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Pokemon Sword / Shield Dual Pack
Released On: Nov 15, 2019
80
4.4
All Platforms
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 93 Critic Reviews
80
71% Positive
66 Reviews
66 Reviews
22% Mixed
20 Reviews
20 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 93 Critic Reviews
80
71% Positive
66 Reviews
66 Reviews
22% Mixed
20 Reviews
20 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Another great game in the Pokémon series. It holds back when it comes to technical design and it doesn´t offer the opportunity to catch the old familiar faces, but fortunately most of the new additions are more than satisfactory for many hours of gameplay. [Issue#300]
Pokemon Sword and Shield's single-player experience is filled with neat characters and a new region that's brimming with personality, but running around the Wild Area with other players offers a special kind of fun. Quality of life improvements to the metagame, including the ability to change your Pokemon's nature and rent teams for fights, gives you good reason to stick with the game after you're crowned the new champion of the Galar region. Despite the controversy, Sword and Shield offers a great time.
User Score
Generally Unfavorable
Based on 415 User Ratings
4.4
37% Positive
155 Ratings
155 Ratings
7% Mixed
28 Ratings
28 Ratings
56% Negative
232 Ratings
232 Ratings
User Score
Generally Unfavorable
Based on 415 User Ratings
4.4
37% Positive
155 Ratings
155 Ratings
7% Mixed
28 Ratings
28 Ratings
56% Negative
232 Ratings
232 Ratings
Just standart pokemon game without any bad pluses that sometimes aded in pokemon games.Also the dynamax mechanic is the second best thiture in pok games after mega evolutions.Just add my review because i am obset about peoples view on this game.Scarlet and Violet are much worse than this game.
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Nintendo Switch
Beautiful and precious, is the only way to describe the Galar region
User evaluations in general give a very distorted view of this game. It really very fun and ideal for hanging out with the childrens.
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Nintendo Switch
Pokémon Sword and Shield represent an exciting new beginning for the saga. Some ideas aren't perfectly developed, but overall the work from Gamefreak is convincing.
Sword & Shield is a really tricky Pokémon entry to pigeonhole. It retains the old Pokémon charm, but it's not without flaws.
While the game is just as fun and addicting as ever, the awkward dialogue feels shoe-horned in and the stark difficulty drop off in the mid-game is unfortunate to say the least, making the latter half of the experience a breeze. It’s still an enjoyable experience and a treat to explore the Galar region. It may not be perfect, but it is a strong step in the right direction to giving us the ultimate Pokemon experience.
Pokemon Sword & Shield doesn't take enough risks or attempt anything really new and important. The overwhelming amount of re-used assets and shortcuts leads to one of the biggest missed opportunities on the Switch to date. Newcomers will find a lot to love here, with no previous games to measure it against, but longtime series fans will likely be left wanting in almost every area.
Everything in the game is unpolished and once again there is absolutely nothing interesting storywise; no mystery and no lead concept that would let the players explore the world by themselves. It’s the same level design, same designers’ tricks and the same sub-par balance which I know all too well form the previous games. [01/2020, p.76]
One of the best modern generations of Pokémon, much better than the distant and mythical X and Y.
Unfairly criticized, the video game press did appreciate the game. Since it has a great story, a very varied and fun world to explore, as well as one of the best multiplayer ever seen.
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Nintendo Switch
I actually really like Sword and Shield. I liked the return to the classic gym format that we drifted from with Sun and Moon but the problem with it is that these games just kinda ****! Like they're good but they're very bland. Nothing interesting about them at all. I like it but it's just quite basic.
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Nintendo Switch
It's a Pokémon game alright, you already know if you'll enjoy it. They still refuse to update their formula for the mainline series. I feel they can get away with it here because it is the first one on a new platform. I didn't care for any of the after credits stuff, just wasn't very appealing. The multiplayer stuff was also rather dull.
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Nintendo Switch
After having finished "Pokemon: Shield" in around 25 hours, I felt immediately compelled to type a review because this is the most disappointing entry into the Pokemon video game line-up that I had ever experienced. This is tragic for me - to say the least - because I went in with decent expectations and with hopes that this would succeed prior Pokemon video games well. Sadly, it feels more like a huge step back with some promising features that I hope future entries consider keeping and improving.
Positives:
(+) The new Galarian Pokemons and the Galarian Variants of past-generation Pokemons
(+) Pokemon Camp and Curry-making: Both more charming than I thought!
(+) In-depth Trainer Customisation
(+) A lot of quality of life improvements in comparison to past Pokemon video games: This is going to make it more accessible for a lot of players while making it more focused for long-time players. Things like mints to change Pokemon nature type to exp share being always on making the entire game less grindy and monotonous. All very much appreciated!
