Introduction
Basic information
Developer Name: Game Freak
Full Name: Pokémon Sword
Release Date: 2019
Released on: Nintendo Switch
Cross Play: No
Initial thoughts
Simone enjoyed the initial hours of Pokémon Sword. The early game is colorful, friendly, and approachable, which makes it easy to get into even if you are not deeply invested in Pokémon lore. However, it quickly starts to feel repetitive, especially for someone who has already played several Pokémon games before and watched many more being played.
She also enjoyed watching me explore Pokémon Violet, which made Sword feel more limited by comparison. While Sword does have a few areas where strong Pokémon roam freely, it lacks the constant sense of danger and discovery that later games attempted. After a while, the structure becomes very predictable, and that predictability never really goes away.
Story and setting
Plot overview
The story follows the familiar Pokémon formula with only minor twists. A mysterious energy source threatens the region, and an obvious antagonist tries to harness it for their own purposes. An alien Pokémon from space ends up being central to the conflict (yes, that one called, Nexo, nexa… Necrozma-adjacent confusion included), and the so called champion figure is ultimately humiliated by forces far beyond his control.
Despite all of this, the world continues to revolve around Pokémon battles held in massive football stadiums, even when it feels wildly inappropriate given the stakes. The disconnect between the world-ending threat and the sports tournament is never addressed meaningfully, making the story feel shallow and oddly unfocused.
World building and immersion
The Galar region is visually appealing but emotionally distant. Cities look impressive from afar, yet they often feel like façades rather than lived in places. Routes are short, linear, and designed to funnel the player forward instead of encouraging exploration.
The Wild Area is the biggest attempt at immersion, and while it was novel at the time, it feels undercooked. Pokémon roam the overworld, but the space lacks depth, secrets, and environmental storytelling. Compared to later games, it feels more like a prototype than a fully realized idea.
Character development
Character development is minimal. Rivals and champions have clear personalities, but they rarely evolve. Simone did not feel particularly attached to any character, and none of them left a lasting impression after the credits rolled.
Emotional impact
Emotionally, the game is very safe. There are no moments that truly surprise or challenge the player. Threats are introduced and resolved quickly, and characters rarely show believable fear, doubt, or growth. The game is pleasant, but it rarely feels memorable on an emotional level.
Rating for story and setting
I have visited multiple aspects of the story, and after some thought and objective thinking, I rated the story and setting with a 6.
Gameplay and mechanics
Core gameplay mechanics
At its core, Pokémon Sword plays exactly like Pokémon. Catch Pokémon, train them, battle gyms, and defeat the Elite Four equivalent. For fans, this familiarity can be comforting. For Simone, who had already played several Pokémon games and completed multiple Pokédexes, it felt like more of the same without enough new ideas.
That said, the Dynamax system is genuinely fun. Compared to Terastallization in Violet, Dynamax battles feel more readable, more exciting, and less visually overwhelming. Seeing Pokémon grow massive and clash in stadiums works surprisingly well thematically.
Difficulty and balance
The game is very easy, especially for experienced players. Simone, having completed several Pokédexes before, absolutely steamrolled the final boss with little resistance. There is very little need for strategy unless the player imposes restrictions on their gameplay.
Pacing of the game
The pacing is uneven. The early game drags slightly due to tutorials, while the late game rushes through major story beats without giving them time to breathe. The ending feels abrupt rather than climactic.
Innovation and uniqueness
Innovation is limited. Dynamax is the standout feature, but beyond that, Sword feels conservative. It plays things safe instead of pushing the series forward.
Controls and user interface
Controls are smooth and intuitive, and menus are clear. This is one area where Pokémon continues to excel.
Microtransactions
While Pokémon Sword itself does not contain microtransactions, completing the full Pokédex effectively requires:
Pokémon GO (which does have microtransactions)
DLC (which we did not play)
This indirect monetization leaves a sour aftertaste.
Rating
After combing through many of the mechanics, the pacing, and other factors of this game, I rated the gameplay and mechanics with a 6.5
Graphics and art style
Quality of graphics and art direction
Pokémon Sword looks good. Character designs, Pokémon models, and animations are charming and readable. The art style remains one of the series’ strengths.
Technical performances
Performance is mostly stable, though some areas feel visually sparse. Animations can feel stiff, especially during battles.
Environment and design uniqueness
Environments are pleasant but repetitive. Many routes feel interchangeable, and towns often lack interactive depth.
Rating
It took me some time to give the graphics and art style an objective rating. There are many things to consider, but ultimately, I rated this section with a 7.0.
Sound and music
Music score and how it contributed to the game
The music is fitting for Pokémon. Gym battle themes and town music are energetic and memorable, even if none reach all-time series highs.
Sound effects quality
Sound effects are functional and satisfying, especially during battles.
Voice Acting
There is still no voice acting in Pokémon games, which feels increasingly outdated given the cinematic presentation.
Rating
After a lot of consideration, I rated the sound and music section with a 7.
Replayability
Game Length and content volume
Pokémon games are inherently replayable, but Simone was largely done with Pokémon after this entry. She relied heavily on Spookje (Darkrai), which she first used extensively in Pearl and continued to use here as a backup and for catching Pokémon. This consistency highlights both the strength and weakness of the series: familiar tools work forever, but that familiarity can become exhausting.
Extra Content
We did not play the DLC, so our experience is limited to the base game.
Replay value
High in theory, lower in practice if burnout sets in.
Rating
After thoughtful consideration, I decided to rate the replayability and game length of Pokémon Sword with a 6.
Suggestions and comparisons
Suggestions and feedback
Increase difficulty options
Improve world interactivity
Reduce reliance on external games and DLC for completion
Push narrative depth further.
