Pokémon Sword & Pokémon Shield (2019, Switch)

[Tim B]

There’s a good amount of sales data in this article. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2019-11-17-uk-charts-pok-mon-sword-and-shield-post-huge-opening-weekend-sales

[MindFreak]

Started Sword yesterday evening (got it for review purposes) and played for half an hour. And yes, the game does indeed need voice-acting. That introduction was just too boring and it would have helped if it had more energy which can come from VA.

I do like what I have played so far, though. It looks and sounds good, and the introduction has been speedy so far.

[ThiophenSJ]

Not that far in the game yet, just reached the wild area for the first time and totally lost myself in catching every new Pokedex entry I can find! Too bad you just can't catch the high level Pokemon. Also did some raids with NPC's and they all seemed quite easy so far. I'm guessing they scale with your level/ arena badges or something?

[Hero-of-Time]

Man, the Y-Comm/Stamps thing is a mess. For the past hour I've been trying to hook up with random players to do some raids with very little success. I search for Seeking or Max Raids only to have the game say it's full. You then have to sit and wait until the refresh option actually pops up to search again. There's also the fact that the stamps don't erase if the game is full, so you could be clicking on a raid that is in progress or even over.

There are also times where you select a stamp and it says there no stamps found in that filter. Rubbish! You can't tell me nobody is hosting a raid match. The thing just doesn't work.

Considering this is end game stuff, would it have been so hard to have raid lobbies where you can actually see what raids are going in? Awful design. 

Edited November 18, 2019 by Hero-of-Time

[RedShell]

13 minutes ago, Hero-of-Time said:

Man, the Y-Comm/Stamps thing is a mess. For the past hour I've been trying to hook up with random players to do some raids with very little success. I search for Seeking or Max Raids only to have the game say it's full. You then have to sit and wait until the refresh option actually pops up to search again. There's also the fact that the stamps don't erase if the game is full, so you could be clicking on a raid that is in progress or even over.

There are also times where you select a stamp and it says there no stamps found in that filter. Rubbish! You can't tell me nobody is hosting a raid match. The thing just doesn't work.

Considering this is end game stuff, would it have been so hard to have raid lobbies where you can actually see what raids are going in? Awful design. 

Yeah, the online setup in this game truly is atrocious. It’s just been so poorly thought out.

Worst of all though is how it completely ignores the Switch’s friends list! Why the hell should anyone registered as friends on the Switch itself need to then use a separate code in order to connect online? It’s actually unbelievable how stupid that is.

I had a good laugh yesterday reading the trading thread, when you and Blade were trying to trade and he instead got connected to “Lauren”. 

It’s as if there was a contest within Game Freak to design the worst online system possible.  
 

Anyway, online stuff aside I’m still really enjoying the game. Not played a Pokémon game for a long time though, so I imagine that has helped quite a bit. I’d forgotten just how addictive it could be too.  

[Glen-i]

1 hour ago, RedShell said:

It’s as if there was a contest within Game Freak to design the worst online system possible.  

In that case, no-one working on this game won, because Sun/Moon outperforms it in sheer awfulness.

It's a shame too, because X/Y had really good online features.

I found I had decent success with playing some Raid Battles last night with @Ugh first aid and @Sméagol when I was just running around starting raids. Just gotta make sure you filter by Friends so it doesn't get lost in all the other stuff.

[RedShell]

38 minutes ago, Glen-i said:

In that case, no-one working on this game won, because Sun/Moon outperforms it in sheer awfulness.

Did those games not make use of the friends list either? That’s really the main thing I dislike about the online with Sword and Shield. 
 

I mean sure, by all means have the code stuff in order for random players to connect with each other, but forcing the same thing on those that are already friends at system level is simply unforgivable. I would just love to know what the reasoning was behind that truly bizarre decision. 

[Ike]

Tries to show.my League Card with @Ugh first aid and @Mokong but you just can't do it. Tried using the standard NE passcode hoping they knew what it is but I got matched with randoms.

I noticed it stops updating sometimes and I don't get new stamps. There's no way no one was playing. The number of Raid battles seems kinda low as well, not many showed up. Had a few raids where no randoms joined either. Not sure if there's some sort of hidden filter going on to stop it being too busy or something.

4 hours ago, ThiophenSJ said:

Not that far in the game yet, just reached the wild area for the first time and totally lost myself in catching every new Pokedex entry I can find! Too bad you just can't catch the high level Pokemon. Also did some raids with NPC's and they all seemed quite easy so far. I'm guessing they scale with your level/ arena badges or something?