Negatives:
(-) Inconsistent Graphic Quality: Some good textures, some REALLY out-dated textures. Some battle backgrounds look pretty cool; others, not so much and repeatedly used. Towns like Circhester look breathtaking, but then there are the open world sections that look flat and ugly. Textures may pop in-and-out at times. Stiff models!
(-) Inconsistent Animation Quality (and Missing Animations?): Some elaborate and well-done, but - for the most part - low effort. Also, Pokemons don't have a turning animation, and NPCs seem to be are missing a couple as well? NPCs look soulless at times with barely any expressions. Pokemons headbutting with their legs look weird. Some Pokemons even use the same bad animations to attack (when using different moves).
(-) Empty-feeling Open World sections: For today's standard of video games, even some open world indie games look more livelier than this game's open world sections. The AI for roaming Pokemons is pretty dumb and non-interactive as well and is easy to maneuver and play around. Moreover, the open world sections are relatively small in comparison to a lot of other games: even those of low-budget.
(-) Incompetent Story: Most of the important things in the story are described by NPCs rather than shown (or - you know - involving you like a game). Also, most of it is the typical Pokemon video game story (i.e. be the very best, have a rival, meet someone with an emotional complexity, etc.). Also, Hop is more annoying than easy-to-hate.
(-) Unpolished and Unoptimised Game: This game has glitches and oddities and even some weird exploitables. Pokemon AI in camp can be a little buggy, and the game got stuck at one point when I was playing with my Pokemons. Sometimes, my frame rate would drop below in certain areas much more in comparison to other Switch games.
(-) My Switch crashed twice: This is the first (and second) time that my Switch had ever crashed, so - to me - this is a huge deal.
(-) No Post-game: Other than completing your Pokemon collection and , there's nothing else. Honestly, this comes as such a shock as I never not had a post-game in a Pokemon video game.
(-) Too much hand-holding: Every NPC treats you like an idiot even past the tutorial and reminds you constantly that you can do this and that. They make it a big deal for doing minor things like walking from point A to B. It is very annoying to be blasted by so many text boxes when you just want to play the game.
Mediocres:
(?) Relatively Short Game: In comparison to the other Pokemon video games, this is the shortest and I really took my time exploring everywhere. I was honestly shocked that I finished this game so fast.
(?) Easiest Pokemon video game: With all the quality of life features, I barely needed to think while playing or battling. Personally, it's a negative for me, but - for others - this might be a saving grace.
(?) Dynamax is a gym/raid gimmick.
(?) Raids: I was expecting much more but it's just a longer Pokemon battle - not much strategy needed. This may vary from player to player though.
Conclusion: My recommendation is to wait for a sale - around $40; it's not worth the full price of $60 if you're a long-time Pokemon gamer. By Pokemon video game standards, "Pokemon: Shield" is the weakest entry to the franchise. However, that's not to say that it's a bad game: it's passable and this is the problem because past Pokemon video games are not "passable". I think that - for a casual gamer - this is good to waste time in and have some fun. It was fun for me sometimes and even charming. For this case, I would give "Pokemon: Shield" a 5/10, but my current rating is to reflect actual Pokemon gamers (the ones who love battling and forming teams and staying engaged and whatnot) and - personally - this was a below average experience for me. Overall, I think that this game needed more time in the oven.
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Nintendo Switch
It has a lot of little improvements over previous games and makes some interesting premises with some of the ideas it implements but massively cuts back on features in past games which were actually good, plus the overall game comes off as incredibly short plot wise and underwhelming in terms of girth of traditional content (route and dungeon variety). It also doesn't help that the game more or less encourages you to just play solely with your starter since your other 'mon will get exp from battles anyhow so there's no point in swapping out since everyone will be kept at similar levels unless you pick up an exceptionally low leveled late game Pokemon which even then you can now boost with exp. candies which is a nice feature addition although makes more sense as a post-game item and should be a crutch on which the game can lean on due to a poor level curve. £120 is a joke for both, just trade.
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Nintendo Switch
Summary A new generation of Pokémon has come to the Nintendo Switch system. Become a Pokémon Trainer, embark on a new journey in the new Galar region, and unravel the mystery behind the Legendary Pokémon Zacian and Zamazenta! Explore the Wild Area, a vast expanse of land where the player can freely control the camera. And participate in Max Raid...
Rated E
for Everyone
Platforms:
- Nintendo Switch
Initial Release Date: Nov 15, 2019
Developer:
- Game Freak
Publisher: Nintendo
Genres:
