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. kare8019
    Nov 18, 2019
    8
    楽しいです ポケモンたちは可愛くて見ててすごく癒されますね 個性豊かなキャラクターばかりで凄く楽しいです。処理落ちするところがちょっとだけマイナスポイントですゲームフリークの技術力がないからでしょうね
  2. David31
    Nov 18, 2019
    4
    Cosas buenas:
    -Gimnasios y Liga Pokémon: En esta ocasión la liga se sigue y se televisa por toda la región como un gran acontecimiento dando la sensación de que realmente estás participando en algo grande, con combates más espectaculares y lideres de gimnasio carismáticos.
    -Zona Silvestre: Es cierto que ahora mismo esto no es más que una zona safari con esteroides, pero me parece una    Cosas buenas:
    -Gimnasios y Liga Pokémon: En esta ocasión la liga se sigue y se televisa por toda la región como un gran acontecimiento dando la sensación de que realmente estás participando en algo grande, con combates más espectaculares y lideres de gimnasio carismáticos.

    -Zona Silvestre: Es cierto que ahora mismo esto no es más que una zona safari con esteroides, pero me parece una buena idea que seguir explotando en el futuro y tiene potencial para acabar convirtiendose en un pokémon de mundo abierto que tanta gente espera. Quiero confiar en que seguirán ese camino.

    -Mecánicas simplificadas: Me gustó mucho cuando descubrí que podía cambiar los motes y olvidar y recordar movimientos desde el centro pokémon en lugar de buscar por todo el mapa al npc de turno que quiere un objeto a cambio de cualquiera de esas cosas. Además el vuelo (o viaje rápido) está disponible desde casi el principio del juego, lo que agiliza las cosas si te has dejado alguna ruta por explorar mejor.

    -Diseños y BSO: Tanto el diseño de los nuevos pokémon, como el de personajes, como el de ciudades me parecen de los mejores de toda la saga. No hay ningún pokémon que me desagrade visualmente, el diseño de los personajes les ayuda a conseguir carisma pero sin llegar a ser demasiado extravagantes (no como otros de la saga) y pese a que las ciudades no destacan por ser grandes, la manera en la que están hechas te da una sensación de amplitud. por otra parte la banda sonora en general me parece una de las mejores que hemos tenido en varias generaciones con algunos temas que te ponen los pelos de punta.

    Cosas Malas:
    -Rivales: Antes creía que jamás volveríamos a tener un rival de la talla de Silver o Blue, ahora lo sé. En esta ocasión contamos con 3 rivales, el principal de ellos es Paul y en esencia es una especie de Tilo pero sin malasadas y al que a partir de ahora me voy a referir como Tilo2. En cuanto a los otros dos es cierto que no me han disgustado y si que tienen una evolución más clara dentro del juego, pero me da la sensación de que se quedan a medias de algo que podría haber sido mucho mejor, en especial el chico (no recuerdo ahora su nombre, disculpad). Este personaje tenía potencial para convertirse en una especie de segundo Silver pero cuando tiene la oportunidad para ello se desinfla y se queda en nada.

    -Poca libertad: Entiendo que Pokémon es un juego lineal pero este en especial lo es más que otros. Cada vez que giras una esquina y cada vez que atraviesas una puerta aparece Tilo2 para decirte ``ES POR AQUÍ, ESTE ES EL CAMINO QUE TIENES QUE SEGUIR JAJA SALU2´´ ``DA IGUAL QUE ME IGNORES PORQUE DENTRO DE 4 METROS VOY A VOLVER A APARECER PARA DECIRTE OTRA VEZ CUAL ES EL CAMINO´´. Y si por algún casual decides darte una vuelta antes de seguir adelante puede que te encuentres con un muro de npcs que no te deja pasar (esto ocurre sobretodo en ciudades donde se plantan 2 idiotas del team yell y no te dejan pasar por según que zonas sin ningun tipo de justificación argumental y sin sentido ninguno porque realmente no hay nada en ese lado de la ciudad que no debas ver en ese momento).

    -Restricciones para capturar: Ahora resulta que si no tienes x medalla no puedes atrapar pokémon de alto nivel. Comprendo que existiendo la zona silvestre esta sea una manera que tiene el juego de evitar que vayas por la vida dopadísimo, pero hubiera sido más fácil que directamente no te aparezcan bichos de ese nivel hasta que no tengas la medalla. Queda feo enfrentarte a un pokémon y que no te deje atraparlo solo porque al juego no le da la gana.

    -Historia y duración: La historia más allá de la liga pokémon es muy pobre y no cobra un mínimo de interés hasta casi el final del juego. Además el juego en si es el más corto de toda la saga, a mi me ha durado 20h, con un postgame de apenas 2h y que tampoco tiene demasiado interés.

    -Pokedex y aspecto técnico: Si bien es cierto que la pokedex de Galar tiene las suficientes novedades y variedad como para no echar de menos in game a ninguno de los pokémon que faltan, una de las justificaciones para recortarla era poder mejorar las animaciones y los gráficos, cosa que no ha sido así. Hay muchísimas animaciones recicladas (tanto en bichos como en personajes) y el modelado de los pokémon que ya existían es exactamente el mismo que en la pasada generación. Además el salto gráfico se queda mucho más corto de lo que muchos esperábamos. Por tanto no veo una justificación real para que no pueda estar la pokedex completa.

