Pokémon Sword and Shield Review

Pokemon is one of the most influential game series ever creates. Since its creation in the 1990s, these games have excited adults and children alike. For years these fanatics have clamoured for an open-world version of Pokemon, which became possible with the release of the Nintendo Switch. November 15th marks the first time that open-world concepts are being implemented into the Pokemon franchise. Sword and Shield offer players an entirely different landscape to explore, which go outside the standard challenges and boss battles implemented in the previous games. Now there are side missions, Pokemon arenas for multiplayer battle and much more that won’t be revealed till the 15th.

There isn’t any concern for alarm for fans, with the structure of the core storyline remaining the same as other entries in the series. You take on the role of a new trainer living in some unknown town, intending to become the world’s greatest Pokemon master. Villains and rivals remain the same, with your best friend waiting to challenge you at any moment. This storyline takes players through the mysteries of Pokemon, uncovering secrets, and ancient creatures lost to history. Outside of the story, there is plenty to explore in the new open-world region called Galar.

Galar is designed around the United Kingdom, with players getting to explore everything from metropolis cities similar to London or Ancient Castles on coastal regions like Scotland. There is even a countryside where players can explore rolling green fields for Pokemon. Everything you would expect in a British-Themed game is available, such as the slang of Brits or Lollies from the local shops. Pokemon Sword and Shield promises to be the most immersive game ever created for the franchise.

The Controversy

Every game can’t be perfect, which includes the infamous Pokemon franchise. Fans of the series have complained about the fact that not prior generations of Pokemon are included in Sword and Shield. The developers claimed that this was the result of the Nintendo Switch, which would’ve required new animation designs for more than 500+ Pokemon. However, data miners located a file that showed hundreds of additional Pokemon for the game. This has led many to believe that GameFreak has opted not to use these Pokemon or will release them on a later date as downloadable-content.

There was also controversy regarding new Pokemon made available for Sword and Shield, with fans claiming that models and animations from Let’s Go! Where used in the development cycle for this new game. Put, it appears that GameFreak put little time into the design of Pokemon and more time into the open-world concept.