User Score
4.7

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 5909 Ratings

User score distribution:
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  1. Jun 22, 2020
    4
    This game has some cool new features , a really nice over world and "open area". That being said , its the shortest main game in the franchise , the legendary pokemon are boring and forgettable , and the roster of available pokemon is lack luster and almost depressing. Essentially they ripped out a chunk of the available pokemon roster , and sold it back to us. If the game looked amazingThis game has some cool new features , a really nice over world and "open area". That being said , its the shortest main game in the franchise , the legendary pokemon are boring and forgettable , and the roster of available pokemon is lack luster and almost depressing. Essentially they ripped out a chunk of the available pokemon roster , and sold it back to us. If the game looked amazing or had some great graphical enhancements or even brought back player favored core mechanics , id be more happy. Overall its short , boring , non repetitive due to the short pokemon list , and overall disappointing for a new system release and a 2020 pokemon game. Expand
  2. Jun 22, 2020
    6
    Falta brilho num jogo de uma franquia que necessita urgentemente de uma reinvenção.
  3. Jun 22, 2020
    1
    This game has some good stuff, i actually like the new pokemon designs, the soundtracks are really good, the story even though it felt short, is enjoyable, has some useful new features like the way wild pokemon appear, how ever, these pokemon games are very disappointing, they removed 60% of the pokemon in order to "improve graphics and animations", how ever, the graphics are relativelyThis game has some good stuff, i actually like the new pokemon designs, the soundtracks are really good, the story even though it felt short, is enjoyable, has some useful new features like the way wild pokemon appear, how ever, these pokemon games are very disappointing, they removed 60% of the pokemon in order to "improve graphics and animations", how ever, the graphics are relatively poor, and animations didn't really improve much if any compared to previous games, the post game is really bad, the battle tower is a horrible downgrade from previous ones, no multi battle option here, online multibattles have a horrible system, i personally enjoy doing multibattles in the battle towers with my friends the most in the post game, or being able to queue with a friend to team up against other people online, how ever, this is not possible in these games, they removed features fans love like mega evolutions and Z-moves, they took away options from the players and sold them out as "new features" like forcing you to exp. share, the cities feel empty, overall the game feels rushed and incomplete, as someone who has play pretty much every single pokemon game from the main series, this game was insanely disappointing, it feels like GameFreak does not care about the fans or their games, just about the money Expand
  4. Nov 17, 2019
    1
    1/2 the roster severely hurts a game with all the flaws of the original game. Less interesting new mons and all your faves gone. Very little postgame and a shrunken metagame.
  5. Jun 21, 2020
    0
    Tengo el pokemon escudo (bueno ya no, lo he vendido), pero lo pongo tambien aqui ya que ambos son la misma basura.
    Sere breve.
    Una estafa.
    No lo compres (a no ser que quieras tirar tu dinero para conseguir perder el tiempo).
  6. Jun 21, 2020
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Realmente la falta de una pokedex nacional, una historia muy corta y villano deplorable me hacen cuestionar si valio la pena comprar el juego, pero no todo es malo, las mecanicas de los dinamax es bastante interesante y le da un sabor dirente tanto a las batallas de gym y las batallas para consegir el titulo.
    Sin embargo tengo que resaltar que pudo ser mejor y tener un mejor desarrollo como juego en todos sus aspectos.
