I think the review scales used by most game reviewers doesent really nail it. There are 2 problems: the 10 of 10 scale, and labels that are used, such as "perfect". Since gamers and reviewers all are different I think the labels should be more general. My take on it is to introduce a 4 grade rewiev score:
(0) unable to recommend
1 flawed
2 Good
3 great
4 Benchmark.
0 doesent really exist since most games can be said to cater to someone, even Sonic riders.http://angryjoeshow.com/2010/11/sonic-free-riders-review/
That said it needs to be becuase there becuase there are rare games that are unplayable on the intended machine. It is a game that cannot be recommended when viewed without bias.
2 means that teh game is like a old reliable classic that means "if you like previus installments in X you will like this". It is good but doesent do push the boundary. in other words its enjoyable "more of the same".
3 and 4 are more complicated. To take a exemple from LRR (the funny guys that does videos), where Matt and Kathleen discusses Uncharted 3: if it should be 10/10 or 9/10. http://loadingreadyrun.com/videos/view/1114/TGwP-Uncharted?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Loadingreadyrun+%28LoadingReadyRun%29
On this scale Uncharted 3 would be a 3. It is a great game but one that doesent keep up on the razors edge with the rest of the flagship titles. A great game takes a mechanic, one or several, and polishes it to become so fun, it contributes to games as a whole.
4
Is a game that "brings something new to the table" and takes something good and makes it greater than what have come before. No game is perfect so there will be issues, but they don´t become Flaws that takes away from the experianse.
In my head anything above a 6 in a 10/10 scale is good, so any game in my scale above (0) is a good game, provided you find the right gamer.
(0) unable to recommend
1 flawed
2 Good
3 great
4 Benchmark.
0 doesent really exist since most games can be said to cater to someone, even Sonic riders.http://angryjoeshow.com/2010/11/sonic-free-riders-review/
That said it needs to be becuase there becuase there are rare games that are unplayable on the intended machine. It is a game that cannot be recommended when viewed without bias.
2 means that teh game is like a old reliable classic that means "if you like previus installments in X you will like this". It is good but doesent do push the boundary. in other words its enjoyable "more of the same".
3 and 4 are more complicated. To take a exemple from LRR (the funny guys that does videos), where Matt and Kathleen discusses Uncharted 3: if it should be 10/10 or 9/10. http://loadingreadyrun.com/videos/view/1114/TGwP-Uncharted?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Loadingreadyrun+%28LoadingReadyRun%29
On this scale Uncharted 3 would be a 3. It is a great game but one that doesent keep up on the razors edge with the rest of the flagship titles. A great game takes a mechanic, one or several, and polishes it to become so fun, it contributes to games as a whole.
4
Is a game that "brings something new to the table" and takes something good and makes it greater than what have come before. No game is perfect so there will be issues, but they don´t become Flaws that takes away from the experianse.
In my head anything above a 6 in a 10/10 scale is good, so any game in my scale above (0) is a good game, provided you find the right gamer.