Pocket Monsters Sword and Shield

After months of waiting, the Pokemon franchise is expanded with an all-new saga featuring a new region full of new characters, new Pokemon, a mysterious new phenomenon, and a prophecy waiting to be uncovered. Welcome to Pokemon Sword and Shield, the next chapter of the Pokemon franchise.

So, what is Sword and Shield, you say? First and foremost, the new saga in the world of Pokemon welcomes players to the Galar Region, which is heavily inspired from Great Britain. Brit vibes aside, the new region is home to new Pokemon waiting to be caught.

At the start, players can choose one of the starters such as the Grass-type Grookey, the Fire-type Scorbunny, and the Water-type Sobble. With their starter set, players can explore the Galar Region catching new Pokemon, battle trainers, and conquer, yes really, gym battles, in the road to battle Leon and become the Galar Champion. It won't be easy but with the best Pokemon team with you, nothing is impossible.

There are plenty of Pokemon to catch in the Galar Region, be it new or returning. From new Pokemon such as Yamper, Corviknight, Morpeko, Cramorant, and Drednaw, to Galarian versions of familiar ones such as Ponyta and Weezing, every Pokemon is unique in every way and the key to victory lies between them.

Of course, there are version exclusives to expect in addition to cover legendary Pokemon such as Sword's Zacian and Shield's Zamazenta, and for the first time, different versions feature different gym leaders to compete. There are others, of course, so keep an eye out on what to expect per version.

Throughout your journey, Pokemon battles get even explosive due to the mysterious phenomenon known as Dynamax. Dynamax enlarges Pokemon for three turns, able to unleash massive moves that will turn the tide. In addition, a few Pokemon may change form under the guise of Gigantamax, such as Charizard, Drednaw, Alcremie, and Corviknight.

Believe it or not, you can catch one on Max Raid Battles and who knows, they might posses better stats than ordinary Pokemon. You might even have a crack at catching Gigantamax Pokemon as well but it won't be easy even with three NPCs fighting alongside you so it best to bring some friends before taking on. By clearing Max Raid Battles, you can win items and single-use TRs (reminscent of past TMs from early installments) full of powerful moves.

There are plenty of new features in the new installments such as going camping with your Pokemon. While camping, you can play with them and cook recipes your Pokemon will love to eat. Spending time with them makes them friendly and gain EXP.

Also, the way you use items to raise Pokemon has been recalibrated such as maxing your Pokemon with stat boosters anytime you want. If it's not your thing, you can send them to jobs to earn cash, EXP, or even stat boosts, depending on the job you choose.

Pokemon Sword and Shield will be compatible with next year's Pokemon Home service, which allows players to transfer Pokemon from past installments and Pokemon Go to Sword and Shield. However, only Pokemon listed to the Galar PokeDex are allowed. It's no wonder why fans grabbed pitchforks and yell in protest over the harsh decision. What's worse, with the advent of Dynamax mechanics, the whole Mega and Z stuff are now gone in Sword and Shield. Shame.

If you want to be a real Pokemon master, then this game is not for you. Good Pokemon masters always look back at their past achievements to salivate on their favorite Pokemon but what good not being a Pokemon master by not playing the latest installments despite the harsh decisions the producers made? It's hard to say but whether you like it or not, the newest Pokemon adventure will always leave its doors open to anyone who wish to start a new journey in the wonderful Galar Region. It's yours to explore if you're ready.