    Expand
  7. Jun 21, 2020
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. El juego me aburrió al empezar con tanta cinemática, al juego le falta dificultad y mejores rivales, me preocupa que los siguientes juegos sean iguales Expand
  8. Jun 21, 2020
    8
    Pokemon SW/SH is great in innovation, with the wild area, Pokemon have introduced a excelent and very fun experience when is about catching pokemon, maybe we´re missing the national pokedex, but in fact, is something that you forget when you´re enjoying the adventure. Althought the fact of seeing Pokemon appearing of no-where is something that kills the immersion, is something that shouldPokemon SW/SH is great in innovation, with the wild area, Pokemon have introduced a excelent and very fun experience when is about catching pokemon, maybe we´re missing the national pokedex, but in fact, is something that you forget when you´re enjoying the adventure. Althought the fact of seeing Pokemon appearing of no-where is something that kills the immersion, is something that should be improved in next titles. In my opinion this titles are a good begining for the franchise on home consoles. Probably not the best titles, but are fun and they have a lot of innovation that should be enjoyed. Expand
  9. Jun 21, 2020
    0
    Una basura completa juego lineal sin historia sin sorpresas aburrido una basura completa la peor generacion de todas pokemon escupo y estafa
  10. Jun 21, 2020
    3
    They had a big chance to make this a great pokemon game, but choose not to. There are so many bad decisions made by the developers. I can't recommend this game.
  11. Jun 21, 2020
    8
    There are a lot of missed opportunities in the main story, but where it lacks in that is compensated by a lot in other aspects: The game is very accesibleis in building competitive teams, the music is top notch as always, the environments and landscapes are diverse and beautiful, gym battles are the most immersive of the entire series and of course the wild area and max raid battles.
  12. Jun 21, 2020
    8
    good game, the new pokemon and artworks look good. During the campaign there's an actual story consistently present. The rivals during the story have their own personality, which is characterized quite good, more than the latest games for sure. The whole concept of gym challenges is a bit refreshed and enhanced, thanks to the dynamax feature too. The post game is almost existent, it triesgood game, the new pokemon and artworks look good. During the campaign there's an actual story consistently present. The rivals during the story have their own personality, which is characterized quite good, more than the latest games for sure. The whole concept of gym challenges is a bit refreshed and enhanced, thanks to the dynamax feature too. The post game is almost existent, it tries to hide it with the dynamax raid and the release of new form, sometimes it makes it, sometimes not. It's perfect for competitive pokemkn, by speeding the process of making pokemon for official competitions. On the graphic side there some losses, some bad animations and some textures are not so good, especially if compared with the 3d models of the pokemon, which are well made and good looking. Dven the online is messy and not so well managed. In the complex is a good game, with some fresh air contents that I hope will be expanded in the future. Expand
  13. Jun 21, 2020
    0
    nintendo masssss de lo mismoooo... necesita aires nuevos... ya me tienen hasta la recha¿¿ con sus pokemin
  14. Jun 20, 2020
    6
    It's just okay at best. Nothing really to write home about. I cant help but feel like it is a bit of a step back from the older games. I also am a bit worried about what the DLC model will mean for the future of the franchise.
  15. Jun 20, 2020
    10
    Such a great game, everything I enjoy about pokemon, well over five hundred hours into this game.
  16. Jun 20, 2020
    0
