Pokémon Sword and Shield Reviews

Pokémon Sword and Shield is ranked in the 79th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
8.5 / 10.0
Nov 13, 2019

Sword and Shield are proof that you can always improve, as happened in the narrative and competitive context of the two games. Now it is time to also adapt the look and feel of Pokémon to its identity: that of the largest and most famous franchise of the contemporary era.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Drew Leachman
Top Critic
8.5 / 10.0
Dec 12, 2019

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.

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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

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

Gamersky
八云猫车
Top Critic
8.8 / 10.0
Nov 19, 2019

Although it's far from perfect, Pokemon: Sword is a decent sequel of the series and does a nice job in terms of some detail improvement.

Review in Chinese | Read full review

8.8 / 10.0
Nov 13, 2019

The new Game Freak game will please both newcomers and more experienced players because, although some sections of this new installment have received less polish, it still has attractive enough content for every trainer to find his place in the new region of Galar.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

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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9 / 10.0
Nov 26, 2019

With Pokemon Shield Game Freak has delivered one of their best games in years thanks to a fantastic addition with the Wild Area. Everyone can find something they will enjoy even though the National Dex isn't here and the online infrastructure isn't great. The music, new designs and animation alone give you enough reason to play on the first mainline entries to ever grace the TV.

Review in Dutch | Read full review

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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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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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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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
Dec 5, 2019

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

Review in Slovak | Read full review

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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