Pokemon Sword and Shield (Switch, 2019)
A solid 3D entry in the series, with some notable weaknesses.
Nostalgia Factor: Low. I’m a long time Pokemon gamer, but that factored in little here.
Difficulty: Very Easy. There’s virtually no challenge to this game.
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I’m glad I pushed through to finish Pokemon Sword. The game was losing me about half way through, but the ending was rewarding. Pokemon games seem to be the most exciting at the beginning through the first gym or two, and then they’re exciting again at the end. The repetitive gameplay cycle in the middle is what can be a slog, especially if you've got "Pokemon fatigue" from playing too many Pokemon games in a row, haha.
What I liked:
This was the first “fully 3D” Pokemon game I played, and it was nice to see some familiar ‘mons in action, in spite of the notable limitations of the Switch. Some of the sprite and move animations were very well done (Pyro Ball, Meteor Beam, Behemoth Blade, to name a few).
There were some decent story beats, though this game remains plagued by "Pokemon plot.” The writing can be childish and a bit ridiculous at times. The music was solid. There were a few tracks I really enjoyed. The new end-game format was a surprise (no Victory Road or traditional Elite Four), but once I got over myself, I thought the new format fit really well with the Great Britain inspired theme of the game.
The wild areas are a true highlight of the game. I genuinely enjoyed cruising around the big open areas on the bike. Even though the open space could at times feel empty, or at other times repetitive (like assets were copy pasted liberally), I appreciated the overall design direction of the wild areas.
The UI of this game is super clean. I also like many of the quality of life features they added in this Gen. There are loads of great new ‘mons too. Some of my favorites include Sobble, Raboot, Rookidee, Morpeko, and Galarian Ponyta.
What I didn't like:
Though the majority of 3D environments ranged from pretty good to OK (Slumbering Weald and Ballonlea looked quite nice actually), some environments looked almost like they were ripped out of an N64 game. There's one particular icy route towards the end of the game that looked so bad it made me laugh out loud. It was just so completely bland and bare.
The Exp. All leveling was much more balanced than in Sun/Moon, but I’m still struggling to accept just how easy Pokemon games are now. There's virtually no challenge. I did little to no grinding, and the only battle where more than one of my Pokemon fainted was the final battle against the Champion (also, he looks so ridiculous in that cape, haha).
Aside from the wild areas, this was probably the most linear Pokemon game I've ever played, which is not praise. On the routes, there’s very little room for exploration. Also, my character often had that eerie grin during very serious moments of the game, just like in Sun/Moon.
I can’t decide whether I love or hate Sordward's hair. Help me decide.
Overall, as a die hard Pokemon fan, I don’t regret seeing this one through, but it’s not high on my list of favorite Pokemon games. The post-game quest line was nice, but I did pass on the DLC, because $30 (really?). On a side note, this was my daughter’s first Pokemon game, and she loves it. If you’re a committed Pokemon fan, you may get some enjoyment out of this one too.