    El juego esta incompleto, y te lo venden a trozos , las versiones anteriores tienen mas contenido que este.
  17. Nov 15, 2019
    0
    Pokémon nunca ha sido una franquicia especialmente ambiciosa. Es más, para algunos su atractivo reside, precisamente, en su anclaje a un estilo de combate por turnos que parece haber quedado en el olvido por el resto del mercado (con excepciones, claro está). A mi parecer, su conservadurismo ha llevado a Pokémon a ser lo que es hoy: un producto mediocre, incapaz de reinventarse, que cadaPokémon nunca ha sido una franquicia especialmente ambiciosa. Es más, para algunos su atractivo reside, precisamente, en su anclaje a un estilo de combate por turnos que parece haber quedado en el olvido por el resto del mercado (con excepciones, claro está). A mi parecer, su conservadurismo ha llevado a Pokémon a ser lo que es hoy: un producto mediocre, incapaz de reinventarse, que cada nueva entrega trata al jugador con mayor condescendencia. Jamás había visto creadores tan ajenos a su producto. Si Pokémon alguna vez fue un proyecto apasionado, ya solo quedan los restos insulsos de lo que alguna vez fue. Los fallos de estas nuevas entregas son muchos, por lo que haré una lista de algunos, aún a sabiendas de que será insuficiente:
    -Apartado gráfico sorprendentemente malo, sumado a las animaciones ortopédicas. No soy ni diseñador gráfico ni animador, tan solo un jugador del montón. Pero esto tiene que ser de coña. Tomándolo con humor, hasta agradezco que sea tan descaradamente desastroso visualmente; soy de quienes lloran de la risa con la cutrez del primer Resident Evil en este aspecto. No hay mucho que explicar, los que jugamos entregas anteriores sabemos que han reciclado hasta las animaciones de los personajes humanos (que ya de por sí dejaban mucho que desar) y que la cuestionable calidad de modelados y texturas se hacen más evidentes que nunca con el salto al HD.
    -Repartir experiencia forzado, que hace del juego prácticamente injugable. Un juego de estrategia en el que la estrategia es innecesaria, a mi parecer, es muestra de una incomprensión absoluta del modo en el que el juego debe interactuar con el jugador. No hay tensión ni placer en el jugar.
    -Eliminación de la GTS. Nada más que añadir.
    -Sustitución de mecánicas ya consolidadas (véase la megaevolución) por otras más pretenciosas que solo agradarán a los jugadores de Pokémon GO.
    -La ausencia de todos los Pokémon hasta la fecha. Esto no es algo que me moleste particularmente, de no ser por el desdén con el que se ha tratado a sus potenciales consumidores. Espero que la desconexión entre compañía y usuario se vea reflejada en las ventas.
    El único punto positivo de los juegos son los diseños de los pokémon, algunos más creativos que otros, pero tan ideales como siempre; más sintiéndolo mucho, unos diseños bonitos no redimen ni por asomo sus carencias.
    En resumen: la saga Pokémon ha muerto definitivamente, (para quienes lo dudasen incluso tras la salida de los Let's Go) y tristemente, los consumidores de comida basura que son sus fans, los responsables de su muerte, no la dejaran descansar en paz. De hecho, los fans estarán encantados con los títulos, para ellos lo tendrán todo: fanservice a más no poder y la inflada de precio a los 60€ que muy gustosos pagarán en su afán consumista, junto a los múltiples servicios de pago. Ah, y no nos confundamos. Esto no es un producto dirigido a los niños, sino a adultos que se niegan a crecer. La franquicia de Super Mario ha crecido junto a sus jugadores aún siendo accesible a nuevas generaciones. Pokémon intentó crecer, pero no pudo, porque sus jugadores nunca lo hicieron.
    P.D. Muy fan de la escena inicial del juego, que no echa en falta doblaje ni mucho menos.
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  18. Jun 20, 2020
    7
    I really enjoy the base game, but there's very little postgame, raiding is okay, but honestly the online system is so crap that 5 star pokemon are almost impossible to catch.