    Cosas que me importan una mierda:
    -EL PUTO MODO COCINA

    En resumen: Creo que la prensa en general ha sido bastante generosa con la nota. Las cosas buenas que tiene el juego, y que en otras generaciones hubieran llamado más la atención, quedan eclipsadas por las cosas no tan buenas y por las desacertadas palabras de gamefreak que nos hicieron esperar un nivel de calidad que en realidad no existe.    … Expand
  3. Myouken
    Nov 18, 2019
    1
    Complete laziness from the developer, technically not sufficient for a games of late 2019 on the most powerful nintendo console, the game is worth playing with friends, but it's a masterpiece of laziness by gamefream, which is not able to beat even games came out in 2006 on the wii
  4. Sertecnotech
    Nov 18, 2019
    10
    Muy buen videojuego divertido y se ve la mejora a su anterior pokemon de la 3ds en lo particular me encanta
  5. MichaelPaints
    Nov 18, 2019
    9
    If you are a Pokémon fan or not looking for a great, but not perfect, entry into the series, these games are just that.

    But a word of fair warning about reading reviews from other fans: the lack of a total, "national" Pokédex within this game is responsible for almost the entirety of the backlash you are seeing. In my opinion, it's sad to see a GamerGate tactic (angry mob mobilization)    If you are a Pokémon fan or not looking for a great, but not perfect, entry into the series, these games are just that.

    But a word of fair warning about reading reviews from other fans: the lack of a total, "national" Pokédex within this game is responsible for almost the entirety of the backlash you are seeing. In my opinion, it's sad to see a GamerGate tactic (angry mob mobilization) being utilized to express disappointment in an otherwise solid entry into the Pokémon universe. They could have just not bought the game and moved on, but instead, they're needlessly disparaging the hardworking game developers behind Pokémon by reviewing the game poorly in forums like these.

    If you want to send a message to Game Freak and Nintendo : don't buy the game. If you could care less about the National Dex, buy it!    … Expand
  6. Seihoff
    Nov 18, 2019
    9
    El mejor juego de Pokémon, con mucho, hasta la fecha. Me parece una decisión acertada el limitar la Pokedex pero hacer que todos estos Pokémon aparezcan durante la aventura y no como en otras ediciones, que el 70% se consiguen una vez terminado el juego. Las ciudades y localizaciones son preciosas, los escenarios de batalla adecuados, la música es la mejor de la saga sin duda y el sistemaEl mejor juego de Pokémon, con mucho, hasta la fecha. Me parece una decisión acertada el limitar la Pokedex pero hacer que todos estos Pokémon aparezcan durante la aventura y no como en otras ediciones, que el 70% se consiguen una vez terminado el juego. Las ciudades y localizaciones son preciosas, los escenarios de batalla adecuados, la música es la mejor de la saga sin duda y el sistema de gimnasios me parece bien planteado. El drama de las animaciones causado por una mala traducción de una entrevista no acabo de comprenderlo, y menos destrozar la nota de un juego por ello siendo unas expectativas personales y lo exigibles. Los movimientos y Pokémon nuevos tienen unas animaciones notables. La única crítica es la facilidad del juego, deberían incluir un modo difícil con autolevel de los líderes de gimnasio o no permitirte subir de nivel más que los Pokémon de estos rivales, como digo, en un modo que se pudiera seleccionar desde la pantalla inicial. Por lo demás es un juego divertisidisimo y a mi gusto, el mejor de la saga.… Expand
  7. CHKNRAVE
    Nov 18, 2019
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is my 1st Pokémon game since Diamond and Platinum, so Dexit didn't bother me much since I'm heading towards my very first full Pokédex which wouldn't be possible if some had to be imported.

    Instead, what bothered me was the lackluster story. You go from gym to gym while the plot barely advances with a half-baked villain that turns out to be a part of the official challenge, a rising one that turns out to be a rival, another one who gets dealt with half an hour later, and a pair that's post-game and has the depth of a kiddie pool. Imagine going from Platinum to this.

    The areas are rich with Pokémon. The Wild Area is awesome, however the raid battles were both a miss and a mess. For a game that sold well, I wonder why there's like only 3 raid battles going on at the same time and why none of them are open when you try to join through Y-Comm. And then you try to host your own raid battle, and nobody comes after the 4-minute lobby wait time. So you get matched with bots that have utterly useless partners, they drag you down more than they help you so it's impossible to win with them past 3 stars.

    Speaking of multiplayer features, Surprise Trades are a troll's heaven. You can send a lvl 60 Swirlix with its trade evolution item, and in return you'll get a lvl 5 Chewtle named "gay Squirtle". True story. It's frustrating, so you're better off trying to find people to trade with over on Reddit.

    Graphically, and quite frankly I don't buy Nintendo games for their graphics, the game is doing alright. The music hasn't been turned off which is always a good sign, and the controls are easy and useful. Did you know the back triggers act as A buttons? It's pretty useful to check the Pokémon Wiki while catching them all.

