sprites & bites

The vast majority of reviews you get for games give it a score out of 10.  It is just a number and really means not much.  If you glance across the forums, die hard fans of a particular game will cry and scream like babies because a good game has received only an 8/10.  What the heck is wrong with an 8/10?  It is a very respectable score.  A review score can make or break a game and sadly for many, if they see a 7 or 8 they will not buy the game. 

This is a sad situation.  Not just sad that these people care so much about numbers, but that they will be missing out on some good games.  It is also sad that developers - sometimes small independent developers, are missing out on income because of these cry babies.

So I have decided that numerical scores out of 10 should be a thing of the past, at least they will be for me.  I think a better way to judge a game is not by a single number but by a broader scale.  No hard or fast rules here, just a general guideline. 

Terrible/10 - Don’t touch with a bargepole. Not recommended at all.

Average/10 - Probably visually poor and full of glitches, but playable.  Possibly good for a rental or the bargain bin.

Good/10 - Good game, enjoyable story but lacks punch, modes and content. Probably has bugs but nothing to ruin the game.  Good game, rent or buy, your choice. 

Great/10 - Great game and much fun but lacks some content but otherwise nothing wrong.  Rent or buy, its a great game. 

Excellent/10 - The best all rounder, it may not be perfect but has very few bugs and some good content to keep the customers amused.   If you like the genre, not one to be missed.