After careful deliberation, I've decided to avoid using a number or letter scale. I mean, really, what's the difference between a 6.7 and a 6.8, or for that matter a 6 and a 7? Those small discrepancies aren't helpful when you're deciding whether to buy a game or not. Trying to look at reviews as too much more than a consumers' guide is foolish and denies the nature of a review. Therefore, sticking with the theme of this blog, I've decided to use just three ranks:
A "delicious!" rank doesn't mean that I'm telling you that you should buy this game, or even if it's a good game. It just means that I feel it is worthy of my own time and money. An "undercooked!" rank suggests that the game was worth my time, but not my money (as in "rent-worthy"). And as you can imagine, a "disgusting!" rank implies that I would not spend the money or time on this game again (since I obviously already did).
Now to explain this further: Not everyone has the same tastes in games. If I review a game from a genre I don't really like all that much, and I'm using the typical base 10 scale, I'm probably going to give it a low score, even if it excels in that genre. But my reviews are personal. I'm not telling you whether or not this game is good or bad. I'm telling you whether or not I liked it. As a result, you can develop a feel for the kinds of games I like and you'll know whether or not we have the same tastes in games easier.
So if I review a typical RPG, it'll probably get a "disgusting!" rank simply because I don't like RPGs that much, and you the reader will know that and take that into consideration. If I review an RPG and I give it a "delicious!" rank, you'll know that this game is special. And if I'm reviewing a game in a genre that you and I both like, you can trust my opinion on it. I think that this three-tiered scale is much more valuable than an out-of-date number 1 to 10.
A "delicious!" rank doesn't mean that I'm telling you that you should buy this game, or even if it's a good game. It just means that I feel it is worthy of my own time and money. An "undercooked!" rank suggests that the game was worth my time, but not my money (as in "rent-worthy"). And as you can imagine, a "disgusting!" rank implies that I would not spend the money or time on this game again (since I obviously already did).
Now to explain this further: Not everyone has the same tastes in games. If I review a game from a genre I don't really like all that much, and I'm using the typical base 10 scale, I'm probably going to give it a low score, even if it excels in that genre. But my reviews are personal. I'm not telling you whether or not this game is good or bad. I'm telling you whether or not I liked it. As a result, you can develop a feel for the kinds of games I like and you'll know whether or not we have the same tastes in games easier.
So if I review a typical RPG, it'll probably get a "disgusting!" rank simply because I don't like RPGs that much, and you the reader will know that and take that into consideration. If I review an RPG and I give it a "delicious!" rank, you'll know that this game is special. And if I'm reviewing a game in a genre that you and I both like, you can trust my opinion on it. I think that this three-tiered scale is much more valuable than an out-of-date number 1 to 10.
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