    Overall it's a good but not great experience that I'm not done going through, but I don't think there's any story left now which really sucks. And I still have my Master Ball because there's only 3 legendaries. One with a 100% catch rate, and the box ones. Zacian just took a Quick Ball to the face and it was mine.    … Expand
  8. NGU1057
    Nov 18, 2019
    8
    I believe that this is a great game, but I know it has its flaws (frames drops) but why are people complaining about the graphics? Look at USUM, those graphics were way worse!
    I liked how this game made it feel like I was a prodigy instead of being a random kid beating the elite four and how they made the game feel more tourney like. We all know that when new pokemon are revealed or    I believe that this is a great game, but I know it has its flaws (frames drops) but why are people complaining about the graphics? Look at USUM, those graphics were way worse!
    I liked how this game made it feel like I was a prodigy instead of being a random kid beating the elite four and how they made the game feel more tourney like. We all know that when new pokemon are revealed or evolutions, they aren't going to turn out the way we want it too. But we just have to get used to it. (eg. Popplio).    … Expand
  9. SWandSHsucks
    Nov 18, 2019
    0
    • Main pokémon games are low effort waifubait. • Main anime will be again Ash silly comic relief adventures. • Other spin offs will not be about Mystery dungeon or etc anymore, just mobile gacha bait. It's time to move on..
  10. Evoku
    Nov 18, 2019
    9
    Personally I love it. They made the game beautifully in terms of its English touches. They made the scenery, the Pokémon and the even the colloquialisms really really well for an English themed region and I absolutely love it.
    There are a lot of people who say it had more potential in terms of graphics and they didn't like that they removed a lot of Pokémon from previous gens. But this is    Personally I love it. They made the game beautifully in terms of its English touches. They made the scenery, the Pokémon and the even the colloquialisms really really well for an English themed region and I absolutely love it.
    There are a lot of people who say it had more potential in terms of graphics and they didn't like that they removed a lot of Pokémon from previous gens. But this is the first super competitive Pokémon game with a ranked ladder system and I believe it's to balance the online gameplay.

    The game is beautiful and being able to run around the wild zone and see other players is incredible. I have been playing with 3 friends who have been loving this game as well. The new features like gigantamax are very enjoyable and feel powerful to use. Graphics in battles is super clean. There's only a couple frame rate drops at the very start of the game. And sometimes graphics goes a bit funny but the overall graphics is pretty good so these review bombs are literally garbage. The whole experience is totally amazing for a new Pokémon game.

    So many large and small things like in battle snippets of characters talking and camping with other players, sending Pokémon on jobs. I could say so many new things that make this game amazing but it's better you actually pick up the game and play it yourself without me spoiling it. And in terms of the Pokémon cuts, there is still well over 500 Pokémon so the removal of some Pokémon is not a problem and some will probably be available in Pokémon home to transfer in next year... Maybe...

    The best Pokémon game Ive played in a very long time....    … Expand
  11. PhilipMoon
    Nov 18, 2019
    8
    Game is fun, like all Pokemon games tend to be, nothing groundbreaking. Graphics are definitely the low point of the game, but that might have more to do with the system than the game. Could not care less for Dynamax, mega evolutions were way more fun.
  12. SuperiorSuisen
    Nov 18, 2019
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Muy mal juego, definitivamente el peor de la franquicia, en nada ayuda que recorten números en la Pokédex y para qué? Para seguir usando malos gráficos de un pobre juego lal hecho, el post gane es mediocre y falto de creatividad, la historia si bien no es mala tampoco se supo aprovecha y lo peor son los atrevimientos para nuevas mecánicas que terminan por ser monótonas y repetitivas a tal punto de que comienza a ser tedioso. Si no es de los peores juegos de la saga es porque es el peor, y para el precio es un absoluto robo, Game Freak ha hecho más con menos, un claro ejemplo sería Gold y Silver, pero dejando de lado las comparaciones este juego no tiene brillo propio y no destaca en absolutamente nada, si bien tiene una banda Sonora excelente ya es habitual que una entrega de Pokémon sea muy buena instrumentalmente hablando, por eso lo único que tenía que hacer era asegurarse que el gameplay no se sintiera pesado y la única tarea que tenían la hicieron mal. Más palabrashay para describir este juego, pero pocas quedan que no sean ofensivas, así que en conclusión sale más rentable comprarse un Gameboy y un cartucho al Pokémon Sword, no sólo puede salir al mismo precio si busca bien, hasta se puede optar por algo de mejor calidad.… Expand
  13. rain97
    Nov 18, 2019
    9
    This game is amazing. It’s nice to see pokemon still going strong. People should stop crying about their favorite pokemon and focus on experiencing this game for what it is.
  14. Akuryo90
    Nov 18, 2019
    10
    Great game, cool new Pokémon, music awesome... I love that game. And the designer of trainers and leaders are the best
  15. Crypt96
    Nov 18, 2019
    3
    Initially, the game is fine. The graphics seem to not have a poor resolution when you start off. For A nintendo switch game, everything should be clean. There are hiccups in FPS when entering battle while playing on the TV, but in handheld, the game runs smoothly, Ive only had a few drops in FPS. The render distance is abysmally bad. I have seen indie developed games with a larger renderInitially, the game is fine. The graphics seem to not have a poor resolution when you start off. For A nintendo switch game, everything should be clean. There are hiccups in FPS when entering battle while playing on the TV, but in handheld, the game runs smoothly, Ive only had a few drops in FPS. The render distance is abysmally bad. I have seen indie developed games with a larger render radius. The animations of the pokemon in the overworld are lifeless, and I feel they could have put more effort into make the pokemon world feel less like Pokemon GO, and more like other swtich titles (Breath of the Wild, for example, the creatures have some life and react more lively when you approach them) the animations in battle are subpar to previous titles, specifically the the attack animations. There are Nintendo 64 titles where the animations are far superior and more believable to this game. I dont mind the reused animations, what I do mind is saying you cut so many pokemon off from the game to say you were making new models and animations, when the only thing "new" are the gigamax models and the new pokemon to the Galar region. on a side note, I had high hopes for the Galar region Ponyta, because he is so cute and the Rapadash is so ugly. The same can be said with Wooloo. His evolution is so ugly. on a side side note, how can they pass the perfect opportunity to make a male and female Wooloo evo with a sheep and ram. (rant over) The companion is nice, but he is an idiot for the first battle. If I were him, I would want to be better than my friends. I would have picked the grass type to counter Sobble, but instead, he is the pathetic type who is programmed to be weak against you. he had two starting pokemon this time, thats new, but insignificant compared to the rest of the game as I progressed.

