Pokémon Sword and Shield Reviews

Pokémon Sword and Shield is ranked in the 79th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Nov 26, 2019

Pokémon Sword and Shield is not only a worthy start for the series on mainline consoles, but is quite possibly the best entry in the series. With the new Pokémon, Dynamax raids, gyms, and the expansive Wild Area, Pokémon Sword and Shield filled me with a joy I rarely feel playing games.

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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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Nov 24, 2019

Awesome.

Review in Turkish | Read full review

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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Geeks Under Grace
Karen Kennedy
9.5 / 10.0
Dec 9, 2019

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.

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4.7 / 5.0
Nov 19, 2019

While it sounds like a lot of changes are present here, and a lot is new, Pokemon Sword and Shield doesn’t really feel all that different. The Wild Area does change things up quite a bit, but it isn’t completely revolutionary just yet.

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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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GamePro
Top Critic
91 / 100
Nov 13, 2019

Pokémon Sword & Shield is the best game in the series to date thanks to more complex combat and attention to detail.

Review in German | Read full review

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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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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USgamer
Top Critic
Nov 18, 2019

Despite the controversy, Sword and Shield offers a great time.

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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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90 / 100
Nov 16, 2019

There really is something undeniably charming about Pokémon Sword and Shield. While the plot itself is rather short, these games do a decent job of shaking up some of the tried-and-true mechanics in all the right ways. Max Raid battles, the open-world Wild Area, and improved social features make them surprisingly and subtly unique titles that are everything you'd expect from a Pokémon game, and occasionally, just a little bit more than you thought they would be.

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9 / 10.0
Nov 18, 2019

Game Freak has succeeded in creating a new core entry worthy of being on home consoles, and Pokémon Sword and Shield are a couple of the best games on Nintendo Switch.

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9 / 10.0
Nov 20, 2019

Pokémon Sword and Shield is everything that you love about pocket monsters and then some. With an emphasis on sharpening what works and ditching more bloated elements aside to create the best region yet for the franchise, Pokemon Sword and Shield is pocket monster catch 'em all mania at its very best.

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GamingBolt
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Nov 22, 2019

Pokemon Sword and Shield represent the best games the series has seen since the start of the 3DS era, and a promising foundation for the franchise to build on with future games.

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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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9 / 10.0
Nov 25, 2019

Bad press aside, I found Pokemon Shield to be a solid entry in the Pokemon franchise. If only the difficulty was a bit elevated for seasoned players.

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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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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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