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. Tempest636
    Mar 24, 2020
    9
    Online battles are great, music and visuals are great. Raid battles are decent, the story is a bit weak. Every time something interesting is close to happening the 'adults' take care of it and sideline the main character
  2. DoomGuy64
    Mar 24, 2020
    3
    Cutting Pokemon from the roster just to make a season pass... It’s just slimy. It’s an absolutely atrocious way of treating your fan base.
  3. taffyandtora
    Mar 24, 2020
    0
    People will **** on games like star wars battlefront 2 and fallout 76 for their awful business practices but I would argue that Pokémon sword and shield are just as bad as these games. To access all of the content you will need to buy 2 separate games 2 £30 dlc packs and pay for 2 subscription services one of which costs more than Nintendo switch online. I would excuse all of this if thePeople will **** on games like star wars battlefront 2 and fallout 76 for their awful business practices but I would argue that Pokémon sword and shield are just as bad as these games. To access all of the content you will need to buy 2 separate games 2 £30 dlc packs and pay for 2 subscription services one of which costs more than Nintendo switch online. I would excuse all of this if the actual game was good but it just isn't. There is almost no strategy to the combat, the xp candy system is so broken I had a level 100 Pokémon by the third gym, they cut out half of the pokemon, the graphics and animation look like they have came straight out of a PS2 game and you are just stopped by all these characters who constantly tell you about the the boring backstory so much making the entire experience miserable. I fell dirty that I bought these games and I am never buying a Pokémon game again unless they drastically improve.… Expand
  4. Dudi009
    Mar 19, 2020
    1
    Story is so short, the game is so easy. Hope the expack ll be better, atleast last expack sound fun.
  5. fabse96
    Mar 17, 2020
    0
    A complete atrocity of a game. I loved every single pokemon up to this one. But considering the hardware this game runs on and what other franchises were able to accomplish on the switch I would be embarrassed if I were gamefreak!
  6. JRox420
    Mar 16, 2020
    10
    I’m not an rpg guy or a turn based combat guy but this game is awesome. The combat is not grindy and there is such a large variety of Pokémon to catch. I picked it up for $50 on amazon and I don’t regret a little. Don’t listen to the low reviews, they’re all just mad that some Pokémon were taken out!!!
  7. Mike39x
    Mar 12, 2020
    10
    It's a shame this has been review bombed by 'hardcore' fans. I've played every pokemon generation up until now, and yeah, I was upset by dexit like everyone else. But honestly? This is the best pokemon game I've played. I played Soul Silver when it first came out and loved it - Pokemon Sword has finally dethroned HGSS in my heart.

    I could go on and on, but here are the amazing pros:    It's a shame this has been review bombed by 'hardcore' fans. I've played every pokemon generation up until now, and yeah, I was upset by dexit like everyone else. But honestly? This is the best pokemon game I've played. I played Soul Silver when it first came out and loved it - Pokemon Sword has finally dethroned HGSS in my heart.

    I could go on and on, but here are the amazing pros:

    - Awesome music (I normally don't care that much, but the Gym Battle theme is just that good)

    -The whole "Gym Challenge League" thing just feels awesome

    -Dynamax is actually pretty cool looking (before I played it myself, I thought it looked gimicky and dumb, now I actually enjoy it)

    -The Raid System gives you more fun stuff to do in game

    -I think Hop is actually a pretty cool and enjoyable rival this time around, and I generally enjoy how the characters are written

    -I think the graphics of the pokemon themselves look great, and most of the animations look good too (aside from the whole "Double Kick just looks dumb on scorebunny!" complaint)

    -They streamlined so many little time-wasting things in this game. For example, at the daycare center, you don't even have to go inside to drop off your pokemon anymore. It sounds small, but that's just one of many little things like that they've implemented.

    I could go on, but those are probably the highlights for me.

    I will admit, dexit and the lack of voice acting both kinda suck, but those pale in comparison to all of the above and don't deserve all the hate people in the community are giving it.

    If you're a pokemon fan, give this game a chance. It's actually fantastic.    … Expand
  8. byen
    Mar 12, 2020
    1
    I used to be so into this game, but now things that did annoy me that I usually don't let get to me now just make me visibly mad and annoyed. While I will admit this game does some things really well, characters like Hop and Sonia have suddenly started to piss me off. I don't think there has been a single game that has annoyed me to the point where I just don't wanna own the game anymore,I used to be so into this game, but now things that did annoy me that I usually don't let get to me now just make me visibly mad and annoyed. While I will admit this game does some things really well, characters like Hop and Sonia have suddenly started to piss me off. I don't think there has been a single game that has annoyed me to the point where I just don't wanna own the game anymore, don't wanna hear about it, or just straight up don't want to even glance in its direction.… Expand
  9. Dragonify
    Mar 8, 2020
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As a person who barely play any Pokemon games (other than Emerald), this game still feels "meh" to me. Here's my reviews about the game in details:

    1. Story: The story feel rushed. Throughout the game, the player is investigating the history of Galar, that's alright, slowly building the plot, I can go with that. But then all of the sudden this evil man come out of nowhere and wants to "save the world" and can't wait literally more than a day, so he awakes Eternatus, the evil legendary. The player then defeat it with the help of the cover art legendaries. All of this only happens at the end of the game. I don't know, I might not make any sense here, but what I know is that the story is not built well.

    2. Pokedex Issues: Personally I'm okay with this, if anything I appreciate them cutting them out so I won't take years trying to catch 'em all. But the amount of the cut Pokemon does feel a bit much. Thankfully 200+ more Pokemon is added in through DLC, and isn't entirely locked behind a paywall.

    3. Animation: Game Freak claims that they have to sacrifice some Pokemon to make effort on their animation. And my thought seeing the final result is "eh, you can do better, I'll let you off tho". I like the animation they give to the Pokemon when camping (walking, running, playing, even racing etc), there's a lot of detail they put in there. But come on, make them turn around normally in cutscene please instead of just rotating the models (Legendaries in cutscenes for example).

    4. Graphics: There's a lot more they can do here. The overall graphic only feels a little bit better than 3DS. Just look at BoTW and then look at this. It's honestly sucked that they didn't put in efforts on this part, as this is mostly how people look at games nowadays. However I do appreciate the colorful look on the game.

    5. Gameplay: There's not much to say here, it's the Pokemon that we know and love/hate. It's nice to see Pokemon roaming around the world too, but the spawning of the Pokemon makes it annoying as they can spawn right in front of you. The Dynamax mechanic is alright, it's kinda like Mega Evos and Z-Move mix together but definitely not in the best way. I especially don't like how we can't just let our Pokemon have the Gigantamax ability but have to find a new one to replace them. Max Raid Battles are alright as well, but can we have better NPCs for those that don't have friends to play with?

    6. Online Features: Online Features are the most "ughhhhh" thing in this game. Trading feels a bit hard to connect with (especially when there are other people you don't know that are using the same code), and I can't even join online raids (tho that's probably only my Internet issue, but I can trade Pokemon fine, so not sure what that is about).

    Conclusion: Overall, 6/10. Camping feels great (Curry Dex not so much tho), music still feels like Pokemon music that I adore, animation is mostly fine, but others just feel "meh". Game Freak can definitely do better than this.    … Expand
  10. Jack1600o
    Mar 7, 2020
    9
    It isn´t a perfect game but, at least, in my opinion this game deserves an excellent
  11. Greendeer23
    Mar 6, 2020
    10
    This game have my love , i love graphics , gameplay and pokemon aparence
  12. Taerared
    Mar 5, 2020
    3
    Unfortunately, the newest entry in the Pokemon series is... confusingly directionless. It doesn't feel like Game Freak made these two games for any reason other than making money. About 60% of Pokemon are gone, and there isn't much to replace them. The game is also incredibly easy, a five year old wouldn't have any trouble beating it. There's also a lack of post-game content. C'est la vie...
  13. JRobson
    Mar 5, 2020
    4
    As the latest entries in the Pokemon video game series, "Sword" and "Shield" are as generic and tired as their subtitles would suggest. As video games, they are a master class in how not to plan, develop or market your product. To the average Pokemon fan, they are so-so games that do just enough to scratch the itch. To longtime fans who have spent the majority of our young lives growing upAs the latest entries in the Pokemon video game series, "Sword" and "Shield" are as generic and tired as their subtitles would suggest. As video games, they are a master class in how not to plan, develop or market your product. To the average Pokemon fan, they are so-so games that do just enough to scratch the itch. To longtime fans who have spent the majority of our young lives growing up with this beloved twenty-four year old series, "Sword" and "Shield" are an insult and a misstep so hideous and poorly-conceived at every step of their execution that they do not merely scrape the bottom of the barrel, nor can they be described as the bottom of the barrel: these games do not deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence with the barrel.

    For the uninitiated, Pokemon is a series in which players explore a vivid world and discover a diverse cast of monsters. Players form a close bond with these monsters by capturing, evolving, and training their skills in turn-based battles. In contrast, "Sword" and "Shield" invites players to vainly attempt to explore a lifeless husk and discover a limited selection of 3D models T-planing their way across an unambitious, empty world reminiscent of video game worlds two decades its senior (with worse lighting). Pokemon float aimlessly with no sign of intelligent AI beyond simple walking and "player noticed" animations. Shamefully, no interaction between Pokemon and the environment is to be found, nor is any world-building tell that would give players the impression the world is occupied by powerful creatures -- a particularly disappointing fact given how much focus was dedicated to the open world section during the game's promotion.

    Seemingly tacked on mid-development, the open world section features a surprisingly solid if janky player-controlled camera (a series first and a marked improvement over past entries). Despite this, the majority of the game bizarrely does not make use of it, instead employing the automated camera seen in past entries. The resulting conflict in gameplay is the most glaring fundamental flaw of "Sword" and "Shield"; half-heartedly teasing players with the illusion of freedom only to take it away for the majority of the game (think Super Mario Bros. but with a jump button that stops working after the first jump). Coupled with lackluster level design, "secret" items that predictably spawn at the same spots within the world, and a lack of player-world interaction, and players are left feeling punished rather than rewarded for exploring -- a perfect microcosm of Game Freak's decades-old development strategy, a "more of the same thing" development rut which allows for changes only if they come half-baked and ten years late.

    Graphically, 2019's "Sword" and "Shield" are somewhere between 2001 and 1996. Compared to titles released on the same platform (the most powerful Nintendo console to date), textures range from passable to hideous. Lighting is poor overall, with over-exposed whites in bright conditions and color blending so poorly-implemented that cave Pokemon encounters can easily be mistaken for rare "shiny" events. The art style is especially appalling in how little stylistic continuity it features. Even experienced players may find themselves confused by the contrast between ordinary trees and Berry Trees, which feature a repetitive cartoon-like design with vivid colors that contrast dramatically with the muted greys and greens of their non-interactive counterparts (assuming those players can forgive the jarring close range pop-in). The resulting effect makes one feel like some art assets have unceremoniously "glitched in" from an entirely different game. Equally jarring are the open world section's weather events, in which sunny, flowery fields adopt the ambiance of tornado-stricken disaster zones in the blink of an eye, with no visual indicator from a distance.

    Gameplay is unworthy of a mention, with the same slow, clunky cycle players have endured since 1996 in full effect. The latest gimmick to be introduced (and will almost certainly be disappointingly forgotten by the next entry) is "Dynamaxing", a temporary battle gimmick which allows Pokemon to become giants with preset movesets replacing their player-given moveset. As with past gimmicks, many players ignore this feature in competitive play. The "Curry Dex" exists in the way the letter 'Q' exists.