Comparisons
Compared to Pokémon Violet, Sword feels more structured but far less ambitious. Compared to older Pokémon games, it feels polished but emotionally flatter.
Personal experiences and anecdotes
Simone loves using her starter Pokémon for the entire game and building the team around it. I supplied her with some of my powerful Pokémon from Violet, which was genuinely fun to watch and added some shared excitement. Still, by the end, she felt satisfied but finished, not eager to jump into another Pokémon adventure.
Rating
Taking in all the personal experiences with Pokémon Sword, I give it a personal rating of 7.
Last words
Pros
- Solid core Pokémon gameplay
- Dynamax battles are fun
- Good music
- Charming Pokémon designs
- Smooth controls
- Accessible for newcomers
- Stable performance
- Familiar comfort for fans
Cons
- Very easy difficulty
- Repetitive structure
- Shallow story
- Limited exploration
- Indirect monetization for completion
- Lacks lasting emotional impact
Pokémon Sword is not a bad game. It is competent, polished, and enjoyable, but it is also safe, repetitive, and emotionally thin. For Simone, it marked the point of Pokémon fatigue rather than renewed excitement. It’s a decent entry, but not one that pushes the series forward in a meaningful way.
FINAL RATING
6.8
Please let me know what you think of Pokémon Sword in the comments!
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I really wish they’d let the games cook a little more instead of pumping out new a new mediocre game every year or so. Imagine how good the game would be if they invested more time/energy into, although I guess that would cut into their profits. I mean Pokemon is a money printer for them.
They are a Pokémon pump!
Another rushed pokemon game for the cash grabbing auto sales that they know people will buy just because it says pokemon on it.
We gotta have those Pokémon!
Just the fact that this is easy and repetitive means that it’s definitely not for me! 😉
It is indeed on the easy side, except for the strange overpowered pokémon roaming around.
I think it was heavily criticized when it came out. Your review seems more positive.
They did fix some bugs and glitches of course.
I played this game too, but the pacing just didn’t click for me, so I couldn’t fully enjoy it.
Sometimes it just does not click.
This Pokémon is a bit of a disappointment because it doesn’t really offer anything new.
There are new strange pokémon of course, but it seems they are running out of ideas, one pokémon is literally a pile of garbage.
Feels weird to see extra stuff is required to complete Pokedex
It is the way it is nowadays.
Sword uses repetitiveness. It’s super-effective!
Nice one!
I think one of the core problems with Pokémon games might be, that the target audience isn’t quite clear. Many people playing Pokémon nowadays are people who grew up with it, are now adults and would like a bigger challange. But at the same time Nintendo still wants to cater to the small kids who are playing their first a bit more complex games. So I feel the games are often judged harshly by adults while the kids would actually not be able to play it, if the gameplay was harder and less repetitive…. just some food for thought…
This is often a problem seen with Nintendo, they want to cater to the old fans, but more to the new fans and often leave the old fans in the dust. Then the new fans become old fans and the cycle repeats.
From what I can tell, I think the Pokemon franchise could really do with more innovation, because it’s clear that the developers can innovate, based on your review of Pokemon: Arceus.
Thanks as always for the review! 🙂
They can indeed innovate. It just takes more time and money, which in the latter case, they do not want to spend.
Sad to hear it is another rushed installment with repetitive gameplay and a lack of innovation to prey on nostalgia… Glad I am more interested in indies where there is no lack of innovation…
Indies do tend to innovate a lot, and patch out problems.
One good new mechanic, and of course it’s the only time we see them, dynamax is specifically to that region canonically even, so if they want to bring back that would create plor holes (not that they care)
i’d love for once the pokemon company really invested a AAA budget for the highest grossing franchise, its the least the fans deserve
CREATE PLOT HOLES!!!! We literally do not care for plot holes in Pokémon, other Nintendo games though….
it looks so fun.
Pokémon can indeed be a lot of fun.
A repetitive pokemon game does not sound strange to me BUT the need for an DLC for completion is not okay. The pokemon franchise has so much potential for great stories … I wonder why the don’t tell them. Maybe because it is for children too.
Because they care more about money.
I totally get the Pokémon fatigue, I felt the same way after playing Violet
Slurped up too many Pokémon hunts.
Your review gives me an impression that the game is relaxing and cozy, although there is some world-level thread looming around 😛
It is just, you know, hanging there, but who cares, right?
I had thought this would be a more experimental or ambitious entry in the series but after reading the review I see that it is not the case
It is just the same old story.
Do Pokémon games still surprise you with new features or do they all end up blending into the same thing you play over and over? It’s always the same recipe—you get the badges to join the league, then beat the league to progress into endgame. At least that’s how I see them. ^_^;
Pokémon Arceus was amazing and innovated, it was fun, new, not the same badge system, etc. But the problem is, these games are outliers and not the main source for Gamefreak.
Honestly I never played true Pokemon game, cuz hadn’t any Nintendo. It looks not bad, but perhaps lacks innovation, maybe better would be as cRPG, let’s imagine Pokemon: Original Sin.
And what would you do in this game? Let Pokémon commit sins?
This was one of the first Pokemon games I *really* played! I thought it was really nice to get into the genre! There were definitely some things I wish were different though, like a better story and a bigger sense of exploration!
More exploration is always fun, I think you would like Pokémon Arceus.
I didnt know pokemons like football stadiums that much. I often restrict my gameplay but not using all development points and storaging them for later for final decision 😉 (if decision is not reversable in any way)., or gathering treasure of weapons and potions for the later hardest fight that may never to come.
Gather all the loot and never use it.