Pokémon Sword

« Pokemon Sword & Shield is as close to a true reset for Pokemon as we've had. It's clear Game Freak wanted to get back to basics, and streamline the experience across the three main characteristics that makes Pokemon great - the collecting, the combat, and the catching. In all three areas Pokemon Sword offers vibrancy - solid pacing, superb balancing, and a joyful playfulness that makes the experience so appealing. 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. »

« I can’t remember the last time I felt this much joy when playing a video game. »

« 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. »

« It isn’t perfect, with some characters who might look a little too familiar from past appearances, an incomplete Pokedex, but it is still has the same satisfying gameplay loop, array of characters to collect, and a series of gyms you’ll feel compelled to challenge. Pokemon Sword and Shield are a lot of fun and will get people thinking about things to come. »

« Pokemon Sword and Shield are the best games in the series, streamlining its most tedious traditions without losing any of the charm. »

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

« Overall, I think Pokémon Sword & Shield is a great entry in the franchise, only brought down by its lackluster storyline. It’s certainly new player friendly, but also has enough going for it that long-time Pokémon fans will likely enjoy the new features too. If you have a Switch, and you’re even remotely interested in the series, I’d suggest checking it out. »

« In collecting, battling, and exploring, Sword and Shield cut out the bloat and focus on what makes these pillars of the Pokemon games so captivating in the first place. You're not held back by overly complicated back-end systems or hoops to jump through; from the outset, you can start wandering the Galar region, seeing its new Pokemon, and trying out its new battle strategies with very little in your way. This leaves you free to enjoy what Pokemon is all about, and that makes for an incredibly strong showing for the series' proper debut on Switch. »

« This game is fine. The world is fun to explorer and there's some cool designs for pokemon. This game is boring because it's to easy. I already don't like turn based fighting and making battles easy makes battles feel like doing chores. »

« pokemon games are meant to be enjoyable, and this game certainly delivers in that aspect. a fine game from other aspects but enjoyability is where this franchise shines »

« Pokemon Sword & Shield felt like the moment I realized the series was falling behind. As the first mainline Pokemon games on a home console, they should have been a huge step forward. Instead, they felt like slightly upgraded 3DS games being sold at a higher **** Galar region has some cool ideas, but the game is so easy and linear that most of the adventure feels like you're walking from cutscene to cutscene. The story is forgettable, the villains are weak, and by the time the plot actually starts getting interesting, it's already over.Dynamax is another gimmick that feels like it exists just because every generation needs a new mechanic. Like many of the recent battle features, it never felt like a meaningful addition and was abandoned almost immediately **** Wild Area was supposed to be the big innovation, but it feels empty and unfinished. Combined with the controversial Pokedex cuts and the lack of ambition expected from Pokemon's jump to console hardware, the whole experience ends up feeling underwhelming. »

« SCORE: Weak 8,0/10 Really overhated game, the game is fun, cant stop playing it. the battles /camera/animations are good, the music in this game is amazing, the cities are beautiful, the story isnt that boring, the characters are funny, the new pokemon are well designed, the ui and the menue is very clean and smooth while using them, i agree that some routes are kinda empty looking but not always, and there are so many pokemon in the game that you dont even notice that not all of them are in the game there are already more than enough pokemon, yeah some trees look bad but these are just cherrypicks for the haters to **** on this game. the characters/pokemon in this game look great, the dynamx/gym leaders are great. »

« this game was the pokemon game to hook me into this franchise. the game doesnt try to change the gameplay too much; its the same formula but with one of the best regional gimmicks. the soundtrack is a way better improvement from the last games, but it is very easy and moderately expensive. however, as of 2026, you're better off buying scarlet or violet than one of these gen 8 games due to the online services being dead. »

« Good soundtrack i loved a lot the legendary pokemon. Good story but i hoped better graphics than just a reused of a lot of 3DS game engine »

« Best Switch Pokemon game by far. This would be a perfect 10 with more animations for fast travel and other tiny features plus the ability to find shinys without encountering the pokemon. Really good game though! »

« Nostalgia talking but very good game too much hate I don’t know why it’s really cool »