Pokémon Sword and Shield Reviews

Pokémon Sword and Shield is ranked in the 79th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Nov 13, 2019

Pokémon Sword and Shield are not bad games. But fun character arcs and inventive, creative designs of new ‘mon are often offset by poor pacing and restrictive world design. The world of Galar is charming, and is a Pokémon interpretation of Britain I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid, but between gating what Pokémon you can catch behind Gym Badges, some half-baked route/City designs and a modest amount of post-game content, Sword and Shield can only be called ‘good’ Pokémon games… not ‘great’ ones.

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8 / 10.0
Nov 16, 2019

It's a huge step forward for the Pokemon franchise and demonstrates GameFreak's will to change the classic formula. But, in the end, it's not as flawless as we might have hoped.

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3 / 5.0
Nov 21, 2019

Pokémon Sword and Shield have a lot of great ideas and fun creatures, but the stark lack of content, rough performance, and a concerningly large number of minor issues keep them from being the definitive home console Pokémon games that myself and many other fans hoped for.

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6.5 / 10.0
Nov 22, 2019

Pokémon Sword introduces some welcomed features, but the game feels as if it would be more at home on the 3DS, with the dated visuals, lacklustre animations, and a lack of polish that leaves you wishing they had taken more time on the game.

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3.5 / 5.0
Nov 23, 2019

While there’s a huge step forward in regards to player freedom and additional activities for the player to indulge in, it still feels like the more things change, the more they stay the same in places where the formula needs to be shaken up.

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7 / 10
Nov 25, 2019

GOOD - I’ve had a lot of fun with Pokémon Sword exploring the Wild Area and catching fully evolved Pokémon wandering around there. There are plenty of issues and it’s far from perfect. Despite that it’s still enjoyable to jump back into the wonderful world of Pokémon with Arcanine by my side.

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9 / 10.0
Nov 27, 2019

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.

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9 / 10.0
Nov 27, 2019

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.

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7 / 10
Dec 4, 2019

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

9 / 10.0
Dec 4, 2019

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.

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Nov 25, 2019

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.

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8.5 / 10.0
Dec 2, 2019

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.

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PowerPyx
PowerPyx
8.5 / 10.0
Nov 22, 2019

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.

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6 / 10
Dec 11, 2019

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.

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7 / 10
Dec 15, 2019

While there are certainly moments that dazzle, and over two-dozen hours of joyful fun to be had here, Pokémon Sword & Shield feels fairly standard and lukewarm.

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Doublejump
Zack Goutzoulas
Recommended
Nov 30, 2019

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.

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Nov 21, 2019

"Long live the king."

Review in Finnish | Read full review

Liked
Oct 30, 2019

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

No Recommendation / Blank
Jan 9, 2020

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

8.5 / 10.0
Nov 20, 2019
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