RATINGS
WHAT THE NUMBER IN REVIEWS MEAN, ACTUALLY?
"The numbers Mason, what do they mean?!" - Reviewing anything is always subjective. With enough reviews, you, the reader, can get a feel if what the reviewer like is aligns with you. But to make this process a little easier, it is good to know what the numbers stand for, especially in the day and age where 7/10 is seen as a 'low score' thanks to the terrible overuse of the grading system. Here, on Tiny Gaming, I'm using a simple 5-step scale as you can see below:
AMAZING!
A standout title with either stellar execution, great ideas, or something unique, new, and fresh that worked out well. Sometimes, all of the above! Not a perfect game, those do not exist, but coming close to it.
REAL GOOD
Well made, well crafted, and a great example in its genre. Can have multiple aspects done to a high standard, a new idea or two, or maybe just great execution of mechanics or story. A pleasure to play, but not always anything breaking new ground.
SOLID
Perfectly okay game! That's the shtick - 3 out of 5 doesn't mean BAD, in any way, just not standing out hugely on any of its aspects. OK play loop, solid story, functional and unobtrusive mechanics. Just plain good.
LACKING...
Not terrible, can even be fun at times, or have something special about it, but it doesn't stick the landing. Be it obnoxious technical issues, or perhaps systems not gelling together well, something is off by a margin big enough that it hinders the enjoyment of the game.
PLAIN BAD
Obviously not working. Might be bugged to hell. Might be a cheap asset flip. Or maybe it had some flicker of idea, something bold that just didn't turn out to work at all. Reserved for games that are frustrating to play, barely functional, or poorly designed.