How we actually decide a score

People ask what a 4.2 means versus a 4.5, so here's the honest answer: the number comes last, after the writing. We figure out what we think first, then put a figure on it, never the other way around.

We weigh a game against others in its own genre. A cozy puzzle game and a forty-hour RPG can't be judged by the same yardstick, so a high score on a small game means it nails what it set out to do, not that it's bigger.

We also factor in how a game feels over time. Something that dazzles for an hour and then grinds into repetition loses points that a slower, steadier game keeps.

No score is final in the sense of being objective. It's one team's read after real play. Treat it as a starting point, then read why.