How to Actually Read a Review Score (Including Ours)

A rating is a shorthand, and shorthand loses detail. When we give a game a 4.3, that number is meaningless without the paragraphs around it. A 4.3 casual game and a 4.3 strategy game are judged against completely different expectations.

We rate within genre. A relaxed tapper isn't competing with a deep campaign RPG, so we don't score them on the same scale. That's why you should always read what the number is measuring.

Watch for the highlights and the gripes. If a game scores well but the review flags heavy timers, and you hate timers, the score isn't for you. The words tell you what the digit can't.

So use our scores as a filter, not a verdict. Skim the number, then read why. That's the only way a review actually helps you decide.