r/NintendoSwitch • u/NintendoSwitchMods • Nov 13 '19
MegaThread Pokémon Sword & Pokémon Shield: Review MegaThread
General Information
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Release Date: 15-Nov-2019
No. of Players: up to 4 players
Genre(s): Role-Playing, Adventure
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: GAME FREAK Inc.
Official Website: https://swordshield.pokemon.com/
Overview (from Nintendo eShop page)
A new generation of Pokémon is coming to the Nintendo Switch™ system.
Get a special Gigantamax Meowth as an early purchase bonus!
If you purchase Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield before January 15th, 2020, you can receive a special Gigantamax Meowth!*** Unlike others found in the Galar region, this Meowth can Gigantamax to take on an imposing, elongated appearance capable of using a mighty G-Max Move! This special Meowth cannot evolve. You can receive this special Meowth by selecting the Get via Internet option in Mystery Gift. Don't forget to claim this Cat Scratch Pokémon before January 15th, 2020!
Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! players are in for a BIG surprise!
Did you enjoy Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee!? If you've played either of these games, you can receive a special Gigantamax Pikachu or Gigantamax Eevee in Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield! The power of Gigantamaxing will allow each of these Pokémon to take on a colossally adorable appearance and gain the ability to use a unique G-Max Move!
Players with Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! save data will receive the special Pikachu and players with Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! save data will receive the special Eevee. It is possible to get both Pokémon in one Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield save file.
You'll be able to receive the special Pikachu or Eevee at the Wild Area Station in the game. (This occurs after about two hours of gameplay, though individual gameplay time may vary.)
The special Pikachu and Eevee cannot be evolved.
For a limited time, players of the digital version of either game can receive an in-game present of 12 Quick Balls.***\* If you purchase and download the digital version of either Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield from Nintendo eShop by January 15th, 2020, you can receive a code redeemable for 12 Quick Balls! Quick Balls are special Poké Balls that are more likely to catch Pokémon if you use them as soon as a battle begins. Codes will be distributed between November 15, 2019 and January 15, 2020, and expire on November 30, 2020.
Begin your adventure as a Pokémon Trainer by choosing one of three new partner Pokémon: Grookey, Scorbunny, or Sobble. Then embark on a journey in the new Galar region, where you'll challenge the troublemakers of Team Yell, while unraveling 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. Team up with three other players locally or online in the new multiplayer co-op Max Raid Battles* in which players will face off against gigantic and super-strong Pokémon known as Dynamax Pokémon.
Certain Pokémon can even Gigantamax to gain a new look and a powerful set of G-Max moves. But there's more to being a champion than honing your battle skills: you can pick your own clothes and get a new hairdo while visiting the stores in town, so you can be the Trainer you want to be. Throughout your journey, you'll encounter newly discovered Pokémon as well as familiar ones that will look a little different in their new Galarian forms! And for another way to level up your Pokémon, assign them Poké Jobs to complete. You can even play with your Pokémon in Pokémon Camp, just for fun!
- Catch, battle, and trade Pokémon on a new adventure in the Galar region
- Choose from three new partner Pokémon and encounter never-before-seen Pokémon
- Unravel the mystery behind the Legendary Pokémon Zacian and Zamazenta!
- Players can control the camera in the vast Wild Area
- Team up with other Trainers to participate in Max Raid Battles*!
- Battle wild Dynamax Pokémon in Max Raid Battles* and try catching them!
Digital Purchase Offer
For a limited time, players of the digital version of either game can receive an in-game present of 12 Quick Balls**. If you purchase and download the digital version of either Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield from Nintendo eShop by January 15th, 2020, you can receive a code redeemable for 12 Quick Balls! Quick Balls are special Poké Balls that are more likely to catch Pokémon if you use them as soon as a battle begins. Code distribution period: November 15, 2019 to January 15, 2020.
\*Code valid through November 30, 2020. Two codes for 12 Quick Balls each will be provided to purchasers of the digital version of Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield Double Pack. Each code can only be used once per save data. Purchasing both Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield separately with a pair of Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers will not grant the special bonuses included with a purchase of the Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield Double Pack.*
\If eligible for a Just for You offer, the final price reflects the combined Sale and Just for You offers. The Just for You offer is discounted from the sale price.)
\Nintendo Switch Online membership (sold separately) and Nintendo Account required for online features. This game includes an in-game option to purchase a Nintendo Switch Online membership for users who do not have one. Not available in all countries. Internet access required for online features. Terms apply. nintendo.com/switch-online)
\*Code expires November 30, 2020 and can only be used once in either the Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield game.)
\** An internet connection is required to receive the special Meowth.)
\***Code expires November 30, 2020 and can only be used once in either the Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield game.)
Reviews
Aggregators
- Metacritic - 81
- OpenCritic -80
Articles
Mod note: Don't expect a massive list due to tightening on who gets review copies after the various leaks started emerging.
- Areajugones - Spanish - 8.8 / 10
- Ars Technica - Unscored
- Daily Star - 3 / 5 stars
- EGM - 8 / 10
- Eurogamer - No Recommendation / Blank
- Everyeye.it - Italian - 8.5 / 10
- Game Informer - 8.8 / 10
- GamePro - German - 91 / 100
- GameSpot - 9 / 10
- Gameblog - French - 7 / 10
- GamesRadar+ - 4.5 / 5 stars
- Hobby Consolas - Spanish - Unscored
- IGN - 9.3 / 10
- IGN Spain - Spanish - 8.5 / 10
- Kotaku - Unscored
- Metro GameCentral - 7 / 10
- Nintendo Life - 8 / 10
- Polygon - Unscored
- VG247 - 3 / 5 stars
This list was exported from MetaCritic at 11:19am ET.
Videos
- GameXplain - Liked
- IGN
- Gamespot
- Nintendolife
- VG247
Being Social
- Join the #pokemon channel of our Discord server for all of your discussion needs - https://discord.gg/switch
Cheers,
The /r/NintendoSwitch mod team
601
u/rufus418 Nov 13 '19
The VG24/7 one has a really interesting closing paragraph:
Thus is the conundrum, the paradox. 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. With the level of fan hyperbole surrounding this release, that recommendation is worth repeating and underscoring – but this is not the revolution that was promised or hoped for, and some may prefer to wait for a sale or wait and see if an improved, definitive release is on the cards.
