Which is better? 5 Stars? 10 /10 Joysticks? 100% ? 10 Frags out of 10?
There are MANY different systems out there to tell you whether or not a game is good enough for you to spend your time on. Some are very subjective (WE LIKE IT, and you will too!) while others are more scientific (This game’s frames per second were 10% higher than other games in the genre!) But of all rating systems and reviewers out there, we all assume one thing . . . that you care about our opinion. 🙂
That’s a big responsibility! If you choose to read our reviews, it’s our responsibility to compile the information in the review so that it reflects what gamers want to know about a game. If we do our job right, the result is a review that accurately tells the reader whether the game provides an acceptable level of enjoyment.
So why do gamers read reviews anyway?
We asked some gamers why they read reviews in the first place. Here is what we found out:
– They don’t want to waste their time playing a game if it doesn’t live up to the hype or if users in general don’t like it
– They don’t have money to waste on bad or buggy games
– They actually enjoy a well written review or a reviewer with something to say – not just a number system like “7 out of 10”
But the real question readers want answered is “My time and money are valuable to me. I have limited time to play and can’t buy every game that comes out. Should I invest my time and money into this game, or skip it for a more worthy investment of my personal resources?”
To make us all sound like economics professors, we can word it this way: Of all possible combinations of time/money expenditure, at this point in time, which combination gives me the most efficient return on investment?
At A-TECH Gaming, we have things to do too. We won’t write a review or play a game unless we think YOU will want to read about it, and we will enjoy writing about it. Our reviews are designed to be as short as possible while giving the reader only the important information that helps them make a good gameplay decision.
Our rating system is crafted with casual players in mind. We want to play games that are “good” and we want to write “good” articles about them. As a result, we have developed a system that incorporates both measurable and immeasurable factors in order to assign a rating to a game that is the most efficient and accurate rating that a user can read. We do reviews that we want to read, that would be helpful to us as gamers. We do this because your time, like ours, is valuable, and you don’t have enough of it to waste it playing BORING Games!
How We Rate:
What makes a game “good”? In our minds it involves the reasonably proper execution of several factors:
The GAME Factor:
Is this game FUN? Does it keep you coming back to play, or have you seen all the game has to offer in the first couple of hours? Is it BALANCED? (not too repetitive)? Is the game design unique or derivative?
The LOOK Factor:
How do you feel when you SEE the gameplay? How does it look compared to other games of the genre and today’s graphics technology? Does it look dated? Does it do unique things with visual display or menu design? Is it beautiful or just pretty? Are levels well designed or just window-dressed?
The FRIEND Factor:
Does the game offer mutiplayer options? How does multiplayer work? How easy is it to find other players? How stable is the multiplayer gameplay? Are there multiplayer AND co-op options, do they work well? Many game modes? (Also for friend factor, I think if a game offers no multiplayer, we just remove this consideration from the review rather than give them a 0)
The “JUMP-IN” Factor:
How hard is it to learn this game?
The Verdict:
So how does it all come together? Here are the final verdicts a game can have . . .
9-10 = BUY IT NOW! Delete all others to make space!
6-8 = Add It To The Collection! You’ll enjoy it and probably play it more than once
3-5 = If It’s A Gift, Sure. (Buy it on sale. It’s good for a few hours of fun.)
0-2 = Uninstall / Refund / Gift to your enemies
Here is an example of how a rating might look . . .
NEW GAME!
Game Factor – Is it Fun? 8/10
Look Factor – How does it LOOK? 6/10
Friend factor – Well implemented multiplayer options? 8/10
“Jump-In” Factor – How’s the learning curve? 9/10
Average of Scores – 8 /10
Verdict: Add it to your collection! You’ll enjoy it and probably play it more than once
We love this system! It lets us roll up all the factors that gamers have told us they want in a game, and provide a score that (hopefully) helps you play the best games for your time and money.
Give us suggestions or comments! We love improving, and your input helps us do that. Happy gaming!
-DMikeyL
Find us on Facebook: @atechgames
Come play with us as we raise money for kids at GAMERS FOR KIDS
Check out our live gaming stream: ATECHLIVE.COM
As always, we welcome your questions and comments. Feel free to contact us: HERE