@Ugh first aid and I got wrecked by a Galvantula, although I think our levels where too low.

[Glen-i]

5 hours ago, RedShell said:

Did those games not make use of the friends list either? That’s really the main thing I dislike about the online with Sword and Shield.

Actually, it did, but in order to actually connect with your friend, you had to both go to a certain menu option at the same time, then you go through another 3 menus that I still can't figure out without randomly clicking stuff and then maybe that person will appear. If they used a different name to their 3DS account, then good luck figuring out who it is.

Somewhere in the Sun/Moon thread, there's a whole page dedicated to 2 poor members trying to figure it out.

[stuwii]

Does the Uk have the issue about the double pack codes being reversed. Really want Larvitar in my Sword Game 

[Aperson]

Made a considerable amount of progress today and reached the 5th gym leader. The 4th gym battle was pretty epic but I haven't uploaded it yet so you'll have to wait for the upload there. For now here's the third gym battle in the game.

 

 

I finally had a full team of 6 for this third gym leader which is pretty quick... but I made a change to the team after the 3rd gym because I wanted something that could evolve and potentially look cool, plus if I'm getting a Corviknight then there would be a second Steel type on the team. So yeah, Deep Thought was dropped from the team after being around for only one gym battle. Unfortunately it looks like it's replacement has a rather obscure evolution requirement.:/ This Pokemon better be stronger in stats than Deep Thought.

 

 

Made my way through the Wild Area over the other side and it turns out that the place there is where the 8th Gym Leader is. Hmm...

 

I caught a Galarian Yamask for my team, named her Myrtle after Moaning Myrtle from Harry Potter. The irony is that Galarian Yamask only learns one Ground type move. I also found Silicobra which could have been the replacement Ground type on my team. I ended up going for Yamask over Silicobra because of the additional type and potential extra coverage, including being able to learn Psychic moves as a Ghost which would give me more options against Fighting and Poison Pokemon. And hey, if the opponent has Levitate, Myrtle now has Zen Headbutt from Max Raid Battles.

 

Oh yeah, Drizzile evolved and whatever you might think of the middle evolution of Sobble... Inteleon is so cool and makes the entire line worth it. A secret agent chameleon that parachutes into battle with its fins is so cool. Picking based on what I'm probably going to look at for the final evo turned out to be worth it. Impidimp also evolved, Morgem is like a bigger Impidimp and I'm OK with that.

 

My team at the moment is this:

 

[Dufniall]

I got the game on Saturday but yesterday evening I finally had some time to play it. I've only put about 2 hours in and the game is charming, but also has it's flaws.

No voice acting as mentioned before is really a miss. That opening sequence with the guy talking in the stadium, at first I really thought the audio was missing as the mouth kept moving. It just looks silly. I know it's impossible to voice everything but they could have done it at least for the cutscenes.

Another issue is the same I had with Ultra Moon's opening. You can't take 2 steps without someone healing you as @Hero-of-Time also mentioned. As if the game is afraid to give you any bit of a challenge.

I really like the bit where the starters are playing around before picking one. I hope there are more moments like this in the game, it's so charming and really adds character to the 'mon.

[Sméagol]

Got something really cool from a surprise trade.. It's a dragon ghost type thing.. Level 1, and apparently it's a new Pokémon! Welcome to the team I guess!

I do feel sorry for the other trader though.. I can't remember what I sent, but it's definitely not as cool or interesting.

[Aperson]

Ladies and gentelemen, I present to you... the most epic gym battle I've had in the entire game so far. All because I thought her second to last Pokemon was the last one...

 

Just a minor warning, if anyone picked Sobble and has not yet seen what he evolves into (as in, full evolution line) I advise against watching the video just now.

 

 

Hoping to do the 5th gym leader sometime soon. I expect to struggle because the Pokemon who I hoped would be able to take on this gym has not actually evolved to be able to learn the moves it needs to be able to win which should create a fascinating match because the only Pokemon that I have left that has a super effective move against this gym is weak to said type as it is on there as a counter move...

 

I have also been doing a few Max Raid Battles to stock up on TRs seeing as the best moves are locked behind those. Obtained Ice Beam which my evolved Sobble then couldn't learn... however after the events of the video above it could finally learn it. I also managed to snag a TR for Dazzling Gleam which is useful as the Pokemon that was meant to cover that particular type of move hasn't learned a single one of those moves.

