Scoring Policy

Did you ever wonder how we decide upon the score which goes alongside our reviews? Wonder no more, our scoring policy is designed to explain all.

Firstly the most important thing to remember is that ALL reviews are based on the subjective opinion of the reviewer. Because of this you may not agree with the author's words, that's OK we're big enough to accept that but it does not signify a review as being "wrong".

Our reviews have a fair description of the gameplay and any flaws as we perceive them. The overall score is useful for context, but should not be relied upon solely, it is a guideline for comparison and should not be taken out of context.

Our scoring system is not a mathematical equation, nor is it an average. Our scores are based on the quality of the game and how the review feels it fits into the other games around it. Our score descriptions are as follows:

10 - Outstanding

Of course no game is ever truly perfect, but a score of ten indicates that it is an outstanding example in the current climate of games. We don't dish this score out lightly, this is a genre defining game that we absolutely feel you should own.

9 - Excellent

A game that scores a nine should be considered a must buy for fans of the genre. Of course if we give a nine to a racing game and you only enjoy RPGs then this probably won't change your mind.

8 - Great

If we award a game an eight, you can be sure if you like the genre this is a sound buy for you. Minor niggling factors or a badly judged difficulty spike may have made this game fall short of a nine, but it is not to be dismissed lightly.

7 - Good

A seven is not average in our eyes. This game will sport a few areas where the game is blatantly let down to the detriment of its overall quality and enjoyment, but it is NOT average. A seven is still a recommendation, but you might want to consider what we thought let the game down and decide for yourself if it would bother you before buying.

6 - Not Bad

This game is not good enough to rush out and buy without doing your homework. Whilst you should approach with a degree of caution you might still really enjoy this game. A good example of a six is a lazy sequel, it doesn't innovate but it doesn't really do anything wrong. Other games with a six may be flawed in crucial areas.

5 - Average

A five is where you really need to start wondering if this game is for you. We are saying this game is average in our own subjective opinion. You have to judge for yourself if you are so attracted to this game's concept that you are going to take a chance on it anyway. We'll always give our reasons to show why the game failed to impress.

4 - Poor

A game with a four may well have some redeeming features, but we're clearly issuing caution to stay away from this game. Broken gameplay, bugs, bad control schemes, inflexible options, and repetitiveness - all these are factors which may contribute to a score of four.

3 - Bad

This is the sort of game you buy and instantly wish you didn't. The developers and publishers are probably well aware of what went wrong and are trying to put a brave face on it. Don't be fooled, accept our warning and run a mile!

2 - Terrible

Avoid this miserable specimen of a game at all costs. Any manner of game breaking faults may have contributed to a game being awarded a two, suffice to say this game is not for you. Move on, there is nothing to see here.