    When some of the mechanics are so broken, it's hard to give it more than a 7. If they fix the online, I'll bump it to 8, but I doubt that'll happen.
  19. Jun 19, 2020
    1
    Franchise ruined by GreedFreak who refuse to put any effort into their games anymore and push out games every year like it's Call of Duty. Pokemon died after Gen 4.
  20. Jun 19, 2020
    0
    Un juego Recortado, eh incompleto, muy mal, le falta mucho por delante, y recortaron el juego solo para cobrar mas. las gráficas son las peores
  21. Jun 18, 2020
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. i was looking forward to sword i even got a new poke-ball to get mew, when i seen the expansion coming out i knew i had to get it when i seen legend Pokemon out i knew it was going to be good but i was mistaken i completed the first map in 4 hours ive not seen any legends in my game but when i play the battle raids i seen people use legend Pokemon thats not even out yet is it worth it NO is it worth the money NO, they need to put more Pokemon legends in there like i said ive not got one im not looking forward to the 2nd part of the new map the crown tundra.... so disappointing Expand
  22. Jun 17, 2020
    6
    Pokemon Sword & Shield are by far the weakest mainline Pokemon games in years, just a bit of context:

    Gamefreak lied to the fanbase, claiming that they needed to remove over HALF of the Pokemon in order to ‘improve animations’ when in reality the animations are ripped right from the 3DS games. The annual releases are killing this franchise nevermind the mediocre graphics, laughable
    Pokemon Sword & Shield are by far the weakest mainline Pokemon games in years, just a bit of context:

    Gamefreak lied to the fanbase, claiming that they needed to remove over HALF of the Pokemon in order to ‘improve animations’ when in reality the animations are ripped right from the 3DS games. The annual releases are killing this franchise nevermind the mediocre graphics, laughable animations, noticeable pop in, EXP share being mandatory making the games even easier than usual when the Pokemon games are already too easy, the game also only takes 15 hours to beat and has practically 0 post game. Do not support Gamefreak with these half assed efforts. They even removed Aipom wtf???
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  23. Jun 17, 2020
    5
    Es un juego con muchas ideas interesantes pero ejecutadas de una forma cuestionable.
    Muchas decisiones del juego son polémicas y definitivamente se nota que le hicieron muchas horas de desarrollo para obtener una experiencia decente.
    El juego brilla por sus mecánicas clásicas, accesibilidad a nuevos miembros y curiosas innovaciones, pero falla terriblemente en quitar cosas de
    Es un juego con muchas ideas interesantes pero ejecutadas de una forma cuestionable.
    Muchas decisiones del juego son polémicas y definitivamente se nota que le hicieron muchas horas de desarrollo para obtener una experiencia decente.

    El juego brilla por sus mecánicas clásicas, accesibilidad a nuevos miembros y curiosas innovaciones, pero falla terriblemente en quitar cosas de generaciones anteriores que ya estaban muy bien recibidas por los jugadores.
    Un gran error fue recortar casi la mitad de los pokémon y carecer de un post-Game decente. Este contenido faltante se venderá en un pase de expansión de $30.00 que contendrá más de 200 pokémon y el post-game que le hizo falta, aún así no se completará la pokedex nacional.

    En conclusión, Pokémon Sword/Shield no es un pésimo juego, pero está lejos de ser un buen juego. Es un juego entretenido, pero mediocre. Los más fanáticos, aquellos que compraban ambas versiones desembolsarán mucho dinero ya que pasarán de gastar $80.00 a $180.00 ya que el pase de expansión es ligeramente diferente para cada juego y se vende de esa manera.
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  24. Jun 16, 2020
    2
    Wow i got mad seeing how this game turned out, i shouldn't really say anything because other people alredy said it. It's the shame of the franchaise
  25. Jun 15, 2020
    6
    It’s really generic in my opinion, fun but still hella generic. I really enjoy all Pokemon games but this was not a standout. It just doesn’t give me the excitement that platinum or black and white 2 gave me. Also why did you cut out soo many Pokemon :((
  26. Jun 13, 2020
    5
    This game is very mixed for me. It is the same formula as the previous Pokemon games with a few nice additions but a lot of flaws with it.
    I would give this game a 6 or 7 / 10 but because of it's price (£40 or more at current) I'm lowering it to 5/10.
    - This is the first and only Pokemon game I've played where I've abandoned my starter at the start of the game. All 3 starters and their
    This game is very mixed for me. It is the same formula as the previous Pokemon games with a few nice additions but a lot of flaws with it.
    I would give this game a 6 or 7 / 10 but because of it's price (£40 or more at current) I'm lowering it to 5/10.

    - This is the first and only Pokemon game I've played where I've abandoned my starter at the start of the game. All 3 starters and their evolutions are just ugly, boring and have no interest in them at all.
    In terms of new Pokemon this generation it is also mixed. There are some that have really good designs and moves, and then some which are just really boring and uninspired.
    The new forms for old Pokemon I like and the new legendaries I like.

    - The story and characters are probably one of the worst of the Pokemon games as well. I can't even really remember the story that much after finishing the game a few days ago. The characters are really annoying and bland, namely Leon. This game also lacks a clear "bad guy / team".

    - The graphics and performance at first I thought were pretty good for Pokemon standards. However the further I got into the game the more performance issues I got, mainly frame drops and lots of really bad pop in.

