Pokémon Sword and Shield Reviews
Pokemon Sword and Shield is an excellent entry in Game Freak's iconic franchise, pushing the series forward in some exciting ways while never forgetting the roots that made it so loved in the first place. While it underwhelms in its visuals and under-baked use of new ideas, the act of exploring Galar and catching creatures remains as delightfully compelling as it's ever been – and that's what really matters in the end.
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
Although there are few minor, annoying details, Pokemon Sword & Shield is an ultra fun Pokemon experience. It seems like experience will get even better with new content and surprises to come.
Review in Turkish | 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.
Pokémon Sword and Shield are titles that polish the base gameplay of Pokémon in a fantastic way but make a series of inexplicable mistakes that tarnish an experience that should have been magical.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The multiplayer issues, short and forgettable story, and the removal of so many Pokémon, moves and mechanics all add up to make Pokémon Sword and Shield a rare disappointment for the series.
All and all I had a great time with Pokémon Sword. The game runs very well docked or in handheld mode, online features work great aside from the slowdown and the gameplay is quite addictive. I loved all of the characters and some of the theme music is the best I’ve heard in a long time. I felt like the game was easy enough for a casual player to get into, while it still had plenty of depth for veteran players to explore. This is exactly the balance you want in a game like this. I played this for around 55 hours for this review and finished the main story and bit of post game content. I feel like this game is well worth $60 price tag. There is plenty of content and I feel like old and new players will find a lot to love here.
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.
Even with the controversy surrounding Dexit, I still find Pokemon Sword and Shield to be a fun romp. While certain features still feel like they’re not quite fully fleshed out, I appreciate all the quality-of-life improvements as well as the new things Game Freak added to change things up. Pokemon Sword and Shield feels fresh and new, something I haven’t felt in the series since Diamond and Pearl. It may not be the very best like no Pokemon game ever was. But it’s promising, which makes me look forward to what comes next for the series.
Any RPG fan will get enjoyment out of this one and Pokémon fans new and old will have a great time exploring the Galar Region.
Pokemon Sword and Shield won't throw many surprises your way, but they both offer the great Pokemon experience that's worked for two decades. The game boasts a new region to explore, as well as new monsters and combat.
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.
I was trying to go into Pokemon Sword & Shield with low expectation due to the realization that I wasn't going to get the huge reboot-like change that I've been waiting for so long, however, the game does feature enough new additions that I ended up actually putting in around 50 hours into it.
It's clear from the off that Game Freak really did its research when it made its decision to base the new region, Galar, on Britain.
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.
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 are the most fun I’ve had with a Pokémon game since Pokémon Gold and Silver, which is a statement that should mean a lot to any Pokéveteran.
Pokemon Sword & Shield is not a big step forward for the series, but a transitional stage between the past generation and the new.
Review in Russian | Read full review