When scoring the games, we will be looking at 4 main categories:
- Story
- Visuals & Audio
- Game Mechanics
- Enjoyability
Each category will be weighted and averaged against a 5-star system. For example, a 5 in each category will be an overall perfect score with a score of 5. The games will then be placed in a ranking chart listed below. This scoring system is not meant to be negative or bash on your favorite games. The reviews will issue a fair score based on player experience. When calculating the score, the points will be averaged out and given a score out of 100.
Mobile games will follow a different format than our regular scoring system. They will be graded on three major components:
- Gameplay
- Enjoyability
- Free-to-Play(F2P) Friendly
Story
The story component is the main focus of most games. How well does the game immerse you in the world and how believable is the story set up? We will look at the cast of characters and how they fit inside the world. Are they likable? How does their story mix with the world they are in? Dialogue and key themes will also be looked at and how the developers fit them in the narrative.
Every game has an objective for the player. For example, save the princess in the Mario series or be the last player standing like Fortnite and League of Legends. The story plays a key role in the objective of the game. We will be looking for a clear objective and narrative.
Disclaimer: For games with a lack of story, the focus will be set on the character, their designs, and any lore we can dig up about the game.
Visual & Audio
The visual and audio can have a huge impact on your gaming experience and how well you liked the game. We will not only look at the game design but also character design as well. How well do the characters fit inside the game? Do they live in a futuristic world or in a fantasy setting?
World design will also play a key role in our review. The game should not be too bland and really pull in the gamer to get a good score in this category.
The soundtrack will also be looked at for overall enjoyment and how it sets the theme of the game. Would it be something you listen to outside the game?
Game Mechanics
When talking about the game mechanics, I am talking about the very core of the game and how it functions. Every game will have different mechanics depending on the genre and developer. We will look at how difficult the game is and how easy the game mechanics are to learn. Another thing we will look at it the overall layout of menus, strategy in-game, and how the player interacts with the games. Points will be docked off if the game becomes repetitive or boring.
Game mechanics also include player skill and how the player utilizes them to clear and complete the game.
Disclaimer: Bugs and glitches in the game will dock off points only if it’s a “completed” game. We define “completed” as in no future updates for the game is planned and the bugs and glitches will remain in the game. However, points will be docked if the game crashes because they can hugely impact the overall gaming experience.
Enjoyability
This section is all about the author’s unique experience with the game and how much they enjoyed playing it. Replayability will also be reviewed and if the game was worth it for its price. Pros & Cons will be listed
Disclaimer: This section might come off as bias toward the author, as the review is about the author’s overall enjoyment of the game. The game of this site is to not only inform, but also tell you the journey the author took with this game. We kept this as a key part of our review system because every gamer will have a different journey with the game. You can only measure your enjoyability when you experience the game yourself.
Seal of Approval
Games that receive a score of 80/100 or higher with our review system will receive The Informal Gamer Seal of Approval by our mascot Dougie. This honor is reserved for the games we really enjoyed playing and would recommend to others!
When writing the review system, I tried to make it easy to understand and simple. The reviews reflect my experience with the game and are meant to inform you of what I liked and what I didn’t like about that game.
The Informal Gamer 