    - The gyms were what you would expect from Pokemon games. They're almost the same as previous games which I like. Only thing I don't like about the gym battles were that they took place in stadiums, where you couldn't hear anything but the loud and annoying crowd. Music and other sound was mostly non-existent.

    - I didn't like dynamaxing at all. It felt like an annoyance that was forced on me instead of mega evolutions which I personally really like.

    Some of the features I liked in this were the Pokemon jobs system, accessing your boxes from anywhere, character customisation and the league card system was okay. The camping system was mixed, although I liked the playing with your Pokemon part, it was very lacking in what you could do. The curry system I didn't really enjoy.
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  27. Jun 8, 2020
    1
    This game is just incomplete, it isn't funny and the cut of the roster is one of the worst things in the world, it isn't make sense, the graphics is decent but is not up to the hardware.
    (The switch can run Zelda BoTW)
  28. Jun 6, 2020
    2
    A lot of bugs, immersion breaking due to unreasonable/unnecessary pop-ins, decisions on some parts of the game are baffling and nonsensical, the story-line is terrible, even for a young audience it's too childish. The decisions on dialogue in the middle of battles and "multiple choice" on the dialogues in the story are useless, and serve no meaning to the story or have any consequence. TheA lot of bugs, immersion breaking due to unreasonable/unnecessary pop-ins, decisions on some parts of the game are baffling and nonsensical, the story-line is terrible, even for a young audience it's too childish. The decisions on dialogue in the middle of battles and "multiple choice" on the dialogues in the story are useless, and serve no meaning to the story or have any consequence. The game would've been better without the story-line and dialogues. The only reason I bought this was in hopes the Crown Tundra DLC would be worth it. Expand
  29. Jun 6, 2020
    2
    As a big Nintendo fan and a Pokemon fan as well. I'm so dissapointed with this game. It's not the first time. Last few Pokemon games have been losing quality but this one is the most dissapointing one. Gen 6 was dissapointing. 7 was worst, Let's go games were bad. I was super excited for this game espacially after the Pokemon direct but that E3 gameplay killed all mine and a lot of fan'sAs a big Nintendo fan and a Pokemon fan as well. I'm so dissapointed with this game. It's not the first time. Last few Pokemon games have been losing quality but this one is the most dissapointing one. Gen 6 was dissapointing. 7 was worst, Let's go games were bad. I was super excited for this game espacially after the Pokemon direct but that E3 gameplay killed all mine and a lot of fan's hype. There were no national dex. Gamefreak said they did it so it would have better graphics and animations. And the graphics looked even worst than N64 games. Animations are all reused and low quality. This game is on the same system as Botw and Mario Odyssey. I wouldn't care about graphics if they didn't lied. The worst part is they are bringing a lot of old Pokemons with new DLC. They are literally selling the rest of the game. I thought they said that switch could not run every pokemon while DS and 3DS did? The base game is not even worth 60 dolars. We also have to pay money every month to bring our old Pokemons which is so expensive. So much more than the old one. We also have to pay for switch online. İt's ridicilous. The story is rushed and the gameplay adds nothing new. There are giant pokemon fights. How amazing! The strange part is graphics looks great when you are in a town but the wild area looks worst than the N64. They probally rushed the wild area. İf you have already played a Pokemon game before than just don't buy this cash grab. But the fact that this game sold 16 million in 3 months shows that fans just doesn't care at all. But buying this game will make next Pokemon games worst. Pokemon is no longer a good franchise for me. I'm done with it. This game only sells because it is a Pokemon game. That's it. The only reason why I gave this 2 stars is because I love Pokemon's gameplay. But the game is just not worth it. Just replay old Pokemon games and you will be better. Don't waste 60 dolars and don't support this. Expand
  30. Jun 5, 2020
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I felt compelled to write a review so I could do justice to the game. Being clear, it isn't the worst game ever. Where it shines, shines. But the shinning spots coexist in a multitude of problems, some of them old dear "friends" of the Pokémon franchise.
