Review Criteria

Gameplay

Gameplay analysis is based on the design of the game and how effectively it engages the player. This is where things like combat systems and scoring systems are explored.

High scores correspond to gameplay and systems that keep the player interested, engage the player, meet the system goals (e.g. encouraging replay and refinement), work as intended, and mesh with all aspects of the game.

Low scores correspond to frustrating gameplay, poor system implementations, lack of player engagement, confusion, and lack of synergy.

Graphics

The graphics of a game are contextualized to the game and genre. This score does not only represent the technical sophistication of the graphics - in fact, it mostly focuses on other aspects of graphic design within games:

• How well did the creators execute the chosen style of art?
• Do the graphics get in the way of gameplay? Do they support gameplay?
• How polished are the graphics?
• Do the graphics effectively mesh with the theme and setting of the game?
• Do the graphics generally enhance the player experience?
• Are the graphics particularly memorable?

High scores correspond to graphics that cleanly execute the vision of the game while supporting or enhancing gameplay. These scores typically have graphics that enhance the player's experience and fit the chosen settings and styles perfectly.

Low scores correspond to sloppy or otherwise unpolished graphics. It may also indicate that graphical design choices actively inhibit the gameplay or player experience.

Sound

The sound of a game is contextualized to the game and genre. This score does not only represent the technical sophistication of the sound - in fact, it mostly focuses on other aspects of sound utilization within games:

• How well did the creators execute the chosen style of art?
• Does the sound get in the way of gameplay? Does it support gameplay?
• How polished is the sound?
• Does the sound effectively mesh with the theme and setting of the game?
• Does the sound generally enhance the player experience?
• Is the sound particularly memorable?

High scores correspond to sound that cleanly executes the vision of the game while supporting or enhancing gameplay. These scores typically have sound that enhances the player's experience and that fits the chosen settings and styles perfectly.

Low scores correspond to sloppy or otherwise unpolished sound. It may also indicate that sound design choices actively inhibit the gameplay or player experience.

Difficulty

Game difficulty is related to gameplay. This score does not indicate how easy or hard a game is. This score does describe how well the difficulty fits with the game, how well difficulty is implemented into the game, and how difficulty impacts the overall gameplay experience.

Examples include the following questions:

• Does the difficulty feel natural? For example, is a game difficult to complete simply because it is boring and involves long tasks that lose progress?
• Is difficulty properly integrated? For example, if difficulty is increased only by increasing enemy health but does not interact with other game systems.
• Is the difficulty balanced? Does the player fundamentally have the toolkit to handle the game? Does the game have the toolkit to handle the player?
• Does the difficulty engage the player as intended for the game's design? Some games are intended to be easy and leverage low difficulty as part of the experience. Other games are intended to be difficult and leverage high difficulty similarly.

High scores indicate a game that provides a well-designed difficulty curve that perfectly matches the systems and controls available to the player.

Low scores indicate games that use difficulty poorly (too easy or too hard) in ways that do not match the intended gameplay or cause lack of player engagement.

Story/Theme

The story and/or theming of a game (or lack of story, for instance) provide some form of story and help to set expectations with the player.

In story rich games, this element explores the depth or completeness of the story, how engaging the story is, how well it pairs with the gameplay, and how it influences and conveys the themes of the game.

In non-story games, this element focuses more on the theming and consistency, and whether the lack of story actually supports or enhances the game.

In either case, good decision making, design, and execution are critical.

High scores indicate games with a cohesive engaging story or a cohesive engaging theme, where the gameplay perfectly blends with the story and/or thematic elements.

Low scores indicate games with lazy stories, poorly executed stories/themes, or lack of story where story is needed. They may also indicate inconsistency in theming or storytelling.

Controls

Controls are closely related to gameplay, because the controls of the game directly impact how the player engages with the game and the underlying gameplay systems. In all cases, deliberately crafted inputs (e.g. the impact of a key press) and actions are important. Depending on the genre and gameplay systems, some controls may be more or less important. For example, a menu-heavy game needs controls that allow the player to swiftly and precisely navigate menus. Mouse-based shooters must have a well-designed aiming system that properly reacts to sensitivity.

High scores indicate games with tight, well-designed controls that bring out the best in the game.

Low scores indicate games with poor or sloppy controls that come into conflict with the game and how the player is attempting to interact with it.

Depth

Depth evaluates just how much substance a game brings to the table, and relates heavily to both gameplay and replay value. It also relates to the overall intent of the game and how well-executed the game design is: a game intended to be shallow, where the depth is calibrated perfectly to the game, can be an excellent game with good depth decisions. While more depth is often good, it is not necessarily good.

High scores indicate games with well-calibrated depth that meshes with the gameplay to create an engaging experience for players. The game naturally leads the players to explore whatever depth is there.

Low scores indicate games with lazy lack of depth, extreme over-complexity (if executed poorly), or other cases where the depth of the game does not match or enhance the game itself, or even works against the game.

Performance

Does the game run well on the system(s) where it was intended to run? Do bugs interfere with the game or detract from the overall experience? Are there graphical or auditory artifacts? Are menus sluggish or responsive?

High scores indicate games that use their target hardware effectively, have no bugs(*), and have no general technical issues.

Low scores indicate slow or glitchy games that might have severe gameplay problems produced by technical defects.

(*) Some bugs do not negatively impact a game, and even enhance the game by providing other ways to explore the game. The "no bugs" comment is directed at bugs that interfere with the core game experience.

Enjoyment

Enjoyment is a purely subjective topic covered by the author in personal terms: how much do they enjoy the game?

Games might have high scores, but be unenjoyable as a pure matter of preference, for example.

Replay Value

Replay Value speaks to the lifetime of the game. Will players revisit the game over and over? How does the game itself hold up to many plays? This element explores what makes a game stick and survive for generations.

High scores indicate games that can be played over and over, where all other elements of the game come together to make replays enhance the overall gaming experience.

Low scores indicate games that do not hold up to multiple playthroughs. There are many reasons that this could be the case, such as tedious gameplay or boring storyline.

Note that it is possible for a game to be perfect to play once, but not well-suited for replay by design. These games should be noted and the overall score should account for the intent of the author.