My Review Scale

By Buddy July 24, 2008 1 Comments

Review Scale

I decided that if I am going to review games, I might as well have a mini system.  So, I start by rating generic properties of a game from 0-5 stars:

Properties

Story
Does the game have a good story?  Does the story even matter?  If the story is overshadowed by gameplay, such as in counterstrike,  than this will will be ignored. Still, I've found that the story of the game determines if I am going to get sucked into a game and really adds to the overall gaming experience.

Gameplay
Everyone's had the misfortune of playing that one game where the controller feels bulky and the game lags leaving you with a horrible gaming experience.  The better the controls and game speed, the better this score will be.

Music
Who wants to listen to a polka during a bloodbath?  Don't answer that, but understand that sometimes the music just doesn't fit the game or something just doesn't sound right.  The better the music fits into the game, the better this score.

Style
You're overall look, time frame, and genre.  If it looks beautiful that's great, if it fits the time frame you're looking for great, and if a fantasy game feels like a fantasy game, then awesome.  If it looks right, it is right.

Bonus Points
I'm not pompous enough to say that the previous four properties are going to cover everything.  What about multiplayer, what about the "cultness" of the game?  We could say that GoldenEye 007 doesn't look good, and by today's standards is a bad game,  but we all understand how much fun it is to save the world as James Bond from that game.  This is here to catch everything that the previous four miss.

Overall

The overall score is done by taking the average of all of the properties leading a score out of 5 stars.

Rank

The score of the overall score places the game in a few possible ranks

5 Stars - Buddy
This game is you're good buddy, a "friend to the end" so to speak.  You're buddy delivers what you expect and then some.  This game is so good that if you were in prison, it would bail you out.  Expect a great experience with minimal issues and a great use of the current technology.  Games such as these are rare and should be purchased regardless of gaming taste.

4.5 Stars - Pal
This game is more than a friend, it's a pal.  You can count on this game to do its job and be fun until the very end. If you don't normally enjoy this genre this one might be the exception, and if you enjoy the genre you're pal will not disappoint. Pals are hard to come by, so take note and consider the game for what it is.

4 Stars - Friend
This game is one of your good friends.  Your friend may have some flaws, but their hardly noticeable and are outdone by their personality.  Everyone would like to have a new friend, so if you like this style of game or want to try out something different, this is a good choice. 

3.5 Stars - Acquaintance
Hey....Forgot their name?  That's a sure sign that your game is an acquaintance.  Maybe you hanged out with them that one time or got their number and never called, but the point is that you don't hang out all that much.  Don't get me wrong, a game that gets this rating is worth taking a look, especially if you enjoy the particular genre.  Still, there are some flaws in game that stop it from becoming a friend

3 Stars - That Guy
You see them every day but neither of you exchange any words.  When people are talking about him you say "Oh, you're talking about 'that guy'".  This guy is you're average Joe, nothing too horrible but nothing to great as well. There are definitely some problems, I mean you never hang out with the guy, so make sure this is the game you want before you plan on making the purchase.

2.5 Stars - Clown
Ha Ha Ha, what's so funny?  This game just made it into the lower half of the scoring, meaning it thinks that making exceptional games are for dummies.  Is it the worst thing ever to be a clown, no, you'll probably get a few laughs and enjoy quite a bit of the game.  Still, some of the joke's won't be funny and will probably be used over and over again.  Bottom line: the game has a few issues, is probably focused on taking your hard earned money, and their is probably a better game out there.

2 Stars - Idiot
This guy has some problems.  If half finishing games was a drug, this idiot would sell it by the gram.  The quality is low and there are some issues with game play that will annoy you.  Consider a game like this with extreme caution, if at all. 

1.5 Stars - Weirdo:
Stand back, we don't know what this weirdo is going to do next.  Maybe it needs a friend, or maybe it's evil, the fact is that this game is a dangerous buy.  It's a good idea to avoid even thinking about this game.

1 Star - Jerk
Ugh, I hate that guy, he's such a jerk!  This game has it's own issues to work out, just walk away.  If this game is located on your way back home, this would be the time to take an alternate route to avoid this piece of fail.

.5 Star - Enemy
This game is pure evil.  This game will not stop trying to annoy you, it will not stop taking your money, and this game will not stop trying to find new ways to make you cry.  Don't even think about this game at any time.

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