from within it. It made the world of Pokemon feel a bit more alive. What I really liked most though was that this feature was not limited to just the wild area, in fact, you could see the Pokemon you'd encounter even on the different routes you take in between cities. I've even had one encounter with a Pokemon at a bridge just outside the city! All this made me feel like I was actually in the world of Pokemon and that was fun to me.

    Now on to the bad...So I think I should start with the whole DexIt controversy. Let me preface this by saying that I'm among the players who didn't actually care too much about the Pokedex cut for this new generation, however, over half of the Pokemon being completely removed from the game seemed a bit much to me even as someone who never cared to move my Pokemon to each new release of the franchise. When I first heard about the Dexit controversy, I thought that Gamefreak had cut the Pokemon in an effort to improve something else in the game; unfortunately, this doesn't seem to be the case.

    Gamefreak claimed that their goal in this was to improve Pokemon animations with the "extra time" they'd have from essentially cutting the pokedex in half. I have to say, I didn't actually see any great improvements in animation and some of them did seem pretty generic (Instead of having turn animations, Pokemon instead simply rotated). But personally I don't actually care too much about animation improvements. What I really hoped to see them allocate more time to was the story and overall world of the Galar region. I'll start with the world and this kinda goes back to what I didn't like about the Wild Area. The Wild Area was just a more open area that allowed you to control your camera and participate in dynamax raids. That's all that really comes down to it. The wild area just seemed really empty to me; sure there were obviously a lot of Pokemon there, but I didn't get the sense that there was anything to discover. The Dynamax Raids were easy to find, as they had beams of light shooting up at the sky for anyone to see, and there weren't really any hidden areas. My hope was that the wild area would also have some caves or dungeons with powerful Dynamax Raids at the end of them. Instead Wild Area was just a big open space with nothing but Pokemon in it, and that was disappointing.

    Now for the story...This was an aspect of the game that I really was hoping Gamefreak would have put a lot more of their time on. for a $60 product I got just over 17 hours of gameplay before finishing the "story" which is quite an abysmal amount of time for the price. Firstly you aren't introduced to any sort of conflict or antagonist until near the end of the game, which means there actually really isn't even a story to begin with until you've reached the endgame. And when you do finally get introduced to the antagonist, he just wasn't a believable character. Without giving spoilers, his motives were stupid and his actions were way too extreme for his reasoning. Most worst of all, and this was something I really thought Gamefreak would address with this generation given the backlash on the topic from last generation, was the handholding and the rival you had. I feel like there were cutscenes/interruptions every 20-30 minutes. Hop was kind of an over-zealous kid who had aspirations to beat the champion (his brother), which is all great, but his overly energetic nature made him feel a lot less of a worthy rival like how I remembered Blue was in the first generation.

    Overall the Gamefreak really needed to step it up for this new generation. This was the first mainline entry of the franchise to be released on a console and it's clear that they didn't utilize the full potential of the Switch. The whole Dexit and graphics controversy aside, I don't feel like this was a worthy title for being the first ever mainline Pokemon game on a console. I hope that Gamefreak can deliver next Gen.    … Expand
  57. Giggleschits
    Nov 18, 2019
    5
    Being a huge Pokemon fan since I was a little kid (now being 28) I have to say this game impressed me about as much as Sun and Moon did, which is to say that it really doesn't. Sun and Moon was the first game I truly disliked and now that I've experienced quite a bit of Shield I'm in the same boat.

    Graphics: Let's be honest, they're 3ds graphics tidied up just enough to put them on a TV    Being a huge Pokemon fan since I was a little kid (now being 28) I have to say this game impressed me about as much as Sun and Moon did, which is to say that it really doesn't. Sun and Moon was the first game I truly disliked and now that I've experienced quite a bit of Shield I'm in the same boat.

    Graphics: Let's be honest, they're 3ds graphics tidied up just enough to put them on a TV without looking abysmal. I haven't experienced the "pop in" that I've seen commented here quite a bit but what I have experienced is an unplayable amount of frame rate drops anytime I'm connected to the Internet. So I find myself playing Locally for the most part because I actually can't play it when it's connected to the internet.

    Gameplay: There are some features that I LOVE (being able to disable the "Do you want to nickname this pokemon") and some I hate (Extreme hand holding and the EXP Share). There is a part of me that hates not knowing what level some of the Overworld Pokemon are, and there is another part of me that loves the challenge of defeating them. I dislike the fact that before you get to the first gym if you just sat around and did the grind you can be so over leveled it's unbearably easy. I'm nearing level 60 on my team currently and I'm just past the 5th gym and in my opinion that's a bit too easy to get to. My other gripe is your damn Rival. Holy crap is his animation extremely annoying, I find myself skipping EVERY dialog with him just so I don't have to see him.

    I am upset about the fact that Game Freak put Thanos in charge of the Pokedex this time around as I find a large number of my favorite Pokemon have been lost to the almighty snap. We will see what Pokemon Home brings us in the future and if Game Freak ends up reading 95% of these reviews what kind of updates will come. I really do think there is a decent game in here somewhere, just not one worth $60.00. I would have rather spent $60.00 on Divinity Original Sin 2 purely for the sheer amount of content.

