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. Gagnef
    Nov 22, 2019
    0
    -The game is short.

    -Many Pokémons have been cut to get "better animations", when the combat animations that are there are soulless and bad.

    -The graphics are sometimes worse than a N64 game.

    -No voice acting even though it seems like there was supposed to be there.

    no
  2. nafechinde
    Nov 21, 2019
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. this game does not deserves your hard earned money, save it for much much better indie games on pc… Expand
  3. 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
  4. BrunoFaria
    Nov 15, 2019
    5
    Jogo incrível, fazia muito tempo q não sentia tanta diversão ao jogar um jogo de Pokémon. Joguei todas as gerações
  5. Iki2234
    Nov 23, 2019
    10
    This game is actually Very nice!! I enjoyed it more than i thought i would. The story is nice, the pokes are Nice and the gym leaders are Nice as well!! I dont think It deserve a 10 but since the rates are really bad, i Will give a 10
  6. RollEXE
    Nov 16, 2019
    6
    Pokémon Sword and Shield is an enjoyable game. I enjoyed the music, the battles but found the graphics lacking for a Switch game and I felt with all the datamining that the National Dex could've be completed and there are sometimes glitches (sure they will patch them out). The games doesn't either deserve 9/10 nor 1/10, it's a fun enough game to pass your time.
  7. Lololo809
    Nov 17, 2019
    7
    Im having fun, catching and leveling pokemon is fun and not grindy.
    The gym challenges are a bit lacking but some innovate on the mechanics of the pre-existing games.
    I don’t get the people saying that Dynamax is a stupid mechanic, you can dynamax any pokemon and not like mega-evolution that was only for some. It’s sad that not all pokemon are in the game but this opens a little more    Im having fun, catching and leveling pokemon is fun and not grindy.
    The gym challenges are a bit lacking but some innovate on the mechanics of the pre-existing games.
    I don’t get the people saying that Dynamax is a stupid mechanic, you can dynamax any pokemon and not like mega-evolution that was only for some.
    It’s sad that not all pokemon are in the game but this opens a little more variety in the competitive battling which I find it great in comparison with some last installments that had a very broken and centered metagame.
    Talking about competitive pokemon, the changes they made to quality of life -like the ability to give egg moves, change natures, vitamins- are excellent and it will greatly improve the health of the player base.
    The story is fun and engaging while still being simple enough for children to play. If it wasn’t for the pokedex fiasco I would give it a solid 9/10 but the cut did disappoint since my favorite pokemon -Klefki- was cut from the game.    … Expand
  8. YhuSel
    Nov 17, 2019
    0
    Un juego aburrido, lineal, con errores gráficos fatales, sin doblaje, texturas de los años 1995 e historia y dificultad demasiado fácil "para niños" prácticamente es un juego que no merece el precio y el tiempo que se espero por el.
  9. Toutong
    Nov 17, 2019
    3
    The Pokemon franchise suffers the same problem as FIFA (verdict at the end).
    The core game will always be a good experience therefor you will ALWAYS have fun with the games and devs knows that therefor they go for the way that makes them the most money, aka releasing a game per year.
    Releasing a game per year comes at the cost of improvement, the problem does not come from Sw&Sh it    The Pokemon franchise suffers the same problem as FIFA (verdict at the end).
    The core game will always be a good experience therefor you will ALWAYS have fun with the games and devs knows that therefor they go for the way that makes them the most money, aka releasing a game per year.
    Releasing a game per year comes at the cost of improvement, the problem does not come from Sw&Sh it comes from every Pokemon games, why did it explode on that game? Because it's a switch to a new console therefor you expect those improvement the most at that moment.
    National dex controversy: It would be ok if they actually did why they said they removed it but they didn't.
    Animations: With a switch game that can handle a ton of things (perf wise) you'd hope for better animations, if an attack uses a Pokemon's feet it should be shown, not asking for a special animation for every move but like 5 standard animations + a few specific animations for iconic moves, I don't think that asking a lot.
    Game optimization: Considering the graphics of the game it should run at 60 fps constantly, it runs at 30 fps drops at 20 FPS in some places in the wild area while offline.
    Online: Complete mess, dropping to 10 fps constantly, some freezes, Nintendo makes people pay an extra for that, it should be way better than that.
    Graphics: Compared to other Switch games it's not up to the standard and it's absolutely should be compared to other Switch games on graphics that's completely fair, it's of course not the only thing that matters.
    Map: Way too linear design with only 10 roads in the game, the wild area is a nice addition but in reality with the capacity of the Switch the game should be a total open world not just one wild area and a smaller map.
    Post game content: Barely anything and what we have is not good, spamming dynamax raid fight at the end is not good content.
    Improvements over main title games: Wild area, Pokemon popups, Fixed some things for competitive.

