How we actually decide on a score

People sometimes ask why a fun little game got a lower score than a more serious one. Fair question. Our numbers aren't about ambition — they're about how well a game does the thing it set out to do.

We weigh how it feels moment to moment, how it runs on average hardware, and whether it stays fun after the shine wears off. Presentation matters, but a pretty game that stutters loses points fast.

A number is shorthand, though. If two games score the same, the review text will tell you which one suits you. Read it — that's where the real recommendation lives.

And no, the score never moves because a developer sent us a nice email. We'll happily thank them for the copy and still call it a six if that's what it is.