    I know people are upset, but this game isn't a 1 or a 2 or even a 3, I really do think 5 is a fitting number to give it. Let's hope the Ladies and Gentlemen at Game Freak hear our calls and give us some answers.    … Expand
  58. AngelBarrio
    Nov 18, 2019
    7
    It is really fun and an exciting story, while hip can be annoying sometimes it is not bad. The apparently “short story” is a lie. It takes around 20 hours for a normal play through. Not as good as past games, but very enjoyable
  59. JaMz1992
    Nov 18, 2019
    8
    I really liked Pokemon Sword. The story was overall good the only thing I don't like was that it was too short. The graphics are not the best which I am really disappointed.
  60. Themechanic6969
    Nov 15, 2019
    9
    Bastante divertido el diseño de los pokemones es genial. Estoy enganchado de el y todo lo que se puede asi su unico problema son sus graficos
  61. RiceTwice
    Nov 18, 2019
    0
    Absolutely horrible in so many aspects that it would take me hours and hours to write this review. This has been by far the worst entry in the franchise and everyone involved in it's creation should be ashamed. #GameFreakLied
  62. William690420
    Nov 18, 2019
    8
    The game does not have amazing graphics or breath-taking plot story, it is still a game packed with emotions and amazing new features. I dont know why people are saying the game has bugs since I have not encountered one in any way possible. Yes, the Pokedex is cut in half but I can see that GameFreak, despite being a company is trying to do something new for the franchise and I see this asThe game does not have amazing graphics or breath-taking plot story, it is still a game packed with emotions and amazing new features. I dont know why people are saying the game has bugs since I have not encountered one in any way possible. Yes, the Pokedex is cut in half but I can see that GameFreak, despite being a company is trying to do something new for the franchise and I see this as GameFreak's first step into making a better, more amazing and breath-taking pokemon game in the far future… Expand
  63. ChocolateCrane
    Nov 18, 2019
    4
    Let us address the elephant in the room first. The absence of the National Dex. Yes, it is terrible, lazy, blah blah blah. I am sure you've already heard this in hundreds of other reviews. So instead of me wasting your time by complaining about something you are already well aware of, I will focus on the rest of SwSh's shortcomings. For reference, I have played every mainline Pokemon gameLet us address the elephant in the room first. The absence of the National Dex. Yes, it is terrible, lazy, blah blah blah. I am sure you've already heard this in hundreds of other reviews. So instead of me wasting your time by complaining about something you are already well aware of, I will focus on the rest of SwSh's shortcomings. For reference, I have played every mainline Pokemon game to completion and have currently sunk 40 hours into Shield; I'd imagine my criticisms also apply to Sword. In the interest of brevity, I will be utilizing acronyms: (SwSh = Sword/Shield, S/M = Sun/Moon, etc).

    The most succinct way to put it is SwSh essentially feels like a 3DS game ported to the Switch. This applies to every facet of the game: from its gameplay features to its visual presentation, to its story/characters. I believe whether or not you enjoy SwSh depends entirely upon how you view the 7th Gen games. Contrary to what the devs promised us last year, SwSh is most assuredly NOT meant for the "core" Pokemon fans. As a veteran of the series myself, I can say with certainty the abysmally low level of difficulty in conjunction with the simplification and outright removal of many features is the exact opposite of what I'd want. SwSh is nearly as simplified as LGPE, which wouldn't be an issue if the devs addressed it as such, but somehow they seem to think this is what qualifies as a satisfying mainline game in 2019. Yes, Pokemon has always been a franchise aimed primarily at children. The games have never been truly difficult when compared to many of their JRPG contemporaries. Yet, for some reason Game Freak felt the need to crank that difficulty setting from "Easy" down to "Braindead". S/M may have been easy, but it was LEAGUES more challenging than Shield. Accessibility is one thing, but this is taking it to such an extreme it nearly removes all the fun. A "Hard Mode" option selectable from the outset would have worked wonders. And of course, as is common for the past several entries in the Pokemon series, the post-game content is practically non-existent.

    So, SwSh basically fails when viewed purely as a "game", but what of the other aspects I mentioned? After all, JRPGs with subpar gameplay can still be surprisingly enjoyable if the narrative holds enough merit. I am sad to report that SwSh also completely fails in this regard. The writing is oftentimes so atrocious I've found myself wishing to skip these scenes entirely. This is par for the course as none of the mainline games (barring the "attempts" made in B/W) have really delivered anything substantive in the way of competent storytelling. However, with the majority of other Pokemon games, they at least had good gameplay to compensate for the lackluster story; a factor which is completely absent from SwSh due to its inherent simplified nature and toddler-pandering difficulty.

    Well, there is only one thing left to discuss since delving into too much detail on the above points causes me to exceed the character limit. The final point of contention is the visual fidelity and graphical offerings SwSh brings to the table. This is after all, a game made for the Switch; a console/handheld hybrid with roughly 10x the computational power of Pokemon's former home, the 3DS. Let's get the pesky numbers out of the way first. SwSh runs at a dynamic resolution on both docked and portable modes. In docked mode, the resolution fluctuates from 1080p to 864p. Likewise, during portable play, the highest res is 720p which descends to 576p on frequent occasions. This is somewhat disappointing considering LGPE was capable of running at 1080p docked/720p portable at all times. The framerate target is 30fps, which exhibits frame pacing problems and severe drops in a variety of areas. The most evident manifestation of these issues can be seen in the Wild Area, wherein both pacing and framerate are pushed to their absolute worst. This is a massive problem considering the majority of your time, especially in post-game, will likely be spent in the Wild Area.