    The overworld suffers from the same fate of linear corridors, like sun and moon. the visuals are very colorful, but they distract you from the poor resolution you get from certain objects which throw your immersion off. the ground of the overworld reminds back in the PS2 days where the ground has poor resolution textures but the grass, that is thrown here and there, distract you from this. the damn trees get worse as you progress. you will find pretty trees and background props early on, but they get worse as you progress... why? why not fix all the trees, instead of the beginning few?

    I want to get back to the battling models because the pokemon are not scaled to size in the battle scene. we either grow a few sizes larger then our pokemon, or the pokemon get smaller, because every pokemon has about the same size in the battle scene. I am upset I spent money on this game after a while because my first gigamax, dynamax, whatever it is called, is awful. there is a significant performance drop in battle. the only other time I see my Switch have performance issues is in Xenobade Chronicles 2, when I am lvl 82+ in the Gormott province fighting the T rex looking monster with 8 or 9 vloffs hitting me because my AoE attacks aggroed them. In my example, there are 14+ high quality models that are animated very precisely to look as life like as possible, and the giant T-rex i am trying to kill that is larger than my camera zoomed out to max range that is also animated finely and lively. The last thing I want to point out is that only after all this, the Switch is also computing the huge amount of damage each unit is dealing to each other in a frantic race to keep the game from dropping below 26 FPS, its a mess (a fun, chaotic mess). All Pokemon sword and sheild have are 2 big models and the trainers. the models of the Pokemon are not lively or beautifully animated. they are just standing there and the game is not calculating anything, they are only in the idle pose. and the game stutters from this. How can the switch even have FPS problems when only loading 4ish models? After my first encounter with dynamax, I turned off my switch and sold my copy to some poor soul online. If the devs were not going to put their time into this game, then it is not worth my time. This is borderline "the game will sell because it is Pokemon." I feel like an idiot purchasing this game. I posted this review on Sheild as well, because they are the same game.    … Expand
  16. morgoth834
    Nov 18, 2019
    0
    Pokemon continues the downward trend its had ever since the transition to 3D. The game has less content than any pokemon game since RS back in 2002 on the GBA. Let that sink in for a minute. I'm not merely talking about the lack of pokemon due to dexit (all though that is certainly a major issue) but rather the lack of content to do. The main story is the shortest pokemon game yet withPokemon continues the downward trend its had ever since the transition to 3D. The game has less content than any pokemon game since RS back in 2002 on the GBA. Let that sink in for a minute. I'm not merely talking about the lack of pokemon due to dexit (all though that is certainly a major issue) but rather the lack of content to do. The main story is the shortest pokemon game yet with incredibly linear routes, no dungeons, and very little challenge or exploration. After beating the game which takes roughly 20 hours there is virtually no post-game. It's incredibly barren.

    Then there is the graphics. What can I say but that this game looks absolutely atrocious. This is a major AAA game and yet it looks horrendous. It pales in comparison to games like BotW or Odyssey (both of which are filled with far more content BTW). Pokemon is the single biggest media franchise in the world yet it looks like it was made by an indie team. This is utterly inexcusable.

    I've barely scratched the surface of what a travesty this game is. But, all in all, it's downright terrible. An easy 0/10 from me. Pass this one by and play Pokemon Black and White instead. You'll have a far better time.    … Expand
  17. Aaradorn
    Nov 18, 2019
    3
    Feels like they could do better. The graphics remind me of a 2007 rpg, the pokemon look cool but the models come from the 3DS, the battle animations, if you can call them that, are the bare minimum of an animation.

    I guess it's great for kids but not for older fans.
  18. DJ323
    Nov 18, 2019
    2
    When I saw the first trailer for Sword and Shield I was so excited. I watched each and every trailer up until the release but with every trailer I watched I became less and less hyped.

    When I learned that not all Pokemon would make it and mega evolution was cut, I was disappointed but it was not a deal breaker for me. When I saw the replacement feature (Dynamaxing) and the    When I saw the first trailer for Sword and Shield I was so excited. I watched each and every trailer up until the release but with every trailer I watched I became less and less hyped.

    When I learned that not all Pokemon would make it and mega evolution was cut, I was disappointed but it was not a deal breaker for me. When I saw the replacement feature (Dynamaxing) and the "high-quality" graphics and animations that were apparently the reason for the cut, I was thoroughly underwhelmed. I still had hope for the games but it was dwindling heavily. Now that the games have been released and I can see them first hand, I am fearful.