    Sporadic quality of life changes do little to improve the overall UX of these titles, with battles still encumbered by meandering "It's super effective!" messages that could be communicated more eloquently with a quick on-screen visual.

    Players are advised to treat these titles with the same reverence Game Freak's art director James Turner holds for Pokemon fans (Turner publicly "liked" a social media post calling passionate fans who voiced criticism of his project the C-word in the weeks leading up to the game's release).

    Dynamax your wallet instead.    … Expand
  14. loserkid182
    Mar 5, 2020
    4
    Una lastima que no consigan hacer un juego decente que niños y adultos puedan disfrutar, no necesitan genios guionistas de cine, un equipo de personas competentes serian capaces de con 10 consejos hacer una buena historia, pero por desgracia tenemos otra entrega mas de la franquicia que caerá en el olvido.

    Los personajes son la cosa mas vacía que he visto en mucho tiempo, desde luego la    Una lastima que no consigan hacer un juego decente que niños y adultos puedan disfrutar, no necesitan genios guionistas de cine, un equipo de personas competentes serian capaces de con 10 consejos hacer una buena historia, pero por desgracia tenemos otra entrega mas de la franquicia que caerá en el olvido.

    Los personajes son la cosa mas vacía que he visto en mucho tiempo, desde luego la peor de la saga, o empate con otras 3 al menos. El rival es cosa intensita, y los personajes que interacciones con nosotros en la aventura dan ganas de darles una patada en la boca a todos.

    Lo de la zona central tipo mundo abierto y que los Pokemon de nivel superior aparezcan por ahí es buena idea, pero esta FATAL implementado. Los caminos entre ciudades son cortos y SUPER lineales.

    La dificultad del juego es sin duda lo peor que tiene, he subido 4 equipos de Pokemon a mas del nivel 70 solo en una primera pasada del juego y sin farmear ni nada.

    En fin, una lastima que al final la gente dejara de comprar estos juegos por la baja calidad que tienen y ya vendrán las lagrimas de la compañía.    … Expand
  15. TheBilly
    Mar 4, 2020
    0
    De lo peor de catálogo de la Switch, siendo lo mismo de siempre.

    Gráficos horribles, "Mundo Abierto" vació, jugabilidad por turnos con nula estrategia y personalización de avatar muy limitada (más haya de ser inútil en este tipo de juegos) y la venta del juego incompleto. Con DLC a un precio execivo.

    Recomiendo que inviertas esos 60 dólares en otra cosa.
  16. Shaydows
    Mar 2, 2020
    0
    Even though this was a rushed mess, I would have given this at most a 2/10. However, Gamefreak lied to the entire fanbase about why it's so bad and not a complete game. That combined with my original score makes this a easy 0/10, I wish it could be lower.
  17. Lightning_Chasr
    Mar 1, 2020
    4
    More of the same, with less of what makes the series special to so many. Ugly open world area but beautiful towns. Spotty online. The most cinematic the series has ever been, sadly ruined by a lack of voice acting.
  18. Carlos_A
    Mar 1, 2020
    1
    Gostei bastante dos novos pokémons, infelizmente a gamefreak gosta de fazer o que quiser com seu público, mas na efervescência do momento, sou obrigado a dizer que adorei o jogo, nota 1.
  19. Sworzen
    Mar 1, 2020
    2
    Huge lack of potential. It's basically HD sun/moon. Garbage plot, garbage region with super short and simple routes. Cities with many copy and paste houses and buildings you can't enter. Notable lack of polish and content in general, this game should have been 1 or 2 years more in development.
  20. Edumiroku
    Nov 24, 2019
    0
    I enjoyed the Game, however, I don't wanna give 'em a good critic, because they need to update, and we deserve a better quality. Sorry but I'm feeling bad because of buying the game now, so I'm gonna be just with myself. Cada vez que pasa el tiempo lo voy viendo peor y sobre todo con todos los DLC que sacan y piensan que van a arreglar todos los fallos que comete de base. Además que eseI enjoyed the Game, however, I don't wanna give 'em a good critic, because they need to update, and we deserve a better quality. Sorry but I'm feeling bad because of buying the game now, so I'm gonna be just with myself. Cada vez que pasa el tiempo lo voy viendo peor y sobre todo con todos los DLC que sacan y piensan que van a arreglar todos los fallos que comete de base. Además que ese contenido debería ser gratis.… Expand
  21. geuduen
    Feb 28, 2020
    2
    I didn‘t play the game so much but was before Engine Cuty trying to catch some Pokémon and threw 30 pokeballs( all I had) just to see it allways getting out, the Pokémon was just 2 lvl over my strongest Pokémon but there seems to be no chance to get it. WTF? Why? Why I can‘t catch it and it ignores my commands like in the old titels? What a **** hope I can swallow my anger and play itI didn‘t play the game so much but was before Engine Cuty trying to catch some Pokémon and threw 30 pokeballs( all I had) just to see it allways getting out, the Pokémon was just 2 lvl over my strongest Pokémon but there seems to be no chance to get it. WTF? Why? Why I can‘t catch it and it ignores my commands like in the old titels? What a **** hope I can swallow my anger and play it again at the moment it doesn’t look like it. Thanks for letting me throw 55€ in the garbage!… Expand
  22. dedehfontana
    Feb 26, 2020
    0
    Game Freak and Nintendo lied only for sell DLC. Full price in game + DLC + 20 dollar for POKEMON HOME. I really love the franchise since POKEMON RED/BLUE but Game Freak and Nintendo are EVIL
  23. Fernox213
    Feb 26, 2020
    3
    If you like this game very much, I'm OK with you - we're just two people who expect different things from video games.

    If you think there is anything creative, innovative or challenging about this, sorry dude you're 7.
  24. Zeolite
    Feb 26, 2020
    0
    Hardly any story. And not much to do ingame or post game. Also you cant catch all pokemon thats fine but you should at least be able to import them from older generations,
  25. PokeBluedude
    Feb 24, 2020
    4
    I have played every pokemon (main title) game since original blue and red version and sadly I think this is the worst iteration of a pokemon adventure ever. I'm sure that seems a bit steep to some, those that have enjoyed it for example, but it's what I feel. The whole netdex thing and marketing of the game didn't help its case. But mostly its the game. Its just not AAA. Way to much handI have played every pokemon (main title) game since original blue and red version and sadly I think this is the worst iteration of a pokemon adventure ever. I'm sure that seems a bit steep to some, those that have enjoyed it for example, but it's what I feel. The whole netdex thing and marketing of the game didn't help its case. But mostly its the game. Its just not AAA. Way to much hand holding. Constantcutscenes and an annoying rival.… Expand
  26. jrdnnn
    Feb 23, 2020
    7
    Far from the massive leap forward we expected as Pokemon fans but also not as terrible as people would have you believe, Sword/Shield are decent games with a bitter edge of disappointment around most corners. The National Dex exclusion is totally unforgivable, whatever way GameFreak spin it and the graphics are lightyears away from what the Switch (and GameFreak) is capable of.

    The new    Far from the massive leap forward we expected as Pokemon fans but also not as terrible as people would have you believe, Sword/Shield are decent games with a bitter edge of disappointment around most corners. The National Dex exclusion is totally unforgivable, whatever way GameFreak spin it and the graphics are lightyears away from what the Switch (and GameFreak) is capable of.

    The new Pokemon are, in my opinion, excellent. There are so many great designs, both visually and gameplay-wise (my favourites are Hatterene, Grimmsnarl, Corviknight, Copperajah and Sirfetch'd) and it's probably the best batch since Black and White. Galar is fantastically presented and the little nods to British culture, architecture and atmosphere are brilliant. Some of the cities are a spectacle to behold, especially the Cornwall-based seaside town and the London-based capitals. Dynamax is, admittedly, quite cool and not as straightforward as I thought it would be. Raid Dens are also really fun and the accessibility of the Pokedex, with pretty much everything available in some form and rare Hidden Abilities there for the taking - I love this. Battling is the same as ever, and is beginning to show its age, but is fine.

    Now, the main positive - the gym system. Converting the boring old gym format to an exhilirating, stadium-held, anime-esque championship is a genius move. Each gym leader has so much personality for the first time since Red and Blue, and are more than just bosses. The gym battle music is INCREDIBLE (a lot of the music is) and the format of random league opponents is inspired. This NEEDS to be a recurring feature in games going forward as it is the most fun I've had with the franchise in a while.

    Now to the main negative...the story. The story is paper-thin, boring, and weirdly takes place off-screen for the majority (with the "adults" handling all the drama - what the hell is that about?) . Probably the worst narrative of any of the games in the franchise, totally lazy. The inevitable Legendary showdown at the end in unearned, dull and trite. Plus the villainous plans are totally nonsensical, even for Pokemon. The focus is almost entirely on the gyms, so it's a good job they're great. Everything else is pretty garbage, all the side characters are irrelevant and annoying. This goes hand-in-hand with the lack of challenge in the game, it all sort of washes over with you with no speedbumps and is done. WHY is Experience Share mandatory???

    All things considered, I've enjoyed this game purely on merit of the Pokemon available (but there should be more), the cool world (which deserves way better graphics) and the gyms (the only standout feature of the games). And the soundtrack is unreal - look up the Championship Lobby theme! GameFreak really need to get their act together for the next entry as they've absolutely rode on the franchise's success for an easy cash-grab and have consequently exposed their ineptitude at innovation. I'll be here finishing my Pokedex no doubt and trying out the DLC because I am a helpless puppet consumer, but in the face of fantastic Switch games available and even apparently better Pokemon-style games in TemTem, they are at risk of becoming the most stale, embarrassing games around. Interesting to see what happens from here on out...    … Expand
  27. Wences
    Feb 23, 2020
    3
    The most dissapponting videogame of 2019. I really waited for it but I feel that people who grew playing Pokémon are not the target audience now.
  28. Adriella01
    Feb 22, 2020
    4
    Not much to say. It is pretty linear. There is not much freedom to do something else than the story besides catching and leveling pokemons while progressing to the next city. I wished there would have been some sidequests or hidden areas to explore for additional items like back then in Pokemon Gold/Silver. 15h gameplay time and you're done. And if you want more you have to pay 25€ for theNot much to say. It is pretty linear. There is not much freedom to do something else than the story besides catching and leveling pokemons while progressing to the next city. I wished there would have been some sidequests or hidden areas to explore for additional items like back then in Pokemon Gold/Silver. 15h gameplay time and you're done. And if you want more you have to pay 25€ for the next small expansion pass.… Expand
  29. Persona5Royale
    Feb 22, 2020
    0
    Utterly awful and the characters are unlikable such as one of your rivals Hop. The shield version is much better due to better gym leaders and a better ledgendary.
  30. dbbuu
    Feb 21, 2020
    1
    The only redeeming factor this game has is that's it's Pokémon, and I unfortunately like Pokémon a lot.
  31. DJKrimson
    Feb 19, 2020
    4
    I wouldn't recommend this game to anyone. Instead of repeating everyone elses reviews, I'll just summarize my 2 biggest complaints.

    1. It's way to easy. Exp share is always enabled so if you just spend a little bit of your time catching pokemon in the wild area and do some raids, you'll be OP for the rest of the game. Also the new gen bird pokemon (which I'm sure most people use) have    I wouldn't recommend this game to anyone. Instead of repeating everyone elses reviews, I'll just summarize my 2 biggest complaints.