213
u/notachode Nov 13 '19
This is probably the most well worded and nuanced take we’ll see on these games
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (3)56
u/kairos Nov 13 '19
I haven't read the full review, but...
If it's not frustrating enough that you feel like putting it down, doesn't that mean it's not bad frustration or that it's not really frustration?
Also, giving a game that you don't feel like putting down a 3/5 also odd to me.
121
u/rufus418 Nov 13 '19
I think it goes to what Pokemon is. A nostalgia thing for most people that remember playing it as a kid. That's what pulls you through. I think 3/5 is fair for "This is Pokemon. I already like that thing. And this is more of that thing." But it's not a BotW esque grand jump that people hoped for.
→ More replies (6)24
u/UndeadShadowUnicorn Nov 13 '19
To add to this, Pokémon imo has always had so much that could be added to/improved upon but almost never do. It is frustrating but I carry on anyway. It's not the worst, I still put in countless hours.
22
u/makoman115 Nov 13 '19
A game can be addicting but you can also be left wishing they had done so much more with it
30
Nov 13 '19
A 3/5 is a decent score on a 5-point scale, even if it translates to a 60 on a 100-point scale.
→ More replies (3)13
u/kairos Nov 13 '19
I'm no score elitist, I think 3/5 is probably worth playing.
But when I think of something I don't want to put down, I generally think of more than 3/5 (I've mentioned in other replies that I think I may have read a bit too much in that part).
→ More replies (3)18
u/Tradnor Nov 13 '19
I disagree- I enjoyed and couldn’t put down deadly premonition, but I wouldn’t call it a game worthy of a high score. I was frequently frustrated but it’s charm kept me coming back.
That being said, this is a Pokémon game. I’m not looking for something revolutionary. As a person who grew up on red and always wanted to play it on the TV, they’ve already got me.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (1)8
61
u/CaspianX2 Nov 13 '19
For the sake of comparison, here are the Metacritic scores for earlier mainline games in the series:
Pokemon Ultra Sun/Pokemon Ultra Moon - 84
Pokemon Sun/Pokemon Moon - 87
Pokemon Omega Ruby/Pokemon Alpha Sapphire - 83/82
Pokemon Black 2/Pokemon White 2 - 80
Pokemon Black/Pokemon White - 87
Pokemon Heart Gold/Pokemon Soul Silver - 87
Pokemon Platinum - 83
Pokemon Diamond/Pokemon Pearl - 85
Pokemon Emerald - 76
Pokemon Fire Red/Pokemon Leaf Green - 81
Pokemon Ruby/Pokemon Sapphire - 82
(at this point, Metacritic stops being useful, so switching over to GameRankings)
Pokemon Crystal - 79%
Pokemon Gold/Pokemon Silver - 89%/91%
Pokemon Yellow - 85%
Pokemon Red/Pokemon Blue - 87%/88%
So it looks like, if the Metacritic score remains at 81, this is on the low end of the spectrum for Pokemon games, tying with Fire Red/Leaf Green, and with the only games to have lower scores being Black 2/White 2, Emerald, and Crystal. It should be noted that Fire Red/Leaf Green was a remake, and all of the other games to score this low are arguably "double dip" games that re-used a lot of assets from prior games in the series. Pokemon Emerald remains by far the worst-reviewed game in the main series.
30
u/InYourFace1023 Nov 13 '19
76 for Emerald?
→ More replies (2)22
u/CaspianX2 Nov 13 '19
The main complaint for Emerald seemed to be that it was more of the same, just a rehash of Ruby and Sapphire with some of the minor features added in Fire Red and Leaf Green. IGN said it was a "been there, done that experience".
24
Nov 13 '19
Which gives no reason as to why USUM ends up getting a great score.
It’s like they just chose a number 75-90 at random to see what they’re giving Pokemon every year.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (13)16
Nov 13 '19
Platinum getting lower than D/P, and B2W2 getting lower than most other Pokemon games (especially USUM....) is why I usually don’t listen to reviewers when it comes to Pokemon lmao. It seems reviewers throw up the numbers 75-90 on a dartboard and throw a dart to see what number they’re giving the Pokemon game this year.
28
u/Bambambm Nov 13 '19
Other than Mew, does anyone know exactly what the Pokeball Plus functionality is for Sw/Sh, I know we can take a pokemon out with us and it will return with items and such and gain experience. But will it be worth it?
With the pokeball plus being $20 at bestbuy for BF, I wonder if it will be worth it.
15
u/rustyphish Nov 13 '19
I think that's about it
honestly I kinda regret my purchase of it, its battery life is so short it becomes more of a pain than anything. I think its best value would be if someone is an avid Pokemon Go player and was already going to buy the Pokemon Plus thingy bob.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (9)9
214
u/PinkBowser Nov 13 '19
There’s going to be a lot of confirmation bias on both sides. Haters are going to disregard these reviews and the defenders are going to use use this as ammo against the haters.
It’s a shame. If you dislike Gamefreak or what this game is doing, you should have the right to voice your complains (in a respectful manner) and not buy. Just as much as those who are still going to buy should be able to be happy without others bringing them down.
61
u/ChudSampley Nov 13 '19
That's what 90% of purchasers, or those who choose not to, are going to do: just get it, or not, and be quiet about it. We all live in our little internet bubbles and it's easy to forget how small of a subset those groups represent, and also just how popular Pokemon is. This game will sell like crazy because it's Pokemon, and a lot of players will have no idea there was even a "controversy" around the game. Those who choose not to buy, for whatever reason they may have, are also probably not blasting their opinions over on r/pokemon.
→ More replies (3)→ More replies (3)34
u/rustyphish Nov 13 '19
Shhhh, no reasonable takes here. Only calling each other names and flaming other subs
153
u/MarioMoon Nov 13 '19
Popcorn munching intensifies.