    Verdict: If the game was the first Pokemon game ever created it would be a 7 or a 8 but it's not and should be judged based on the actual improvements especially at a generational change , the fact that there is not a lot of improvements and actually worse in a lot of things compared to older Pokemon games, it's a 3 for me.    … Expand
  10. Samuelde
    Nov 19, 2019
    0
    Pokémon espada no es un mal juego pero es increíble que en 2019 no puedan poner a todos los Pokémones y no puedan hacer luchas como en Pokémon stadium
  11. Frutch
    Nov 18, 2019
    0
    Critics are blind or got brainwashed from Gamefreak itself.
    This company lied and released the worst Pokemon of the entire series.
  12. NaKaGaWa13
    Nov 19, 2019
    0
    Game Freak killed that game for me! No National pokedex, no starters from previous generation, no Totodile, no Croconaw, no Feralligatr...Weird leveling system...Worst Pokemon game ever..
  13. Jojoca
    Nov 19, 2019
    0
    Rushed game, gamefreak lied,this is a disrespect for pokemon fans,anyway i hope the next game they give the best to bring back the true fans
  14. James9000
    Nov 19, 2019
    0
    So many issues that it's almost un enjoyable the first two hours are hand holding cringe
  15. Shellshock010
    Nov 20, 2019
    0
    It looks and feels like the product of a rushed production with ZERO effort into making anything worth the players time. GameFreak holds the reins to the highest grossing franchise in the world and they can't even animate the characters in their own games? Pokemon sword and shield look like a 3DS game with less content and more technical issues. The online is unplayable due to the lack ofIt looks and feels like the product of a rushed production with ZERO effort into making anything worth the players time. GameFreak holds the reins to the highest grossing franchise in the world and they can't even animate the characters in their own games? Pokemon sword and shield look like a 3DS game with less content and more technical issues. The online is unplayable due to the lack of optimization and due to an unstable netcode. I've spent 20 years playing pokemon but now I got tired of not holding GameFreak accountable for their lack of respect towards fans. You want good pokemon games in the future? Don't waste your time on these last two.… Expand
  16. lucasts02
    Nov 21, 2019
    0
    Holy Jesus, 100 dollars on the bundle for a trash game. Cant even play 5 hours of the game, it is a disguting gameplay.
  17. gargom
    Nov 21, 2019
    0
    Esto es absurdo, un juego a medio hacer con las texturas a 144pixeles y repitiendo exactamente lo mismo que en nintendo ds pero en switch, innovación cero. Un juego hecho con prisas y sin novedades, no pienso comprarlo, no parais de reiros de vuestros fans, game freak porfavor dejad de querer hacer dinero fácil sin esforzaros lo más mínimo.
  18. Franco2000
    Nov 21, 2019
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. National Dex is not in the game this make me sad y grow up with the games and I want to catch em all… Expand
  19. xXFedericXx
    Nov 22, 2019
    0
    Bad texture, low framerate, no dub, no hard mode, no regional pokedex, bad plot
  20. demonkisa
    Nov 23, 2019
    10
    The game is still very good despite lack of some pokemon. Not all animations are bad and I think the animation debacle has been overblown. Pokemon has never been known for its animations. In comparison to the previous entry it is a rather appreciated return to form. Less emphasis on story and cutscenes every 5 seconds and more on collecting and training your pokemon. Also shiny Zizagoon.
  21. KaozSorceres
    Nov 24, 2019
    10
    El juego esta bastante buen, recomendado para nuevos y fanaticos, merece un 8 pero por los hatter le dare un 10.
  22. TheSalamiJam
    Dec 2, 2019
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Frick you haters. Don't make me stop buying the game. I rated it 10. I just love it and I understand the lies and controversy but that won't stop me.… Expand
  23. Kataklash
    Dec 3, 2019
    10
    Very good game! Characters are very good and the news pokémons are interesting!
  24. WizardChamp
    Dec 3, 2019
    10
    First to adress the elephant in the room, the visuals contain a lot of reused 3DS assets and unoptimized loading for the Switch. This game isn't overly visually stunning but it's if you approach it as a handheld game built for a home console by people who have little experience with optimizing the hardware, it's alright. Second, no not all the Pokémon are in the game but technically youFirst to adress the elephant in the room, the visuals contain a lot of reused 3DS assets and unoptimized loading for the Switch. This game isn't overly visually stunning but it's if you approach it as a handheld game built for a home console by people who have little experience with optimizing the hardware, it's alright. Second, no not all the Pokémon are in the game but technically you couldn't obtain them all in previous games either without transferring them from older games, it's fine, we still have about 400 Pokémon. The story echoes the traditional Pokémon plot structure 8 gyms, beat your rival(s), beat the team of miscreants that get in your way, and make your way to the Pokémon league. There's been 8 versions of this story prior with a few changes and adjustments (not counting retellings), it's just how Pokémon is. That being said the minor adjustments in Sword and Shield really echo some of the best past versions of it with some really neat and interesting twists, don't expect Shakespeare but if you liked past Pokémon stories you will like this one. The region the game is set in, Galar, is based on England and is probably going to be one of my favorite regions looking back. Most of the game takes place in one large connected segment of the region which honestly brings me back to games before the 6th and 7th generation of Pokémon on 3DS, and the Wild Area just adds to this connected feel (of course don't expect to have access to everything all at once, blocked off areas do open up as you go as in any other Pokémon game, and the beginning and ending segments have their own areas you won't be spending as much time in). As for the Pokémon themselves the game has a fine Pokémon selection including a bunch of new Pokémon and Galarian forms of old ones I absolutely love. The gameplay keeps the soul of the series while also offering some great stream lining and plenty of improvements, including some brought over from last years' Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee. I love the dynamax concept as a whole especially how it gives the feeling of unique and special Pokémon battles to wild non-story based encounters and just adds plenty of room to create new kinds of encounters as a whole. I finished the main story very over leveled but a post game encounter showed me that I could still improve so it's never too easy, just more accessible to everyone. In short despite the shortcomings Sword and Shield has improved where I think it matters most and offers excellent gameplay and story (for a Pokémon game's story) and has easily become one of my favorites in the series. I give Pokémon Sword and Shield a 10 out of 10.… Expand
  25. 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.
  26. 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 .
  27. 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.
  28. 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.
  29. 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!
  30. Mudkip_Sexy
    Jun 22, 2020
    0
    MUCHO PASTO
    POCO POQUEMON
    MUCHO BUG
    MUCHO MICROPAGO
    MUCHO CHARIZAR
    POCA AwA
    MUCHA POKEDEX B)
  31. GinoBuonvino300
    Aug 7, 2020
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game is amazing, it has a great Lore (who thinks that is too fast to finish, please, read the dialogue)
    -the story isn't that bad, although it doesn't have side quests or too many events, but the few events are epic
    -is a pokemon game with a mental change of the "main" rival (Hop), as opposed to previous games such as Lets Go ... Marnie who fights against injustices towards her city and her brother, as well as gym leader, makes you empathize with the character understanding him ...
    Beed takes on the role of the "bad" rival as were the rivals of the GS and Red and Blue games, which intrigues the player into wanting to defeat him (although the rival will still remain of his opinion, with a few small changes from time to time)
    -the music sector is one of the best ever created
    -the technical sector, unfortunately, is not uniform (just think of the animation of Zacian and Zamazenta in the post-league, but, also looking at the positive sides, of Zacian and Zamazenta against Eternatus)
    -the wild areas are, unfortunately, scarce in content, but the dynamax raids to do with friends make you have fun (moreover those of the dlc are much more detailed and more beautiful)    … Expand
  32. Nintenderek
    Oct 8, 2021
    9
    Are these the best Pokemon games of all time? Certainly not. Do they have some issues? Yes. Are they still very good games? Also yes. The Wild Area is fun to explore, the new Pokemon are diverse and fun and the game itself is fun to play. The graphics are meh and it is missing a few Pokemon from previous games but there's no point where those feel like massive issues. If you areAre these the best Pokemon games of all time? Certainly not. Do they have some issues? Yes. Are they still very good games? Also yes. The Wild Area is fun to explore, the new Pokemon are diverse and fun and the game itself is fun to play. The graphics are meh and it is missing a few Pokemon from previous games but there's no point where those feel like massive issues. If you are looking for some solid Pokemon games, Sword and Shield are good ones to pick up.… Expand
  33. da_one23
    Jun 26, 2022
    6
    On the one hand, this game is an embarrassment. It has terrible graphics, story and difficulty, especiallyconsidering it's the biggest media franchise of all time. On the other hand, it's pokemon
  34. DustyT33
    Feb 18, 2021
    7
    It's not the best Pokémon game, but it's not the worst, and is definitely not as bad as a lot of people say it is. Mediocre and average is the best way to describe it, but it doesn't deserve the 0 and under 5 review bombing by people that probably haven't even played the game. Now, to the good and bad parts of this game.

    The good: The cities and towns are beautiful. The graphics are only    It's not the best Pokémon game, but it's not the worst, and is definitely not as bad as a lot of people say it is. Mediocre and average is the best way to describe it, but it doesn't deserve the 0 and under 5 review bombing by people that probably haven't even played the game. Now, to the good and bad parts of this game.

    The good:
    The cities and towns are beautiful. The graphics are only really "bad" in the wild area, with the muddy textures and weird weather transitions. Speaking of the wild are, despite the muddy textures, it is still very fun. One of the most fun parts of the game. Seeing all those Pokémon and trying to catch them is very cool, and it's epic early game to see and getting attacked by Pokémon too strong for you to catch. I like the new Pokémon, and even in the grass Pokémon show up in the overworld, like let's go Pikachu and Eevee, which is also cool. Pokémon camp is very cute, and a great replacement for Pokémon amie and refresh. The post game is meh, but the DLC, especially the crown tundra adds a lot of content, with the roaming legendaries, relatively interesting plot, and fun dynamax adventures, which are probably more fun if you have friends. I played it solo and online with strangers though.

    The bad:
    Main story is mediocre and linear. There are no branching paths like the old 2d Pokémon games, and you are handguided and constantly told where to go in the game. It's starting to be a trend with the recent 3ds games. Maybe great for kids that doesn't know what to do, but very boring and annoying for veteran fans and players. Speaking of "it's for kids", it's also very easy. Much easier than the old Pokémon games, which is also another trend in the newer 3ds games. You can easily overlevel, especially with the exp share that you are unable to turn off, which is incredibly stupid, and underleveled npcs and broken exp candies. A lot of the animations are kinda lazy, for example, the animation of double kick is literally just the Pokémon jumping in place, with no actual kicking animation. And the old Pokémon models are reused from the previous games, just re-textured, which makes the dex cut at the launch of the game stupid.

    But other than that, it's still a Pokémon game, so it's core gameplay is still fun. So is it worth it? I don't know, for sure, but I think it's overpriced. So if you want to skip this entry it's fine, but if you're fine with the price and likes Pokémon, why not. So if you just want to try the game, maybe wait for a discount. The physical copy DLC bundle seems ok right now and it has more resale value if it turns out you don't like it than buying the DLC separately.    … Expand
  35. Tonico8
    Mar 2, 2021
    0
    I only could enjoy the first 2hours, afterwards it's an empty game, without any work behind. The routes are a completely garbage. The difficulty is insulting.
  36. Extremespeed
    Mar 23, 2021
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Un juego bueno ni más ni menos, se compensa la falta de los pokemones con la facilidad que esté presenta para criar y para obtener pokemones competitivos, cabe resaltar que las incursiones es algo muy divertido, si bien no hay much o post game sin los DLC es un juego que cumplió desde mi punto de vista, lejos de ser el mejor pero también lejos de ser el peor.
    Para mi un 7.8    … Expand
  37. MaddoxWhite
    Apr 24, 2021
    1
    There are so many things wrong with this game.
    The graphics. The national dex. The gameplay itself.
    I don't have much to say that hasn't been said already.

