How we actually decide on a score

People ask us all the time what a 4.5 means versus a 4.2, and the honest answer is that scores are a shorthand, not a science. We use them to sum up a feeling, and the review text is where the real reasoning lives.

Before anyone writes a word, the game gets played properly. For a quick arcade title that might mean a few hours; for a strategy or RPG it can stretch across a week. We take notes as we go — what frustrated us, what surprised us, what we couldn't stop doing.

Then we talk it out. Because we're a small team, a score usually goes through a bit of friendly arguing before it lands. If two of us disagree wildly, that disagreement often ends up in the review itself, because it's useful to know a game divides people.

We don't grade on a curve or compare across genres. A brilliant puzzle game and a brilliant racer can both score high for completely different reasons. The number reflects how well a game does what it set out to do.

So take the digit as a signpost, then read why. The paragraphs are where you'll actually figure out if a game is for you.