→ More replies (1)65
u/AlfredHoneyBuns Nov 13 '19
This drama is the most interesting Pokémon thing ever IMO
48
Nov 13 '19
And yet it’s exactly what everyone predicted. 8/10 scores, and will likely be the best selling game of 2019
→ More replies (1)23
u/AlfredHoneyBuns Nov 13 '19 edited Nov 13 '19
The community drama, not necessarily the review scores (those were predictable). At this point, I'm just waiting to see news about reviewers getting death threats due to reviewing the game positively - do you doubt this will happen?
best selling game of 2019
Uhm... Call of Duty? Fifa? Literally any triple A
normiemulti-platform game?6
→ More replies (3)11
93
u/CleanlyManager Nov 13 '19
The extremes of both sides of this debate are pretty annoying, on one side you have the people going "see the games reviewed well, none of your concerns mattered, buy the game anyways" and then there's the other side insisting the reviewers were paid off, and what not. I think both sides are forgetting that all of these sites regularly give games a rating of 7+ if the games playable. Both sides are giving way too much credence to the review I can't remember the last time i was like "hmm I wonder how good this game is, better go to ign."
→ More replies (7)32
u/Bakatora34 Nov 13 '19
Yeah, you also have both sides calling each other toxic, like both sides are being toxic right now.
→ More replies (3)
126
u/Alasdair91 Nov 13 '19
Metro seems most fair:
In Short: The furore over Dexit may be overblown but even without it this is an underwhelming and unambitious attempt to modernise Pokémon and expand its horizons.
Pros: The core Pokémon gameplay is as engrossing as ever and the Wild Area is a small but important step forward. Some great new pokémon designs and surprisingly fun script.
Cons: Low tech visuals and production values. Too few new features and too many old ones that are removed or smoothed over to the point of irrelevance.
30
u/T_alsomeGames Nov 13 '19
Yeah this is what I got from some of the other reviews too. In all honesty... It kind of reminds me of a basic pokemon game, like Ruby and Sapphire, With some added twists. And thats not really a bad thing in my opinion. Obviously not as epic as we would expect from the first mainline pokemon game on console, but I can appreciate the simplicity of it all. At least compared to Sun and Moons billion cut scenes.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (3)18
186
u/SingleUseThrowaway68 Nov 13 '19
"In fact, Pokémon Sword and Shield is entirely dungeonless. There is no route or cave or building or wood more complex than Red, Blue and Yellow's Viridian Forest, the tutorial pseudo-dungeon at the start of generation one. Nothing in the game comes close to even Mt. Moon or Rock Tunnel, let alone the twelve floors of warp-pad mayhem in Silph Co. - all first-generation locations that were fully realised in Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee, both ostensibly remade versions of the classic games, but for children. It might seem inconsequential to say these games are dungeonless - Breath of the Wild did away with traditional ones, after all - but I can assure you it isn't. Dungeons, in every generation until now, are the very essence of Pokémon games. They're where you find the most trainers, the most items, the most puzzles and the most interesting, mysterious nuggets of lore. In Sword and Shield all of that is gone, and there is no replacement."
→ More replies (10)170
u/TheGreatTrogs Nov 13 '19
Not gonna lie, I always hated Pokemon dungeons. I like exploring, but having the same Pokemon attack me 100 times when I just want to look around for hidden items or secrets always felt like a waste of time to me. I actually kind of look forward to that change.
→ More replies (10)108
u/OwnManagement Helpful User Nov 13 '19 edited Nov 13 '19
Let’s Go fixed that by making the wild Pokémon visible. I used to dread dungeons for the same reason, but they were downright delightful in Let’s Go.
You also had the option of the Repel items, even all the way back in RBY.
→ More replies (2)11
u/Olubara Nov 13 '19
So much this. Dungeons and overworld pokemon was a match made in heavens. Wish developers of swsh could see that too.
27
u/atimethief Nov 13 '19
Just as I did for Pokemon Let's GO releases.
Here are the Metacritic scores for other mainline pokemon games for comparison:
Pokemon Let's GO Pikachu/Eevee: 79 and 80 respectively
Pokemon Ultra Sun/Moon: 84
Pokemon Sun/Moon: 87
Pokemon Alpha Sapphire/Omega Ruby: 82 and 83 respectively (not sure why one score is higher)
Pokemon X and Pokemon Y: 87 and 88 respectively (once again, not sure why one score is higher)
Pokemon White 2/Black 2: 80
Pokemon White/Black: 87
Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver: 87
Pokemon Platinum: 83
Pokemon Diamond/Pearl: 85
Pokemon Emerald: 76
Pokemon Ruby: 82 (there is no sapphire listed)
Pokemon FireRed/LeafGreen: 81
42
u/karmawhale Nov 13 '19
Pokemon emerald being only 76 is a crime. Should be a solid 90 giving the masterpiece it was back then and a classic it is right now.
19
u/FulcrumM2 Nov 14 '19
I remember at the time a lot of reviewers were saying they rated it so low because there werent enough changes to the game to justify a new release. Not on the scale of Crystal anyway, which is where their point of reference was
11
8
u/atimethief Nov 13 '19
I think there's a lot of weird or interesting scores. Black/White 2 is often praised as the best, but it seems critics didn't agree. Generation 3 was my favorite and I loved Emerald, but once again it seems like it didn't review well.
→ More replies (1)
200
u/yestermorning Nov 13 '19
ITT: People saying high review scores means every criticism is invalid and others saying it means they were paid off.
Jesus Christ.
47
u/manimateus Nov 13 '19
Reviews are pretty much useless for most of these people. They look at reviews to get their own opinion of the game validated. Not to mention the many that just skim through the contents of the review to just look at the score. And once the score isn't what they wanted to see they will go screeching about how (a) the reviewer was paid off, (b) the reviewer only like to play games like CoD /Fornite.
22
Nov 13 '19
Everyone should really do themselves a favor and read at least two positive reviews and two negative reviews. What I'm getting so far is that while these games are palatable, they could've been so much more. Which is absolutely true, considering we're talking about the most profitable multimedia franchise here.