[Tim B]

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2019-11-19-nintendo-switch-uk-sales-spike-30-percent-as-pok-mon-sword-and-shield-sets-record

Some more info on sales here. It was the third biggest launch EVER in the UK for Nintendo (perhaps would‘ve been second with digital sales included).

Seems to be an excellent result despite the toxic Pokémon community losing its shit for most of 2019. I imagine it will overtake the lifetime sales of Pokémon Let’s GO! Pikachu/Eevee sometime before the end of December.

[Glen-i]

14 hours ago, Sméagol said:

Got something really cool from a surprise trade.. It's a dragon ghost type thing.. Level 1, and apparently it's a new Pokémon! Welcome to the team I guess!

Whenever someone is trading Level 1 Pokémon over surprise trade, 99% of the time, it's someone hatching hundreds of eggs in order to get a shiny/Perfect IV one.

I should know, I've been there.

I want a Dreepy for myself, I hope it's good enough to be viable in a competitive match.

It's strange. The best way to get to Level 100 is not to fight the highest level trainers over and over, but to do max raids and shove candy down your Pokémon's gob. Considering that's how you get TR's as well, I suppose it's a good thing, but it's odd.

Expect to see me constantly starting Max Raids over the weekend, so feel free to join in.

[Scratch]

The other day I finished the first Gym. The Gym Challenge made me laugh. xD

Spent the last couple of evenings using my spare/Shield save to trade with a friend and get us both the starters we didn't pick, and with the right Natures. Took some time but my friend and I now have all three starters on our main saves, so it was worth it in the end!

Next I think I better use all the codes that came with the games/emails before they expire or get guessed/stolen by randomers or something xD. And once that's done I can get back to proceeding through the game.

Really enjoying SwSh so far!

Spoiler

(All Level 23/24)
Corvisquire
Thievul
Yamper
Raboot
Drizzile
Thwackey

 

Edited November 20, 2019 by Sckewi
Added in my team

[MindFreak]

I wish they would ditch the Gyms altogether for the next entries and add a real story where there is something at stake and wasn't just for a personal gain (becoming Champion). I think that is something this game misses - an interesting story. I also feel like they could have changed the formula a bit more this time with the gyms. Instead of just doing 8 of them and then challenging the Elite Four and the Champion, they could have added something like the leagues from soccer. Minor league, major league, premier ... etc. and then you would advance when you got enough points. It would add something more like a world championship in Pokémon battling rather than a coming of age sort of thing. I have just completed Ni no Kuni before starting this and the differences in approach are really spectacular. Ni no Kuni had an engaging and interesting story with some quite deep and dark elements - while this has absolutely no real story. 

I also find it funny how everyone assumes that the main character has never left the small city in which he/she lives - never been to the tall grass and such. It seems totally unrealistic that a youngster would never have engaged with Pokémon before the day he/she get's one himself/herself. 

Furthermore, I find Hob to be about the most irritating person ever, while Leon looks incredibly silly despite wanting to be so cool. It's quite funny.

I just came out of Galar Mine and have a full team of six, consisting of

Spoiler

Corvisquire - lvl 21 - this is a cool Pokémon - hope the final evolution is part Dark
Drizzel - lvl 22 - evolution of Sobble. Is okay
Thievel - lvl 19 - Nickit's first evolution, not permanent
Pancham - lvl 17 - needed a fighter and this is better than Tyrogue
Yamper - lvl 20 - cute electric dog, quite useful
Wooloo - lvl 20 - not useful at all but I want to see its evolution

 

[Hero-of-Time]

@MindFreak did you play Sun/Moon? Yeah, Hob is an overly  enthusiastic git but Hau was 100 times worse than him. Smug little prick. 

[Rob3008]

At least they are not Lillie from Sun/Moon, christ what an irritant.

[MindFreak]

53 minutes ago, Hero-of-Time said:

@MindFreak did you play Sun/Moon? Yeah, Hob is an overly  enthusiastic git but Hau was 100 times worse than him. Smug little prick. 

Yeah.. .and I find Hob more irritating at the moment at least. Maybe I just forgot about Hau. Maybe it's just Hob's one-sided enthusiasm that's bothering me, always taking the same stance.

[Aperson]

Just now, MindFreak said:

Yeah.. .and I find Hob more irritating at the moment at least. Maybe I just forgot about Hau. Maybe it's just Hob's one-sided enthusiasm that's bothering me, always taking the same stance.