    Aside from the quantifiable metrics highlighted above, there are plenty of other visual shortcomings to boot. Terrible terrain detail, awful textures, constant pop-in, stilted animations, low polygon count for both the human character models as well as the Pokemon, and countless other issues such as these result in a game that resembles something released over a decade ago. Many detractors claim SwSh looks like a PS2/GC game, which is definitely an exaggeration, but what we got is by no means acceptable for a non-indie game released in 2019. And yes, many of the animations and ALL the returning Pokemon models have been copy-and-pasted with negligible improvements for SwSh.

    It's one thing to sacrifice content for a more polished, higher quality game, but that is very clearly not what happened here. I genuinely hope these issues can be sorted out in future releases; I am not ready to give up hope on Pokemon just yet.    … Expand
  64. CarlosNaru
    Nov 18, 2019
    8
    Excelente juego, poco a poco están entendiendo lo que los fans realmente quieren en un juego de Pokémon, la característica más innovadora y que le beneficia mucho a la franquicia es el mini mundo abierto del área silvestre y el hecho de que puedas ver correr a otros jugadores en vivo en tu mapa , si síguenos por ese camino de verdadera interacción en línea en tiempo real incluso en pueblosExcelente juego, poco a poco están entendiendo lo que los fans realmente quieren en un juego de Pokémon, la característica más innovadora y que le beneficia mucho a la franquicia es el mini mundo abierto del área silvestre y el hecho de que puedas ver correr a otros jugadores en vivo en tu mapa , si síguenos por ese camino de verdadera interacción en línea en tiempo real incluso en pueblos y otras zonas , Pokémon se convertirá en uno de los mejores RPG de la historia ojalá se queden con lo bueno de esta entrega y desechen lo malo . Dejar fuera a muchos Pokémon no es una opción , los fans preferimos que se tarden 4 años en sacar un jjuego a que lo saquen cada año apresuradamente . Felicidades a gamefreak un juego muy hermoso.… Expand
  65. Gaymerbear
    Nov 18, 2019
    6
    First a few things out of the way then the good and the bad stuff.

    I love Pokémon and been playing since Red/Blue. The "Dexit" bothered me but not that much, I always want to play through a new Gen with new Pokémon. So this review and criticism is written with love, admiration and hope for the next games. First a few things out of the way then the good and the bad stuff. It was    First a few things out of the way then the good and the bad stuff.

    I love Pokémon and been playing since Red/Blue.
    The "Dexit" bothered me but not that much, I always want to play through a new Gen with new Pokémon.
    So this review and criticism is written with love, admiration and hope for the next games.
    First a few things out of the way then the good and the bad stuff.

    It was fun to play.
    Max-Raid battles are fun and rewarding though GameFreak still doesn't know how to implement online gameplay.
    The backstories of the other characters through the cards is a very nice touch.
    The Wild Area, though minor issues, is amazing and I hope the next games will be ALL Wild Area with the Cities sprinkled around and within it.

    The jump from 3DS to Switch didn't work out so well.
    The graphics are amazing though not that big of a jump from Sun/Moon.
    The Pokémon lack of detail (i.e. "hair" from Pokémon that should be leaves is just a green blob instead of minimal detailed leaves) and have a shine to them that makes them look like plastic.
    The story is predictable and lacking, the stories of Team Rocket or X/Y were miles better and more fleshed out.
    Plus a raise of 20€/$/£ (or whatever) left me confused because I don't see a big improvement of quality.