    The first trailers for Sword and Shield, not only gave me hope for the new games but for potential generation 4 remakes. After Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, I was ready to see Primal Giratina, Palkia, Dialga and maybe even Primal Arceus. Seeing how Sword and Shield turned out, I now fear Game Freak will remake my favourite generation in the series (I know I am biased due to nostalgia) and ruin it with a Gigantamax Arceus. I didn't know the game could be so awful that the thought of my favourite game being remade could fill me with dread. I sincerely hope that Game Freak fixes its mistakes before attempting gen 4 remakes because I don't know if I can stay a fan if they screw up Sinnoh too.

    If you're wondering about the problems I had with the game, they are as follows:
    -The game was too easy (EXP share being mandatory did not help) and quite short
    -The game was very linear with a basic story
    -The game seems rushed and unpolished
    -Graphics in certain areas were very bad quality (not a deal breaker for me though)
    -Models popping into existence was very jarring (*poof* there's an Onix, *poof* its gone)
    -The wild area was mostly empty (and kind of boring)
    -The wild area weather makes no sense (sunshine next to a blizzard is completely normal)
    -Over 400 Pokemon were removed (I expected 100-200 not basically half of the older gens)
    -Dynamaxing and Gigantamaxing are worse gimmicks than mega evolution and Z moves (and they are basically just a combined version of both but lazier)
    -Animations were fine (some were great, some were Yamper's tail whip but the great ones did not justify the cut content)
    -There is less content than the 3DS games but with a $20 markup

    Maybe I had too much hope for this game because I compared it to other Switch games like Breath Of The Wild and Mario Odyssey. Maybe I am not the demographic Game Freak is targeting anymore. All I know is that the game was so disappointing that I knew I had to rate it (even though I don't normally rate things). Overall, the game has some good areas and aspects but it also makes me very worried for the future of the franchise.    … Expand
  19. Dillonology
    Nov 18, 2019
    8
    Already one of my favourite Pokemon games created! Raiding brings this game new life and is very fun with friends!
  20. ConcernedParent
    Nov 18, 2019
    0
    Hello, I bought this game for my five year old thinking that it'd be a good first video game for them. Aside from everything else everyone else has said in the reviews here, the game actually made my child cry. They were frightened by the pokemon when it popped in in front of my child without any time for him to react. This made them cry and say "That pokemon attacked me!"

    I returned it    Hello, I bought this game for my five year old thinking that it'd be a good first video game for them. Aside from everything else everyone else has said in the reviews here, the game actually made my child cry. They were frightened by the pokemon when it popped in in front of my child without any time for him to react. This made them cry and say "That pokemon attacked me!"

    I returned it immediately. Glad I did. Do not buy this game.    … Expand
  21. YeeManX
    Nov 18, 2019
    3
    Before going into this review, I'd like to clarify that before this game came out, I was heavily defending it and against those who were upset solely over the dex cut, but now that the game is out I can't really defend it anymore.

    I've played every single pokemon game since Yellow, and sure every game has its flaws, but from Yellow to Ultra Moon, I've believed that every pokemon game    Before going into this review, I'd like to clarify that before this game came out, I was heavily defending it and against those who were upset solely over the dex cut, but now that the game is out I can't really defend it anymore.

    I've played every single pokemon game since Yellow, and sure every game has its flaws, but from Yellow to Ultra Moon, I've believed that every pokemon game released was a "good game" and that they would never fall off in quality one day, but with the release of Sword and Shield, I was proven wrong.

    I was upset over the dex cut, but I believed that they wouldn't cut out over half the pokemon in existence unless they had something great up their sleeve. Pokemon Sword did not deliver on this message. The game is cutesy and fun, but there isnt much of a game itself. It kind of holds your hand and takes you through a nonexistent story that suddenly throws some "bad guy plot" at you near the end with no explanation whatsoever, and completing the game felt very empty. Once you beat the champion, there s virtually nothing to do. Nothing. No post game content like they promised. The game feels janky, and feels like a straight path with no exploration, experimentation, or soul. To think that the same company that made Soulsilver, Black and White, and X and Y made this game is extremely disappointing.

    For those who object and say "there was too many pokemon anyway" provided a weak argument. I've noticed any "fan" who has said this has been someone who only got into pokemon because of pokemon Go, so i suppose its fair for this demographic to not care as much since they could have been overwhelmed by the 809 pokemon present before sword and shield. For someone like me who has been here throughout the whole series, however, almost cannot believe they cut pokemon period, nevertheless over half of them. The problem here is those will argue that "800+ is too much for one game" which is true. No pokemon game on its own had all 800+ in it. Those that were absent could only be obtained by transferring them from games they were present int, or by trading with someone. So its not abnormal for Sword and Shield to only have 400, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon actually only had 400 in its pokedex as well. The difference is that you could still send those missing ones to Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon once you completed the game. Sword and Shield virtually wipes these pokemon from existence.

    All of the previous games I mentioned not only had the ability to have all pokemon currently present either caught or transferred to it, but they all had some post game content. There was a time where a pokemon game had MORE post game content than its story content, and this has withered down in amount after Black and White 2. Not only is Sword's story only a few hours in length, without the ability to have missing pokemon transferred to it, there is essentially nothing to do once you beat it. No legendary pokemon to catch other than the one on the cover of your game, no extra pokemon not found in the region dex to find, no secret battles or areas, all there is is a cheesy 1 hour subplot.