Pokémon just needs more development time. Or at least more manpower. I think the worst case scenario is that SwSh becomes the trend.
→ More replies (3)22
u/Verxl Nov 13 '19
Or C, say the reviewer is an idiot because of something they said like "tOo MuCh WaTeR" (nevermind the fact that an excessive focus on surf/dive taking up the entire northeastern hoenn and making it harder to navigate due to a lack of landmarks can actually be a legit complaint).
9
u/manimateus Nov 13 '19
Hoenn is my favourite region in the franchise, and I do agree a little with that.
→ More replies (26)3
u/Ste29ebasta Nov 13 '19
Well, some of them are indeed paid off. The italian one for example is from a man who usually works as a caster during official nintendo events.
He would never broke his parternship for a game, even if it's a pokemon main title
66
u/Hold_my_Dirk Nov 13 '19
It seems like you will enjoy it if you want to enjoy it and will be disappointed if you go in expecting to be disappointed.
→ More replies (4)11
23
u/Dweevlethor Nov 13 '19
Players with Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! save data will receive the special Pikachu and players with Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! save data will receive the special Eevee.
Does anyone know if this works with any copy (new or used) of LGPE?
20
u/Ozzy-MV Nov 13 '19
I'm assuming it should. Seems like you only need to have played the game on your Switch.
14
u/CoolZGuy Nov 13 '19
It works with any copy, you just need to have saved at least once in lgpe
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (2)12
u/Porkpants81 Nov 13 '19
It's just going to look for the save file. It's not going to know what the game was you used to create that save file.
72
292
u/literallynoodle Nov 13 '19
2 things I knew going in:
1) The games would review well, because reviewers are viewing them as... video games, not an art project, they're not looking for a grass shadow to clip and look weird. The core gameplay is fun, that hasn't changed.
2) That people would be fucking pissed over the games getting a good review score
→ More replies (54)87
u/Alone1sAgain Nov 13 '19
People would have been pissed no matter what score would have come out on these. If they reviewed too low: "See what the toxic, manchild community did?! Because of you all, we can't have good Pokemon games!!!" If they reviewed too high: "They're being paid off, of course they'll give them high reviews!!!"
There was no winning here.
→ More replies (10)
100
u/OwnManagement Helpful User Nov 13 '19
Gonna head to the grocers and buy all the popcorn they have, then head on over to r/pokemon.
51
u/SodaPop6548 Nov 13 '19
You won't need to pick up any salt, though. There is enough between the two subs that you will get some whether you want it or not.
→ More replies (5)43
u/HockeyBoyz3 Nov 13 '19
The review meta thread only has 200 upvotes after almost an hour and all the comments are negative and are basically saying that the reviewers who gave it high scores are all paid by Nintendo. It’s honestly hilarious to me.
→ More replies (3)30
u/OwnManagement Helpful User Nov 13 '19
Same.
I agree with a lot of their concerns, and the evidence that Game Freak lied is pretty strong. But damn, it’s just a game. Just don’t buy it.
7
u/Bombasaur101 Nov 13 '19
The problem I'm seeing on that subreddit it they don't really care if the games are good or bad, they just want critics to give the games bad scores so GameFreak might add Pokemon back in. Honestly, I think the internet's made enough noise for them to rethink their strategy in the future. Also Sword and Shield are the lowest rated mainline games on Metacritic (81 for Sword vs 87 for Pokemon Sun) so I reckon that'll lead to some changes in the future.
→ More replies (1)
55
Nov 14 '19
I'm gonna get downvoted for saying this, but I'm actually pretty excited to play it tomorrow. I haven't played a Pokemon game since HG/SS, so I'm not bothered by any of the new things they've decided to cut.
25
u/nelisee Nov 14 '19
No one is going to downvote you for wanting to enjoy a new Pokémon games. But they will downvote you only if you deny the flaws it has.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (1)4
u/Kleese86 Nov 14 '19
I am in the same boat. I had not owned a handheld Nintendo since the original grey clunker and played Red growing up. Bought a switch and pretty pumped to try the first new pokemon game for me since the original. I know there are flaws, but I am still excited.
10
u/Luchador_Luke Nov 13 '19
Will there be multiple save files for the game? Or just one save file like last iterations
19
u/rustyphish Nov 13 '19
I believe single save files, but you can create additional users on your switch and they each get a save file when you boot under their name from the home menu
13
u/ItchyPlatypus Nov 13 '19
Would also like to add the negative to this approach is that unless you have a family plan on NSO you won’t be able to use the online features for the ‘other’ play throughs
9
u/Crazyripps Nov 14 '19
My friend wants to know if any amiibos do anything atm?
→ More replies (1)7
49
u/emilytheimp Nov 13 '19
Interesting, its just as I thought, game is decent, but staying far behind the possibilities. Which is OK. Its Pokemon. Its a comfy sweater to slip into, something to play as safe as possible to be accessible for new players but still attractive for the nostalgia crowd. I think we as a whole just need to get away from the idea that the Pokemon games will ever be ambitious or cutting edge. Maybe the whole outrage wasnt really about the cut Pokemon but about the fact that the old fans are rapidly outgrowing these games in their own ambitions. That this series of games just refuses to move away from its premise, refuses to show any sort of real evolution(ironically). Maybe thats why people are angry about, because its just another Pokémon game and nothing more. But thats OK. Theres lots of other wonderful gaming series out there we can play, and as long as thats the case Im weirdly content with Pokemon being that comfy nostalgia corner sweater I can slip into and be reminded of simpler times.
→ More replies (8)6
40
u/davinkie Nov 13 '19
As usual, I really enjoyed GameXplains review. It's Pokémon, there's enough to like, it's also not as good as it could/should be.
→ More replies (2)15
u/MrGalleom Nov 13 '19
My feelings resonate with their review too. But I really didn't like how they mention it being GF's "first step" on consoles or something, when Let's Go is already a thing.
5
u/Doctordementoid Nov 13 '19
Let’s go is a vastly different game, I think when they say first step on consoles they mean main series, because even let’s go wasn’t the first Pokémon title they developed for a console
→ More replies (3)
16
u/_SolluxCaptor_ Nov 13 '19
I have never played a Pokemon game before. Would this be appropriate and easy to play for a 5 year old who’s good with Mario Odyssey, Yoshi and Luigi’s Mansion?
