Pokémon Sword and Shield Reviews

Pokémon Sword and Shield is ranked in the 79th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
No Recommendation / Blank
Nov 13, 2019

Pok'mon Sword and Shield add some brilliant new creatures, but like their gargantuan Dynamax forms, the games feel like a hollow projection.

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IGN
Top Critic
9.3 / 10.0
Nov 13, 2019

Pokemon Sword and Shield are the best games in the series, streamlining its most tedious traditions without losing any of the charm.

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Nov 23, 2019

Despite a few shortcomings in mechanics and story, Pokemon Sword and Shield delivers an experience that is undeniably Pokemon.

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Nov 13, 2019

Gameplay tweaks and attention to detail make Pokemon Sword and Shield the most compelling Pokemon world to date.

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8.8 / 10.0
Nov 13, 2019

The compelling formula of simultaneously building your collections of monsters and gym badges has proven timeless, but the new additions and enhancements show Pokémon isn't done evolving

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Unscored
Nov 13, 2019

The surprise in Sword and Shield is that I’m still finding things that surprise me, even after putting in so many hours. It’s in how Game Freak has made a linear game feel so much less linear.

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9 / 10
Nov 13, 2019

Pokemon Sword and Shield scale down the bloated elements of the series while improving what really matters, making for the best new generation in years.

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Kotaku
Top Critic
Unscored
Nov 13, 2019

The magic of Pokémon is that it lets you tap into a sense of wonder that becomes more and more difficult to access as an adult. Sword and Shield do that more successfully than any Pokémon release has in years. It won’t be everything to everyone, and it will not make everyone happy. I’m not sure it needs to. It’s a portal to a new world.

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Alex Donaldson
Top Critic
Nov 13, 2019

Pokemon Sword & Shield is all too often a bit disappointing, and in some places actually feels a little unfinished, but it also fully provides that warm, fuzzy feeling that one expects from the series. Crucially, even through frustration, never once did I think about putting it down, which is to its credit. It comes recommended almost for the Galar setting and new Pokemon alone, but with a long list of caveats indeed.

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Unscored
Nov 13, 2019

The short version of this review is that Sword and Shield are fun, good-looking Pokémon games with a solid story mode and some welcome changes to the game’s mechanics.

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4.5 / 5.0
Nov 22, 2019

Sword and Shield are amazing as is and truly define the term quality over quantity.

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7 / 10.0
Nov 25, 2019
Pokémon Sword and Shield - Easy Allies Review video thumbnail
8 / 10
Nov 13, 2019

Pokémon Sword and Shield succeed in bringing some new ideas to the table, but they’re also somewhat guilty of not pushing things far enough. What’s done right is done right, but what’s done wrong feels like it’s come from a decade-old design document.

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Unscored
Nov 15, 2019

Sword and Shield do a great job of introducing the world of Pokémon to people while pairing it with everything that makes the series comfortable and warm to most of its longtime fans. Even if it’s not a spicy, innovative curry.

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8 / 10.0
Nov 22, 2019

Sword & Shield is a really tricky Pokémon entry to pigeonhole. It retains the old Pokémon charm, but it's not without flaws

9 / 10
Nov 26, 2019

Pokémon Sword and Shield is a bold move into a new generation. There are technical hiccups, but those pale in comparison to the bustling Wild Area and the charming Gen 8 additions.

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8.5 / 10.0
Nov 13, 2019

As a generational premiere, Pokémon Sword and Shield are at a high level. Its attempt to combine different audiences and demands is well received, although we expect much more from future games more revolutionary that would take advantage of the potential of a console like Nintendo Switch.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

7.5 / 10.0
Nov 26, 2019

Pokemon Sword and Shield are a lot of fun, even if the series is experiencing growing pains with the transition to home consoles.

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Metro GameCentral
Top Critic
7 / 10
Nov 13, 2019

The furore over Dexit may be overblown but even without it this is an underwhelming and unambitious attempt to modernise Pokémon and expand its horizons.

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85 / 100
Nov 13, 2019

With changes both necessary and welcome, along with the usual charm, Pokémon Sword and Shield is convincing. They need a patch on the technical side to shine brighter, but in the Wild Area you can see the future of the franchise.

Review in Spanish | Read full review