    The Wild Area isnt very well executed. The pokemon and other 3D assets seem to randomly pop out of nowhere or disappear, and its weather system is bizzare. One second its a sandstorm, then its sunny, and then it becomes a blizzard, in the span of maybe one minute. The routes and other areas themselves are boring hallways with no subareas to explore, and it makes me wonder if the rest of the region took a cut to prepare the Wild Area.

    The games arent terrible on their own i guess. If you are new to pokemon, I actually think they may be decent gateway games into the franchise. Id be willing to say for the sake of a newcomer, these games could be a 6 or 7, but there are much, much better pokemon games you can probably buy at GameStop, such as Black and White, their sequels, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are nice too if you dont like sprites and prefer 3D models and worlds, and the latest games Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon can support 807 pokemon in one game. For those longtime fans, however, these games are really disappointing. Extremely. It feels like GameFreak no longer caters to the longtime fans and wants to produce quick, easy games to maintain the "fans" introduced through Go who probably will forget about pokemon again in a few years like they did when Pokemania died down in the 90's.

    Yes, just like your favorite youtuber is probably exclaiming, these games have some fun moments, but there isnt depth to it, its kind of mindless, in that there is no challenge really. Id be willing to even defend these games if this was to be improved in the next game since these are the first Generation 8 games, and the first main games on the Switch, but for Gamefreak to tell us that this is how they want every game to be from now on? I think these will be my last pokemon games unless they change majorly.    … Expand
  22. Billhous
    Nov 18, 2019
    3
    Game is nearly identical to other pokemon games as per usual. Game play is great if you enjoy pokemon. Graphics aren't great for a modern colsole release. Can't speak too much to the full breadth of content as ive haven't finished both games but am at 10 hours on sheild and 1 hour on sword, and this can seems thinner than usual.
  23. Flarec
    Nov 18, 2019
    6
    Pokemon....Pokemon.... Es esto enserio? Este juego, es un buen pokemon y nadie lo va a negar, sigue usando la misma formula de toda la vida..... Esto, es un efecto fifa ya no tengo que decir mas que espero que los proximos pokemon lo hagan com tiempo.... Es un salto grafico de lo mas pobre para venir de 3ds, el juego es lindo y detallista en algunos sectores pero esto.... No lo compensaPokemon....Pokemon.... Es esto enserio? Este juego, es un buen pokemon y nadie lo va a negar, sigue usando la misma formula de toda la vida..... Esto, es un efecto fifa ya no tengo que decir mas que espero que los proximos pokemon lo hagan com tiempo.... Es un salto grafico de lo mas pobre para venir de 3ds, el juego es lindo y detallista en algunos sectores pero esto.... No lo compensa vamos, podian hacerlo mucho mejor... Mas que todo es tan cerrado y no se diga la zonas para silvestres.....
    Para mi, me parece un insulto, que me parece un insulto? Que este juego tenga una historia tan cutre..... Alguien a visto la critica de pokemon mundo misterioso exploradores del cielo????.....
    Este titulo tiene 5.4..... Y puedo decirle que es mas injusto que la alta calificacion que tiene este juego, la historia es paraa adultos disfrazada con un humor infantil.... ES UNA DE LAS MEJORES TRAMAS DE UN VIDEOJUEGO..... Deberian hacer mas cosas asi pero no..... Tienen que atraer el publico casual, si estas leyendo esto ve a ver la critica de ese pokemon MM Si lo has jugado sabrás que tiene una trama tan superior.... Este juego puede hacer llorar si le das la oportunidad de llegar al final de la historia principal.....    … Expand
  24. brinkoflight
    Nov 18, 2019
    3
    It's about what you'd expect from the series post pokemon black and white 2. The games are shell of it's former self. However some bigger problems presents itself that the series didn't have before. The national dex is cut and pokemon are out right removed, mega evolutions and Z moves are removed, pokemon moves have been removed, mediocre textures, graphical issues like pop in, reusedIt's about what you'd expect from the series post pokemon black and white 2. The games are shell of it's former self. However some bigger problems presents itself that the series didn't have before. The national dex is cut and pokemon are out right removed, mega evolutions and Z moves are removed, pokemon moves have been removed, mediocre textures, graphical issues like pop in, reused animations like those for Hop and Hau, no post game, battle tower offers less than it did before, pokemon size scaling like Wailord, features like GTS removed and it costs more.
    There's more issues than the ones I listed here. If you want a good Pokemon game try black and white 2, Heartgold and Soul Silver, Emerald and Platinum.    … Expand
  25. RealMar
    Nov 18, 2019
    10
    The game is great and I am playing it everyday, I don’t get why are the fan boo so mad.
  26. RYSCO
    Nov 18, 2019
    10
    Muy Buen Juego, creo que es lo que tendría que ser pokemon. Aunque podría ser un juego de mundo abierto totalmente, que es el camino que está tomando, creo que no sabemos valorar los juegos y las horas de diversión que nos pueden dar. A pesar de algunos bugs, no creo que sea para tanto cebarse con una empresa que nos ha dado tantos años de diversión. Han apostado por otro formato paraMuy Buen Juego, creo que es lo que tendría que ser pokemon. Aunque podría ser un juego de mundo abierto totalmente, que es el camino que está tomando, creo que no sabemos valorar los juegos y las horas de diversión que nos pueden dar. A pesar de algunos bugs, no creo que sea para tanto cebarse con una empresa que nos ha dado tantos años de diversión. Han apostado por otro formato para poder atraer a los fans y no tan fans. Haciendo algo más simple para poder ganar más adeptos. Por mi parte es buenísimo.… Expand
  27. iiOmarSP
    Nov 18, 2019
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. (Now, before anyone takes this out of context, I want you to read this carefully before jumping to conclusion.)