    1. It's way to easy. Exp share is always enabled so if you just spend a little bit of your time catching pokemon in the wild area and do some raids, you'll be OP for the rest of the game. Also the new gen bird pokemon (which I'm sure most people use) have type advantage in like 5-6 of the gyms.

    2. It's blanc,uninteresting and uninspired. To be completely honest, I didn't even understand the games plot even after I had finished the game. The characters suck, specially your rival, who runs away from you 50 meters and waits for you so he can stop you and explain something obvious and run away 50 meters again (yes, throughout the game and no, not exaggerating). There's so much filler dialogue just because the game would be an 8 hour game without it. Also, this gens "team rocket" is pretty much the same as in sun/moon, they have no cause apart from interrupting you with some very easy fights.

    I had 10 times the fun playing Let's go Eevee, which was supposed to be the "here, have this while we finish the real one"-game.    … Expand
  32. DetectiveDonut
    Feb 18, 2020
    7
    Definitely not the best Pokemon game, but there's some value here. It's a good entry point for the series, but you'd be better served with one of the DS' main series games.
  33. Oobylooby
    Feb 18, 2020
    9
    Game bad because it don’t have what I want and new Pokèmon look dump. Why people play this bad game it no have what other game has. Worst main lane sea game.
  34. DullahansXMark
    Feb 16, 2020
    5
    The game has half of the Pokemon, so I'm giving it half of a perfect score.

    Jokes aside (not that it's really a joke), there's lots of other problems with this game. I don't feel like doing a full review, so I'll just list the problems and leave it at that. -graphically, the game is a joke. You'd never guess this is the highest-grossing media franchise in the world judging by the    The game has half of the Pokemon, so I'm giving it half of a perfect score.

    Jokes aside (not that it's really a joke), there's lots of other problems with this game. I don't feel like doing a full review, so I'll just list the problems and leave it at that.

    -graphically, the game is a joke. You'd never guess this is the highest-grossing media franchise in the world judging by the visuals. I find the more recent Star Wars films questionable in general quality, but I can at least tell a lot went into making them all.
    -h i g h q u a l i t y a n i m a t i o n s
    -the game plays straight out of the PS1 era of JRPGs. It's 2020, why does the game need to slow down and display "It's super effective!" in a separate text box? Go look up some Persona 5 gameplay and see how quickly and cleanly the game tells you that you hit a weak point. It's actually embarrassing that Pokemon can't match that.
    -do I even need to say that Dynamax is stupid?
    -fun fact: a single Pokemon takes up about 136 bytes of data. That means that 10 Pokemon is 1.36 KB, 100 Pokemon is 13.6 KB, and 1000 Pokemon is 136 KB, which makes 10,000 Pokemon fit into 1.36 MB of data. That's three times smaller than your average .mp3 file. Pokemon Home doesn't need to exist and it doesn't need to cost $16 a year.
    -I hope you're not tired of Charizard yet
    -the music is mostly garbage
    -the new Pokemon designs are mostly garbage. Whoever green-lit Arctozolt should be demoted to janitor.
    -those two guys (you know which ones, but I can't "spoil" anything) have stupid hair. Yes, I really felt this needed to be an actual bullet point.
    -the plot literally happens without you. I understand I've made some subjective points, but this isn't one of them.

    I could go on and on about this, but I'm getting bored, so let's just leave it at that. Don't be proud that you bought this nonsense of a game, please. Game Freak scammed the world with this one.    … Expand
  35. Karson02
    Feb 16, 2020
    9
    I found the game fun in some ways, I do get that some people do say that the games are lacking and with not every Pokemon in the game, but still I did enjoy whole game anyway. most of negatives are just something that I don't get. Some do say that some of the new designs and mechanics don't exist. but there are some nice looking new Pokemon like Cinderace,Toxtricity,Hatterene,Corviknight,I found the game fun in some ways, I do get that some people do say that the games are lacking and with not every Pokemon in the game, but still I did enjoy whole game anyway. most of negatives are just something that I don't get. Some do say that some of the new designs and mechanics don't exist. but there are some nice looking new Pokemon like Cinderace,Toxtricity,Hatterene,Corviknight, and Flapple. Still I get it some may think that the whole no national dex thing is a big problem, but to me I don't care. I just wanna play Pokemon and I still loved the games. While I do have one minor criticism, being the whole issue with the overall lack of some of my favorite Pokemon. I honestly do think that sword and shield are very strong entries into the series, I do respect some things about these games like gigantamaxing,the gym leaders,and the whole wild area itself. Honestly these games are splendid overall and I did enjoy how these games felt with it's unique charm to them, in my opinion sword and shield did feel like a brand new reboot to the series as a whole. I did love the games and I don't care if anyone comes up and says i'm wrong for liking these things, because everyone has their own opinion, and that is fine. But still I loved both versions and I cannot wait until the expansion pass comes out. Also some of my favorite Pokemon are programmed into sword and shield like Primarina,Decidueye,Incineroar,and Alolan Raichu. I loved sword and shield, to me they were just as good as sun and moon,black and white,and diamond and pearl, but that's just my perspective on them.… Expand
  36. Empoleonmaster2
    Feb 15, 2020
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Pokémon Sword & Shield are an enjoyable experience which make a smooth transition from the 3DS to the Switch for a mainline Pokémon Title. These two games received heavy criticism for decisions made during their development, but how does the final product rate? Here's my opinion on whether the games delivered.

    I liked a majority of the new Pokémon designs in Sword & Shield. Certain Pokémon, such as Inteleon and Grimmsnarl, were stand-outs to me among the other Pokemon. There were only a tiny amount that I truly didn't like, like Blipbug and Chewtle. Despite the limited animations that each monster possesses, TPC has managed to convey a personality for each species.

    One of the most contested points prior to release was the removal of the National Dex from the game, and the subsequent prevention of any non-Galar native Pokémon from being transported to the games. This is not unprecedented in the history of the series. Generation 3 had many Johto Pokémon completely unavailable until Emerald, almost 2 years after the original release of Ruby and Sapphire. A similar move has now been made with the Switch, which is the first console since the GBA to not be directly backwards compatible with the previous console. With the number of species approaching 4 digits, this move makes sense. It cleans up the competitive scene and allows the developers to focus on other aspects of the games as opposed to focusing on the Pokémon themselves. This cut has given me an incentive to complete the Pokédex, as it is now a manageable task. 367 Pokémon available in a single version is also not something to scoff at, beating out the original Sun and Moon on that account. The addition of more Pokémon in the upcoming DLC is both a positive and negative move is this regard, as it undoes the advancements made by doing this in the main game (in particular, the legendaries). However, this is still ultimately a positive in my opinion. Finally, they have chosen to add the National Dex in Pokemon Home, meaning that whilst it may be tedious now, future progress (The eventual Generation 9, 10 etc) will not have to be constantly re-earned by manually transferring each Pokemon to the new generation.

    Pokemon Sword and Shield's story is fairly barebones in comparison to the generation which it follows. The majority of the plot consists of things that do not occur to the player character directly, with the adult characters often taking the lead when they occur. An good example of this is when a Power Spot appears covering all of Hammerlocke City, where Sonia and Leon investigate the situation whilst the player progresses straight to the next gym. Although this may be less enjoyable, it is a over-proportionate response to the criticism surrounding Sun and Moon's story. When those two games were released, they were criticised for having the story be in the player's face constantly. As a result, Sword and Shield have stepped too far in the opposite direction and have removed the player from interacting with the story almost entirely, barring the battle with Chairman Rose and Eternatus at the climax of the game. This provides what can be perceived as a more 'realistic' Pokémon experience, with the player not becoming involved in any huge plots (until it comes to them, due to their battle against Leon who was directly involved). Instead, the player progresses through the Gym Challenge, earning fans as they go and becoming well known throughout the region.

    This is also the reason the player does not fight any true 'evil team'. The player will instead fight Team Yell, who simply wish to stop the player from beating Marnie to becoming Champion. The story no longer revolves around the prodigy child who saved the world (although this still occurs). It is built to follow a child who is competing in the biggest event of their life, facing challenges that accurately reflect those they would encounter and becoming famous due to their successes.

    There is also the Post-Game, which ties in more closely in with the player due to their encounter with Eternatus and the Legendary Dogs of the Galar Region. This has been criticised for being too short by the community. I believe that this provides a decent extra bit of play-time to the game, not to mention the Battle Tower and things such as Max Raid Battles. Whilst perhaps not as comprehensive as the 3rd games in Generations 3 and 4, as well as the sequels in 5, it beats out other entries like X & Y and Sun & Moon in terms of extra content. However, this does not mean it could not be improved, as this formula has been in place since X & Y regarding Post-Game content.

    In conclusion, I believe that Sword & Shield both exactly what they needed to be. They are a good bridge for the main Pokémon series from Handheld to Home Console. Whilst there are evidently areas that could be improved in future, the games are fun to play and feel like Pokémon Games. I rate Pokémon Sword and Shield 7.8 / 10.    … Expand
  37. zmz
    Feb 14, 2020
    3
    Cant believe there is a game, which came up in 2019 and at 60 dollar price tag , has only 10 roads and one barren boring wild area to explore,

    And besides ,the main story is frothy and blank, and no other side challenge and quests . If Zelda got 10, the same price game only deserves 3 .
  38. PasDeBer
    Feb 13, 2020
    10
    Really well designed region, characters and most of the pokémon, stunning soundtracks and some amazing concepts were introduced in these games that defenitely should return in Future games. Also, i LOVE the graphics, even gave me that feeling of nostalgia from Nintendo 64. Not having all the pokémon its Sad but It looks like all the next games its going tô bem like this so... Whatever
  39. CyberSurge
    Feb 12, 2020
    3
    While on the surface this seems to be the best pokemon game in years, once you step into it you will find one of the most shallow pokemon games ever made. The tutorial of the game is extremely long and drawn out, despite the fact that you only travel in a straight line. The game will ask if you need help sometimes, giving you the option to skip the tutorial, but it is very inconsistent.While on the surface this seems to be the best pokemon game in years, once you step into it you will find one of the most shallow pokemon games ever made. The tutorial of the game is extremely long and drawn out, despite the fact that you only travel in a straight line. The game will ask if you need help sometimes, giving you the option to skip the tutorial, but it is very inconsistent. Once you are done with the tutorial, you are brought to the wild area, the game's main selling point, which is a shame since it is so lackluster and dull. The only things you can do in the wild area is catch pokemon, participant in raids, and camp, none of which feel particularly fun after you repeatedly do them over and over again in quick succession. If you play online, the wild area will be inhabited by NPCs that use the attributes of real player accounts to make it appear like there are real people playing with you, but the game doesn't do a good job of convincing you of this. All NPCs (not just the wild area ones, either) move extremely rigidly as if they were still mapped to a grind like in past games. Their animations are so stale and lifeless you could practically see the code running on screen. Most characters only have a few animations as well, with most of the main characters (especially Hop, who even had his animations ripped straight from US/UM) will end up repeating the same 3 poses throughout the entire game. This bleeds into the completely flat story, which the game doesn't even let you see, much less play through. There is almost no storyline in this game other than a few moments in the game where the NPCs act panicked because of some unnamed threat that gets resolved before you even get to the location the threat is at. The only time that you actually get to play through a story conflict happens literally at the very end of game, which only involves you backtracking through the tutorial areas and fighting an unbeatable boss fight. After the game is over, there's no postgame content other than doing more raid battles and grinding pokemon for competitive play, neither of which are engaging or fun. Raid battles are extremely sluggish and slow and boil down to you pressing the at button 5 times over a 10 minute period, as the boss can deploy a shield that completely negates all damage for several turns, with no way to strategize around it. Overall, the game seems extremely rushed with only the bare minimum effort put into it. This game is not worth $40, much less $60. You are better off playing any other pokemon game, or even another more fleshed out and enjoyable RPG that provides much more fun than this game could ever dream of… Expand
  40. Xxdaniels751xX
    Feb 11, 2020
    3
    Perhaps in another circumstance I could have supported a downloadable content like the one proposed by Game Freak, but never given the current circumstances. Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield has turned out to be a launch that, despite successful sales, raised a lot of controversy. I don't think there was a worse time than this to announce an expansion pass with these characteristics. ThePerhaps in another circumstance I could have supported a downloadable content like the one proposed by Game Freak, but never given the current circumstances. Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield has turned out to be a launch that, despite successful sales, raised a lot of controversy. I don't think there was a worse time than this to announce an expansion pass with these characteristics. The Pokémon brand has deteriorated during the past 2019 due not only to a video game that does not include all the Pokémon, but to an improved communication by The Pokémon Company.… Expand
  41. ChrisV89
    Feb 10, 2020
    3
    + Graphics
    + Nature Zone
    + Number of different Pokemon

