Pokémon Sword and Shield Reviews
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.
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.
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.
Pokémon Sword and Shield have a lot of great ideas and fun creatures, but the stark lack of content, rough performance, and a concerningly large number of minor issues keep them from being the definitive home console Pokémon games that myself and many other fans hoped for.
Pokémon Sword and Shield are not bad games. But fun character arcs and inventive, creative designs of new ‘mon are often offset by poor pacing and restrictive world design. The world of Galar is charming, and is a Pokémon interpretation of Britain I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid, but between gating what Pokémon you can catch behind Gym Badges, some half-baked route/City designs and a modest amount of post-game content, Sword and Shield can only be called ‘good’ Pokémon games… not ‘great’ ones.
In the end, Pokémon Shield isn't a bad game but it certainly feels like one of the lazier entries in the long-running series.
Pokemon Sword and Shield gives us but a glimpse of what a proper home console Pokemon could look like, and not much more.
In single player mode Pokémon Sword / Shield is a short, boring and technically imperfect game. It has relatively little content, no adequate plot and the difficulty is designed for children. It seems that after the phenomenal success of Pokémon Go The Pokémon Company has radically changed its priorities and they are ready to sacrifice the quality of console games in favor of optimizing workflows. The fan base which has grown to the improbable sizes is loyal enough and is ready to support any project in a series even if at its production frankly saved.
Review in Russian | Read full review
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.
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.
Pokémon Sword introduces some welcomed features, but the game feels as if it would be more at home on the 3DS, with the dated visuals, lacklustre animations, and a lack of polish that leaves you wishing they had taken more time on the game.
In the end, Pokémon Shield feels like the franchise has taken one step forwards, but two steps back.
"Long live the king."
Review in Finnish | Read full review
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.
A mediocre yet strangely compelling game that proves two things: that the Pokémon formula is incredibly strong and that Game Freak needs to rethink how they present their games.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
GOOD - I’ve had a lot of fun with Pokémon Sword exploring the Wild Area and catching fully evolved Pokémon wandering around there. There are plenty of issues and it’s far from perfect. Despite that it’s still enjoyable to jump back into the wonderful world of Pokémon with Arcanine by my side.
While there’s a huge step forward in regards to player freedom and additional activities for the player to indulge in, it still feels like the more things change, the more they stay the same in places where the formula needs to be shaken up.
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
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.