    The fact that this even exists makes me want to not even buy New Pokemon Snap.
    But I'm a sucker, so I already preordered it.
  38. SuperEpicGaming
    Sep 26, 2021
    9
    It’s actually a really fun Pokémon game, probably one of the best. The only reason it got poor ratings is because of fat neck beards being mad about graphics and some Pokémon missing
  39. Equiixxx
    Jan 26, 2022
    2
    where can i start? this is a total disapointment. Pokemon games being mediocre at best, and the game is easier than Peppa pigs games. Can i even call this a game? Even pokemon go offers a better experience and its really bad, but at least you can walk and exercise.

    " we worked on better animations" Jesus christ. Gamefreaks laughs at you people.
  40. The3DPenguin
    Dec 25, 2019
    7
    Pokemon Sword and Shield are good, not great and not bad either.
    When I played Pokemon Sword I had fun, I couldn't stop playing it. However the game is on the shorter side around 20 hours long.
    When I played it I noticed that it felt quite rushed, it felt like it came out before Sun & Moon. What I mean by this is that some areas look amazing - best in the series so far, while other    Pokemon Sword and Shield are good, not great and not bad either.
    When I played Pokemon Sword I had fun, I couldn't stop playing it. However the game is on the shorter side around 20 hours long.

    When I played it I noticed that it felt quite rushed, it felt like it came out before Sun & Moon.
    What I mean by this is that some areas look amazing - best in the series so far, while other areas have N64 graphics - notably the Wild Area. Some of the new attacks are spectacular while most of the multi-hitting moves are honestly lazy. But most of the move have been updated atleast a little bit.

    All Pokemon still have only one animation for Special and Physical attacks and some moves - Like Flamethrower barley line up with the mouth of the Pokemon - but it's been like that since X/Y.
    The models are also the same as in the 3DS games, just refined a bit.

    But if you have played the game the end of the story felt incredibly rushed - while it was still good, I had a hard time understanding motives and actually what was happening.

    But some reasons why you should play the game. The music is 100% the best in the series, I actually had to stop fighting so that I could listen to it. The Wild area is incredibly fun to explore. The rivals in this game actually have personalities and are great characters. The new Pokemon have really good designs. The Trainer Card maker and so on.

    The games difficulty is: Easy. The exp share is always on and Dynamaxing allowes you to one-shot pokemon.

    All in all. The game is good, but don't expect a switch game. Expect a upgraded 3DS game.    … Expand
  41. busiu
    Nov 18, 2019
    8
    To be honest - I really like it. I miss some of my beloved Pokemon, and I don't like the new design direction when it comes to some new Pokemon, but I can live with that. Besides that, this game is a must-have for any Pokemon fan, and I'm really surprised that I'm having this much fun with it. The Wild Area, Raids, gorgeous visuals and animations - all of that brings pure joy. What I likeTo be honest - I really like it. I miss some of my beloved Pokemon, and I don't like the new design direction when it comes to some new Pokemon, but I can live with that. Besides that, this game is a must-have for any Pokemon fan, and I'm really surprised that I'm having this much fun with it. The Wild Area, Raids, gorgeous visuals and animations - all of that brings pure joy. What I like the most is how challenging the Wild Area is. Finally, I don't have the feeling that it's a game aimed for younger audience only, and I'm too old for it! Yay! PS. My favourite Pokemon games are Gold/Silver (the remake was superb as well) and XY, and I absolutely hate Let's Go Pikachu&Eevee, as well as Sun&Moon.… Expand
  42. ZeoN
    Nov 26, 2019
    8
    Puntos positivos:

    - La Banda Sonora es la mejor de la franquicia - Los combates por turnos han alcanzado la excelencia jugable - Las nuevas animaciones están muy bien hechas - La variedad de nuevas criaturas es muy sorprendente - Los estadios son un acierto - La ambientación está muy lograda - El diseño de las ciudades y pueblos es magnífico - El competitivo está muy mejorado al    Puntos positivos:

    - La Banda Sonora es la mejor de la franquicia
    - Los combates por turnos han alcanzado la excelencia jugable
    - Las nuevas animaciones están muy bien hechas
    - La variedad de nuevas criaturas es muy sorprendente
    - Los estadios son un acierto
    - La ambientación está muy lograda
    - El diseño de las ciudades y pueblos es magnífico
    - El competitivo está muy mejorado al igual que la crianza
    - Los personajes tienen historias propias y están muy caracterizados y desarrollados
    - Mucho carisma en los personajes secundarios
    - La Liga Pokémon es la mejor de la franquicia
    - Los líderes de gimnasio tienen el mejor desarrollo argumental de la saga junto a la 5° Gen
    - La mecánica Dynamax y Gigamax está muy lograda
    - El Área Silvestre sienta las bases del prometedor futuro de Pokémon
    - El diseño estructural de la región es bastante decente
    - La variedad de Poke Balls introducidas en el juego se agradece

    Puntos negativos:

    - El Área Silvestre aunque es buena y la idea funciona estupendamente, le falta por mejorar en varios aspectos en futuras en entregas
    - Algunas rutas clásicas son algo lineales
    - ¿Dónde están las cuevas Game Freak?
    - Caídas de FPS puntuales en el Área Silvestre
    - Animaciones mejorables en algunos ataques y personajes
    - La historia principal empieza algo tarde
    - El juego se hace demasiado fácil en algunos puntos debido al exceso de nivel que puedes llevar por estar mucho tiempo en el Área. Eso hay que equilibrarlo de alguna forma.

    Observaciones Personales:

    - Bastante interesante la trama, aunque empiece tarde, está a la altura.
    - El Post Game está bien, pero podrían haberlo estirado un poco más, daba para ello
    - Me alegra el cariño que le han dado al competitivo
    - Paul es el mejor rival de la franquicia

    - Y Lionnel de los mejores campeones. El carisma de ambos es enorme

    Valoración:

    Banda Sonora ➡️ 100/100
    Jugabilidad ➡️ 100/100
    Apartado técnico ➡️ 75/100
    Apartado artístico ➡️ 90/100
    Historia ➡️ 80/100
    Online ➡️ 80/100. Muy trabajado pero la conex va mal a veces

    NOTA ➡️ 88/100

    Es el mejor juego de la franquicia Pokémon desde el salto al 3D. No llega al sobresaliente porque sus fallos se ven, pero lo recomiendo mucho para los amantes de la saga y también al nuevo público. Es una muy buena entrega.    … Expand
  43. Batmanondorf
    Nov 22, 2019
    8
    A fantastic Pokemon game: coming from someone whose favorite got culled.
    I love Pokemon collecting. I've filled my Pokedex in generations four and five, and I'm REALLY close in generations six and seven. Discovering that over half the Pokedex was going to be excluded from this generation really shook my enthusiasm for a bit. Hearing Metagross, my beautiful baby boy, was not going to make    A fantastic Pokemon game: coming from someone whose favorite got culled.
    I love Pokemon collecting. I've filled my Pokedex in generations four and five, and I'm REALLY close in generations six and seven. Discovering that over half the Pokedex was going to be excluded from this generation really shook my enthusiasm for a bit. Hearing Metagross, my beautiful baby boy, was not going to make it to this generation shook it even harder. In the end, I decided on getting the game because I asked myself, "Does it look like I could have fun with this game as it is, rather than as I hoped it would be?" And the answer to that was a big yes.    … Expand
  44. Suspect_Danny
    Nov 17, 2019
    8
    Quite good, no where near as bad as most of the reviews suggest. Still fun to play and can be a real time sink
  45. Jmv0ex
    Nov 15, 2019
    7
    Alright, as I see there is review bombing going on. Here is my take, played about 7hrs and and liking the game, I like it's easy enough for any new commer to come in and learn to play also like it has its challenges for the hardcore fan base. I personally dont think the graphics are horrible but would like to see better images in future games. I would of liked some voice acting and betterAlright, as I see there is review bombing going on. Here is my take, played about 7hrs and and liking the game, I like it's easy enough for any new commer to come in and learn to play also like it has its challenges for the hardcore fan base. I personally dont think the graphics are horrible but would like to see better images in future games. I would of liked some voice acting and better animations for the Pokemon, but for there 1st game on Switch they did a ok job. I think the game maybe have been rushed to meet deadlines but most games have them. Enjoy the game, and just have a good time and game on!… Expand
  46. BunBrigade
    Dec 10, 2019
    8
    I'm going to be honest. It's not a perfect game. It feels a little bit rushed and some elements should have been made better. BUT that being said I really enjoyed it. I really did. I haven't had this much fun since X&Y came out. Sword and shield became one of my favorite pokemon games.