    - Poor Animations
    - BORING Story
    - Far too easy
    - No Puzzles
    - Leveling is too fast
    - Appears loveless, no creativity in this
    - Stupid, long dialogues
    - Starter Pokemon are lame

    Playing Pokemon since day 1, but there are no real improvements in this series. Will be the last Pokemon I've played. Safe your money and play old ones!
  42. Devilboy
    Feb 10, 2020
    3
    Pokemon sword and shield is an amazing game. However, game freak did not think about user's feelings. Firstly, they made expansion pass. This choice was so bad. Pokemon is not a cheap game already. Therefore users should spend too much money on playing this game. Switch console+swich online+pokemon game chip+expansion pass needs too much money. The most disappointing point is that gamePokemon sword and shield is an amazing game. However, game freak did not think about user's feelings. Firstly, they made expansion pass. This choice was so bad. Pokemon is not a cheap game already. Therefore users should spend too much money on playing this game. Switch console+swich online+pokemon game chip+expansion pass needs too much money. The most disappointing point is that game freak used their pokemon as a tool to make users to pay more. For example, you cannot meet some pokemons. However, if you buy expansion pass, you can meet those pokemon. At first, I thought the game freak did not put some pokemons because it is too hard for them to make. But it was because of money...If you clear the story, you have nothing to do unless you buy online or expansion pass. I think this was worse than Sun and Moon.… Expand
  43. Oksanen4
    Feb 7, 2020
    0
    Worst pokemon game ever made. Boring world, NPCs, dull world and new pokemons
  44. Nintenboy
    Nov 15, 2019
    2
    The worst Pokemon game in the series The only positive is the music I completed my whole Pokédex got the shiny charm and haven’t seen a single shiny since having it and trust me I have battled over a thousand zigzagoons caught more then enough, and have a shiny charm and nothing! The shiny system is the worst and was not well thought about. Take let’s go pikachu for example! Just get a 31The worst Pokemon game in the series The only positive is the music I completed my whole Pokédex got the shiny charm and haven’t seen a single shiny since having it and trust me I have battled over a thousand zigzagoons caught more then enough, and have a shiny charm and nothing! The shiny system is the worst and was not well thought about. Take let’s go pikachu for example! Just get a 31 catch combo and you actually see the shiny pop up in the wild as a shiny! Why would you go take one step forward and two steps back! I I’m so unhappy with this product and can’t believe this has the gold seal of approval by Nintendo! Shocking. I have put my dual game package up on eBay. I know longer wanna play this mess! I feel cheated! Never again gamefreak will I ever give you the benefit of the doubt.… Expand
  45. lorvha
    Feb 6, 2020
    0
    The price increase of "Pokemon Sword and Shield" and their passage on a more powerful Console must necessarily lead to an overall technical and graphic improvement.
    Pokemon Sword and Shield have a technical / graphic shortage. Now this is no longer admissible
  46. TheSoyIsStrong
    Feb 4, 2020
    4
    This is by far the least ambitious Pokemon game of all time and manages to have less content than past games. The Dex cut, while embarrassing on his own due to the fact that nothing in the game would justify it, is sadly just one of the many issues.

    Whereas other franchises like Mario and Zelda keep improving and evolving, the Pokemon games just stay stagnant and get worse in certain    This is by far the least ambitious Pokemon game of all time and manages to have less content than past games. The Dex cut, while embarrassing on his own due to the fact that nothing in the game would justify it, is sadly just one of the many issues.

    Whereas other franchises like Mario and Zelda keep improving and evolving, the Pokemon games just stay stagnant and get worse in certain aspects, with Sword and Shield being a massive decline in every shape and form compared to Gen 7.    … Expand
  47. maahikhan15
    Feb 3, 2020
    4
    Very disappointed with the laziness of the developers tbh had so much potential but it was wasted unfortunately :(
  48. Vulgrim
    Feb 3, 2020
    3
    The worst part for many reasons. A lot of unnecessary elements, forced graphic style that does not suit this game, simplicity so great that you do not feel a single challenge. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. "Open" zones only pretend to be such, they are just nicely enclosed linear paths that are no different from any other installment of the series. The new creatures are mostlyThe worst part for many reasons. A lot of unnecessary elements, forced graphic style that does not suit this game, simplicity so great that you do not feel a single challenge. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. "Open" zones only pretend to be such, they are just nicely enclosed linear paths that are no different from any other installment of the series. The new creatures are mostly dull and expressionless, and I have never encountered the fact that I didn't feel like using new Pokémon. The starters themselves are so boring that I almost randomly chose which one to choose.… Expand
  49. Lone_Wolf_Sones
    Feb 2, 2020
    5
    Where to start with Sword and Shield. Are they bad games? No. Are they great games? No. So what are they then? Well they strangely find themselves sitting in the middle. Considering these were to be the first console mainline installments in the series? Expectations were understandably high.

    That is not to say that there aren't any redeemable aspects about these titles. However for    Where to start with Sword and Shield. Are they bad games? No. Are they great games? No. So what are they then? Well they strangely find themselves sitting in the middle. Considering these were to be the first console mainline installments in the series? Expectations were understandably high.

    That is not to say that there aren't any redeemable aspects about these titles. However for every step forward? It feels like one step was taken back. First we have to talk about the cuts to the national dex as well as the move pool. Game Freak said this was in an effort to deliver high quality animations. Unfortunately, we do not really have "high quality animations" here.

    The Wild area is easily the biggest new addition and it is a positive step forward. However this is tempered by the fact that you will find high level pokemon early on. You can't catch them. This would have been somewhat tolerable if you could catch them but couldn't use them in battle due to the level restrictions that have been in place since the series' inception. Also a bummer is that while online the frame rate tanks and trainers you come across can't be interacted with.

    The games also have a shocking lack of visual polish across the board. There are some glaringly low resolution and muddy textures. The cities and towns feel like window dressing and facades. Many doors can't be entered. Interior's of buildings have been copied and pasted with the same layout in each.

    Dynamax and Gigantamax battles feel like gimmicks. They add very little to the meta and feel like nothing more than damage sponges even if you exploit elemental advantage. I would rather the time spent on these have been spent on creating more new pokemon or getting more of the roster in there.

    The new pokemon we did get are generally cool. Regional variants though again I could do without in favor of more new ones or more of the proper national dex.

    Now we come to the really scummy part. They revealed DLC where many of the cut pokemon will be added back in for $30. They said there would be a "Free" update. But many people fail to consider this isn't really free. We also have been given the news of Pokemon Home and that it will cost $16 for a year. Also placed behind Pokemon Home is the GTS system that has been carved out from the previous games.

    IF you want to transfer from pokemon Bank which itself already costs $5 a year? You need Pokemon Home which is another $16 for a year. This is on top of paying for Switch online at $20 for a year. That means you will have spent $41 on subscriptions alone just to transfer/trade and battle online. And if you want the DLC which most fans are probably going to want as there are yet new legendaries in there, that's another $30. That's $71 total on top of the $60 for the base game where you already were paying $20 more up front being a switch title vs. a 3DS title.

    This kind of excessive monetization of Pokemon is my greatest fear come true.    … Expand
  50. Bruiser4000
    Feb 2, 2020
    8
    Quite possibly my favorite Pokemon game to date. To be fair, the graphics aren't as good as promised and it doesn't try too much to innovate, but the core gameplay is still the same turn based style we come to know and love, the new Pokemon certainly make up for the Pokemon cut, and the Galar region is one of my favorite designs of any regions. In the end, I don't see the cutting of theQuite possibly my favorite Pokemon game to date. To be fair, the graphics aren't as good as promised and it doesn't try too much to innovate, but the core gameplay is still the same turn based style we come to know and love, the new Pokemon certainly make up for the Pokemon cut, and the Galar region is one of my favorite designs of any regions. In the end, I don't see the cutting of the National Dex as a problem and can still enjoy the game regardless of its absence.… Expand
  51. Joshie
    Feb 2, 2020
    3
    Pokémon sword and shield is a game that feels as if it was a 3DS game rushed onto the switch after the handheld started to die. The game feels like the same game as always and whilst it's a good formula, the amount of rehashed content is near unforgivable.
  52. zasham
    Feb 2, 2020
    5
    For me the biggest negative thing about the new Pokémon games are the difficulty. They are likely the MOST easiest/casual Pokémon ever. No puzzles, no real dungeons, experience points for all Pokémon, exchange Pokémon directly without going to the center, way too easy trainers ect. ect. ect. There are so many flaws in difficulty, it seriously hurts!
    If those were the first games in the    For me the biggest negative thing about the new Pokémon games are the difficulty. They are likely the MOST easiest/casual Pokémon ever. No puzzles, no real dungeons, experience points for all Pokémon, exchange Pokémon directly without going to the center, way too easy trainers ect. ect. ect. There are so many flaws in difficulty, it seriously hurts!
    If those were the first games in the whole series, Pokémon wouldn't have been such a big success as it is today. Hope they learn the next time! If not, it will be my last one forever.    … Expand
  53. Ellielove
    Feb 1, 2020
    0
    Game is extremely short, clocking in between 10 and 15 hours for new players, and full of bugs and glitches. Many features such as the trading station have been removed and are now paid features. Models are jagged and rough, like what would be expected in an N64 or original Playstation game, and most of the textures aren't any better. The Wild Area is extremely small and barren, and twoGame is extremely short, clocking in between 10 and 15 hours for new players, and full of bugs and glitches. Many features such as the trading station have been removed and are now paid features. Models are jagged and rough, like what would be expected in an N64 or original Playstation game, and most of the textures aren't any better. The Wild Area is extremely small and barren, and two separate towns are nothing more than long hallways. It's a very ugly game with a very shallow story and characters, clearly rushed out in order to take in money without any effort.… Expand
  54. Ryuail
    Feb 1, 2020
    7
    Pokemon is always a warm nostalgic bubble for me, much like a Dragon Quest game.
    I enjoyed the English setting, and the new pokemon are quite delightful.
    I miss my main man Magneton, but it's not like I don't have him in other Pokemon titles, no what I think really sets this back from being a great game is the bad online experience. Wild area(s) was a neat proto idea, but I think it    Pokemon is always a warm nostalgic bubble for me, much like a Dragon Quest game.
    I enjoyed the English setting, and the new pokemon are quite delightful.