    All in all it feels like the game was rushed to release.
    The graphics and story could have benefited from a few more months development.    … Expand
  66. Presstart25
    Nov 18, 2019
    8
    Es un gran viedojuego, que tiene algunos problemas, pero no son tan importantes como para opacar sus exelentes cualidades, por eso el 8
  67. Abstractx27
    Nov 18, 2019
    9
    Me sorprendió. La verdad no llevaba muchas espectativas, dadas las reiteradas críticas que he escuchado y leido de parte de los más fanáticos. Sin embargo no se pierde la chispa las ediciones anteriores, sigue siendo igual de adictivo.
    En cuanto al diseño de los nuevos personajes y lugares, nada que decir, 10 de 10. Y para que hablar de la música, directo en la nostalgia.
  68. VescularGold
    Nov 18, 2019
    8
    Before the game came out, I was unsure if I was going to get it, but after I bought it and tried, I actually like how the game is, I enjoy the story, love the characters, love the new Pokemon, and more. There are some minor issue, but GameFreak will probably fix it later. To the point, I really love the game, game and I don't think it deserves the hate it's getting because it's a good andBefore the game came out, I was unsure if I was going to get it, but after I bought it and tried, I actually like how the game is, I enjoy the story, love the characters, love the new Pokemon, and more. There are some minor issue, but GameFreak will probably fix it later. To the point, I really love the game, game and I don't think it deserves the hate it's getting because it's a good and fun game to play, in my opinion… Expand
  69. Navifighter64
    Nov 18, 2019
    9
    Con todo respeto, comprendo totalmente lo que dicen de que el juego tiene problemas, yo ya me encontré con algunos, como la falta de uno de mis pokes favoritos y la bajada un toquecito notable de fps en la wild area cuando utilizo el internet, PEEEEEERO, puedo decir con seguridad que este juego es el mejor juego del año, con su jugabilidad adictiva como sus predecesores, un soundtrack queCon todo respeto, comprendo totalmente lo que dicen de que el juego tiene problemas, yo ya me encontré con algunos, como la falta de uno de mis pokes favoritos y la bajada un toquecito notable de fps en la wild area cuando utilizo el internet, PEEEEEERO, puedo decir con seguridad que este juego es el mejor juego del año, con su jugabilidad adictiva como sus predecesores, un soundtrack que tiene más alma que varios juegos actuales y unos diseños muy bonitos de los nuevos pokes, sin contar los preciosos gráficos que, aunque en ciertos momentos puedan verse un poco peor (el maldito árbol...), logra en otros momentos ofrecer una experiencia de juego inolvidable. Lo único que puedo destacar es que, si sos un fanático de la saga, no dudes en comprartelo, y si no sos fan y te intriga saber que es todo este tema, porque lees a un tipo que no tiene nada mejor que hacer más que jugar al Pokémon y escribir reseñas? COMPRATELO Y A DISFRUTAR!… Expand
  70. vvogt
    Nov 18, 2019
    9
    Obviously this game was going to get review bombed but I have to say I'm very pleased. The National Dex shift was going to have to happen eventually and I'm not upset they went ahead with it this game. As far as the gameplay, I love the Wild Area and I've had a lot of fun with the new designs and characters in the game. Only complaint is the technical imperfections with some of theObviously this game was going to get review bombed but I have to say I'm very pleased. The National Dex shift was going to have to happen eventually and I'm not upset they went ahead with it this game. As far as the gameplay, I love the Wild Area and I've had a lot of fun with the new designs and characters in the game. Only complaint is the technical imperfections with some of the backgrounds and characters, but to be honest graphics are not what you buy a Pokemon game for. It's honestly a shame that a lot of true Pokemon fans are going to miss out on one of the series' best games because of a few missing features.… Expand
  71. katttdillehay
    Nov 18, 2019
    1
    Cut pokemon available in previous games. Very glitchy. Bad animations for a jump to a more powerful system. Clear lack of respect for longtime fans. Lots of hand holding. Embarassing.
  72. Winston_Oldes
    Nov 18, 2019
    0
    They should have named this “Pokémon Wind” because this game blows. Until I played this I used to think the idea of review bombing and being so harsh about a game you’d give it a 0 was unfair. But now? I finally understand the frustration of looking forward to a game, defending their creative decisions and then realizing I just got took for $59. So what to say to the other people here toThey should have named this “Pokémon Wind” because this game blows. Until I played this I used to think the idea of review bombing and being so harsh about a game you’d give it a 0 was unfair. But now? I finally understand the frustration of looking forward to a game, defending their creative decisions and then realizing I just got took for $59. So what to say to the other people here to review bomb? Don’t forget to leave a review from your Metacritic Red Account AND your Metacritic Blue Account (And Green, and Yellow, and Sapphire and Ruby....)!

