How we actually decide a rating

People ask what separates a 4.0 from a 4.5, so here's the honest answer. It's not a spreadsheet. We play the game, note where it shines and where it frustrates, then argue about it until a number feels right. A rating around 4.0 usually means a solid game with clear flaws we couldn't ignore. Anything above 4.5 is something we'd genuinely recommend without caveats. Below 3.8 rarely gets published — we'd rather write about games worth your time. We weight feel heavily. A game can have great ideas but bad controls, and on a phone that's fatal. Responsiveness, clarity and pacing matter as much as content. Ratings are opinions, not facts. Yours may differ, and that's fine. We just try to be consistent so the number means something across the site.