    I miss my main man Magneton, but it's not like I don't have him in other Pokemon titles, no what I think really sets this back from being a great game is the bad online experience.
    Wild area(s) was a neat proto idea, but I think it needed another year of work to fine tune it into something a little more enjoyable.

    The raid battles also are fun when you're low level going against 3 stars, but once everything is 5 star, lv 99 its the most boring and tedious process in the game.

    Music is fantastic though! Damn I haven't been this into a Pokemon soundtrack since 2nd gen!    … Expand
  55. Dre286286
    Feb 1, 2020
    1
    Scam. Do not buy this game. I luckily bought a used copy from gamestop and returned it in the first three days. Terrible that they lied about everything and then purposely did not finish game to sell you expansions.
  56. BlockXI
    Jan 31, 2020
    6
    It's Pokémon, which I like and I do enjoy these games. But it's the worst games in the series (except for VGC). No graphical upgrade worth the name, no evolution on gameplay but a new price tag for being on console. I like it, and it's a total cash grab
  57. Solaire101
    Jan 31, 2020
    0
    Нет русского языка, нет многих любимых покемонов из первого поколения.
    There is no Russian language, there are no many favorite pokemon from the first generation.
  58. jacksondawg25
    Jan 31, 2020
    1
    Game Freak has gotten either incredibly lazy or incredibly cheap. There's no other way to put it. They spared as many expenses as possible while making this game. They left out a bunch of Pokemon from previous games. The story mode is shorter than any previous game in the series. There is less post-game content than any previous game in the series. The animation quality is the worst it'sGame Freak has gotten either incredibly lazy or incredibly cheap. There's no other way to put it. They spared as many expenses as possible while making this game. They left out a bunch of Pokemon from previous games. The story mode is shorter than any previous game in the series. There is less post-game content than any previous game in the series. The animation quality is the worst it's ever been. The GTS has been removed. And the reason for all these problems? Laziness and/or greediness. Game Freak put minimal effort and resources into the making of this game and it shows. The worst part is that not only did this game disappoint me, it also got me thinking critically to the point that I realized that ever since Pokemon Black and White, this series has become just... lesser in every category. In addition to the problems listed above, anyone could look at the actual plot of recent games and see that the stories are becoming less inspired and overall more boring. Rivals seem like regular trainers that don't matter anymore, villains don't seem to be worth any concern at all, there is nothing motivating the player aside from the same old gym challenge plot. The soundtracks have also begun sounding more generic over time. Save for one or two decent songs per game, nothing has measured up to the fantastic soundtrack Black and White had.

    To add insult to injury, Game Freak's response to all this criticism was horrible. They didn't update the game to add Pokemon or fix animations, or return the GTS, or add post-game content. They did however decide to add PAID DLC. Their solution to a game almost void of content was to add some, but make players pay 30 more dollars (more for me because I'm Canadian) to turn an unfinished game into what might be a full game.

    In conclusion, don't get this game. Don't get the DLC, and don't buying anything to do with Game Freak until they get their **** together.    … Expand
  59. missile
    Jan 31, 2020
    1
    The game would be good if it was a 30 box game, but no instead you pay the full price (60 box). I still don't understand why you should have 2 versions of the game, you pay the full price but you got half of the game. Personally, I finished the game in less than 9 hours. I expect more from this full-price game and don't speak about this **** system of den which is a painful way to longerThe game would be good if it was a 30 box game, but no instead you pay the full price (60 box). I still don't understand why you should have 2 versions of the game, you pay the full price but you got half of the game. Personally, I finished the game in less than 9 hours. I expect more from this full-price game and don't speak about this **** system of den which is a painful way to longer the life of this game. Now they ask 30 box more to get what should have been in the game from the start and right now,16 box for Pokémon home. No I got enough of it. I don't support this, they are doing to us a BO3. It's time that they understand that we are not cows. It will be the last Pokémon game that I buy. And for everyone that things that there is still hope see you again at the next game.… Expand
  60. Kndygrm
    Jan 30, 2020
    4
    Honestly really disappointed in a lot, and happy with theres. So the bad: you cap what level Pokémon I can catch?? What a joke that was one thing that really ticked me off, every other one you can catch whatever you just maybe couldn’t control the Pokémon. Next is there are ALOT of missing Pokémon at the start that they said they couldn’t fit in?? Yet you can sell us a $30 expansion?Honestly really disappointed in a lot, and happy with theres. So the bad: you cap what level Pokémon I can catch?? What a joke that was one thing that really ticked me off, every other one you can catch whatever you just maybe couldn’t control the Pokémon. Next is there are ALOT of missing Pokémon at the start that they said they couldn’t fit in?? Yet you can sell us a $30 expansion? Liars!!! You can change your outfit for just walking around, but I wish I could change the uniform and the biking outfit, not a deal breaker though. And the game itself was too short for a $60+tax game. For the length and what it doesn’t have it’s not worth in over the previous games already out. Nothing great, it was a game, it played. I liked I could now play it on the tv which I couldn’t with a ds or any of the game boy version.… Expand
  61. Namlocs
    Jan 30, 2020
    7
    This game is no where near as good as it could’ve been. Graphically not great, lacking all the Pokemon is certainly a negative, severely lacking in post-game content, and overall being a disappointment for the first home console Pokemon game. But I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy the game. The story, although by no means Gen 5 standard, certainly wasn’t terrible, despite itsThis game is no where near as good as it could’ve been. Graphically not great, lacking all the Pokemon is certainly a negative, severely lacking in post-game content, and overall being a disappointment for the first home console Pokemon game. But I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy the game. The story, although by no means Gen 5 standard, certainly wasn’t terrible, despite its predictable plot twist. The new Pokemon were very fun to meet and the Wild Area, despite being not quite being the vast open world I hoped for, was fun to explore. The Dynamax and feature was fun to use, as was Gigantamax, despite it no where near being the same standard as mega evolution. The towns were fun to explore, despite being far smaller then they should be, and the Gym Challenges and Leaders were highlights for me. Conclusion: Although these entries far from return the Pokemon series to the high level of quality last seen in Gen 5, they’re certainly not bad by any means. Although a casual player will probably enjoy this game, it will perhaps not satisfy the more hardcore fan base.

    Score: 7/10    … Expand
  62. spartaman64
    Jan 30, 2020
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Probably the easiest pokemon game to date the only time I was sweating a little was when the rock gym leader got 3 critical hits in a row with his first pokemon and wiped out all my super effective pokemon towards his type. But I soon discovered that it was unfounded and I easily beat him with only one more pokemon fainting. This doesn't make for enjoyable gameplay when theres no need to be strategic and I breezed through all the other battles one shotting every pokemon. Also it seemed like they ran out of time making the evil organization side of the story and instead just have Leon take care of it while your character does nothing about it until the very end. And then at the battle against the big legendary in other games it was up to you to be the hero and save the world but instead in this game your pokemon barely does any damage while two other legendary pokemon come and does all the work not a very satisfying conclusion. I bought a month of switch membership to try out the online raids but instead when I queue up for a raid it always times out even though I see a lot of people around the raid den. I paid 3.99 just to see people walking around. I finished this game in two sittings which left me feeling unsatisfied with the amount of content and now they are annoucing paid DLC which adds an additional bad taste in my mouth. I guess this is the mark of a successful business theses days manufacture the problem and then sell the solution. There are some good things. Creature design has always been a strength of pokemon and this game isn't an exception with cool pokemon like corviknight and cute pokemon like wooloo. I don't even mind alcremie too much though I always disliked the design of the edibles. I also liked how they went all in on the this is UK thing with references like bob's your uncle resturant and the dialogue. But overall pokemon sword reflects the overall state of gaming nowadays its all about looking nice and having gimmicks while sacrificing the quality of the gameplay.… Expand
  63. Krossbone
    Jan 30, 2020
    1
    What can I say that hasn't already been said? Could have been so much more, but due to Game Freak's horrible marketing and rushing, the game was churned out with lackluster presentation and exclusion of numerous Pokemon from the Pokedex that are already coded into the game.
  64. Luccio26
    Jan 27, 2020
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Story 1.5/3
    Let's start by saying who really plays Pokémon for its story content? The generic child who leaves town to take on forces that no 10 year old would ever deal with in the real world to become the best trainer in the region hasn't changed tac since the early 90s with Pokémon Red & Blue. Generation 8 is more of the same. You start as that gleamy eyed kid and your best friends brother who's the champion who has never lost a battle in his life will eventually be taken down by yourself in the end of the story. There is about 5 hours of story content here going from city to city. Maybe 6-7 if you take your time exploring and getting the legendries post game. Where the game shines is its Meta where I have a lot to say. Hop your friend is an interesting character. His plot develops quite nicely as he slowly comes realise he won't ever be better than you and starts to see he can fulfil his goals in other ways. It's a nice side story that most people will miss because of their blatant hatred for Game-Freaks DEXIT. Bede is also another interesting character who's your pseudo rival and eventually ends up taking over as one of the Gym Leaders.
    Gameplay 3/3
    I'm going to come out and say it. I was originally sceptical about the decision to cut the Pokedex down to 400 from its 800+ choices. However those who say you can't 'CATCH EM ALL" need to understand you haven't actually been able to catch them all since Gen 3 where the slogan ended on the box art. That was 5 generations ago. I also want to say that importing pokemon from game to game and your poke-bank is not catching them all. So to pour hate into this game without understanding why I find to be a very weak argument to say this game is bad. Secondly upon reaching the METAGAME I came to like the pokemon cuts. Here's why. I have been playing competitive pokemon since gen 4 in online tournaments and VGC tournaments in Oceanic leagues and Australia. I have partaken in ranked battles for over 10 years. Generally I find myself locked into a rotating team of about 10-15 pokemon that I use and the same types of pokes would appear on a regular basis and the end games felt repetitive and redundant when you see the same cookie cutter builds all the time. In Sword I run with a rotating team of around 25-30 pokemon all Max IV, EV and competitive battle ready. This is because there are more viable options to choose from in the meta as the OU, RU and NU tiers aren't clear. Yes you may see the same types of pokes appear still because of the SMOGON gamers however they can be easily countered with smarter battling. There may be half the amount of pokemon available however I find myself using more than I ever did in my last 4 generations of competitive battling. There seems to be less filler, and a more balanced end game which I like and find it refreshing. Dynamaxing is a quirky and fun game play loop and if used right can be the perfect wall to an opposing Dynamax or a clean sweep when set up right. There have been a lot of QOL fixes too which allow for easier breeding, EV and IV training as well as fast travel options. Instead of breeding the perfect competitive pokemon and training it up taking hours per pokemon. You can now do the same in under an hour. Giving me more opportunity to trial teams in competitive battles rather than using the same ones over and over. The wild area is fun. Smaller than I thought however with more updates coming (Yes its paid DLC but its still better and cheaper than buying a full priced game that was ULTRA SUN & MOON) we get more wild areas and content to sink our teeth into as well as new pokemon and forms.
    Sound/Music 1/2
    Nothing great but still the same fun jingles we have come to love with pokemon games. However this is a switch game. There is no voice acting still, still no pokemon voices from their cries outside of Pikachu and Eevee. When and if there is a next gen switch console and hopefully another pokemon game I expect to see an improvement in this
    Visual Art Design 1.5/2
    Looks more like a polished 3DS game than a Switch game. Zelda BOTW is proof you can have a good looking game in a cartoon looking design. Still a great colour palate, fun new pokemon designs world designs.