    Seriously so upset for buying this game that I had to get the word out - DONT BUY THIS GAME. It’s a glitchy pile of frustration. This is not at all what was advertised and I feel like I was led to believe I would be getting a fully finished Switch game, not something that feels like it’s still in alpha testing. It’s such a disappointment. Wait for them to release a Fire Red Ultra Pokémon Sword 2 or whatever like they’ve done for nearly every game of the series to try and double dip. At least a future title might have some semblance of playability. As long as they keep getting people to buy the game like I did, and somehow keep getting these peculiarly strange stellar reviews from the big places like IGN, Gamespot, etc. they’ll keep cranking out unfinished crap like this. If any small company was to release such a limited, buggy, unfinished product they would be roasted in the critic reviews. But Pokémon feeds off your Gameboy Nostalgia days so it doesn’t matter what they throw out there, people here “pika pika” and reach for their wallets. Jigglypuff is gone, it’s time to WAKE UP. They were so afraid people would Return Pokémon Sword and Shield they took the move out of the game so as not to subliminally influence you!    … Expand
  73. MechKatana
    Nov 18, 2019
    7
    Hideo kojima has clearly outdone himself with the latest beyblade game. Sonic makes for an extremely lovable protagonist with intense emotions and ambition to be the greatest Jedi like no one ever was. The game truly makes improvement on the previously loved nemesis system, and shows us why gamefreak is truly the greatest developer currently in existence. Without a doubt, this has beenHideo kojima has clearly outdone himself with the latest beyblade game. Sonic makes for an extremely lovable protagonist with intense emotions and ambition to be the greatest Jedi like no one ever was. The game truly makes improvement on the previously loved nemesis system, and shows us why gamefreak is truly the greatest developer currently in existence. Without a doubt, this has been one of the best stealth horror games to come out for a while ( after all it takes a considerable amount of stealth to lie about animations and get away with them for a while about having made models from scratch and investing time in animations, meanwhile the horror part is realizing the PR disaster you have awoken and not knowing how to make up for them)
    graphics: 7/10
    sound:7/10
    gameplay: 6/10
    content: 7/10
    story: 7/ 10
    verdict : too much water.    … Expand
  74. Roxas99
    Nov 18, 2019
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I like the game. It's enjoyable. I wish the camera was controllable at all times, and I'm not exactly sure why that wasn't implemented. The story is strange, honestly. Parts of it are pretty good, I like the meetings with Sonia and some of the other characters. The evil team is hardly in the game, referring to Macros Cosmos. I think it's interesting to have the chairman of the Pokémon league being the main villain. I wish more was done with that.
    The visuals are pretty hit or miss. Some of the textures are stretch weirdly. The ground and the trees. But some of them look pretty great.    … Expand
  75. AriesRayne
    Nov 18, 2019
    10
    I have played most pokemon games, and I honestly think this is one of if not the best pokemons games I have played
  76. RandomGuy66
    Nov 18, 2019
    9
    I've got some mixed emotions about this game but overall I had an absolute blast playing it. Aside from the controversy about this game, there's a lot of things that Game Freak got right. Dynamaxing is surprisingly fun and strategic (especially if you use set battles), as are Max Raid battles, and the Wild Area is one of the coolest ideas I've ever seen in a Pokemon game. The story is fun,I've got some mixed emotions about this game but overall I had an absolute blast playing it. Aside from the controversy about this game, there's a lot of things that Game Freak got right. Dynamaxing is surprisingly fun and strategic (especially if you use set battles), as are Max Raid battles, and the Wild Area is one of the coolest ideas I've ever seen in a Pokemon game. The story is fun, with good characters and great character customization. I also love the graphics and the new menus; Pokemon had never looked better. I also think that a lot of the new Pokemon and Galarian forms look and are fantastic. They've also made the game much more convenient and better to play. You have access to your Pokemon box wherever you go, a feature continued from Let's Go. Auto-saving has also been added, as well as various other small features that make the gaming experience more enjoyable. Experience is now distributed among all Pokemon in your party that are still standing after a battle, just like in most other RPGs. While this does have the unfortunate drawback of making the game go by quicker, it also reduces the amount of time you have to spend grinding to level up your Pokemon. I understand there's a lot of controversy about this game, primarily about Game Freak removing the full Pokedex. This game isn't perfect; like I said, I have some mixed emotions. But the way I see it is: with this generation of games there are now almost 900 different Pokemon out there. Soon there will be 1000, and then more than that. Game Freak was going to have to remove the national Dex eventually, and I believe they thought that the sooner they did, the better. While I don't necessarily agree with that particular view on things, I do agree that they were going to have to remove it eventually and am sorry to see it go. While it is upsetting that some of our favorite Pokemon have been removed (mine included), it's likely only temporary and they're almost sure to see a return soon. Please don't listen to the negative reviews from the people who never bothered to buy the game. This Pokemon game is great for new players as well as returning trainers. I had the most fun with this game than I've had in a long time with this franchise, and I would not say that Pokemon is on a decline. I hardly think this game will be a waste of your money or time.… Expand
  77. MarioFan91
    Nov 18, 2019
    8
    I don't get all the vitriol surrounding Sword and Shield. The whole National Dex thing caused a bit of a stir long before release, and a lot of Pokémon have been wiped out of the slate. But, the reasons are understandable, as these Pokémon games are massive in terms of scope.

    Pokémon Sword and Shield bring you to the Galar region, which is based on the UK. There you get three new    I don't get all the vitriol surrounding Sword and Shield. The whole National Dex thing caused a bit of a stir long before release, and a lot of Pokémon have been wiped out of the slate. But, the reasons are understandable, as these Pokémon games are massive in terms of scope.

    Pokémon Sword and Shield bring you to the Galar region, which is based on the UK. There you get three new starters, Grookey (the grass type chimp), Scorbunny (a fire type rabbit), and Sobble (the water type lizard). I chose Scorbunny in both games, largely because of his usefulness in the first gym battle, which focuses on grass Pokémon.

    Do they have their flaws - like inconsistent graphics and a lack of voice acting? Yes. Am I disappointed that some of my favorite Pokémon from the first generation like Squirtle and Bulbasaur have been wiped from the slate? Absolutely. But flaws aside, they're still a lot of fun to play. It's still the Pokémon that's been beloved for years, and flaws aside, I still recommend them.    … Expand
  78. mouse77
    Nov 18, 2019
    3
    While there are a lot of things I really enjoyed about Sword & Shield, I also feel it's one of the weakest in the series to date. As someone who's played pretty much every Pokemon title multiple times, I absolutely, thoroughly enjoyed the gameplay that Sword and Shield did offer, because, well....Pokemon. However, that's also the first and largest problem with these new installments. TheWhile there are a lot of things I really enjoyed about Sword & Shield, I also feel it's one of the weakest in the series to date. As someone who's played pretty much every Pokemon title multiple times, I absolutely, thoroughly enjoyed the gameplay that Sword and Shield did offer, because, well....Pokemon. However, that's also the first and largest problem with these new installments. The amount of gameplay. Not only is there not a lot of it, having one of the shortest storylines of any game, but what you did get is more than a bit lackluster. The story felt generic, the villains weak and forgettable, and the various sections of story felt extremely fragmented and weirdly juxtaposed. Whereas most of the games up until now had several hours of plot outside the main gym/pokemon league challenge revolving around evil corporations or various crime syndicates, this one.....had three different and unrelated groups, none of whom stuck around for more than like 15 minutes? Not to mention were entirely unremarkable and kinda pitiful, both as characters and as attempts at storytelling. Additionally, the gameplay not plot-specific in Sword & Shield felt fairly empty. Too much was done for you in these games, making the experience overall feel exceptionally....empty. No HM's/outside of battle pokemon moves, an integrated, immutable exp share that came at the start of the game with no challenge, constant hand-holding by NPC's, and a map that is vastly smaller than even some of the earliest games (the wild area being a bright point though). The games just felt kinda hollow.