    So, the divisive game is finally out and despite my concerns, I was able to try the game at a friend's house who got it early, and I'm more or less disappointed.

    For those who didn't know: the National Dex was cut in favor of the following:
    1) Better Graphics
    2) better animation
    3) more game content
    And multiple news outlets said that the game has new models for every old Pokémon.

    The "haters" had to wait for the game to come out, to "justify their issues" like a lot of people have said, and that resulted into finding a lot more issues.

    Visually speaking, the game looks VERY subpar, everyone pretty much knows that, the animations are laughably terrible, and a lot don't make sense (using your foot for the move: headbutt for example), the memes regarding the other box legendary rotating, that's getting meme'd for a reason.
    The models themselves look lifeless ragdoll models, it suffers from performance issues, it's 30fps but its VERY inconsistent, and overall, the polish level is just terrible with this title.

    Yes one can make the argument that it's not as bad as another game, and that is just sad to justify a bad product to simply "it's not as bad as X game" that's just not how it works.

    The "content" they wanted to add is low, literally. The Battle Tower is a gimped version of the previous ones, the exp share is forced on you, and you're not able to turn it off. It practically turns the game into Final Fantasy II level up system (not the SNES FF2) you feel incredibly overpowered and your enemies are just weak. It feels incredibly boring to just play and tedious to see how you can steamroll your way through the game without doing anything important, game is way too easy for someone who spent 2 years on this franchise.

    Subjectively speaking, the music is just not that good, yes there are like 4 or 5 tracks, but the rest is just not something I'd remember listening to.

    The story is really nothing to write home about, Pokémon (mainline) generally doesn't have good storytelling to begin with (N not withstanding)

    Gameplay wise, this is Let's Go but without the stupid catching mechanics, a busted exp share that I've talked about, and the Dynamax/G-Max feature is pretty much a gimmick, you don't really need to use it to beat the game that much.
    Pokémon Camp reminds me a LOT of the Chao Garden so I kinda like it.
    Wild Area is cool in concept but bad in execution, the issues with visuals and animations REALLY shine here, and the catching level cap is...kinda good to prevent you from steamrolling through the already easy game, much easier.
    Curry Dex is kinda unnecessary, but cool I guess.
    Game is short, I did everything I could in 23 hours.

    And for that, the game is pretty much a 3/10, you'd probably wondering that I'm being a hater for giving 0 instead of 3, but the reason is to why I did it, is because simply: Game Freak lied. This is something that I'm pretty sure nobody can defend, you can't justify a company's lying to your face multiple times, while compromising a game, charge 60 bucks for it, and hope that it'll sell on brand recognition, only to find that everything they said is a lie.

    Nobody INITIALLY cared about the national dex removed until their excuse of "better visuals and animation" happened, which the game doesn't deliver, "more content" is also one because the game is LIGHT on content, heck, the models are practically IDENTICAL to their 3DS counterparts, which defeats the whole "we made new models for older mons" statement.

    This is rather a scummy thing to do: selling an underwhelming software for cash after promising things to do, only to NOT deliver them.

    Even thou the game is a 3/10, I simply can't excuse a rushed, badly optimized product for full price, because I simply "like the franchise" I will never support a franchise that sells anything for brand recognition, even if they have objectively the greatest games ever made.

    Its a badly made rushed product and should be critiqued for being one instead of being the exception to the rule: "this franchise is for kids, so don't expect it to be for you" while my younger sis (whose 12) is calling this game out for "paid positive reviews"

    Because if the game is strictly for kids , why do people care so much to defend a "kids game"    … Expand
  28. Mieszko
    Nov 18, 2019
    3
    Pokemon Sword and Shield, where to begin... First we need to understand this is a mainline Pokemon title and needs to be reviewed and compared to all those that came before it. You cannot base the review solely on this game in and of itself. With that said let's begin.

    Graphics: 5/10 This is a Nintendo Switch, first party AAA title and it definately does not look like it. The    Pokemon Sword and Shield, where to begin... First we need to understand this is a mainline Pokemon title and needs to be reviewed and compared to all those that came before it. You cannot base the review solely on this game in and of itself. With that said let's begin.

    Graphics: 5/10 This is a Nintendo Switch, first party AAA title and it definately does not look like it. The framerate runs at 30FPS and due to this you would think that the game would look at least on par with something like The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild. It doesn't. The shadows are low resolution and update slowly and infrequently. The textures are basic and lackluster. The animations are dry, boring, predictable and repetitive. Considering GameFreak promised graphical fidelity and Nintendo backs them and this franchise with everything they have, this is a massive dissapointment. The framerate cannot even hold 30FPS at times and because of the aforementioned graphics there is no excuse for choppy framerates.

