What It Takes to Earn Our Top Scores

People sometimes ask why we don't just hand out high scores to everything we enjoy. The short answer is that a rating has to mean something, and if everything's a 4.9 then nothing is.

When we score a game, we weigh how it feels after the novelty fades. The first hour is almost always fun — the real test is hour ten. Does the loop still surprise you? Does progression still feel earned? That's where games separate themselves.

We also factor in respect for the player's time and device. A game that runs well on a mid-range phone and doesn't nag you with constant interruptions gets a real nod from us.

None of it is a formula. Four of us play, we argue about it, and the number that comes out is a genuine consensus. If we disagree strongly, we say so in the review rather than smoothing it over.