How we actually decide on a rating

People ask how we land on a score, so here's the honest answer: it starts with real playtime and ends with an argument.

Whoever reviews a game plays it for days, not minutes. They write down what works, what frustrates them, and whether they'd keep playing after the review is done. That last question matters more than anything.

Then we talk it over. If someone gives a game a 4.6 but can't explain what makes it better than a 4.2, we push back. The number has to be defensible.

We never adjust a score because a game is popular or because we like the studio. The rating is about the experience, nothing else.