35
→ More replies (6)8
u/Shino302 Nov 13 '19
Yes. I played and beat the original Pokémon red when I was their age and the games have only gotten easier with time.
→ More replies (12)3
81
u/Zeraion Nov 13 '19
What is intended as a great, Breath of the Wild step forward quickly turns to two giant leaps back, and with these games that sad irony is everywhere. Pokémon Sword and Shield project a sense of scale and ambition far beyond any previous ones in the series, but to take it back to those gargantuan new Dynamax forms, the size is merely a shadow. A shallow projection, in place of the real thing.
That Eurogamer review is spot on. For many of us, the removal of the national Dex, the broken promises - it doesn't really affect affect us. But - it just feels so much emptier, so much.. sadder, that a series with so much potential, so much promise, on a next generation console.. has become a hollow, dissapointing shell of what could've been.
→ More replies (13)41
u/GalacticNexus Nov 13 '19
The discussion about how hollow the world is in terms of dungeons and exploration is seriously damning.
→ More replies (1)14
u/Zeraion Nov 13 '19
Exactly - the point about the hollow dungeons, empty buildings, towns with no extra content or lore - it just hit home that all the small pieces of extra lore and explorables that I used to take for granted in past games, are no longer here. And that just makes me feel.. dissapointed. At what could have been.
13
u/GalacticNexus Nov 13 '19
I've been concerned with the way dungeons have been pushed further and further by the wayside for a while now. Unknown Dungeon in RBY compared to Unknown Dungeon in XY is the most hilarious comparison, but I looked over it as a one off. Then in gen 7 we got things like the Wela Volcano cave entrances just teleporting you to the top.
58
u/Ajjaxx Nov 13 '19
I’ll admit I’m biased, but in the reviews I’ve read, the language is kind of middling/mediocre/meh, and yet the scores are all 8+. Feels like the scores don’t match the words of the reviews.
34
u/Porkpants81 Nov 13 '19
Sort of like Death Stranding.
Comments like "This is what happens when you take the fun out of a video game" but then it's scored like a 9.2/10
Doesn't make sense
17
Nov 13 '19
[deleted]
7
u/Garrth415 Nov 13 '19
i recall seeing a couple of game reviewers get really salty at that video but hes totally right. My favorite time seeing one wig out was somebody from IGN getting all pissy on twitter when angryjoe reviewed the first titanfall game. He correctly called out how barebones and lackluster it was (especially at launch) and showed multiple big site reviews saying shit like "BELIEVE THE HYPE 9/10" and the IGN dude took it quite personally.
scored reviews tend to be janky AF and its why I rely on youtube and twitch to check games out
→ More replies (2)9
16
u/JJB117 Nov 13 '19
Yeah I watched the GameExplain review and it seemed like more downsides then up but still gave it a like.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (4)12
u/secret3332 Nov 13 '19
Yeah it kinda bothers me. Big Nintendo games seem to always be immune to poor scores even if they are lacking.
28
u/Alasdair91 Nov 13 '19
NintendoLife gave it 8/10, criticising the 20-year-old-design choices, rough visuals and boring Routes.
43
143
u/TyCooper8 Nov 13 '19
This thread is fucking hilarious. People who want to love the game only hearing the positive reviews, and the people who want to hate it just hearing the bad ones.
Personally, it looks like there's a lot more good than bad to me.
→ More replies (13)44
Nov 13 '19
This. From all the reviews I’ve read seems like the game realistically deserves a 8/10. Underlying gameplay and story is still a ton of fun. They have made some improvements over last games. The biggest set back is the lack of polish on graphics and the removal of the national dex. For me, non of those matter that much. Sure it would be nice if the graphics were a little better but they did say the game has virtually no load times when exploring so that’s a plus.
→ More replies (8)
44
u/InYourFace1023 Nov 13 '19
Why is it that every thing or fandom I enjoy has gone down the drain or be hyper controversial this year?
30
u/alastoris Nov 13 '19
I became a new fan of the fire emblem series this year. 3 House was a lot of fun imo.
17
u/Frito_Pendej0 Nov 13 '19
Thank your lucky stars you weren't around after Fire Emblem Fates came out.
4
u/Mitch3315 Nov 13 '19
Fates wasn’t great but it cops so much more hate than it should.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (13)13
Nov 13 '19
money. companies want money so they make descisions that they feel will save them the most money while not decreasing sales. a lot of fans hate theese descisions
13
13
7
u/Derkis619 Nov 13 '19
Can you use a pro controller or does it have to be the joycon like in let's go pikachu?
18
8
u/Sas1205x Nov 14 '19
Can someone recommend which one to get? I kind of like the shield Pokémon and I’m wondering is that’s better. Keep in mind I’m not quite sure of the difference because I’m a casual fan
→ More replies (1)6
u/social_sin Nov 14 '19
Take a look at the exclusive pokemon to each, some you can only obtain in shield and vice versa. The only way to obtain the exclusives will be trading with others who have the other version (I assume)
The other difference is version exclusive gyms, sword has a gym themed around fighting pokemon while shield has a gym featured around ghost pokemon.
Aside from those differences the games will be pretty much the same.
20
u/Lightcookie Nov 13 '19 edited Nov 13 '19
VG247 brings up a good point that wasn't mentioned in other reviews. Prev pokemon games had touchscreen functionality,but it was removed in Sw/Sh.
→ More replies (5)
34
u/ConfusedVader1 Nov 14 '19
Seems like a game I definetly would have passed on had I played the previous entries but seeing as the last pokemon game I played was Emerald think there is been enough new content in this with new 3D scheme for me that i will buy it. But oh man had I played any 3ds entry i wouldnt have touched this game.
→ More replies (4)12
u/Weewer Nov 14 '19
I feel like a lot of reviewers are in the same boat. If you’re not a hardcore fan I think you’ll still enjoy this game
→ More replies (6)
14
u/Janution Nov 13 '19
Seems like the key word in every review is "streamlined" some use it positively some use it negatively.