    I really hope that some of the problems people have been annoyed by are corrected in the future and    I'm going to be honest. It's not a perfect game. It feels a little bit rushed and some elements should have been made better. BUT that being said I really enjoyed it. I really did. I haven't had this much fun since X&Y came out. Sword and shield became one of my favorite pokemon games.

    I really hope that some of the problems people have been annoyed by are corrected in the future and preferably in these games and not in a new game, but other than that I can only say that it was a good buy and I don't regret doing it.    … Expand
  47. PopeJames
    Nov 16, 2019
    8
    I played Red & Blue when I was young and that’s all the Pokemon experience I have video game wise with this franchise. I’m about 10 hours into the game and it’s surprisingly complex for something seemingly simple. I put down Luigi’s mansion to start this game from the year of hype before the release. While this is no BOTW, it does have an open world feel to it if you spend the time toI played Red & Blue when I was young and that’s all the Pokemon experience I have video game wise with this franchise. I’m about 10 hours into the game and it’s surprisingly complex for something seemingly simple. I put down Luigi’s mansion to start this game from the year of hype before the release. While this is no BOTW, it does have an open world feel to it if you spend the time to enjoy Those moments. Story isn’t gripping but, these games were never about that. It’s absolute fun catching new Pokémon and let it be what it was meant to be. Catching them all and battling. Everything else is just icing on the cake.… Expand
  48. DarkUA
    Nov 17, 2019
    8
    It's not perfect but it's fun, handheld mode looks much better than on the big screen TV. I have to admit it's easier to catch the Pokemon the first 4 hours than previous games I've played. The twist on it is fun too.
  49. Jamejarrs
    Nov 18, 2019
    8
    This game has the most QOL improvements out of any game in the series. The ability to access your box nearly everywhere is a blessing, and the XP candy is a much faster alternative to grinding on wild Pokemon.

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

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

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

    I don't care much for the Pokedex controversy - not saying it's unimportant, I get it, just that I can look past it. Maybe that ruins the game for you, that's okay, but if you weren't interested in the massive, massive list of Pokemon you can get some good enjoyment out of this game.    … Expand
  50. kiaxxl
    Nov 24, 2019
    7
    This is a good Pokemon game that could've been greater with some more months of dev time. Small things like no voice acting in cut scenes and bad pop-in will wish this game was a bit more ambitious. However the game itself is fun, with good atmosphere, a lot of great Pokemon, a ton of QOL improvements that make it streamlined in a good way. You can spend a lot of time in the Wild Area.This is a good Pokemon game that could've been greater with some more months of dev time. Small things like no voice acting in cut scenes and bad pop-in will wish this game was a bit more ambitious. However the game itself is fun, with good atmosphere, a lot of great Pokemon, a ton of QOL improvements that make it streamlined in a good way. You can spend a lot of time in the Wild Area. Post-game offers quite a few multiplayer things to do.

    I'd like to note that a ton of these negative reviews popped up literally the hour the game released, and are not completely accurate.    … Expand
  51. EthanML
    Nov 29, 2019
    8
    A very well made, fun entry in the series that's difficult to put down and full of great moments.
  52. n_dhruvo
    Sep 6, 2020
    8
    This is my 1st pokemon game on nintendo switch. Devs did a great job but the game has some huge flaws. 3d environments are okay but needs a lot of improvement. For example, tree renderings are bad. Object pop ins are very noticeable. When u climb ladders all objects/ pokemon /npcs around u freeze for some reason. Older Attack animations were simply borrowed from older games with noThis is my 1st pokemon game on nintendo switch. Devs did a great job but the game has some huge flaws. 3d environments are okay but needs a lot of improvement. For example, tree renderings are bad. Object pop ins are very noticeable. When u climb ladders all objects/ pokemon /npcs around u freeze for some reason. Older Attack animations were simply borrowed from older games with no improvements at all. But some new moves are very impressive looking. For example “pyroball” is one of the best looking new moves in the game. Gamefreak has potential but they are lazy. In most areas camera is fixed. Only in the “wild area” camera is fully controllable. Speaking of wild area, the one if of the best addition to the game. U can fully explore huge open areas at ur leaser. Both weak and strong pokemon can pop up when u explore those areas. If u dont have enough gym badges and encounter strong pokemon u wont be able to catch it instead u have to fight it or run. This little change makes the game very rewarding. Also there are raid dens where u can ur friends can encounter huge pokemon. After u defeat that pokemon u will win rewards like TM/TR, berries etc and u will have an option to catch it. Gym battles are really fun especially the dynamaxing. Gym missions/ puzzles are fun to solve. During battle crowd cheers u. Just like a traditional sport games. Devs go as far as to force u to have to change to a gym uniform before facing gym leaders. U can change and customize ur cloths, gear, hair style and color. Camping is another great addition to the game. U can set up camps anywhere in the open areas. In camps u can play “catch” with ur pokemon, pet them, bond with them. U can also cook food by moving ur joycon itself. Food can heal ur pokemon, give exp and even give them stat boost. U can cook food by collecting berries and buying ingredients from the shop. This is no way a bad game. But it is some what disappointing since gamefreak chose to remove a lot of pokemon and some moves from the national pokedex. This needs to be fixed. Otherwise i love this game.… Expand
  53. flametorrent
    Dec 1, 2019
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is god damn fantastic and anyone that says otherwise hasn't played it and doesn't understand why Gamefreak did what they did.

    I'm facing the chairman, and that moment he looked down at the pokeball in his hand like he HAD to do what he's doing... I could feel that emotion. That guilt. That duty. And the music for this battle is epic.    … Expand
  54. BIGBenY
    Nov 24, 2019
    0
    This game is uninspired and boring. It's the same thing for 20 years now or something. Try something new. The graphics are poor. Pokemon aren't even all in the game and the new Mons are quite ugly/boring, though the last thing is a matter of taste for everybody individually.
    Try something new GameFreak. Don't give us the same warmed up **** stew every time and with some new irrelevant    This game is uninspired and boring. It's the same thing for 20 years now or something. Try something new. The graphics are poor. Pokemon aren't even all in the game and the new Mons are quite ugly/boring, though the last thing is a matter of taste for everybody individually.
    Try something new GameFreak. Don't give us the same warmed up **** stew every time and with some new irrelevant bull**** features, but with few good features or even less features that became a standard.
    Step aside if you can't do it because you are too lazy.    … Expand
  55. slayerzack1
    Dec 25, 2019
    10
    pokémon Sword and Shield is a excellent game. If you were on the fence, and not sure whether or not to pull the trigger on buying it, take this as a sign that you should. Whether this is your first Pokémon game, or your fifteenth, or you haven’t played in a decade or more, this is still the game for you. As a twenty-year fan of the series, I don’t think I’ve ever had as much fun with apokémon Sword and Shield is a excellent game. If you were on the fence, and not sure whether or not to pull the trigger on buying it, take this as a sign that you should. Whether this is your first Pokémon game, or your fifteenth, or you haven’t played in a decade or more, this is still the game for you. As a twenty-year fan of the series, I don’t think I’ve ever had as much fun with a Pokémon game as I have with Shield. But like every game before it, Pokémon Sword and Shield is an iterative hop more than it is a generational leap, and that’s good, and bad, and everything in… Expand
  56. feschiquetti
    Nov 17, 2019
    4
    For a 2019 game, this joke should be 19.99. very disappointed with this buy.. Their player base are adults, its time for them to recognize that! Kids don't care about pokemon, they want cod and Minecraft. So stop with this dumb story and hand holding please! And I will not talk about technical stuff, enough people already proved that a student can do in 30 minutes a better job than theyFor a 2019 game, this joke should be 19.99. very disappointed with this buy.. Their player base are adults, its time for them to recognize that! Kids don't care about pokemon, they want cod and Minecraft. So stop with this dumb story and hand holding please! And I will not talk about technical stuff, enough people already proved that a student can do in 30 minutes a better job than they did.. oh, and the user interface is also slow and lazy... I wonder if they actually play it... Last pokemon game for me.. they really need to fail to learn. I just wish another big company could give a spin on monster catching… Expand
  57. AMKrishnan
    Mar 8, 2021
    8
    First of all, it may not have all Pokemon or a National Dex, but this never bothered me as I have never cared for the National Dex nor most Pokemon.

