In our reviews, the game's rating is not a sum of separate scores by categories, but rather the overall impression the game leaves through multiple aspects. When reviewing games, we pay special attention to the following things:
Gameplay / mechanics — the game must “flow” smoothly, be intuitive, and (when possible) innovative
Challenge / balance — the difficulty should be fair and provide variety
Story / narrative — characters, plot, and motivations should make sense and have emotional weight
Originality / freshness of ideas — games that bring something new, unusual approaches, or unexplored concepts
Simulation / world believability — consistency within the game world, logic, reactions, interactions that “hold”
Visual impression — artistic style, technical execution, and aesthetics play an important role
Audio / sound — music, voices, and effects should enhance the atmosphere
Replay value and additional content — games that provide reasons for replaying (alternative paths, DLCs, freedom of choice)
Value for money — we carefully weigh whether the content the game provides justifies its price
Based on this comprehensive approach, we provide a final rating ranging from 1 to 5 stars, with the possibility of awarding half a star (e.g., 3.5 stars) when the impression is between two full levels where the stars carry the following meanings:
★ — “Unsatisfactory”
The game has serious shortcomings that significantly affect the experience while playing (e.g., technical issues, unclear mechanics, poor performance). Something clearly went wrong during development, or it seems to be an attempt at quick profit. Buy only if you are a masochist.
★★ — “Satisfactory”
A game that has certain shortcomings compared to similar games in the genre (e.g., imbalance, poor content, limitations during gameplay). Despite this, it may appeal to certain players who are the target audience, i.e., genre enthusiasts. For everyone else, it's recommended to wait for a patch or update that could alleviate some of the issues.
★★★ — “Solid”
A solid game that meets the standards of the genre and where the positive elements outweigh the shortcomings. It won't spark a revolution, but it will provide players with good entertainment during gameplay. A recommendation for purchase.
★★★★ — “Very Good”
Very good game! It is very close to being declared an outstanding game. From a technical standpoint, we have no complaints. The best you can buy for money in the genre at the time of the review's publication.
★★★★★ — “Outstanding”
Outstanding game in almost every aspect. A top title that sets new standards in its genre. One day it will most likely be remembered as a legendary classic!
This is how we want to present to readers more clearly not only what we evaluate, but also how we interpret the rating — so that the star rating is not just a number, but a summarized impression that the game leaves.