    Secondly, the leveling/grinding mechanics in this game are largely broken. Between the aforementioned exp share issue, and the constant rain of exp boosters from the wild area, the games became pretty broken extremely fast. While I appreciate the attempt to change the grinding mechanic from how it used to be (especially since the grinding mechanic in previous games made them far less playable/enjoyable after the main storyline concluded), this was a poorly thought-out effort. With barely an hour spent roaming the vastness of the wild area, my starter made the jump from lv 18 or so to well into the lv 50 range, making the rest of the game a joke. And mind you, this was before so much as reaching the first gym. While one could argue that simply not playing the game that way would solve that issue, the player shouldn't rewarded with an empty gaming experience just for using the mechanics and features presented in the game. Really, I was just disappointed with the ease of the game once I'd finished the wild area. A system for leveling up that doesn't take quite as long as previous generations, but is more fun and rewarding, and ofc challenging, than having exp boosts rained on you is desperately needed.

    Some other small cons to these games:

    -Unremarkable graphics. While superior to any of the DS/handheld games, the graphics were only SLIGHTLY better than Wii pokemon games such as Battle revolution, which came out over 10 yrs ago.
    -Battle tower was probably the least inspired yet. Really generic.
    -Virtually nothing to do postgame (after only 25ish hrs), unless you really love the Battle Tower.
    -Low level enemies/rivals. I know this one applies to most pokemon games, but still. There need to be more challenging enemies to fight around or after the endgame point. How hard would it be to add some lv 100 trainers in an optional side plot? Or a hard mode at least?
    -Generic legendaries.
    -Terrible boss fights (super hand-holding)
    -No Global Trade System. Why?

    Good Points:

    -The new random encounter mechanics were super fun! Loved being able to sprint through the grass and choose which pokemon I wanted to encounter. Excellent mechanic!
    -Adding on to the previous one, the concept of very tough looking pokemon was really fun, and made for a really exciting/motivating sneak peak of late gameplay.
    -The wild area overall was the single best part of the game. One or two more such areas filled with a lot more trainers and activities would have improved the experience, but nonetheless, an excellent addition.
    -The dynamaxing was fun, though could have been expanded a lot more. The trainer version, for example, never involved shields, which was pretty anti-climatic.
    -Water bike, fossil pokemon (kinda? super limited), camping, breakable TM's (TR's), skippable tutorials.    … Expand
  79. Kibz
    Nov 18, 2019
    10
    The game is really great! Gotta love the new music, gyms, pokemons and design in general!
  80. Cofran21
    Nov 18, 2019
    4
    A very ambitious project for a mediocre company. Pokémon Sword and Shield could have been a lot better, a game with wasted potential. Recycled animations, terrible easy difficulty, little entertaining and predictable history, clipped pokedex and repetitive environments are some of the factors that affect the game and make it of poor quality. Galar is a region interesting but not entertaining.
  81. smexydevvi
    Nov 18, 2019
    5
    After about 40 hours and going in with low expectations I'm still on the negative side, but i'm leaning a bit more to the middle ground. Story...was short, easy (Thanks to exp share), BORING, and over all just disappointing and lame. The game...is fun to an extent, and has some interesting concepts and ideas that just turned out to be implemented horribly. My biggest gripe? The Y Comm. WHOAfter about 40 hours and going in with low expectations I'm still on the negative side, but i'm leaning a bit more to the middle ground. Story...was short, easy (Thanks to exp share), BORING, and over all just disappointing and lame. The game...is fun to an extent, and has some interesting concepts and ideas that just turned out to be implemented horribly. My biggest gripe? The Y Comm. WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS ACCEPTABLE ON RELEASE? Anyone who has this game and is pretty far in KNOWS what im talking about. I'll just say it flat out. Its broken. It doesn't work. Its non-intuitive and it hardly functions as intended. Imagine trying to get a gigantamax pokemon and you see someone post it up, but you cant join because it was a stamp from 10 minutes ago, BEING UPDATED AS NEW FEED. Or how about loading up a max raid looking for people to help you out because the CPU trainers are stupid as hell, but no one can join you for the same reason as stated before. Or how about simply trying to play with your friends in their camp and cook with the already pointless feature that is Pokemon Camp. Welp, you can't because you just have to get lucky and hope to see them in the wild area instead of giving priority to your friends whom you want to play with in the first place. This game is BUTT ugly. Textures are muddy and environment assets are low poly, animations are stiff and gross, not much to cover here since it was to be expected despite dev's claims at E3.
    Onto the positive. There are many quality of life changes in this game, such as removing the restrictions on nicknaming. You can learn and remove pokemon moves at will with no need of paying heart scales or any of that crap. At first i hated pokejobs until i got to the point of sending your pokemon to specific courses to ev train your pokemon. I really like the new mints that allow you to change your pokemon's nature it really helps with the metagame stuff. The music in this game is mostly hit or miss. There are some garbage songs in this game but others are really quite good.