    Secondly, the graphcs could be better. There's a significant amount of pop-in and it feels very cheap. This looks like a 3DS game that has been improved in graphics. However, with the Switch being able to play games like the Witcher and    First of all, it may not have all Pokemon or a National Dex, but this never bothered me as I have never cared for the National Dex nor most Pokemon.

    Secondly, the graphcs could be better. There's a significant amount of pop-in and it feels very cheap. This looks like a 3DS game that has been improved in graphics. However, with the Switch being able to play games like the Witcher and still make it beautiful, expect Game Freak to make Pokemon look better as well. I personally think the series needs to move past this style of graphcis and go for something more realistic.
    Now this generation really has an amazing set of regional Pokemon. Really great designs, and some are very nice references to the UK. In fact, the game does an excellent job at conveying a UK inspired region from its music, to its characters using British slang, to the environments which are very clearly representations of British landmarks.

    The story of the game is surprisingly sound. I really enjoyed playing through it. The new movie cut scenes are a great addition to this and make the plot more engaging. Hop, your main rival, actually has a very decent arc, as well as other characters. There are also some surprises here and there.

    The Wild Area is beautiful to traverse through and Max Raid battles are very enjoyable and rewarding.

    I would recommend this game and I can't wait to sink a lot more hours into it.    … Expand
  58. GenkiYokota
    Jan 27, 2022
    10
    One of the best modern generations of Pokémon, much better than the distant and mythical X and Y.
    Unfairly criticized, the video game press did appreciate the game. Since it has a great story, a very varied and fun world to explore, as well as one of the best multiplayer ever seen.
  59. Kemmo_ado
    Nov 21, 2019
    0
    Litrally all the things that the dexers said about the game is now true 60% of the pokmeons are gone Reusing the same models and animations we’ve seen for the past 6 years

    The world is just a bunch of hallways with nothing much to do in it The story is none existing and has the same cookie cutter formula The graphics look mediocare all the way down to the N64 trees Only 81 new pokmeons    Litrally all the things that the dexers said about the game is now true 60% of the pokmeons are gone Reusing the same models and animations we’ve seen for the past 6 years

    The world is just a bunch of hallways with nothing much to do in it The story is none existing and has the same cookie cutter formula The graphics look mediocare all the way down to the N64 trees Only 81 new pokmeons and only 400 mons in the entire game And the problems keep on piling on and on and on. So much for a 60$ game. “But it said the footage is not final” now all I can do is laugh about that sentence... all in all buying a 60$ game that doesn’t have that much content is a waste of money and time as you can use said 60$ to buy other games. Not only that but buying this game would mean that you’re supporting game freak with their laziness and supporting TPC with yearly releases and getting less content.    … Expand
  60. Geralt92
    Nov 20, 2019
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gioco vecchio di 10 anni tecnicamente, open world imbarazzante, con pop up continuo, npc che sono fermi come statue, i Pokemon che girano su se stessi nella zona selvaggia, solo i fanboy possono difendere questa spazzatura.
    Per giunta il gioco è molto facile anche per gli standard di Pokemon.    … Expand
  61. Phantom372
    Nov 15, 2019
    7
    While the graphics aren't top notch and the frame rate drops at times. I think it's a very good game plays well and the pokemon look good it's not what I was hoping for. But at the end of the day I can enjoy it and it works great. Also the open area feels huge been playing for about 5 hours now and still feel like there's so much more to do. Although I do miss the rest of the pokemon I canWhile the graphics aren't top notch and the frame rate drops at times. I think it's a very good game plays well and the pokemon look good it's not what I was hoping for. But at the end of the day I can enjoy it and it works great. Also the open area feels huge been playing for about 5 hours now and still feel like there's so much more to do. Although I do miss the rest of the pokemon I can live with this for now cant wait to get further into it.… Expand
  62. Aaaaaahhhhhhh
    Nov 16, 2019
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game isn't perfect. I bought the double pack because I've played Pokemon for a while now (since ruby and sapphire). I was really excited for this game. It's fun because it's pokemon but the graph8cs look for the 3ds at
    times. I was okay with the graphics of the 3ds but on a HD system it's not great at all. Some of the new Pokemon are great eternus is a great Pokemon and i really like it i just wish there was more Pokemon in the pokedex considering Pokemon x and y had an entire national sex over 700 Pokemon.    … Expand
  63. iHaikou
    Nov 16, 2019
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game by itself isn't bad, its a fun game with the pokemon charm we all love, there are some great new features and the graphics are mostly beautiful, nothing like BOTW but still good. There are some good animations, but most of them are really bad, something i would expect from a jrpg from 2011, the online is bugged and some mechanics are clunky, the animations on the camping are absolutely awful. The story is good, i mean, is the same story from every single Pokemon game, the villain team is awful tho, completely unnecessary, the game would be better without them, the Rival, Hau, i mean, Hop, is annoying, at least Hau was original and charming, Leon is the worst Champion in the franchise, hes also annoying.… Expand
  64. poppinfresh
    Nov 17, 2019
    0
    Nintendo was just being lazy and pulling a fast one on the fans. Don't mess with the pokemon gang.
    Pros
    -Better UI
    -New Pokemon

    Cons
    -$60 for a $30 effort
    -Poor graphics for a switch title
    -Poor animations for a modern game
    -Limited Pokémon included
    -Uninspired environments
    -Short playthrough
    -Lack of post-game options
    -Excessive handholding
  65. andersonwide
    Nov 17, 2019
    0
    Never in my entire live, i imagine this, me giving rate 0 to a pokemon game ...

    Don't buy this crap
  66. Dancctd
    Nov 18, 2019
    2
    Juego muy mediocre para lo visto en esta consola, reciclaje, poping, caidas de frame rate bestiales, y sin nombrar el pésimo online de juego,una lástima...
  67. hundera
    Nov 19, 2019
    2
    Despite my general feelings about some of the revealed content during this games hype cycle, I bought this game and played it for work. I knew I would be disappointed and kept my expectations low and the game still failed to meet them. Ignoring the removal of features from prior installations, there are still a myriad of problems plaguing this game. And most of the new features, thoughDespite my general feelings about some of the revealed content during this games hype cycle, I bought this game and played it for work. I knew I would be disappointed and kept my expectations low and the game still failed to meet them. Ignoring the removal of features from prior installations, there are still a myriad of problems plaguing this game. And most of the new features, though good in concept, fall flat in execution.

