How we actually review a game here

People sometimes ask how long we sit with a game before writing about it. The honest answer is: until we have something real to say, which usually means a week or more of daily play.

We start by playing normally, no notes, just enjoying or not enjoying it. Only after that do we go back and try to name what worked and what didn't. Scores come last, and they're the least important part.

We deliberately keep some old, cheaper phones around for testing, because a game that only shines on flagship hardware isn't much use to most readers. Performance notes matter.

And yes, when something falls flat we say it plainly. A review nobody disagrees with is usually a review nobody read carefully.