Pokémon Sword and Shield Reviews

Pokémon Sword and Shield is ranked in the 79th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
8 / 10
Dec 10, 2019

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.

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8 / 10.0
Jan 2, 2020

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.

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7 / 10.0
Dec 7, 2019

Pokemon Sword & Shield is not a big step forward for the series, but a transitional stage between the past generation and the new.

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9 / 10.0
Dec 5, 2019

New Pokemon game in open world with some improvements is really good choice for Pokemon fans.

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8 / 10
Dec 2, 2019

one of the best Pokemon games that everyone will definitely enjoy whether they are Pokemon veterans or newcomers

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Nov 24, 2019

Awesome.

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7.8 / 10.0
Nov 27, 2019

Pokémon Sword & Shield are an experience full of bittersweet contrasts. They do several things right and Pokémon fans will have a great time exploring Galar. Whit that said they also have half-baked elements that feel off. I have to admit that they leave me excited for the future of the series; hopefully, Game Freak will commit to ideas like the Wild Area and Dynamax forms.

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74 / 100
Nov 26, 2019

Pokemon Sword and Shield is more an iteration on a well-worn formula than a leap forward. Hardcore fans are going to enjoy the trappings of a series that has catered to them for years, but as a mainline home console Pokémon game, the expectations are going to be higher, and in some areas it's a bit lacking.

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GameSpew
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Nov 25, 2019

Even if you’re not the type to want to fill your Pokédex or endlessly hunt for shinies, Pokémon Sword‘s charm is enough to keep you engaged until after the credits roll.

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Rudy Lavaux
Top Critic
8 / 10
Nov 24, 2019

The main story feels shorter overall due to it being a less grindy affair than ever before, but storytelling benefits greatly from this, because the main game ends up being a more focused and packed experience.

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Nov 21, 2019

Pokemon Sword and Shield breathe a joyous breath of life back into the series, with great improvements and a stellar batch of new 'mon.

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8 / 10.0
Nov 20, 2019

The Wild Area in particular is fun, though I mostly stayed offline due to it slowing down ever so often. What the new Pokémon does right is battling and in the smaller details. There are many little tweaks that keep the experience lighthearted, which I wouldn't have any other way.

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Nov 19, 2019

The series needed that soft reset, and now Game Freak has the same outstanding basis and core to build on anew. Just as it did back when Pokemon Blue & Red so effectively captured my imagination 21 years ago.

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7.5 / 10.0
Nov 18, 2019

Pokémon Sword and Shield is at once a really fun game and a disappointment. It has a lot of great new features, excellent new Pokémon, some much-needed quality of life improvements, and is generally a solid Pokémon title. However, the first console outing feels like it should've been more impressive, especially given the reduced Pokedex. If you're a fan of Pokémon, you'll enjoy Sword and Shield a lot, and if it's your first Pokémon, it's a good way to experience the franchise's high points. If you're a longtime fan hoping for the Breath of the Wild of Pokémon games, you'll be disappointed.

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Krista Noren
Top Critic
7.7 / 10.0
Nov 21, 2019

At the end of the day, Pokemon Sword and Shield are genuinely fun. That fun might be a little short-lived, but it's still got all the trappings that you can expect from a Pokemon game. There's a few new bells and whistles, a few steps taken forward, and a couple of steps taken back, just as there is with every new generation of the franchise.

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5.5 / 10.0
Nov 18, 2019

Older fans are catered to in tournaments and events, making it hard to claim it is “just a kid’s game.” Even as a kid’s game, one giant leap for Pokemon is one small step to the industry standard.

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9 / 10.0
Nov 20, 2019

Despite a few minor flaws, and an avalanche of controversy, Pokémon Sword and Shield prove themselves to be excellent games, and stellar new Pokémon adventures.

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7 / 10.0
Nov 29, 2019

While it does make a lot of good changes, Pokémon Sword & Shield make more mistakes compared to previous iterations in the franchise. Regardless, newcomers and Pokémon fans alike are bound to find enjoyment in the new region and those that inhabit it.

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3.8 / 5.0
Nov 26, 2019

A fun, yet fleeting Pokémon experience that will appeal most to hardcore fans satisfied with the core formula than those looking for a game that pushes storytelling or graphics to the next level.

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9.5 / 10.0
Nov 25, 2019

There are some aspects of Pokémon Sword and Shield that feel like they'll reach their full potential in the next generation, but overall the game is fun, pretty and has a universality to its appeal that is genuinely impressive.

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