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

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

    My ultimate opinion is that this game isn't worth it. Don't buy it. Get it used if you absolutely must, but it is definitely not worth the full 60 dollar price tag. For 40 dollars or less when used, you can get the last big Pokemon game they released instead. A game with more content and less issues. I'm giving this game a 2, because: at least it didn't cause my switch to catch on fire when I turned it on and for all of the short comings of the game, it had some really good ideas. They just weren't realized and that's disappointing.    … Expand
  68. DumbFum
    Nov 20, 2019
    0
    I just think it’s bad they don’t have the national Dex Honestly I know not everything is black and white and such but I genuinely believe they rushed the game for sales every November since Sun and moon there’s been a new Pokémon game I don’t like that Sure this game does a LOT right but I still think it deserves this low score to show gamefreak we care about The National Dex and want ourI just think it’s bad they don’t have the national Dex Honestly I know not everything is black and white and such but I genuinely believe they rushed the game for sales every November since Sun and moon there’s been a new Pokémon game I don’t like that Sure this game does a LOT right but I still think it deserves this low score to show gamefreak we care about The National Dex and want our Pokémon games made with time and love feel free to disagree because the simple fact is yeah this mostly cause of the National Dex it’s not cause I want all the Pokémon well I do but still I think slowly but surely if this yearly release thing keeps going then Pokémon’s gonna become no different then Say Madden or Freaking EA sports games bold claim I know but it’s what I believe so yes this is a good game but I’m giving it a low score so maybe hopefully the next Pokémon game is made without the stupid deadline but maybe IM the stupid one… Expand
  69. Menkonialex
    Nov 23, 2019
    0
    The game is unpolished. Boring. Looks like a ps2 game. They ruined pokemon franchise.
  70. Jimminy89
    Dec 1, 2019
    10
    Over 100 hours I’ve put into it and it’s first and foremost: fun. Addictively fun. The national dex really doesn’t matter. It’s a step in the right direction and I’m gonna probably play it for another 100 hours yet.
  71. Slycorp
    Dec 9, 2019
    10
    Amazing game! Loved every second of it, the new additional pokemon more than make up for the dex cut and pretty decent battlea in it
  72. 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.
  73. 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.
  74. ArtoGuy99
    Oct 11, 2021
    9
    No, well, what. This game is pretty normal, new Pokemon, some I really fell in love with. And the plot was so-so, not so much addictive. I would put 8, but due to the fact that there are Pokemon in this generation that I have fallen in love with, I put 9, not higher...
  75. derie
    Oct 25, 2021
    10
    I love it's 3D improvment and saturation which is not there in Pokemon X and Y 3Dmons.
    (It's nostalgic to.)
  76. Swilli
    Nov 16, 2019
    8
    Judging the games on its own merits it is a well put together entry into the Pokémon series. Looking past the controversial topics (most of which would involve comparing it to other games in the series) this game brings me back to when I first started playing Pokémon and how my imagination drew the world as a child.
  77. Jkrv05
    Nov 17, 2019
    9
    The best Pokémon game, addictive as any Pokémon game, a lot of people just hating this game, but the true is that this game is much fun
  78. blackwolfrise
    Nov 16, 2019
    8
    I am by no means a diehard Pokemon fan. I quite often skip generations at times between playing these games. Every 6 or 7 years though the bug bites me and I get a hankering to revisit the franchise and that is what has happened here.

    This is the most fun I've had with a Pokemon game since the gameboy advanced. It may not be revolutionary, the graphics might not be next gen, but as far as    I am by no means a diehard Pokemon fan. I quite often skip generations at times between playing these games. Every 6 or 7 years though the bug bites me and I get a hankering to revisit the franchise and that is what has happened here.

    This is the most fun I've had with a Pokemon game since the gameboy advanced. It may not be revolutionary, the graphics might not be next gen, but as far as just pick up and play joy is concerned it has really scratched that 7 year itch for me. The changes to mechanics might not be revolutionary but they are welcomed and I enjoy how much more freedom this game gives you to just pick up and get right into the game without as ll the tedious hand holding the franchise has forced on us in the past. When someone asks if you know how to do something and you say yes, that's it, they let you move on. It is wonderful.

    The graphics are crisp and clean but like most pokemon games they are a bit bland. Still it's quite a step up from the 3DS games as far as my eye can tell. The story so far is standard pokemon fair so in other words nothing to write home about. Where the game shines is in the fun snappy battles, early diverse pokemon selection, and nostalgic tone. I live the ability to avoid battles and knowing for the mist part exactly what I'm fighting when I do enter a battle. There are some battles in the grassy areas that you can't tell what you are going to fight but those are also avoidable.

    All in all at about 10 hours in I have had a blast with this game. Is it a massive Breath of the Wild style reinvention, no. What it is is a polished, charming, bit of monster brawling fun that quenches my generational thirst for playing a pokemon game. At this point I would give it a solid 8/10.    … Expand
  79. Naruto918
    Nov 22, 2019
    9
    I'm not gonna spoil the game, nor review bomb the game. This is my honest opinion and criticism of this game. I want to dispel the falsehoods of this game first. Framerate is fine and doesn't dip in the wild areas. The graphics don't drop at all and I don't understand where this lie came from at all. I have one major criticism and a few little ones. The big criticism is not all theI'm not gonna spoil the game, nor review bomb the game. This is my honest opinion and criticism of this game. I want to dispel the falsehoods of this game first. Framerate is fine and doesn't dip in the wild areas. The graphics don't drop at all and I don't understand where this lie came from at all. I have one major criticism and a few little ones. The big criticism is not all the pokemon are in the game. The other criticism is the wild area online portion. When other players spawn in the game at the same time the game lags due to internet connection. It's annoying at times and needs to be fixed pronto. The raid battles is my last criticism. Th Ai teammates suck and really brain dead at times. The pokemon they use are completely under leveled and are really bad. I had Ai use a **** Magikarp wtf!? If they fix these three things then we are good. I really enjoyed this game and review bombing ruins actual criticism of the game. I wanted to give a fair review going over the actual problems of the game. Any review below an 8/10 is lying to you. I'm around and 8.5/10, but it doesn't give me that option. I will give it a 9/10 for now.… Expand
  80. PaleSketcher
    Nov 16, 2019
    9
    The most advanced Pokémon game yet to date has some graphical shortcomings and lacks the entire Pokedex, but is an expansive, fun, and streamlined experience overall.
  81. Ryodraco
    Nov 17, 2019
    9
    The way I see it you can break down the issues as follows: Did Gamefreak do awful at their PR and (intentionally or not) mislead fans regarding why Sword and Shield did certain things? Yes. Is Sword and Shield as great as a Pokemon game can potentially be? No. Are the games still a graphical and quality of life improvement on previous entries? Yes. Am I finding the game a joy to play andThe way I see it you can break down the issues as follows: Did Gamefreak do awful at their PR and (intentionally or not) mislead fans regarding why Sword and Shield did certain things? Yes. Is Sword and Shield as great as a Pokemon game can potentially be? No. Are the games still a graphical and quality of life improvement on previous entries? Yes. Am I finding the game a joy to play and beautiful to look at regardless of all the controversies? Yes. I feared that with all the flaws people have talked about the game would feel soulless, but I am still experiencing the love that was put into previous games, and I am still having a ton of fun. That's what's most important to me.