Hop does develop during the game. A later event does change his outlook, you'll see.

 

Currently done with the 7th gym. Need to catch up on Youtube uploads but my entire team of 6 is now fully evolved and are all in a position now where they all feel useful. Needed the internet to help though because dang I chose two team members with obscure evolution requirements...

 

James Bond - Inteleon - Lv.48

Quoth - Corviknight - Lv. 48

K9 - Boltund - Lv.48

Lancelot - Sirfetch'd - Lv.48

Peeves - Grimmsnarl - Lv.48

Myrtle - Runerigus - Lv.48

 

So after saying I was going to go with half my team choices blind I ended up choosing all Pokemon where at least one of their evolution lines was shown off before the game came out XD.

 

Not sure what I think of Grimmsnarl as a Pokemon design but he's pretty powerful. Corviknight is awesome as I already thought before the game but Inteleon has somehow single handedly redeemed the whole Sobble line. A spy chameleon that uses finger guns and parachutes into battle is cool.

[Sméagol]

5 hours ago, Glen-i said:

Whenever someone is trading Level 1 Pokémon over surprise trade, 99% of the time, it's someone hatching hundreds of eggs in order to get a shiny/Perfect IV one.

I should know, I've been there.

I want a Dreepy for myself, I hope it's good enough to be viable in a competitive match.

It's strange. The best way to get to Level 100 is not to fight the highest level trainers over and over, but to do max raids and shove candy down your Pokémon's gob. Considering that's how you get TR's as well, I suppose it's a good thing, but it's odd.

Expect to see me constantly starting Max Raids over the weekend, so feel free to join in.

I.. actually got another one a few surprise trades later. I'm not sure but I think it's level 1 as well, if you want it. I saw its evolution in a max raid battle as well.

I also actually got an extra Sobble from a surprise trade, also level 1. I think I gave a Magikarp in return.. To be fair, it was a Magikarp I received in the previous surprise trade.

[RedShell]

Credits rolled for me last night. The final hour or so was a bit weird/repetitive, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed this game, it’s probably one of my favourite Pokémon games actually! Pretty funny when you consider how much backlash it received.  I can understand some people being upset over certain Pokémon not making the cut, or complaints about aspects of the online features (ok, and perhaps the story too ) but other than that I think Sword/Shield is a really good game.

The absolute star of the show for me though is its soundtrack, I was super impressed with so many of the tracks. The Max Raid Battle theme in particular is just insane! Get that playing through some good speakers/headphones and wow!  It’s so Pokémon, yet so ludicrously epic. Spine-tingling stuff: 

And then there’s nice chilled-out stuff like this: 

I spent way too much time in the train stations because of that.  

The crazy Latin section in one of the final battle themes was just the icing on the delicious soundtrack cake.  

I think the fact the game was based on the UK made it extra enjoyable too, some very entertaining references to be found throughout. I assume James Turner probably had quite a bit of input when it came to some of this stuff.

Anyway, I’m looking forward to checking out the post-game content, perhaps even trying to put together a “decent” team for some online battles, although I usually struggle with the increased tactical element of competitive Pokémon, not helped by my reluctance to use evolved Pokémon.  

Speaking of which, this happened during a raid battle last night and gave me a good chuckle:

Spoiler for Grookey’s final form:

 

 

4 hours ago, Glen-i said:

Expect to see me constantly starting Max Raids over the weekend, so feel free to join in.

Cool. I shall try to join you for some of those, love doing max raid battles.  

[Glen-i]

52 minutes ago, RedShell said:

Speaking of which, this happened during a raid battle last night and gave me a good chuckle:

Spoiler for Grookey’s final form:

 

I can only imagine how blindsided people get when you roll in with your team and proceed to far outperform what is expected from a Pokémon that most people wouldn't have above level 20.

You know, I think you could get some good use out of a Pokémon using Eviolite if you decide to dip your toe into competitive fights. Sure, you'd need to find a Pokémon you like that is already quite tanky (Shame Chansey isn't in this game, really.) and you'd only be able to have one on your team, but it's worth a look.

Once I finish the Pokédex, I plan on building a more competitive team and I'd be happy to help with any Pokémon you might want to get.

Oh, and @Sméagol, I'll take you up on that second Dreepy tomorrow evening. Things are stupid rare and it'll be much quicker just to get one from you.

Edited November 20, 2019 by Glen-i