    My final verdict for this game is a 7/10. I am enjoying the meta game and it is really why any serious pokemon fans play the games. The rest of the content is a bit lacking which is where it falls down however this is not a sub 5 game than most fans are giving it out of spite for GameFreaks decisions. They have added a lot of QOL as well as bringing out new content. I would also like to point out this new content does not mean you have to buy it to enjoy the new pokemon & forms, you can trade and receive them through other means so don't be fooled by what you read on forums. Give it a go if you are sitting on the fence because as a veteran of pokemon games I can say you shouldn't pass this one up.    … Expand
  65. hunter328
    Jan 27, 2020
    9
    Fantastic game. 100+ hours already and still having fun. With 2 DLCs coming the game is only going to get better. Must play.
  66. Shapeshifter69
    Jan 27, 2020
    7
    This is a incredible Pokemon game in my opinion (despite the dex cut) and let me explain my reasoning why. The game is fun and doesn't interrupt you a lot either. My main gripe with sun and moon was the fact that the story was great but it simply stopped the player too much along the way. Sword and shield finally hit that perfect area where it obviously has a story but it doesn't interruptThis is a incredible Pokemon game in my opinion (despite the dex cut) and let me explain my reasoning why. The game is fun and doesn't interrupt you a lot either. My main gripe with sun and moon was the fact that the story was great but it simply stopped the player too much along the way. Sword and shield finally hit that perfect area where it obviously has a story but it doesn't interrupt you (and in some cases you can just skip it if you want to get into the Pokemon fun). The game provides competitive players with easier ways to change natures get stats and more making this game beginner friendly for people that want to get into the competitive. The main campaign is fun but a bit easy (though its Pokemon what do you expect it is a beginner RPG). One of the things I really like are the new designs of the Pokemon. As much as I loved the sun and moon games and x and y Pokemon they felt lackluster compared to the superior gen 5. This game finally provides us with incredible Pokemon designs something that has felt missing for years. Now the online functionality is not the greatest. The removal of the GTS was the saddest part and the fact you can't camp with your friends without pure luck is annoying. I feel like it should've been more like x and y where you could see peoples profile and if they want to trade or battle. Max raid battles as fun as they are are also incredibly annoying. I hate the fact that they only refresh after everyday when in all reality it should run on a hourly system. Also finding any raid online that isnt down or already finished is annoying. Though if I have to give this game a score id give it a 7/10 all it needs is a bit fixing around the corners and it can be the perfect pokemon game… Expand
  67. DragonGamerZ
    Jan 25, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Oh lord, where do I begin with this one? First off, please don't let all the review bombs sell you that the games are "bad," it's just a vocal minority, evident by the fact the games have broken sales and have gotten generally positive reviews. They're ungrateful and have even gone so far as to send death threats and have even placed a false rape accusation on Masuda. These are not the kind of people you want influencing you. If you want more details about these guys, check out this link: https://toxicfandomsandhatedoms.miraheze.org/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_Sword_and_Shield_Ironic_Hatedom
    It accurately describes their actions and puts it into perspective just how ungrateful they are. Anyway, now for what you came for, the actual review (spoilers ahead, read at your own risk):

    First off, I wanna address the controversy, as that's the biggest thing stemming from these games. The biggest part of it is obviously the lack of a National Dex, which to be honest, isn't even too bad. Yes, some of my favorites were cut (most notably Greninja), but they did a good job with the selection of Pokemon overall (they even managed to fit Type: Null and Silvally in), and given their reasons, I think Game Freak is justified here (don't come at me with that Game Freak lied BS, it was one translation that other translations have deconfirmed, so in reality, we don't know for sure. Besides, if they did lie, what's the big deal? It's the only time it's happened and you make it sound like Game Freak is a greedy company that's happy with lying to its fans, yet they [if they did lie] have only done this once and suddenly they're EA? No, EA has done much worse, so outta here with that nonsense). Besides, they clearly listened to the haters' crying, as much as they don't deserve it with their actions, by adding Pokemon in via updates that coincide with the DLC (the Pokemon are FREE y'all, don't make stuff up about them being paywalled).

    Now for what I really enjoyed. First of all, the graphics. Sword and Shield are, without a doubt, the best that Pokemon has looked by far, and this is from a company that has very little experience with console games. You wanna complain about a tree, how about the beautiful towns and cities, most notably Motostoke, Hammerlocke, and Wyndon (not to mention that the locations are a lot more enjoyable and explorable aside from a few routes, instead of being like, a cave with 10 floors you just want to get out of). You wanna complain about Double Kick, how about moves like Pyro Ball, Eternabeam, No Retreat, heck even moves like Thunderbolt, Grav Apple, and Psychic. You wanna complain about that one scene of Zamazenta/Zacian turning around, or even the god-forsaken mouse, how about them cutscenes (I'd love to see voice acting in future games, but these still look great). Yeah, for every strawman argument the haters make, I've got quite a few retorts, which is a testament to how great the games are.

    Next, I'd like to talk about the story. It was pretty freaking immersive and I really enjoyed it. It's no Black and White, as those games have a level of depth to their story that simply cannot be topped, but for what it was trying to achieve, it was great. Your progression as a Trainer is far more believable and hyped up rather than you just being some random nobody that somehow saved the world and became Champion in a day. No, in fact, Leon's the one taking care of the evil for most of the game because he wants to make sure everyone is safe and enjoys their Gym Challenge, like a Symbol of Peace (My Hero Academia fans where y'all at?). Speaking of the Gym Challenge, it's so hype to be in a giant stadium fighting a Gym Leader or fighting in the Pokemon League, which is now a tournament like in the anime (THANK GOD). The story is further supplemented by memorable characters, each with their own character arcs. You have Sonia who becomes the next professor right before your eyes, Hop who undergoes an inferiority complex issue after his defeat at the hands of Bede and not wanting to drag his brother's name down, only for him to learn what he wants to do in his life, Marnie who becomes the next Spikemuth Gym Leader to bring light to what would otherwise be the slums, Bede who is abandoned twice only to succeed Opal as the next Fairy-type Gym Leader and finding a place to belong, allowing him to overcome his usually arrogant nature, and even the Gym Leaders, who have more fleshed out personalities thanks to the League Cards. Battles are very fun as usual, and Dynamaxing, while not as cool as Mega Evolution, is a CLEAR step up from Z-Moves. It's a lot of fun.

    Lastly, I just want to mention a few quality-of-life improvements that add another level of joy to the games, such as no more random encounters, TRs, and Exp. Candies, on top of the fun Pokemon Camp. They all make the experience more fun. Conclusion: The games are awesome (would easily recommend any day of the week), and I'm so hyped for the upcoming DLC.    … Expand
  68. Pizzazz
    Jan 25, 2020
    0
    I have no idea how they got everything so wrong, all they had to do was make the same thing they've been making and it would have been fine, but they somehow made it terrible.
  69. Flui
    Jan 24, 2020
    4
    Compares badly to pokemon battle revolution or even pokemon colosseum. These games are 10-15 years old.
  70. Taf
    Jan 24, 2020
    4
    So many possibilities, so many opportunities. Just not even considered.
    Same basic game play. Same basic animations. Same short uninspired storyline. Why not make the game with a sliding scale of difficulty? So you cater to younger & older players?
    Why not add more depth & ideas? Breath of the Wild type open exploration would have been great? Why lie about the number of Pokémon    So many possibilities, so many opportunities. Just not even considered.
    Same basic game play. Same basic animations. Same short uninspired storyline. Why not make the game with a sliding scale of difficulty? So you cater to younger & older players?

    Why not add more depth & ideas?
    Breath of the Wild type open exploration would have been great? Why lie about the number of Pokémon available?Why communicate so poorly with player base? Not impressed, not happy, can't see me buying any expansion packs or passes, I'm pretty over it to be honest. Sigh    … Expand
  71. MisoraHibiki
    Jan 23, 2020
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've played the series from the very beginning. I've invested hours into each installment. While SwSh are good, they're far from perfect.

    The good: smaller UI means being able to give more room for the gameplay.

    The bad: Nat Dex. This is the first entry where past Pokémon were not programmed in: before, any given game would have all the known (and unknown Mythicals) Pokémon that were released by that point.

    Low-tier graphics. While they are sleeker than USUM, SwSh's graphics fall on the very low end in terms of what the Switch is capable of. If the 3DS wasn't retired, SwSh would have ended up there. Using textures that can be compared to a N64 game also doesn't help, either.

    Re-used models and animations. GameFreak claimed that all the animations and models would be brand new. That's not the case. Many, if not all, of the 809 Pokémon released before these games use the same models that they used in USUM. Only thing that was changed is that the models look more sleek. Other than that, no changes.

    Too easy. Never before have I had such an easy time finishing a Pokémon game. With "permanent EXP share" giving an equal amount of EXP to all party members (without dividing it by the number of party members, which is how past games did it) and easy-to-farm EXP crystals (which are far more effective than Rare Candies during the earlier level ranges) makes this game extremely easy.

    Another disposable gimmick. Mega Evolution, first appearing in Gen VI, and Z-Crystals, first appearing in Gen VII, have been replaced by a new gimmick: Dynamaxing. Essentially, making pokémon giant for three turns. Aside from an HP boost and slightly stronger moves, the gimmick is practically useless, as many Dynamaxed Pokémon used by trainers still can't survive even a single hit (especially with the easy sources of EXP). The only clear question is what will replace in in Gen IX.

    Lack of story. While the Pokémon games in general have usually gone with the same story structure, there was always a secondary objective for the player: putting an end to whatevernthe villainous team of the region was planning. It reached the peak in Gen VI when the villainous organization planned to use a weapon capable of killing all life on Earth. Such a story is absent from these games. The closest thing to a villainous team composed of fans of one of the Gym Challengers: their nost heinous act is simply being a nuisance that even their idol becomes angry with them over. The closest thing to an actual villain tries to reawaken a Pokémon responsible for a doomsday event that has happened before, just so he can "provide Galar with enough energy" for the next millenia. The actual threat, though, is nonexistant, and there's no real sense of accomplishment, either. The one battle involved is also scripted, meaning its impossible to actually lose.

    I could say more, but i believe what I've wrote is sufficient enough. GameFreak had a chance to make an astounding game, but due to a yearly deadline they've inflicted on themselves, it seems like future entries will just continue the downhill trend that SwSh has started.    … Expand
  72. DocAragon
    Jan 23, 2020
    4
    I’m sorry, I love pokemon, the cute art style, but this time gamefreak just didn’t even try. they’re getting lazyer and lazyer every single game. I hope they listen to fans and stop doing cashgrab like this one
  73. TerrySG
    Jan 21, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It set out to make the competitive scene less obnoxious to prepare for, and I would say that, outside of a few hiccups, it passed with flying colors. Items that change Nature in the Battle Tower, more Bottle Caps, Hyper Training made easier, and EV berries are more plentiful. Also Hop is a rival with a great amount of depth and it's nice to see that the antagonist really was well meaning. Nearly perfect.… Expand
  74. Kidwild
    Jan 21, 2020
    1
    This is a sad, and Pathetic Generation of Pokemon. If Game-Freak stayed true to their Claims, on why they cut the Pokemon out by more than half. And ACTUALLY made everything else great!. It would of been a 8 out of 10, maybe 9 out of 10 Game. that delivers a quality product. But alas Everything is a lie...