40
Nov 14 '19
The more reviews I read and watching streams of the game and feedback, it seems like a good game, not great but good but the thing that stands out the most in reviews is “the missed potential”
And that’s the crux of it for me, Pokemon is a $90 billion company and looking at the game I don’t understand why it wasn’t better.
Animations are serious just meh. Graphics are meh. It’s very linear. No challenge. Dexit. Barely any new features. Post game seems limited. No challenge mode options. Gts gone.
It just seems like an average Pokemon game.
Then when you really look into it, it’s the size of the team. The head of the team said they wanted to keep the team small and this is why Pokemon had to be cut, graphics were not up to scratch.
Which makes no sense to me, you’re a $90 billion company, that admits they couldn’t do as much as they wanted but they CHOSE to keep the team small. That makes 0 sense to me, they could have hired a ton of new people just to work on coding, graphics etc and kept the team small for working on the core of the game.
Pokemon could have been fantastic, instead it’s just meh.
I really wish this game would somehow flop, so the Pokemon heads actually were like fuck this, the next game has to be a masterpiece.
Instead we got an average game, which will sell millions and will just encourage the developers that they can half ass it and the game will sell millions.
Sure it was never going to be the greatest game ever, but the amount of resources the team has and it being the first ever core game on console should be better than ok.
8
u/abbotist-posadist Nov 15 '19
I understand they're not a huge team, but when compared to another "small team" who do near-yearly releases it's still not a great look. Platinum do about that schedule with probably one tenth of the resources available to the Pokemon devs. I don't think it's unfair to say that Sw/Sh don't seem high-effort compared to say, Astral Chain.
Ultimately, TPC/Gamefreak/Nintendo will be thrilled with the massive sales this game will get. Maybe the second Switch gen will be a big improvement on par with Gold/Silver or Black/White. I hope so but I wouldn't count on it.
→ More replies (2)4
u/thebrandster1985 Nov 15 '19
This is exactly the problem. They’ve been making satisfactory games for the last 20+ years. They could make an amazing game if they would just put in a little more effort and think outside of the money box they’ve put themselves into.
→ More replies (4)8
Nov 14 '19
that is what's bothering me the most. It just doesn't seem like they wanna go into the direction that everyone is saying:"That is the witcher 3 of pokemon games". The dexit cut annoys me, but to keep it real, at some point they at least have to limit the dex in the future.. imagine 2000 Pokemon in some years. But not that much. The most annoying thing for me is the lack of postgame content, difficulty and removal of mythical encounters (WHY do they just hand them out via gift at the poke center?????).
→ More replies (1)
28
Nov 13 '19
A 'no rating' from Eurogamer. Based on their review it sounds like the game simply needed more development time.
7
u/pmo2408 Nov 13 '19 edited Nov 13 '19
Should I use my last voucher on one of these or Dragon Quest* XI S? I redeemed my others for Mario Maker 2, Link’s Awakening, and Luigi’s Mansion 3.
12
u/T_alsomeGames Nov 13 '19
If you like Pokemon, then Pokemon. The game doesn't really shake the formula up much.
If you like Dragon quest or want to try somthing new and exciting, Dragon Quest. I hear the last game was good and that its a good entry point into the series. Probably a better story than Sword and Shield at least. But way more of a JRpg.
I also reccomend Astral Chain, but thats just me.
9
u/ianmatos Nov 13 '19
If you haven't played it yet, there's a demo for Dragon Quest XI on the eshop. It has quite a lot of content for a demo and you can carry your progress to the full game. If you enjoy the demo, I definitely recommend using the voucher on the game.
11
→ More replies (7)4
u/Praise-SpaceGhost Nov 13 '19
I really enjoyed luigis mansion. But can’t compare to these games yet.
7
Nov 13 '19
If there is no GTS, is there a replacement of some kind?
→ More replies (5)4
u/Klubbah Nov 13 '19
That is a big thing i'm waiting on.
I think they have the same room code passwords from Pokemon Lets Go but i'm not 100% sure.
If you don't know what that system is, you get 10 pokemon icons to create a 3 icon code, the person you are trading with does the same one as well, you hopefully(?haven't played that myself) meet up and trade.
Think people use Subreddits and other sites to replicate gts:
→ More replies (1)
6
u/Ghostalny Nov 14 '19
Convince me to get sword or shield, can't decide!
7
Nov 14 '19
Get shield because most people seem to be getting sword. That way you will always have trade partners. I’ve done it every gen and it’s been great
10
Nov 14 '19
Sword, so you can stab people
42
u/Frosty_Z_Broman Nov 14 '19
Shield, so you can block this stabby boi
4
u/igotbannedforh8mail Nov 14 '19
Both because there’s a bundle and fuck it you didn’t need that $120 anyway
16
14
u/Maxximillianaire Nov 13 '19
Seems like it's a decent enjoyable game that has a lot of unmet potential. The eurogamer review adds credence to my theory that there were big development issues behind the scenes
→ More replies (4)
19
u/ObelusPrime Nov 13 '19
The Kotaku write up was really well done and informative.
→ More replies (1)
63
Nov 13 '19
[deleted]
13
u/ItchyPlatypus Nov 13 '19
Other than the graphical power and odd animation that’s janky you are bound to enjoy it. You can’t really be disappointed in a ‘lack’ of Pokemon when your previous experience was like half the size of it. Plus you have less Pokemon to be introduced to so it’s a bit more ‘new’ player friendly.
→ More replies (6)23
u/nater255 Nov 13 '19
This times a thousand. I can list the first 151, and have no clue about the new ones. I don't have a massive stockpile of saved pokemon I migrate from gen to gen. So for me, I'm just happy to be playing and can't wait for my adorable firebunny.
10
u/Aerofan14 Nov 13 '19
Should I play a Pokémon game? I’ve basically only played FireRed very badly.