    Overall, this game is hands down the worst game in the series and is definitely not HORRIBLE....but its not good either. This game is mediocre at BEST and i give it a 5/10    … Expand
  82. Bechrisslol
    Nov 18, 2019
    4
    This game doesn‘t make me feel like a pokemon trainer.
    and there is no piplup.
  83. pokefan1998abc
    Nov 18, 2019
    1
    I've been a fan ever since gen 2 came out. Even after that I played through gen 1 and enjoyed it. I've been able to beat every single game and have fun up until this game came out. I didn't like black and white too much but I still liked some parts of the game. Pokemon y was my absolute favourite because of all the mechanics they added. although gts was a thing before that I never had wifiI've been a fan ever since gen 2 came out. Even after that I played through gen 1 and enjoyed it. I've been able to beat every single game and have fun up until this game came out. I didn't like black and white too much but I still liked some parts of the game. Pokemon y was my absolute favourite because of all the mechanics they added. although gts was a thing before that I never had wifi until 3ds and that blew my mind. With sword and shield I just can't seem to enjoy it. They removed so many of the mechanics I enjoyed and replaced them with so much garbage. The way to trade with people is complete trash now compared to what it was before. I loved mega evolution, I liked z moves, and I hate dynamax. And I haven't even brought up that they removed the majority of my favourite pokemon but kept the ones nobody likes such as maractus and stunfisk. I've had fun with every single pokemon that cost around $50 CAD, I've even enjoyed some fan rom hacks and I can't have fun with the one that cost $90 CAD. I'm not saying money's an issue, but why are the cheaper ones way better? In soul silver you could walk with EVERY single pokemon up to arceus (493 pokemon) and now 10 years later you can't walk with any of them, despite there being less pokemon. There were so many mechanics that were amazing that were all removed just for things like tr's, wild area, dynamax, and an annoying as hell rival that talks to you every time you enter a new town. I like the pokemon series way to much to consider this a main series game. And to those of you who argue that they had a small team make the game, here's a thought. If you're going to attempt to make a big game, hire some more people! After playing luigi's mansion 3, breath of the wild, and mario odyssey, I don't think this game should've been on the switch. It's an embarrassment for both switch games and pokemon games… Expand
  84. Tmato
    Nov 18, 2019
    1
    Game look well But i miss some kind of graphics improvements. Graphics suck to be a game of 2019. More things... Online subcription to trade pokemons, 0/10 trade should be FREE ALWAYS, like balloons were free in Mario Odyssey. Not national dex too.
    New mecanics are great But all this send game to 1/10
  85. Riveradrawin
    Nov 18, 2019
    8
    I have a good and fun play time with Sword, I dont care about the graphics but the animations are lacking. Over all this was great
  86. Piermattia
    Nov 18, 2019
    9
    Some criticize the title because of the supposed technical problems and the decision of Game Freak not to insert a "National Pokedex" or in other words the new Pokemon titles will have half of the existing pokedex available.
    This is definitely a flaw but FOR ME is counterbalanced by the aesthetic quality of the new Pokemon
    (there are also hideous creatures that are clear) that always    Some criticize the title because of the supposed technical problems and the decision of Game Freak not to insert a "National Pokedex" or in other words the new Pokemon titles will have half of the existing pokedex available.
    This is definitely a flaw but FOR ME is counterbalanced by the aesthetic quality of the new Pokemon
    (there are also hideous creatures that are clear) that always keeps the player's attention level high.
    The story for now seems well made, the gyms are very fun to challenge (each has a mission to play to be admitted to the real challenge with the gym leader)
    The real flaws reside in the constant stuttering in the wild that castrate the online experience (stuttering does not occur with local communication but only with online communication) and that's it.
    For the rest we find ourselves at a Pokemon title that respects the tradition of the main titles and that allows itself to play perfectly.
    … Expand
  87. powell106
    Nov 18, 2019
    9
    the game is great if you like pokemon games. Follows the similar path of all of the games with a few added extras.
    Nintendo games havent been known for years for ground breaking graphics an to me this looks ace.
    The pokedex being minimised seems most peoples anger issue other then graphics however I dont think it spoils the game it just means there will have to be a different way to    the game is great if you like pokemon games. Follows the similar path of all of the games with a few added extras.
    Nintendo games havent been known for years for ground breaking graphics an to me this looks ace.
    The pokedex being minimised seems most peoples anger issue other then graphics however I dont think it spoils the game it just means there will have to be a different way to catch em all.    … Expand
  88. Honey666
    Nov 18, 2019
    0
    Terrible design, terrible game play.
    I dont understand why people would trust gamefreak if they're making games like this
  89. Simo9105
    Nov 17, 2019
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. One of the best pokemon game, they are beautyfull like pokemon black and white 2, the second pokemon game for the lore.best pokemon game for the exploration, wildlands are perfect, you can stay in them a lot of hour, dynamax are good. There is one of the best pokedex. There is the best rival of all pokemon games, Mary is perfect. Jyms are part of the story, jyms are very good. Team yell isn't an evil team, there isn't a realy evil team but It isn't necessary.… Expand
  90. ashjayanc
    Nov 18, 2019
    3
    Graphics is cute, but given this is a Switch game, cute simply doesn't cut it. Pokemon's faces are so flat they looked so dead inside like they have absolutely no soul because their eyes looked like stickers posted on a plastic pokemon model.