    The Game is pretty much too much hand-holding. (I get for newcomers, but we have    This is a sad, and Pathetic Generation of Pokemon. If Game-Freak stayed true to their Claims, on why they cut the Pokemon out by more than half. And ACTUALLY made everything else great!. It would of been a 8 out of 10, maybe 9 out of 10 Game. that delivers a quality product. But alas Everything is a lie...

    The Game is pretty much too much hand-holding. (I get for newcomers, but we have older Pokemon fans you know. That would want a challenge.) And on top of this. The Visuals are rather mediocre at best. The New Roster of Pokemon for Generation 8 is also pretty poor. Grade D+. While the starter Pokemon, and quite a bit of them are good. A lot of other Pokemon look nothing more than total mistakes, or a concept gone wrong or rushed.

    If this is how Pokemon will be from now on? Then I am no longer a Pokemon fan anymore. As buying this poor excuse of a Pokemon game, would be accepting mediocrity. (I got this used, and sent it back, for a full refund after a few hours of game-play... Not worth it at all.)    … Expand
  75. JosuexYrionx
    Jan 21, 2020
    0
    Eto eta mux mal. Sonido roto, pikemonss de la horilla de infierno, jraficos peores q el ET de Atari, sta critica esta esha x un fanatic de pikomons de 90 anos q te descuartizan x completo.

    Mushas gracias, Sony x traer un guego de Kojima
  76. Dazan
    Jan 20, 2020
    6
    Es un Pokemon tradicional, añadiéndole un área tipo mundo abierto que, para mi, me parece una pasada pero que está muy poco explotada ya que se te hace pequeña rápidamente y es muy uniforme. Podrían haber añadido cuevas, o zonas con vegetación diferente, pero al final lo que parece es más bien un jardín grande.

    La mecánicas de raids y el gigantamax son muy divertidas pero no funciona    Es un Pokemon tradicional, añadiéndole un área tipo mundo abierto que, para mi, me parece una pasada pero que está muy poco explotada ya que se te hace pequeña rápidamente y es muy uniforme. Podrían haber añadido cuevas, o zonas con vegetación diferente, pero al final lo que parece es más bien un jardín grande.

    La mecánicas de raids y el gigantamax son muy divertidas pero no funciona corretamente la conexión a raids de otros jugadores, el estilo artístico es muy bonito, pero con deficiencias técnicas graves, y la BSO nada que criticar, al contrario, es de las mejores en la serie. Pero lo que más me ha decepcionado ha sido el postgame, que es casi inexistente y el peor de la serie (la captura de Mewtwo en Azul/Rojo es más interesante que el de esta edición). No hay captura de legendarios (solo uno), el argumento es un poco tonto, corto y aburrido. Obviamente no se puede perdonar la sensación de poco trabajo al ver algunas texturas, y en la eliminación de MUCHOS pokemon. Es una pena porque siento que éste podría haber sido el gran juego de Pokemon, pero se ha quedado en una transición que da esperanza para la siguiente entrega, ya que hay ideas muy chulas a potenciar.    … Expand
  77. Sorios565
    Jan 19, 2020
    10
    Honestly one of my favorite games currently, I love the characters and the new mon and I've gotten a lot of genuine enjoyment playing this game. Being able to play a big pokemon game like this on a main console was great.
  78. Topokki
    Jan 19, 2020
    4
    The most lacking Pokemon game I've ever played.

    The story is just weak, the G-max feature is a time consuming joke, battles are not at all innovative and feel like a chore. Animations are acceptable for a console like the 3DS, but again, very lacking when compared to gems like Super Mario Odyssey and Zelda Breath of the Wild. The game is far too easy and do not require you to think    The most lacking Pokemon game I've ever played.

    The story is just weak, the G-max feature is a time consuming joke, battles are not at all innovative and feel like a chore. Animations are acceptable for a console like the 3DS, but again, very lacking when compared to gems like Super Mario Odyssey and Zelda Breath of the Wild.

    The game is far too easy and do not require you to think on a strategy to beat any opponent at all. Just spam your most super effective move all the game through and you will beat it.

    I profoundly regret pre-purchasing it, even worse, I got the double pack version to play with my girlfriend. Playing together is another joke. There are lags of 10 seconds or more CONSTANTLY, not to mention that ... well, there is nothing to do when playing together side-by-side.

    If the game was $30 and from an indie developer, I would say it was worth the price, but instead, you pay full price for half the game. And now there's even a paid DLC coming out, and the DLC alone costs what the full game should cost: $30.

    Worst purchase of 2019 confirmed.

    If you plan on buying it anyway, I recommend you pick the physical version as you can sell it later.
    For me, I'll have the game stuck in my library forever to remind me to don't let hype overcome reason.    … Expand
  79. Crobi
    Jan 18, 2020
    4
    Missing Pokémon aside, the game has outdated graphics, blurry textures, little to no story, and a laggy wild area. The game feels empty and uninspired at best. Some towns are barely more than a Pokémon centre and a street. If this was made by an indie studio I'd be more understanding, but for a mainline Pokémon game in 2019, this game is disappointing at best.
  80. Exxenoz
    Jan 18, 2020
    0
    It feels more like an unfinished, overpriced and boring Indie-Game than a video game from a billion dollar franchise. Definitely one of (if not) the worst Pokemon Game ever.
  81. SapJo
    Jan 18, 2020
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Traurig! Lässt man die Animationen weg, die gefühlt einfach von Sonne/Mond übernommen wurde, dann hat man ein komplett lineares Spiel in dem man von Cut-Scene zu Cut-Scene rennt.
    Eine "Open World" die notdürftig reingeklatscht wurde und immer noch Bugs beinhaltet. Ein Spiel in dem man sich nicht als Protagonist fühlt sondern eher als Sidekick.
    400 Pokemon sind im Spiel und komischerweise nur die Pokemon die eine besonders schwere Entwicklungsmechanik haben.
    Jetzt kommt ein DLC raus mit 200 Pokemon mehr, dass ist Content der eigentlich for low sein sollte und die Pokemon Company will dafür 30€. In den Städten lässt sich fast nichts erkunden/entdecken, sowie auf den Routen    … Expand
  82. AkiBismarck
    Jan 18, 2020
    3
    This is the worst pokemon game so far, everyone who says otherways has either never played a single pokemon game before or is completly delusional. The designes are beyond terrible and uncreative. Gamefreak literally knows it, for what other reason would they place that many old pokemon already catchable at the first routes. They know most of the new pokemon look utter garbage, so theyThis is the worst pokemon game so far, everyone who says otherways has either never played a single pokemon game before or is completly delusional. The designes are beyond terrible and uncreative. Gamefreak literally knows it, for what other reason would they place that many old pokemon already catchable at the first routes. They know most of the new pokemon look utter garbage, so they had to compensate. For anything else wrong about this game there are already enough other reportings like here or on reddit. This game is just a sad picture of what nintendo and gamefreak have become. This isnt pokemon anymore this is a pure money-ripoff… Expand
  83. Dan8elPG
    Jan 17, 2020
    9
    Me ha encantado aunque no tanto como otros juegos de la saga como blanco y negro y x e y
  84. Catachoys
    Jan 16, 2020
    1
    Los graficos nunca han sido algo importante en la saga de Pokémon pero creo que graficos de Nintedo 3DS o incluso de 64 en una Switch ya es muy poca calidad Pasando a la historia, es corta, muy poco inovadora y demasiado simple para nada comparada a la de las anteriores generaciones y ni hablar de lo basico que es la zona salvaje En este juego hay varios personajes interesantes de los queLos graficos nunca han sido algo importante en la saga de Pokémon pero creo que graficos de Nintedo 3DS o incluso de 64 en una Switch ya es muy poca calidad Pasando a la historia, es corta, muy poco inovadora y demasiado simple para nada comparada a la de las anteriores generaciones y ni hablar de lo basico que es la zona salvaje En este juego hay varios personajes interesantes de los que se podria haber sacado más partido pero como en todas las ultimas entregas de pokémon el rival ya no es mas que un amigo y el juego es bastante facil haciendo que un niño de hasta 5 años no tenga ninguna complicacion en terminarlo ya que el juego te guia de un punto a otro haciendo una historia lineal en la que para nada se toma en serio la exploracion Este sera mi ultimo juego de pokemon porque ya no se que esperar de Gamefreak… Expand
  85. TheMegaGodz
    Jan 16, 2020
    8
    It's a very good Pokémon game. Do I agree with reviewers calling it the greatest Pokémon game ever? No. Do I think whiny fanboys made it seem worse than it actually is? Yes. The dex cut is not that big of a deal and neither are the graphics. I don't play Pokémon games for the trees. My biggest complaint with the game is that a few of the battle animations are very lackluster, but even thatIt's a very good Pokémon game. Do I agree with reviewers calling it the greatest Pokémon game ever? No. Do I think whiny fanboys made it seem worse than it actually is? Yes. The dex cut is not that big of a deal and neither are the graphics. I don't play Pokémon games for the trees. My biggest complaint with the game is that a few of the battle animations are very lackluster, but even that didn't ruin my overall experience. This game is great. It's not perfect, but it doesn't deserve the hate it receives.… Expand
  86. TheLastTay1
    Jan 16, 2020
    8
    I really don't understand peoples gripes with this game. it is clearly a return to form for the franchise and a truly great experience.. TARGET AUDIENCE OF CHILDREN but adored by adults alike.
  87. Spagh8tti
    Jan 16, 2020
    4
    Probably the worst game I own for the Switch, I don't much care about the "dexit" because I have never really been too into Pokemon and have only played the GBA games. This is probably the most handheld I have felt while playing a game, every time you enter a new area you're always interrupted by some boring "cutscene" that you don't care about, when you want to explore the city somethingProbably the worst game I own for the Switch, I don't much care about the "dexit" because I have never really been too into Pokemon and have only played the GBA games. This is probably the most handheld I have felt while playing a game, every time you enter a new area you're always interrupted by some boring "cutscene" that you don't care about, when you want to explore the city something is blocking your path because they want you to do certain things first. I've had more fun surprise trading than playing this game, most of my hours are actually me being AFK while surprise trading. The wild area is good but the popups are obnoxious, I saw a video where someone complained about it but I thought it wouldn't be such a big deal but it's actually really bad, this game's graphics are not good either and it still lags on certain areas. I actually don't recommend buying this game, and I'll probably never buy another Pokemon game if they all play like this, GameFreak needs to innovate, I don't have a problem getting interrupted while on route's by other trainers and such but getting interrupted in cities by some characters that you don't care about just so they pretend that the game has a plot, it's a hard pass from me. I'll keep looking forward to new Pokemon games but I will not buy them without watching some reviews first and see if it's any different from this dumpster pile of a game.… Expand
  88. Attred
    Jan 15, 2020
    1
    Обманули игровое сообщество. Вырезали более 400 покемонов, сделали одинаковые комнаты взамен. В игре встречаются графические баги, имеет проблемы с производительностью. Эндгейм-контента почти нет. Обман GameFreak о том, что модели созданы с нуля. Самая отвратительная часть из всей серии. На фоне этой части pokemon let's go pikachu выглядит еще лучше теперь.Обманули игровое сообщество. Вырезали более 400 покемонов, сделали одинаковые комнаты взамен. В игре встречаются графические баги, имеет проблемы с производительностью. Эндгейм-контента почти нет. Обман GameFreak о том, что модели созданы с нуля. Самая отвратительная часть из всей серии. На фоне этой части pokemon let's go pikachu выглядит еще лучше теперь.
  89. SammyHauguth
    Jan 15, 2020
    1
    Max Raid Battles sucks, can't find other people to team up with which is no fun because the NPC's use Magikarp, and what is Magikarp now again? Yes, the worlds most pathetic Pokémon there ever is!

