How we actually review games at Pocket Verdict

People sometimes ask how we land on a number. The honest answer is that the number comes last. First we play, then we argue, then we write, and only at the end do we agree on a rating that matches what the review already says.

Every game gets real time. For a puzzle or arcade title that might be a few days; for an RPG or strategy game it can be weeks. We don't post a verdict on a game we haven't lived with, because first impressions lie constantly on mobile.

We judge each game against its own kind. It would be unfair to knock a cozy puzzle for lacking depth, or a hardcore strategy game for being slow — that's the point of them. So a 4.5 puzzle and a 4.5 RPG mean 'excellent at what it's trying to do,' not 'the same experience.'

We also write down what annoyed us, because that's often more useful than praise. If a boss fight demanded grinding, or a racer's rubber-banding felt cheap, you'll read about it. A review that only gushes isn't a review.

The rating is a shorthand, nothing more. If you take one thing from us, let it be the words, not the number.