How we actually review a game

People sometimes ask how long we play before writing, so here's the honest answer: it depends, but never less than a few real sessions. A game that only impresses in minute one is a game we want to catch.

We play on normal phones, not top-tier flagships, because that's what most readers have. If a game stutters on a mid-range device, that's part of the review whether the developer likes it or not.

We take messy notes the whole time, then one of us drafts and another edits. The goal is to sound like a friend telling you whether to bother, not a scorecard.

Ratings are the last thing we set, after the words are written. If the review and the number disagree, the number changes.