    No game should be exempt from criticism, but I also think some fans expectations for graphical improvements and such were unreasonable, and that the criticisms don't detract from it still being a good game. Pokemon is a series of frequent games with various small improvements/changes in each game. I never expected that to change much simply because the games moved to a home console. I do hope that Gamefreak will learn from Sword and Shield though and make the next games better, just as they clearly learned many things from Sun and Moon's criticisms and implemented them in Sword and Shield to great effect.    … Expand
  82. ZealFox
    Nov 26, 2019
    10
    This game is one of the most well written and beautiful Pokemon games to date, that mechanics are wonderful and endearing, Pokemon are fun and cool. Its a pure shame the game was review bombed due to the controversy. I really enjoyed the game, and I would recommend it to anyone with a Switch.
  83. planternplant
    Nov 16, 2019
    9
    Despite what low expectations I walked in with because of the community, I came out happy with the game. There are obviously many changes in comparison to other Pokémon games but a majority of the new features make up for it. I have thoroughly enjoyed the ideas of the new gyms, dynamax raids, and Pokémon camp, and it barely seems like the pokedex cut really mattered. It’s still a full andDespite what low expectations I walked in with because of the community, I came out happy with the game. There are obviously many changes in comparison to other Pokémon games but a majority of the new features make up for it. I have thoroughly enjoyed the ideas of the new gyms, dynamax raids, and Pokémon camp, and it barely seems like the pokedex cut really mattered. It’s still a full and fun game, and it’s definitely one of the better Pokémon games in the series.… Expand
  84. Llere
    Nov 17, 2019
    9
    El juego es una pasada, evidentemente hay cosas que se podrían trabajar más como los diseños de los Pokémon iniciales, tema gráficos no veo a que viene tanto drama, es Pokémon siempre ha tenido ese toque de pincel que no son perfectos y me parece una pasada, a nivel jugarle muy bien y muy cómodo poder jugar mientras intercambias Pokémon y demás, el argumento de la historia principal meEl juego es una pasada, evidentemente hay cosas que se podrían trabajar más como los diseños de los Pokémon iniciales, tema gráficos no veo a que viene tanto drama, es Pokémon siempre ha tenido ese toque de pincel que no son perfectos y me parece una pasada, a nivel jugarle muy bien y muy cómodo poder jugar mientras intercambias Pokémon y demás, el argumento de la historia principal me vuelve a recordar a antiguos juegos de la franquicia y me gusta bastante la verdad, en dignifica un juegazo para disfrutarlo y olvidarse de todo aquel que lo critique simplemente por el apartado visual ( que me parece ridiculo ya que es una pasada)… Expand
  85. vvogt
    Nov 18, 2019
    9
    Obviously this game was going to get review bombed but I have to say I'm very pleased. The National Dex shift was going to have to happen eventually and I'm not upset they went ahead with it this game. As far as the gameplay, I love the Wild Area and I've had a lot of fun with the new designs and characters in the game. Only complaint is the technical imperfections with some of theObviously this game was going to get review bombed but I have to say I'm very pleased. The National Dex shift was going to have to happen eventually and I'm not upset they went ahead with it this game. As far as the gameplay, I love the Wild Area and I've had a lot of fun with the new designs and characters in the game. Only complaint is the technical imperfections with some of the backgrounds and characters, but to be honest graphics are not what you buy a Pokemon game for. It's honestly a shame that a lot of true Pokemon fans are going to miss out on one of the series' best games because of a few missing features.… Expand
  86. Edirath
    Oct 30, 2021
    7
    This is honestly my favorite Pokemon game so far. The core gameplay is as great as it's ever been And the additions to it are excellent. The national dex and textures are a bit lacking, but I don't have a problem with them. Overall it's a very solid and fun entry in the series. Edit: this is really lazy but its still fun.
  87. 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
  88. Aok_
    Nov 17, 2019
    8
    A ver, ¿cual fue el punto con los haters?, no lo entiendo, se supone que hicieron el juego "sin ganas" y
    "para ganar dinero", pero yo veo un juego de pokemon bastante bueno, entonces, ¿que pasó?, simple,
    -¿No esta mi pokemon favorito?, Basura- o -¿No están los Mov. Z/Megaevoluciones?, Basura, verdaderos fans de pokemon, no hagan caso, Game Freak ha hecho un buen trabajo, la elimicióm de    A ver, ¿cual fue el punto con los haters?, no lo entiendo, se supone que hicieron el juego "sin ganas" y
    "para ganar dinero", pero yo veo un juego de pokemon bastante bueno, entonces, ¿que pasó?, simple,
    -¿No esta mi pokemon favorito?, Basura- o -¿No están los Mov. Z/Megaevoluciones?, Basura, verdaderos fans de pokemon, no hagan caso, Game Freak ha hecho un buen trabajo, la elimicióm de pokemons hace mas variado el competitivo y los nuevos pokemons y formas Galar no decepcionan, no es perfecto, la historia dura poco y en la zona silvestre hay varios errores, pero es un paso a delante para la saga, juéguenlo.    … Expand
  89. Ocosu
    Nov 16, 2019
    10
    Best pokemon yet. It isn't perfect for a lot of people since its missing a good half of the full pokedex, but I promise you if it had it, about 80% of the people bashing on this game would be giving it 7 to 10 score wise. Regardless of a few hiccups and some lower resolutions textures in heavy parts of the game, its stunning and beautiful in most parts of the game. I cant tell you how manyBest pokemon yet. It isn't perfect for a lot of people since its missing a good half of the full pokedex, but I promise you if it had it, about 80% of the people bashing on this game would be giving it 7 to 10 score wise. Regardless of a few hiccups and some lower resolutions textures in heavy parts of the game, its stunning and beautiful in most parts of the game. I cant tell you how many times me or my girlfriend are commenting about the amount of detail and care that went into some of the scenery in comparison to past titles. It is the best looking game yet; anyone saying otherwise is likely upset at the dex or isn't acknowledging the quality outside the few hiccups I mentioned above.

    The wild area is a great detail and I hope its something that remains and sticks with titles that come after this addition. Its a very good step in the right direction. Even outside of the wild area, pokemon walking around and adding different forms of encountering them really brings the world to life and seems to be something they intend to keep hopefully.

    Story... All and all, its definitely better than a lot of past entries, but its still what you would expect out of an pokemon game. I do like that they're adding more personality to their characters now that they're on the stronger hardware, but it stills sticks to the path you'd expect out of these games.

    My opinion? They're great games. It will lack some of your favorites and it might disappoint some fans in that regard, but isn't a bad game. It isn't a bad looking games. It is the best game yet and I look forward to the one that will follow.    … Expand
  90. cillianoconnell
    Nov 15, 2019
    8
    I am not a hardcore gamer, I have not played pokemon since I was 5. I started playing pokemon games with Pokemon Go. I am probably the target audience, the type of player they are trying to bring in, someone who can't recite all the names/stats/move sets. Nor do I want to have to learn all of that over the course of one game. It's a pleasant game, so far it hasn't bored me them way "Let'sI am not a hardcore gamer, I have not played pokemon since I was 5. I started playing pokemon games with Pokemon Go. I am probably the target audience, the type of player they are trying to bring in, someone who can't recite all the names/stats/move sets. Nor do I want to have to learn all of that over the course of one game. It's a pleasant game, so far it hasn't bored me them way "Let's Go' did. My one major issue is that it is overpriced for what is there. As mentioned by others the graphics are not the best, OK in handheld mode, but not on the large screen tv. This is probably what the first couple of the original Pokemon games were like, if people would get their heads out and go back an replay them. It's not bad, it's not great. It's a pleasant way to while away a lazy afternoon… Expand
  91. Wildo48
    Nov 17, 2019
    8
    These are top quality pokemon games in terms of the content available, however what's missing brings them down a bit. Raid battles and the wild area are fun but otherwise there isn't too much to do post game. Graphically these games are amazing in some areas but the textures in the wild area are unpolished. Overall these games are good but could be better
  92. davidavies
    Nov 20, 2019
    10
    With all of the controversy surrounding Pokémon Sword and Shield before release I will admit I was slightly apprehensive about these games but regardless I pre-ordered a copy of Pokémon Sword upon visiting the Pokémon Center in London. I've played every single Pokémon game on release day and I've always enjoyed them so I was hoping for the same here. Needless to say I was not disappointed!With all of the controversy surrounding Pokémon Sword and Shield before release I will admit I was slightly apprehensive about these games but regardless I pre-ordered a copy of Pokémon Sword upon visiting the Pokémon Center in London. I've played every single Pokémon game on release day and I've always enjoyed them so I was hoping for the same here. Needless to say I was not disappointed! Immediately the game had me grinning from ear to ear, a feat which the series has not achieved with me since the original Ruby and Sapphire versions! I have played the game through casually, going at my own pace, catching everything in sight and simply enjoying myself. Doing A this, including enjoying the online functionality and exploring everything, it took me around 50 hours to finally get around to finishing the main story, and I still have more to do! I'm determined to catch every Pokémon available in the game! Sure, these games don't have every Pokémon available in them but that's not as bad a thing as some would have you believe! These games are an absolute blast and the most fun I've had with Pokémon in years!… Expand
  93. Omniarch
    Nov 18, 2019
    10