    Story wise, it's so linear. Routes are so boring. "Dog" like pokemon coming at you trying to be cute for you to pet them is nice though.
  91. Tr1Har17
    Nov 18, 2019
    0
    it’s trash, don’t buy it, game freak is a liar and the whole game is incomplete with a toxic fanbase
  92. Jamejarrs
    Nov 18, 2019
    8
    This game has the most QOL improvements out of any game in the series. The ability to access your box nearly everywhere is a blessing, and the XP candy is a much faster alternative to grinding on wild Pokemon.

    The wild areas are an interesting change of pace for the games, and the ability to see other players running around makes you feel like you're in a living world even if it can    This game has the most QOL improvements out of any game in the series. The ability to access your box nearly everywhere is a blessing, and the XP candy is a much faster alternative to grinding on wild Pokemon.

    The wild areas are an interesting change of pace for the games, and the ability to see other players running around makes you feel like you're in a living world even if it can cause some framerate issues. Raid battles - especially if you gather your friends - are fun and can be challenging on the upper difficulties.

    Pokemon/character design is top notch here, some of my favorite from the series. Graphically it's fine, not incredible, but I think some people are getting a little hyperbolic in their take on how bad the game looks.

    I don't care much for the Pokedex controversy - not saying it's unimportant, I get it, just that I can look past it. Maybe that ruins the game for you, that's okay, but if you weren't interested in the massive, massive list of Pokemon you can get some good enjoyment out of this game.    … Expand
  93. cdlavilla
    Nov 18, 2019
    1
    Bad animations, bad argument, no nacional dex, bad endgame.
    This game its not finished and gamefreak did a bad work. Bad game quality in general.
  94. DrakX316
    Nov 18, 2019
    9
    This game is really good. As a long time pokemon fan I dont know what all the hate is really about
  95. Dancctd
    Nov 18, 2019
    2
    Juego muy mediocre para lo visto en esta consola, reciclaje, poping, caidas de frame rate bestiales, y sin nombrar el pésimo online de juego,una lástima...
  96. BugsyNanusu
    Nov 18, 2019
    0
    A bug filled mess with less Pokemon than Diamond/Pearl. Non-existent difficulty. Graphics that look worse than the Pokemon games on the Gamecube. Do not support this cash grab!
  97. aderpaderp
    Nov 18, 2019
    10
    This game brings me back. I haven't played a Pokemon game since Red/Blue/Yellow and I can say that this game builds off the same feel good Pokemon experience. This is one of the best turn-based strategy games ever created. You can tell the developers wanted to bring it back to the old school Pokemon days. The poor reviews on here make no sense because this game is very similar to howThis game brings me back. I haven't played a Pokemon game since Red/Blue/Yellow and I can say that this game builds off the same feel good Pokemon experience. This is one of the best turn-based strategy games ever created. You can tell the developers wanted to bring it back to the old school Pokemon days. The poor reviews on here make no sense because this game is very similar to how Red/Blue/Yellow played. The game has wonderful graphics, quick loading times, brand new (and some old) Pokemon, and has Online Battle modes.

    To answer some of the criticism about Gameplay: There are 400 Pokemon (not sure why anyone complains about a lack thereof), YES you can transfer Pokemon between your Pokemon Battle lineup and your storage. YES you can store all of the Pokemon you find in 8 storage boxes and access them at any time. You can FAST travel between locations. The game mechanics are wonderful and load times are a breeze.

    I'm pushing 30 years old and wonder how many of these 0 reviewers were even alive when Red/Blue/Yellow were out. Take the bad reviews with an extremely small grain of salt. Anyway, if you want some nostalgia and throwback feel good, pick up Sword/Shield. You will not be disappointed.    … Expand
  98. M4TT99
    Nov 18, 2019
    0
    worst pokemon game of all time
    the graphics look horrible for a new hardware (switch) animations looks so bad
    -100 moves no full pokedex
  99. Angelstalker
    Nov 18, 2019
    10
    Its a pretty decent game,gyms never felt cooler and the world never before so expressive the only real downsides is obviously not all pokemon are present but i think those that are present pretty decent variation, and if you are online in the wild area the switch chugs fps pretty hard. Other than that its just a pokemon game nothing special.
  100. Soul3cho
    Nov 18, 2019
    9
    Really great experience, the new animations give a whole new life to the experience, raiding is surprisingly fun an all in all got me back into pokemon!
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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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