Pokemon Sword and Shield stirred up plenty of controversy on its release over a long list of design choices, but Nintendo has proven that it intends to keep supporting the titles with downloadable content, much to the joy of several fans. The Isle of Armor DLC has been out for a few weeks now, so players and critics alike have had the chance to formulate their thoughts on the Pokemon franchise's first monetized expansion.
DLC for Pokemon games stirred up some controversy too at the time, since players had no idea what to expect from such a thing. Now, the precedent has been set. Isle of Armor tells players a lot about what to expect from The Crown Tundra in terms of length, content, and potential.
Isle of Armor's Impressions
Both of Sword and Shield's DLCs are focused around adding new areas to the Galar region for the player to discover, as their names indicate. The Isle of Armor takes players off to an adjacent island where the Champion Leon's former trainer and the new legendary Fighting-type Kubfu await. In spite of its inherent controversy, Isle of Armor was set up for success by including many features that players had hoped for in the base game.
It adds a hundred Pokemon to the Galar region that did not make it into the final version of Sword and Shield. Additionally, while traveling around the Isle of Armor, players can have a partner Pokemon following them around outside of battle. That was previously featured in Pokemon titles like HeartGold and SoulSilver and demanded for Sword and Shield by fans. Unfortunately, even with the DLC, players can only have a partner at their side on the Isle.
Some still felt the DLC was lacking. Fans have criticized Isle of Armor for being a brief experience, the plot taking only a few hours to complete, and the area being short on new locations. Some have also said the area needed more difficult battles and fails to offer much for veteran players looking for a challenge. Overall, the DLC has been fairly well received for picking up on a few of fans' greatest wish list items, but its imperfections are widely acknowledged -- and very telling for The Crown Tundra.
Into The Frozen Tundra
If Isle of Armor sets a reliable precedent for Sword and Shield's DLCs, The Crown Tundra will be a more modest experience than players are likely hoping for. The DLC prices are identical, which would suggest that they will provide matching experiences. The Crown Tundra will likely focus a pretty brief plot involving Calyrex, the new Grass-Psychic Legendary Pokemon. Afterwards, a few sidequests and collecting all the new Pokemon will be the player's main way of experiencing the tundra.
There is always the chance that The Crown Tundra will defy expectations, and there are some signs that could be cause for optimism. Another criticism levied at Isle of Armor was that it neglected to reintroduce Legendary Pokemon from previous generations, but The Crown Tundra is reuniting players with Legendaries of old on top of a large roster of classic Pokemon that can't be found in Galar yet. It could be a sign that Nintendo is keeping aware of reception and player demands with the intention to cater to them.
Nintendo has about four months to work on the second DLC, leaving plenty of time to make additions and adjustments. Isle of Armor not only sets a precedent for players about content, but it sets a precedent on player reception to its kind of content for Nintendo's reference. If it feels that the first DLC did not meet expectations, Nintendo has ample opportunity to increase the challenge level and expand on sidequests for The Crown Tundra. Still, Isle of Armor indicates players should keep their expectations modest for now. It seems likely the second expansion will be limited in scope if earnestly trying to please fans.
Pokemon Sword and Shield are available now for Nintendo Switch.