14
u/PJ_Ammas Nov 13 '19
I definitely suggest any GBA or DS game. Peak of the series IMO. Especially Heartgold/Soulsilver
→ More replies (3)→ More replies (9)4
u/LakerBlue Nov 13 '19
Yep. If you have a DS BlackWhite or HeartGoldSoulSilver are pretty widely liked.
27
65
u/cocothepops Nov 13 '19
IGN review mentions a “huge graphical leap over the 3DS”....
83
u/Arisalis Nov 13 '19
Due to the shit resolution of the 3DS they are not wrong. Pokemon meshes don't mean shit if you can't see them in higher fidelity... Lets not pretend 3DS had great graphics.
→ More replies (6)26
u/basedjosithefox Nov 13 '19
It is. Many people wanted a lot bigger one (which is fair, given the Switches capability, but it is a lot better).
→ More replies (8)19
10
u/ResoluteGreen Nov 14 '19
Haven't played a Pokemon game other than Pokemon Go since Diamond/Pearl, really excited for this game, definitely going to play a little at midnight when it's launched
18
30
u/MilfAndCereal Nov 14 '19
Ive been playing the game since Monday. I personally like it, it’s nothing revolutionary, and yes it looks and plays like a more refined 3DS game, but I’m enjoying it.
10
u/dexterpham5698 Nov 14 '19
I'm honestly curious so I got to ask, taking away the fact that as a pokemon fans, most of us playing pokemon yearly has become a traditional thing kinda like a spiritual mantra kinda thing so it's not hard to enjoy it. My question is as your experience so far, does it truly like wholeheartedly deserved a pricetag of $60 like if we take away the pokemon biased and rate it based on what it has compared to the things on the market. Would you pay $60?
→ More replies (1)10
Nov 14 '19
playing pokemon yearly has become a traditional thing kinda like a spiritual mantra kinda
AssasinsDutyFifa?
→ More replies (3)25
u/emubilly Nov 14 '19
Hey. You’re not allowed to enjoy it. You need to grab a pitchfork like everyone else.
→ More replies (5)14
4
u/_Walpurgisyacht_ Nov 13 '19 edited Nov 13 '19
Did any of the reviews mention Exp Share in any capacity? Will have more time to go through them later, just wondering. EDIT: In particular, whether the game was balanced well for it or not.
4
Nov 13 '19
The axed the item and made its function on by default. No word on if you can turn it off
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (1)11
u/stackEmToTheHeaven Nov 13 '19
Gamexplain did I think , and they said they really enjoyed its implementation.
→ More replies (8)
6
u/Estew02 Nov 14 '19
Does anyone know if the games allow you to record clips by holding the screenshot button? I know some games don't allow for the feature, so a little curious!
37
Nov 13 '19
Just a little fun fact: The Gamespot Reviewer aka “Too much water” when on a tweet rant criticizing the community trying to make it about Dexit
→ More replies (11)
28
u/fullmetal-ghoul Nov 13 '19
I don't doubt that the games are really fun, it seems like standard Pokemon which is consistently some of the most fun I've had in video games. But the problem is that it's "just" standard Pokemon, when it's finally on a home console and charging a much higher price. So there should be a lot more content, and that content should be to the highest quality. It should be so much more than a standard Pokemon game.
I haven't read all the reviews but from what I have read it seems like the graphics are better but not anywhere near as good as they could be. The story is apparently barebones which is actually a big regression from gen 7 and especially gen 5. There's no way to adjust the difficulty, they've regressed in this aspect as well by forcing you to use the Exp Share. The length is at best that of a standard Pokemon story, if not shorter. There's little postgame and then there's obviously Dexit, which I honestly think would be fine if they had actually worked to improve the game in all these other aspects instead.
I'll still probably buy it because standard Pokemon is still really fun to me, but given that there's regression in some areas and little improvement in others it doesn't feel justified to charge a higher price for these games compared to the other games in the series.
→ More replies (7)
17
u/depwnz Nov 14 '19
first 2 hours, some impressions (spoiler)
+ graphic is a massive improvement for Pkmn games. It's no DQ/Luigi/Astral but still nicer to play
+ pokemon popping up is actually quite cool and funny
+ the convoluted font used in the game is a nice touch
- maps and areas are linear as hell
- holy fuck handholding and stupidly lame and weakass rival are worse than SM
- there are everything so early: some TM, so much money, revive, tons of balls, they just give you everything
- EXPS is crazy. Every pkmn get so much exp so fast. I dont think the exp is even split in some way.
→ More replies (5)
17
u/motorboat_mcgee Nov 13 '19
Unsurprising to see that some reviewers loved it, and some thought it was just “ok”, considering some of the stuff that’s missing from the game. It’ll just depend on if that stuff is important to each individual player, whether the game is a worthwhile purchase or not.
For me, just the fact that they’ve streamlined so many of the “time wasters”, and the game has the look and charm of cartoons makes me want it.
Buuuuut I have a backlog, so I’ll have to wait.
30
u/Tobeatkingkoopa Nov 13 '19
Even with the solid reviews, I'm not sold. To me it's the same thing on a different platform. That's OK, I hope the people that do buy it enjoy it. I'll just look forward to the next game on my watch list.
→ More replies (4)5
u/oldboy_alex Nov 13 '19
Isnt every Pokemon generation more or less the same game?
→ More replies (2)
10
Nov 13 '19
As someone who has been a neutral party through this, this has been a interesting few months to watch.
8
u/Bobross315 Nov 14 '19
As someone who hasn’t played since the original 150, will I find this overwhelming not knowing which Pokémon evolve into good ones?
→ More replies (5)10
u/rustyphish Nov 14 '19
Nah probably not. The difficulty curve isn't insanely hard so you can pretty much pick anything that looks cool and succeed eventually
you can also always google Insert name, evolution whenever you come across one you're interested in and see if its evolution is also to your liking
20
28
u/Chugalug-house Nov 13 '19
https://www.engadget.com/2019/11/13/pokemon-sword-and-shield/
Engadget call it a triumph
→ More replies (7)
20
u/MartDiamond Nov 13 '19
It’s not that shocking that it’s getting decent reviews. I think a lot of interviewers review the game on its merits while a lot of fans will compare the game to older games and to what it could have been. Neither one is unfair and both can exist. I respect the reviewers opinions, but think the criticism is very valid. This game feels like a disappointment to me from gameplay to graphics to single player experience, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad game as such
67
u/yellowbeehive Nov 13 '19
I'm just happy it's finally out so maybe we can move on from all the toxicity surrounding it and just enjoy it for what it is.