    Edit:
    And the end credit is unskipable... Another thing that is ****
  90. Filmanwalt
    Jan 14, 2020
    7
    Trying to rate this more objectivly. For me the Game as it stands is good and enjoyable. The Game isnt without its flaws.

    Presentation Really loved the anime style of presentation. You can see a lot of cutscenes and the graphics are okay, but could be a little bit better. Gameplay Dynamaxing, Raids, double fights and more. You have some sort of content in this game and it    Trying to rate this more objectivly. For me the Game as it stands is good and enjoyable. The Game isnt without its flaws.

    Presentation

    Really loved the anime style of presentation. You can see a lot of cutscenes and the graphics are okay, but could be a little bit better.

    Gameplay

    Dynamaxing, Raids, double fights and more. You have some sort of content in this game and it doesnt get boring. Therefore some of the activities are very lame, like the cooking or the pokejobs. I really didnt do them and dont felt like missing sth.

    The Fights are eazy for the most part, especially the arena leaders, but I liked the challenges and the league like system.

    Story

    Its nothing special, but for me the connections to some real problems (clima change e.g.) are good to see. The Story is good presented but not really suprising, you can see the outcome by a mile.

    Soooo....big problem for me is that a lot of the new pokemon arent interesting and that they cut so much pokemon out and now will bring a lot back with DLC. That is a bad taste on their product, but its an good pokemon for the switch, it just needed more Pokemon.    … Expand
  91. lelbro
    Jan 14, 2020
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Controversy aside, examining this game on its own merit, Pokemon Sword is pretty good. The new pokemon are extremely unique and creative, fitting into their environments perfectly. It was really clever how some of the Pokemon were able to be seen and encountered in the overworld, while others would chase you in the grass, thus expanding upon how pokemon fit into their environments. By the end of the adventure, I fell in love with a lot of characters like Marnie, Bede, Sonia, Piers, Team Yell, and many, if not all, gym leaders. I even loved Hop who I was indifferent towards in the beginning of the game. The wild area is a great, intuitive addition that could have been so much more. Routes and towns/cities use both expected landscapes and new ones to spice up the formula. The battles themselves look great and are a joy to watch.

    In terms of the downsides, the story is intriguing and simple enough to follow, but there is a lot that doesn't make sense or isn't explained well enough. The pacing is inconsistent, especially in the beginning and towards the ending. At times you could be flying through gyms, while at other times it takes hours to get to another gym battle. Speaking of battles, there are too many battles with Hop, however that could be argued as a positive because the player is able to witness the evolution of his team. The game is a little too easy as well. During the entire play through, I don't think I lost a single battle, but then again, this is coming from someone who has played pokemon for over a decade. The online system for finding raid battles and activities in the wild area is just plain bad. The stamps do not refresh quick enough, causing many of the activities to be expired by the time you see them. The wild area lags a bunch as well. Cutscenes can be slow and hand-holding sometimes. The entire currydex system is cute, but a waste of time in my opinion. Gigantamaxing is cool, however the gimmick is not enough to sell the game for me. Lastly, the graphics are extremely lacking considering what the switch is capable of running.

    Now in terms of what Pokemon Sword represents for the series, it is a huge let down. This game was supposed to be Pokemon's true triumphant jump to HD, but there are times where the graphics and textures look like they are from the PS2 era. The developers ripped out the national dex, which to me was fine because it encourages the usage of pokemon one normally wouldn't use, however, their reasoning for it was not justified. They said they wanted to focus on animation, movement, and expressiveness, when it looks the same as it would have on a 3DS. Gamefreak also obviously reused some of same models from those games in this one. The moves look very similar as well. The post game content is extremely lacking, especially when compared to HGSS. It can be seen as a downgrade from the Let's Go games, since your pokemon can't follow you in the overworld. I can truly understand where all the hate is coming from and why this game currently has a user score of 4.5.

    With all of the negatives I just stated, it might sound surprising that I'm giving this game a 7. There is still a lot to love here; it is still a pokemon game through and through. The initial ending is ok, but the post-game ending was very fulfilling and gave me a feeling that I normally don't get from many games nowadays. I even got a little bit of that surreal feeling in the early game. It might just be the Pokemon magic, but because I ended the game with feelings of genuine happiness and satisfaction inside me, I'm happy I played it. I might even consider buying dlc depending on how much content it withholds.    … Expand
  92. Reed618
    Jan 14, 2020
    7
    This is a controversial release but i'm just going to give my honest thoughts. The last pokemon game I played was red on my gameboy when I was a kid so it's been a while. Overall I think the game is worth playing but not exactly great. It has some pros and a whole bunch of cons.

    pros = raid battles are fun the wild area is cool, you can just run around catching all kinds of powerful    This is a controversial release but i'm just going to give my honest thoughts. The last pokemon game I played was red on my gameboy when I was a kid so it's been a while. Overall I think the game is worth playing but not exactly great. It has some pros and a whole bunch of cons.

    pros =
    raid battles are fun
    the wild area is cool, you can just run around catching all kinds of powerful pokemon
    social aspects work well
    the art style isn't amazing but it's pretty good for the most part
    the animations are pretty good, again... could be better but not bad.

    cons =
    hop... oh my god... stop interrupting me every time I take two steps
    the story... please hire some better writers. it felt like this was just patched together by the devs
    higher difficulties are needed. it feels like persona for babies.
    it's quite short. I just finished it after about 18 hours. There's some post game stuff but i'm not motivated to play more.
    the game needs more variety. it feels so routine very fast. travel to a town, challenge a gym leader, travel to another town, challenge another gym leader... etc.
    the game needs some interesting dungeons, social links, higher stakes.... basically more stuff from persona
    dialogue choices that are pointless e.g let's do it! or we're unstoppable!

    Overall i don't care if gamefreak lied, removed half the pokemon or whatever... I just care about whether it's fun. It's fun for a while but it gets old and there's a real lack of innovation here. This is pretty underwhelming for the first pokemon game on home consoles. It's fine... mediocre... alright...
    Mostly I just wish i'd spent my time playing dragon quest 11 or octopath traveler.    … Expand
  93. Zzgamer
    Jan 3, 2020
    7
    Meh.

    I expected more from GameFreak Wouldn’t really recommend unless your a huge Pokémon fan to be honest. If your not a huge Pokémon fan DON’T get the game!
  94. alexandermora
    Jan 12, 2020
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Not worth the 60$ price tag and now with paid dlc and season pass which means Cut content. If satoru Iwata were still alive he would have done all he could to get every single pokemon in the game besides legendaries of those annoying exclusive event pokemons, but nope people are happy with this inferior and mediocre product, heck some fanboys claim that the story is the best in the series, like seriously? This people never played black and white or pearl and diamond? i am done with this crappy franchise. I will admit that the game is fun, no **** pokemon formula IS FUN but guess what i can replay any of the previous games and get the same enjoyment. Oh lets not talk about those awful animations, the lies and the fact that Gamefreak has become lazier and lazier and pokemon as a franchise has become even bigger THAN DISNEY, FREAKING DISNEY!!!! but nope people think that we dont deserve better and we need to paid more for less because they are **** stupid.… Expand
  95. Ozero
    Jan 11, 2020
    6
    A pesar de ser un fan de la franquicia considero que hay cosas que no se pueden aceptar.
    Pokémon Espada y Escudo tienen una excelente música como cualquier otro juego, buena ambientación, colorido y escenarios pero eso es opacado bajo el mínimo esfuerzo que Gamefreak puso en en estos juegos. A mi no me importaría si se reciclan animaciones de los juegos de 3DS o que hayan eliminado las    A pesar de ser un fan de la franquicia considero que hay cosas que no se pueden aceptar.
    Pokémon Espada y Escudo tienen una excelente música como cualquier otro juego, buena ambientación, colorido y escenarios pero eso es opacado bajo el mínimo esfuerzo que Gamefreak puso en en estos juegos. A mi no me importaría si se reciclan animaciones de los juegos de 3DS o que hayan eliminado las mega evoluciones o MovZ e introducir nuevas mecánicas de combate como el Gigamax, pero ese mínimo esfuerzo en el desarrollo afecto a los juegos. Desde animaciones de muy mala calidad, gráficos malos, una resolución de baja calidad y demás errores que se cometieron. Tengo miedo de que GameFreak no evolucione como debe o que siga haciendo esto para hacer dinero fácil con solo el nombre de Pokémon. Es muy bueno el juego, a nivel de otros títulos de la franquicia pero desepciona como fue trabajado y que aun asi no hayan mentido no solo con la PokeDex si no también por todo el demás contenido que se elimino sin haberlo dicho y esperar a que se filtrara el juego y saber la verdad. Y bueno, siendo Pokémon conformes o no seguiremos comprando sus juegos y como tal vender millonadas.    … Expand
  96. Legoking
    Jan 11, 2020
    10
    One of the best Pokémon games I’ve ever played. Great visuals, awesome gameplay.
  97. Neca96
    Jan 11, 2020
    4
    It's just really mediocre. Has a lack of endgame content, there is nothing to explore and overall feels really unpolished.
  98. B0rk4
    Jan 10, 2020
    6
    Positive:
    + Cousy gameplay
    + Addictive
    + Semi-interesting story
    Negative:
    - Way to easy (made for 7 y old toddlers) - Wild area is vey limited and should have been under development for at least another year.
    - Terrible fps when playing online, and bad online-features in general.
  99. Davis_dk
    Jan 9, 2020
    0
    Horrible, incomplete and so boring. Pokemon yellow is better than this pokemon. I await the pokedex complete.
  100. Dudebro420
    Jan 9, 2020
    1
    Was waiting to see if there would be any patches/dlc. Well, there is now and I can safely say I’m out of the franchise. The main points of contention about the main game have been made countless times so I’m not going to make them again. To add a $30 charge to a broken and unfinished game is greed. There’s no other way to describe it. You’re still not getting all of the Pokèmon, theWas waiting to see if there would be any patches/dlc. Well, there is now and I can safely say I’m out of the franchise. The main points of contention about the main game have been made countless times so I’m not going to make them again. To add a $30 charge to a broken and unfinished game is greed. There’s no other way to describe it. You’re still not getting all of the Pokèmon, the animations are still garbage, the graphics are still quality of an iOS 7 game. If the dlc was being made available for free, this would probably be a 3-4, but the announcement of the dlc put such a bad taste in my mouth that I’m going be trading in my copy tomorrow. Nintendo needs to step it up. The practice of getting every cent out of its customers (who else charges $60 for a port of a last console release) is getting out of hand and old. Much like this franchise.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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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