F.A.Q.

What kind of games do you review?

Our natural preference leans toward PC games. However, we may occasionally review games on other hardware platforms. If a game rocks, we'll find a way to play it. If they build it, we will come. Who knows, when dogs and cats start living together, we may even throw up a Mac game review.

How do you rate the games you review?

Initially, we thought it might be fun to just drink a lot of Maker's Mark and draw a number out of a hat. Then we realized, "Hey, this isn't a life-altering decision. We should take this seriously." So, we created a complex system of weighted values designed to give stats guys major stiffies and to fairly and accurately convey our opinion of a game.

So what's the rating system?

The rating system is as follows:

A scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being the best. A 5 will be a very rare score and not easily given. It will be the equivalent of a first ballot induction to the baseball hall of fame. You can't just give it to anyone. If we give a 5 to Minesweeper, then everyone will want in. Suddenly, that elusive 5 club will become like that nasty rest area along the interstate that scares little children. We hate that.

Scale:

5 - Absolute Cowbell Heaven

4 - Cowbell Alert

3 - Needs More Cowbell

2 - Cowbell Wannabe

1 - An Embarassment to Cowbells Everywhere

Funny ratings, I guess... but what's it all mean?

The approach to rating games can be very complex. It's subjective, flawed, and susceptible to outside influence. Ultimately, for a rating system to have value, there must be trust and integrity. To earn that trust, Gamers' Creed needs to provide consistent, clear, and concise reviews. Over time, we hope that you will come to rely on and value our opinions. More than anything, experience, wisdom, and a "feel" for what's fun is what drives our views.

The rating score gives a quick and dirty overview of what we think about a game, but the body of the review is what gives that score context. It's explains WHY a game achieved a certain score.

Having said that, here are the criteria used to evaluate a game:

• Fun Factor - It's the single most important value a game can have. It trumps all.
• Immersion - How well does the game suspend your disbelief?
• Developer Quality - A buggy game just pisses us off.
• Controls - This involves the user interface as a whole. A bad UI can cripple a game.
• Replay Value - For example, does the game support mods? Does it offer multiple endings or playstyles?

You'll notice that graphics and sound aren't in the list. It's not that we don't care about them. We definitely do. However, we're tired of seeing tech demos pose as good games. There's an overvalued opinion on graphics in games these days and we're calling out the industry on it. Pretty does not equal fun... unless it involves Jessica Alba.