    In first place, let's talk about the Dexit. Being a player since 1999, when I first started Pokémon Red, all games always felt unbalanced. And the great expansion of the Pokédex along the years hasn't done anything to really fix that. Rayquaza needed its own tier. Meta in last generation was vastly dominated by Tapu and Ultra Beasts. Protean Greninja was a thing in Gen 6, when the use of Megas was almost required. Game Freak does a poor job recognizing these problems. Rebalancing a game around 400-ish creatures, well-selected, with new monsters, abilities, movepool alterations would be a welcome project, stimulating experimentation and giving some overlooked Pokémon the opportunity to shine. Switching from Megas and Z-moves and other obvious gimmicks to a single, less buffed, mechanic would also dynamize battles.
    Sadly, none of this actually happened the way it should. Dynamaxing became pretty centerfold of combat, and we got still another Charizard power-up. Few to none Pokémon was reworked to make it viable, with the exception being few Galarian forms. And, after Alolan Meowth, I don't know anyone who honestly thought that was a Pokémon in need of another recharacterization. Now, was partly undone in a scammy DLC-exclusive route, which doesn't seem - again - to fix our problem. So, what was broke, just remained.
    That said, the cartoony atmosphere of the game was very well-done and cohesive. The game is cohesive. The UI is clean and the best in the series so far. New Pokémon are creative and well-designed. The trainer customization has evolved a lot. QoL improvements very needed came to light in this instance. Be it the accessible boxes, the easily-manageable exp, EVs, IVs and Natures (making competitive much more approachable in a time-scarce world) or the HMs fully begone. The most notable one though, is the Pokémon being visible on field. The humour is also top-notch comparing to previous entries, the Fairy Gym sub-arc and the train line blockade being among my favorites.
    On the artsy side still, the soundtrack is ok with a few highlights, such as the gym leader battle theme, but it sounds like composed without its setting in mind. It's still definitely a Pokémon soundtrack, but a subpar one. Toby Fox's presence.
    And it ends here. Sword (& Shield) suffers then problems the series has struggled with its newfound identity since Kalos. The post-game, once the most anticipated and challenging part of the game is quasi-gone. In its place, we have a pretty short (and dull) narrative about the continent's lore, which doesn't even expand the lore at all. No more dungeons, or anything resembling explorable areas. The map is the most linear since Kanto (which, even then, gave you some freedom to the order you would traverse it). Caverns, mountains and volcanos with any backtracking or silly puzzles? No, none of it. And what appears at first time to be a colorful and extensive land becomes fully seen in no more than 20 hours. For comparison, the fixed camera angle and successive corridors feel more a limitation than a creative choice. The Gym challenge helps to break the tedium. Challenges are, for most, fun, solving the old problem of making gyms less repetitive (and enjoyable again). But the leaders mostly come out of nowhere. There isn't a clear and compelling reason to keep going on the campaign and it's also too short. The new format for the league, on the other hand, is a breath of fresh air. It makes the gym leaders and their scalling a little more believable. The "championship" format is well-done enough to feel alive, and your title as champion as something earned, in opposition to the soft-rebooted status it has amid previous iterations' postgame content.
    In my earlier remarks it's clear much of the problems within the game come from its linearity. Some people as I may had hopes the massive Wild Area would solve this. It's not the case. Raids are a new fun element and all, but the difficult to connect to other partners and repetitiveness of the task undermine it. And there's little more to the Wild Area than this. The lack of explorable environments and constant popping up of Pokémon and field elements only make it worse. Many times I felt bored, obligated to do this to get any Gigantamaxes.
    At last, the subplot is among the weakest. It's not about being simple or childish. JRPGs with simple plot can be meaningful (ex: DQ). It's not the case. Much is reused from Alola: the characterization, the villain plot twist. Team Yell is just tiresome, and the Chairman's machinations aren't that coherent. I could congratulate the build-up to Eternatus fight, which is careful. The fight is itself underwhelming. As is, as exposed, the whole game.
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Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 87 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 66 out of 87
  2. 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. 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.
  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]