Pokémon Sword and Shield | Review | Nintendo Switch

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​The road to the Galar region has been a rocky one for Nintendo and Pokémon fans alike, but when it comes to deciding how this pair of new Nintendo Switch games fare, we'll be focusing on what is here more so than what isn't.

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​by James
Michael
​Parry

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@James_Parry

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Developer: Game Freak
Publisher: Nintendo
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Players: 1

As the first mainline Pokémon titles on Switch, expectations were high coming into Sword and Shield - which we’ve lumped together here due to them being largely identical. The overall experience is ultimately very, very familiar to regular players, with a more traditional gym badge structure returning after Sun and Moon's departure from the well-trodden format, and battles pushing the nostalgia button hard by leaning into familiar tropes.

Sun and Moon, alongside Let's Go Pikachu and Let’s Go Eevee, brought new elements to the table. In Sword and Shield, however, normalcy and familiarity consume about 80-90% of the game, leaving little wiggle room for the few new elements to shine.

One returning feature is the ability to Dynamax Pokémon, overpowering and over-sizing them for three turns of badassery to surpass previous features like Mega Evolutions and Z-Moves. The novelty is initially impressive, but after a few times it wears off as you impatiently ride out the lengthy and unskippable animations.

Some Pokémon also boast Gigantimax forms, which function in much the same fashion only while also tweaking the visual design and granting a signature move to Pokémon. Nintendo made a song and dance about the “new” Gigantamaxing feature, yet this song is barely a remix.

​What does strike up a new tune is encountering significantly over-levelled Pokémon in the Wild Area. Coming up against these presents a chance to push your battle skills early on, but also shows off creatures in something more approaching a natural environment. While Pokémon do prowl about as you wander elsewhere in the game, the large evolutions present in the Wild Area carry an exciting visual impact that brings back memories of the Safari Zone, recapturing some of the child-like wonder of early Pokémon series exploration.

A cross between Teletubbyland and Breath of the Wild's rolling plains, the Wild Area itself could use a bit more intricacy. Biomes and various weather effects seem to shift from hail to sun and back again largely without rhyme or reason, but you'll lose plenty of time pottering about nonetheless. For the collectors amongst you, it's also a great opportunity to fill your Pokédex and diversify your party early on.

The story is by the numbers as usual, so those hoping for a deep, meaningful conversation with an NPC hanging out in a Pokémon Center will continue to be disappointed. A cheerful tune greets you whenever you do visit, though in this region there doesn't seem to be any Poké-helper for the nurse.

Elsewhere, the soundtrack is an awkward mix of sound effects we've been hearing for years (decades even), an increasingly archaic lack of spoken dialogue, and some charming new themes composed for the Wild Area and various cities. So fun are these latter spins on British culture, visually as well as musically, that you might find yourself spending longer than you should lingering in any one location.
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While some rockstar Pokémon like Pikachu and Eevee get full sound effects - the creatures often saying their own names with a springy sense of joy - most don't have as much aural character, instead relying on adorable animations to help you bond with them as you play together in camps.

Animations overall are a strange mix, though. Even brand new additions like the three available starters (Scorbunny, Sobble and Grookey) have either well-choreographed displays for their unique moves, or completely generic ones which don't seem to match the move at all. You can go from the delight of a bespoke Wooloo "Tackle" to Scorbunny merely jumping on the spot to covey a "Double Kick" – even when it kicks merrily for some other moves.

Shortcomings don't end there, as the game also struggles to make the most of its new platform. Some locations and scenery really shine in terms of their design, but generally you'd be forgiven for assuming that Sword and Shield were 3DS ports.

That might still be enough for many players; after all, it’s almost impossible to escape the joy of setting out on an adventure to go from Pokémon zero to hero. Getting properly invested in a team and playing with their movesets to feel like you have all the bases covered is constantly rewarding, in spite of the eye-watering number of type combinations that are now available.

Hopefully the development compromises and sacrifices felt across Pokémon Sword and Shield will allow Game Freak to reassess and build on their successes to push the envelope in the future. In the meantime, there's a solid and enjoyable experience here, just not a new one.

Pros

• New Pokémon have some great designs
• The Wild Area is somewhat game-changing
• Riffs on British culture are heartwarming

Cons

• Only a handful of new elements
• Human characters continue to be dull distractions from the titular stars
• Many popular Pokémon don’t return, including some of the original starters

7/10