Pokémon Sword and Shield Reviews
In the end, Pokémon Shield feels like the franchise has taken one step forwards, but two steps back.
No matter if you are a returning veteran or newcomer to Pokemon, you will find a lot of quality time playing alone or with friends; a must-have for your Switch game collection.
Played, analysed, and tested, Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield exceeded my expectations and I was really amazed by them, giving me a great Pokémon game and a great eighth gen. The goal of maintaining the already large community of fans and bringing new players closer to the brand was definitely successful.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Few games have caused as much controversy and conversation in 2019 as Pokemon Sword/Shield, from the exclusion of previous Pokemon to the inclusion of gym missions and version-specific battles. For many, the question remains: Are Pokemon Sword and Shield good games, and more importantly, are they good Pokemon games? To both of these inquiries, I have to concede a confident “yes”. Pokemon has never felt better than it does in Sword and Shield, between variation of available monsters, flow of the storyline, larger than life moments and battles, and overall graphical integrity. I do understand the reservations many fans have, and share some of my own disappointment with them, but couldn’t help but smile while traveling through the Wild Area on my electric powered bike-ski.
Pokémon Sword and Shield is a Pokémon good game, that suffers from problems that hold back the franchise for a long long time.
Review in Greek | Read full review
An enjoyable Pokémon adventure for fans new and old. Slightly let down by an unwieldy multiplayer front-end and poor budget choices.
Overall, Pokémon Sword and Shield is stunningly good. It might not make everyone or every fan happy but I enjoyed every minute I spent with it. For a series that’s 23 years deep with very little innovation, Pokémon Sword and Shield feels like a good first step towards finally shaking up what a Pokémon game can be.
Pokémon Sword and Shield are cheaply produced, antiquated in every regard and no longer come even close to living up to the great name of the brand. "It's Pokémon" can no longer be an excuse - it's exactly the fact that it is Pokémon why it has to be more than what it is. And right now, Sword and Shield are one thing above all else: two really bad video games.
Review in German | Read full review
A strange entry in the series, that tries too hard maintaining their core mechanics and that does not let the past go the way it really wants.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
"Long live the king."
Review in Finnish | Read full review
They’re not perfect, but Pokémon Sword and Shield are sure to delight new and old fans alike with a series of well thought-out, well-implemented changes to the core Pokémon formula.
The arrival of Pokémon Sword and Shield was a turbulent journey, and it’s clear more than ever that Game Freak is itching to change the formula as it transitions to new hardware. Although a lot of its efforts went land well, the good points feel too shallow while there are glaring issues with the game that make it hard to stand on its own two feet as a complete entry in the Pokémon series. Ongoing updates may be able to sustain the player base past the initial release, but Pokémon Sword and Shield wasn’t ready to leave its mark for the franchise’s first home console outing.
Pokemon finally joins the 21st century by going off the 2D Standard and incorporates many long-overdue changes that make it a more user-friendly experience. Albeit void of any challenge, it’s a leap in the right direction, and worth checking out for all age groups.
Thankfully, the spirit of Pokémon (of catching and collecting these monsters while aiming to be the very best) is alive and well — perhaps more than it’s ever been in a single pair of games. It just comes at the expense of pushing the franchise forward in other areas.
Pokémon Sword is the best Pokémon game in many ways. With a necessary streamlining and major leaps in presentation, Game Freak has developed a title that impresses in all the right ways.
Game Freak made a fantastic adventure for their first trip into HD and I sure hope they learned a lot to deliver an even better experience for their next games.
A mediocre yet strangely compelling game that proves two things: that the Pokémon formula is incredibly strong and that Game Freak needs to rethink how they present their games.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Ultimately, I think Pokémon Sword and Shield are some of the best games in the franchise. With fun multiplayer features, the ease of setting up a competitive squad for me to play online with fantastic visuals, solid music, and an acceptable story, I think grabbing Sword or Shield is an excellent idea for most Pokémon fans.
The introduction of the Wild Area, while far from perfect, could be the genesis of something truly ambitious for the franchise. As it stands, even if it relies on old tropes, Sword and Shield improves in the areas that are the most important. There isn’t a better time to embark on an adventure and catch them all once more.