How We Actually Test a Game Before Reviewing It

People sometimes ask how we score games, so here's the honest process. It's less scientific than it sounds and more about hours put in than any formula.

First, we play. Every game gets a minimum number of real sessions, spread across days rather than crammed into one sitting, because how a game feels on day three tells you more than the first hour ever does. We test on both a mid-range Android and an older iPhone.

Then we take notes on the boring stuff: load times, battery drain, how it handles interruptions, whether it works offline. These details rarely make trailers but they shape daily experience.

Only after that do we talk about story, combat, and progression — the parts we actually enjoy writing about. The score comes last, and it's a conversation, not a spreadsheet.

We disagree plenty during that conversation, and I think the reviews are better for it. When you read a number on this site, know that it came from someone who actually lived with the game.