    Gameplay: 6/10
    What can I say? This is a Pokemon game and it delivers on that, but it is the same Pokemon game it always has been. Choose your starter Pokemon, beat eight gyms, catch some Pokemon along the way, grind them up in level, beat the champion of the region. Game complete. The only reason it gets a 6 and it a 5 is because of the Wild Area. The Wild Area allows you to roam around and actually see Pokemon live around you. This was every childs dream in 1995 and kw its here. But it's one area of the map and nearly separate from the story. So it's underwhelming.

    Story: 2.5/10 I wont spend much time here because I dont want to spoil anything. But - Spoiler Alert- there is nothing to spoil. It's the same game we have come to expect as stated in the gameplay section. Meet your rivals, battle your rivals, beat some gyms, find the villainous team. Capture some legendary pokemon and defeat the team to save the world. Defeat the region Champion. Yay, incredible...no. The story is not doing this game any favors.

    Multiplayer: 1.5/10 Multiplayer? What multiplayer. Of course you can battle other players online but aside from that established standard from over a decade ago what else can you do. Encounter some random players in the Wild Area, that's pretty much it. You cannot rome the Wild Area with your friends, you cant battle wild Pokemon with your friends, you pretty much cannot do anything with your friends except for battle them of course. But that is a feature we expect and they dont get any points here for giving a Pokemon game Pokemon battles because without them it isnt a Pokemon is it?

    Replayability: 5/10 This is where Pokemon usually shines. But in Sword and Shield it really stabs you where it hurts. The game features 50% of the Pokemon in the franchise. This means that you lose out on using some of what may be your favourite Pokemon in battles both online and in singleplayer. You cant catch them all, you cant breed them all, you cant battle them all. This doesnt sound like Pokemon anymore, this sounds like a sideshot. The multiplayer game suffers greatly because of this for obvious reasons and breeding pokemon for fun or competitively takes on a terrible new face. If you have a favorite Pokemon make sure its in the game before you buy it. The story offers no replay value and the post game has taken a real beating in this title. You can still battle to your hearts content but this is a very very mediocre Pokemon game in this department.

    Corporate Transparency: -1 Review Point Normally I would end a review here and give a final rating but this game deserves one last paragraph dedicated to it. GameFreak promised us graphical fidelity. They promised new 3D models for everything in the game. They promised us this at the expense of cutting 50% of the creatures we grew to love since the 1990's. They lied. The models are reused, the animations are terribly lifeless, the story is empty, the game is choppy and feels very incomplete. This only matters because they took a franchise and milked it for the name. So for corporate transparency this game loses one point off the final review.

    Graphics: 5
    Gameplay: 6
    Story: 2.5
    Multiplayer: 1.5
    Replayability: 5
    Total: 20/50

    Which equals: 4/10 minus 1 point due to corporate transparency. Giving this game a solid,

    3/10    … Expand
  29. solacress
    Nov 17, 2019
    10
    For many fans, these games are disappointing, as they cut many fan favorite features. About half of the pokemon cannot be transferred into Sword and Shield, and a battle mechanic made for generation 6 games X and Y was removed from the games. However, if one is willing to look past those disappointments, Sword and Shield are actually really good games. They provide fun gameplay, anFor many fans, these games are disappointing, as they cut many fan favorite features. About half of the pokemon cannot be transferred into Sword and Shield, and a battle mechanic made for generation 6 games X and Y was removed from the games. However, if one is willing to look past those disappointments, Sword and Shield are actually really good games. They provide fun gameplay, an engaging story, and many new features never before seen in a pokemon game.
    … Expand
  30. BigBadBaerni
    Nov 17, 2019
    10
    My daughter (12 yo) and I play this game together on two Switch with Sword and Shield Versions. I do not consider myself a Pokémon Pro (only played "red" back in the 90s, until Let's GO last year), but for my daughter (and I assume, a LOT of kids) it's a great world to catch your Pokémons. The cities are cute, and so are the Pokémons, and IMO this matters more to kids, than having the sameMy daughter (12 yo) and I play this game together on two Switch with Sword and Shield Versions. I do not consider myself a Pokémon Pro (only played "red" back in the 90s, until Let's GO last year), but for my daughter (and I assume, a LOT of kids) it's a great world to catch your Pokémons. The cities are cute, and so are the Pokémons, and IMO this matters more to kids, than having the same models as in a past version. 9 out of 10, because I struggle to organize my pc boxes. It's a great game, far better than Let's GO last year IMO.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 87 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 66 out of 87
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 87
  3. Negative: 0 out of 87
  1. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Apr 30, 2020
    80
    Sword & Shield stumble in a few areas and history may not be kind to them, but they're setting up a future that I'm excited to see. [Issue #44 – January/February 2020, p. 73]
  2. GameCritics
    Feb 6, 2020
    75
    I enjoyed my time with Pokemon Sword and Shield, but I ended feeling conflicted. I appreciate many of the changes and felt that it generally respected my time, but I almost felt like a passive participant. The more complex gym challenges had a meatier role, but the narrative shouldn’t have been shoved to the side. Overall, I would recommend it to players who want to have a Pokemon experience, but this one won’t stick with me the way the older ones have.
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  3. Game World Navigator Magazine
    Jan 14, 2020
    78
    Pokemon Sword/Shield is uncharacteristically user-friendly: now there’s no need to backtrack half across the world to heal your entire team of pokemon or to get to a particular city, for example. [Issue#242, p.66]
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