Explaining the Rev3Games rating system, why do we focus so much on number ratings? (segment ends at 59:00) -- Rev3Games, YouTube
I agree with Sessler, if you have so use some kind of number scale to rate your games, a strict 1-5 scale is one of the most pleasant to work with. If you're going to use numbers, they have to mean something.
A couple of weeks ago I reviewed Rain for a magazine that uses a 1-100 scale. The game really sucked me in and I was happy with the review I wrote (the editor-in-chief thought so too, yay for me!). But the score... Putting a score under my text was the hardest part of the whole review. What should I take into consideration? The length of the game versus the price you pay? The scores similar games also was also enthusiastic about recieved? Just go with my gut feeling - write down the first score that comes to mind and feels right?
I think I was a bit spoiled by one of the first mags I wrote for. The opening page of the review section always contained a quick overview of what the scores actually meant. Something like:
1,2,3 - The worst games we've ever seen. Possible health risks.
4,5 - Playable, but we doubt you'll want to try.
6 - An avarage game that's easy to overlook. Fans of the genre may enjoy it.
7 - Pretty good, but with some noticable flaws. Read the review carefully.
8 - A fine game in its genre, can't really go wrong with this one.
9 - Excellent game, you don't want to miss this.
10 - Instant classic (over a course of nearly ten years only two games recieved this score)
It'd be great if every publication had something like that as it's the easiest way to put reviewers and readers on the same page.
I honestly just play anything that looks interesting and ignore reviews. I like a lot of things that everyone else hated.
Me too. I've written and edited so many reviews, I don't really want to read one unless the review can stand on its own as a piece of entertainment. For instance, I watch Zero Punctuation sometimes. More often than not it's just a decent laugh, no matter what game is discussed, but on very rare occassions it introduces me to something I hadn't really heard of before. Like Spec Ops: The Line. Then there are some series I blindly buy like the Atelier series, because why should I care what everyone else thinks about pastel coloured kawaii moe desssss Japanese games when I'm having so much fun brewing bombs shaped like cute little snowmen?