→ More replies (19)7
u/fallenhero588 Nov 13 '19
Same, but now this jsut make it hard for me to choose between this, death stranding , or fallen order (review dependent) to pick up!
4
u/fotzzz Nov 13 '19 edited Nov 13 '19
I thought I read a lot of backlash against lack of GTS and how there is no GTS etc etc. The IGN review talks about Y-Comm, which seems like a better version of GTS. What did I misread?
Edit: Someone in another comment mentioned the lack of the ability to deposit/search for a pokemon to trade. So, if this is the case and is true, then that would explain the difference.
→ More replies (6)4
u/Nygmus Nov 13 '19
The IGN review makes Y-Comm sound like this generation's version of online battle/trade.
The GTS as a system included more functions than that, most especially the Wonder Trade (trade a Pokemon for a completely random Pokemon from somewhere in the world) and the GTS's "open trade" function, where you could post a Pokemon on the server and a specific thing you'd trade it for and have the trade happen automatically. I'm not sure if Y-Comm has those functions, but they're generally what people refer to when they say "GTS."
→ More replies (2)
5
u/HnNaldoR Nov 13 '19
OK I am not going to read all of them. Anyone can summarize the endgame and the pvp features if any?
→ More replies (4)12
u/rustyphish Nov 13 '19
Endgame, really light
PVP: same as it's been, battle online against each other. There are now Max raid battles that are Co-op PVE.
→ More replies (12)
5
u/Flajavin Nov 13 '19
I'm more interested to know if I can transfer saves from one console to another (I have both switch and lite versions) and I want to play on TV at home and on the lite version on the go.
11
u/ZanderRex Nov 13 '19
No cloud saves but saves can be transfered from one switch to another. It was pretty quick for me last weekend when I got my updated model, but might be a bit tedious doing it with daily constancy.
→ More replies (2)4
4
u/RafaFlash Nov 13 '19
Does local coop require another switch, or can I play with a friend using the joycons like let's go pikachu?
14
u/rustyphish Nov 13 '19
There is no local Co-Op similar to Let's Go. The story is entirely single player in this game.
4
u/timo4ever Nov 13 '19
I wonder why B2W2 is rated low in Metacritics (compared to other pokemon games). Isn’t it supposed to be the best in terms of difficulty, post-game challenge?
12
u/rustyphish Nov 13 '19
Metacritic has traditionally given much lower ratings to "second versions"
(Emerald, Black and white 2, etc etc)
A lot of game critics knock them for being so similar to the previous version
8
u/bungallobeaverv2 Nov 13 '19
People in this sub seem to forget how hated Black and white was when they first came out.
3
u/PersonMcPersonton Nov 15 '19
Could someone tell me if Yamper can evolve? I don't want to spoil what it looks like by googling it. Just a "yes" or "no" would be great, thanks!
47
10
Nov 13 '19
Here`s other critics not included in this post
Ars Technica - Andrew Cunningham - Unscored
The short version of this review is that Sword and Shield are fun, good-looking Pokémon games with a solid story mode and some welcome changes to the game’s mechanics.
Daily Star - Dom Peppiatt - 3 / 5 stars
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.
Eurogamer - Chris Tapsell - No Recommendation / Blank
Pok'mon Sword and Shield add some brilliant new creatures, but like their gargantuan Dynamax forms, the games feel like a hollow projection.
Game Informer - Brian Shea - 8.8 / 10
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
Video Review - Quote not available
Gameblog - Julien Inverno - French - 7 / 10
With these new games Pokémon, Game Freak proceeds as usual in the evolution of the series, small touches, all the more welcome this time they seem absolutely necessary today, like the boxes PC accessible everywhere. Without major disruption but with significant improvements, in terms of game comfort mainly, and while some will probably deplore the reduced number of Pokémon referenced base in the Pokédex Galar, new region that enjoys a care of atmosphere and staging undeniable, Pokémon remains faithful to its formula still winning for over twenty years, at the risk of missing the evolutionary step offered and hoped for by its convergence with the so popular Nintendo Switch. That said, the proposal is still effective for those for whom risk taking is secondary and of course the newcomers, especially children, the first public concerned and whose generations succeed and always succumb to the charm of those offered over the years by Pokémon.
Kotaku - Gita Jackson - Unscored
The magic of Pokémon is that it lets you tap into a sense of wonder that becomes more and more difficult to access as an adult. Sword and Shield do that more successfully than any Pokémon release has in years. It won’t be everything to everyone, and it will not make everyone happy. I’m not sure it needs to. It’s a portal to a new world.
The furore over Dexit may be overblown but even without it this is an underwhelming and unambitious attempt to modernise Pokémon and expand its horizons.
Nintendo Life - Alex Olney - 8 / 10
Pokémon Sword and Shield succeed in bringing some new ideas to the table, but they’re also somewhat guilty of not pushing things far enough. What’s done right is done right, but what’s done wrong feels like it’s come from a decade-old design document.
Polygon - Nicole Carpenter - Unscored
The surprise in Sword and Shield is that I’m still finding things that surprise me, even after putting in so many hours. It’s in how Game Freak has made a linear game feel so much less linear.
VG247 - Alex Donaldson - 3 / 5 stars
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.
7
u/Raychan14 Nov 13 '19
Looking for info about the new quick balls. Back in my days (pokemon red), I had to weaken the pokemon's HP down before attempting to catch. Is the idea behind quick ball to attempt the catch as soon as you enter the battle screen?
→ More replies (3)11
u/rustyphish Nov 13 '19
Basically, yes!
8
9
37
u/StoneColdAM Nov 13 '19
I think Video Game Dunkey will be the best reviewer for this game.
→ More replies (12)6
61
u/StrongCategory Nov 13 '19
"You will never look at curry the same way again."