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Pokémon Sword and Shield Review
| 2019-11-21

Nintendo are dominating the gaming industry at the moment with huge releases dropping every week for what is probably the best gaming system available at the moment. Without a doubt the biggest Switch title this year though only dropped last Friday and has since broken records and created a frenzy across social media. The game in question is of course Pokémon Sword and Shield, the first full Pokémon RPG to hit the Switch. I was very excited to get stuck into the game despite being a little worried pre-launch due to the removal of some Pokémon and graphical issues that were all over Twitter last week. So then, did the removal of Pokémon make a big difference? Did I encounter those aforementioned graphical issues? Let’s find out. Continue scrolling to read my full review and check out the embedded videos to wee what the game looks like in action!

Pokémon Sword and Shield – Nintendo Switch Exclusive – Out Now

Pokémon games have been a part of my life since Platinum dropped for the DS back in 2008. I've been playing Pokémon games across multiple platforms ever since with a large portion of my second year at Uni being spent playing the mobile game, Pokémon Go. I'm a big fan of the series and also being a big Switch advocate, I was very excited to see what GameFreak could do with the new hardware. Before launch, we got a few pieces of information in the form of trailers and images but in the grand scheme of things, we didn’t actually know that much about the game. Picking it up on Friday then, all that negativity I saw surrounding the game on social media was instantly tossed aside as I completely fell in love with the game after playing just the first 10 minutes.

Having that extra horsepower in the Switch allowed GameFreak to step visuals, world design, animations and the overall scale of the game up tenfold. It looks and sounds so much better than previous games and takes the Pokémon experience to the next level. Both the UI and visuals are decent, the colours are very vibrant, and the sound is really nice too (special mention to the absolute banger that is the gym leader battle music). The overall visuals experience, coupled with the ability to play on the big screen, makes this the most immersive Pokémon experience to date, by a long way. Everything just feels right and I’m so happy to have this game!

In terms of actual gameplay, it follows that tried and tested formula but shakes it up a little big here and there. You still have to beat all of the gyms and go on to become the champion, but its what you do on the way that makes this game so special. The places you travel to, people you meet and Pokémon you encounter are so varied that it feels much bigger than any previous game. Yes, there are a lot of Pokémon missing but your chances of encountering older Pokémon are a lot higher than before, mainly thanks to the sprawling wild area which is an awesome new feature. The wild area allows you to encounter a large Pokémon all in one place, including some that are too strong to be caught at the start of the game. This combined with the raid battles available within the area make for a huge, open zone that youll be coming back to right until the end of the game. There is just so much to see and do within the Galar Region that youll never be bored or lost for things to do. My party of Pokémon is already very diverse and full of creatures I have never used before (bar my trusty Gyrados) and that to me is exciting, I love discovering new Pokémon! The element of discover extends into some of the new Pokémon within the game that have some rather special Gigantimax forms. This new feature allows Pokémon to grow drastically and use different moves in specific battles. This is a really cool feature and can impact your choice of party Pokémon for some battles!

It’s hard for me to find an element of the game that I dislike, in fact, I don’t think there is anything I truly hate. There are a few minor elements that I wish were different though, but I completely understand why the game is how it is. It’s too easy for someone with a lot of experience like myself. I feel like the game holds your hand too much and with that permanent EXP Share and the removal of HM’s, it removes some of the grind that I used to enjoy so much. Having said this though, it makes the game much more accessible for new players and maybe I’m finding it so easy because I’m much older and have more knowledge of the game than I used to, just something to bare in mind if you were expecting a big challenge.

Overall then, Pokémon Sword and Shield are without a doubt, the most refined Pokémon games in recent years. The new visual style, larger world and that signature feel make for an extremely enjoyable experience which brings both impressive new features to the fray and holds onto those traditional elements we all adore. It really is a fantastic game and being able to play on the big screen or take my Switch with me when I go out is once again, a truly invaluable feature. The game is yet another unbelievable Switch experience and quite possibly my favourite yet. Nintendo is winning big time at the moment, if you haven’t got a Switch, you absolutely need one. Sure, Pokémon Sword and Shield have their issues and of course, they’re not perfect, but they are damn near close.

Grab a copy here - https://bit.ly/3376jX2

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