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

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

    While I will miss many of the Pokemon from the national dex, especially in competitive, I understand that i am no longer the target demographic. I'm 25 and have been playing since Pokemon Red, and this latest entry (as with all of the entries of the last decade) is for children. Pokemon is a children's game, and the fact that I have to explain that is embarrassing. Your kids will love it, and that's always been the primary goal of Nintendo and GameFreak.    … Expand
  94. thiago__vascon
    Nov 17, 2019
    10
    Though it has been so criticized by players, what i had playing pokemon sword was fun and enjoyment. I believe it to be the first step towards a more complex game in the series. I only wish it was bigger and had a more complex map, but that's all. If i may, i would suggest to create some kind of puzzles or dungeons in the game, so it gets harder.
  95. kakungun
    Nov 15, 2019
    7
    If you don't want to read my nonsense, this can resume it : Pokemon Sword and Shield are an 8/10 pokemon game, and a 6/10 videogame

    the begining is boring, like every pokemon game. I've been playing pokemon since gen 2 , and i hate how every single game starts, it's boring, i know this game is aimed to kids, but kids watch the anime , they are not that stupid, at least allow us to skip    If you don't want to read my nonsense, this can resume it : Pokemon Sword and Shield are an 8/10 pokemon game, and a 6/10 videogame

    the begining is boring, like every pokemon game. I've been playing pokemon since gen 2 , and i hate how every single game starts, it's boring, i know this game is aimed to kids, but kids watch the anime , they are not that stupid, at least allow us to skip after the part they teach us how to catch pokemon

    The graphics are better than other pokemon games If you compare it to other pokemon games, the graphics have improved quite a lot , just do yourself a favor and don't compare it to other games

    the best part of pokemon ... are the pokemon. Really fun designs and the galar forms are my favorite, i like them better than the alola ones, not much to say about this

    Gigantamax is not that bad just think about them as mega-evolutions... but inflated. The pokemon change to more interesting designs and there is good variety. I still don't know the impact on competitive though

    I would like to say that the difficulty is easy but that would imply there is difficulty to begin with. Thanks to forced Exp share is really hard to handicap yourself, you probabbly can beat the game with only the starter. Type advantage? who needs that when your pokemon is higher level than the enemy without even trying. Seriously, if feels like the NPCs are underleveled.

    Best feature, pokemon appear on the grass. PLS keep this, it's just great, i can avoid and fight the pokemon i want, it makes filling the pokedex more fun, like a safari.

    Max Raid Battles work really well. didn't though about having a cooperative mode in pokemon like this, but it works, is fun and gives you the oportunity to meet people, but becouse dynamax is the "thing" of this generation, i have doubts about gamefreak keeping it

    High levels pokemon on the wild early... why? New players can't fight them (so they will avoid them) , Old players won't fight them becouse you can't catch them (so they will avoid them) But adventurous players who want a challenge can fight them ... except they will over level their pokemon (so they will avoid them)

    Conclusion, the best part about the game is that you can catch a basculin early, but the worst part would be that he only has 2% chance of appearing, i know this can be a deal breaker for a lot of us , but it will only take some hours to get it    … Expand
  96. Indeedee
    Nov 16, 2019
    9
    Everyone is making it seem like these games are like Sonic 06 or something. If you actually took the time to watch let's plays on YouTube or play the games yourself, you'll find a lot of cool things about Sword and Shield! The only REAL concern (which is minor) is how loud the sound effects can be. Sometimes the Wild Area can be laggy but that's because of how many Pokemon can spawn there.Everyone is making it seem like these games are like Sonic 06 or something. If you actually took the time to watch let's plays on YouTube or play the games yourself, you'll find a lot of cool things about Sword and Shield! The only REAL concern (which is minor) is how loud the sound effects can be. Sometimes the Wild Area can be laggy but that's because of how many Pokemon can spawn there. I can't with people who review bomb without trying it out themselves. Call me a shill all you want but these games are seriously not terrible. Oh, Hop acts like Hau? Doesn't deserve a one star rating for similar characters. If you have actual criticisms, that's completely okay! There are things that always need improving, but this is seriously not as bad as people think.… Expand
  97. brad0812
    Nov 16, 2019
    9
    True there are less Pokemon. But the game offers new twists on the Pokemon franchise which it really needed. We get stuck into a comfortable state and don't want the games to change. But change is great and should be encouraged if we want more change and adaptations in the future. So far loving the game, the story is average but the game really shines in its connectivity and wild area.True there are less Pokemon. But the game offers new twists on the Pokemon franchise which it really needed. We get stuck into a comfortable state and don't want the games to change. But change is great and should be encouraged if we want more change and adaptations in the future. So far loving the game, the story is average but the game really shines in its connectivity and wild area. Local coop is possible which i find is an amazing addition . I look forward to completing the game and am generally excited to see where this leads from here.… Expand
  98. Soyaccino
    Nov 17, 2019
    9
    The national dex being cut is a downer but it is otherwise a very good, very well laid out, creative and fun Pokemon adventure.

    It’s a shame we live in an age where people deliver a 0/10 for not getting their way. I think lots of people expected them to re-invent the entire look of the past games - they didn’t, I’m glad. I am shocked by the backlash to this game considering US/UM were    The national dex being cut is a downer but it is otherwise a very good, very well laid out, creative and fun Pokemon adventure.

    It’s a shame we live in an age where people deliver a 0/10 for not getting their way.
    I think lots of people expected them to re-invent the entire look of the past games - they didn’t, I’m glad.
    I am shocked by the backlash to this game considering US/UM were basically just cash cows with hardly any new material.    … Expand
  99. RandomGuy66
    Nov 18, 2019
    9
    I've got some mixed emotions about this game but overall I had an absolute blast playing it. Aside from the controversy about this game, there's a lot of things that Game Freak got right. Dynamaxing is surprisingly fun and strategic (especially if you use set battles), as are Max Raid battles, and the Wild Area is one of the coolest ideas I've ever seen in a Pokemon game. The story is fun,I've got some mixed emotions about this game but overall I had an absolute blast playing it. Aside from the controversy about this game, there's a lot of things that Game Freak got right. Dynamaxing is surprisingly fun and strategic (especially if you use set battles), as are Max Raid battles, and the Wild Area is one of the coolest ideas I've ever seen in a Pokemon game. The story is fun, with good characters and great character customization. I also love the graphics and the new menus; Pokemon had never looked better. I also think that a lot of the new Pokemon and Galarian forms look and are fantastic. They've also made the game much more convenient and better to play. You have access to your Pokemon box wherever you go, a feature continued from Let's Go. Auto-saving has also been added, as well as various other small features that make the gaming experience more enjoyable. Experience is now distributed among all Pokemon in your party that are still standing after a battle, just like in most other RPGs. While this does have the unfortunate drawback of making the game go by quicker, it also reduces the amount of time you have to spend grinding to level up your Pokemon. I understand there's a lot of controversy about this game, primarily about Game Freak removing the full Pokedex. This game isn't perfect; like I said, I have some mixed emotions. But the way I see it is: with this generation of games there are now almost 900 different Pokemon out there. Soon there will be 1000, and then more than that. Game Freak was going to have to remove the national Dex eventually, and I believe they thought that the sooner they did, the better. While I don't necessarily agree with that particular view on things, I do agree that they were going to have to remove it eventually and am sorry to see it go. While it is upsetting that some of our favorite Pokemon have been removed (mine included), it's likely only temporary and they're almost sure to see a return soon. Please don't listen to the negative reviews from the people who never bothered to buy the game. This Pokemon game is great for new players as well as returning trainers. I had the most fun with this game than I've had in a long time with this franchise, and I would not say that Pokemon is on a decline. I hardly think this game will be a waste of your money or time.… Expand
  100. EggManStudio
    Dec 19, 2019
    9
    #ThankYouGameFreak
    Pokémon Sword didn't blow me away, but despite the lack of a National Dex it's a damn good Pokémon game and a brilliant first proper outing onto the Switch for the franchise. Here's hoping that Game Freak uses this as a stepping stones me for een better games on the console in the future!
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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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