How we actually decide on a rating

People ask why one game gets a 4.6 and another a 3.9 when they both look fine. The honest answer is that our scores come from hours of play, not screenshots. We wait until a game shows its true colors, which usually happens after the shiny tutorial ends.

We weigh how it plays on a real, mid-range phone. A game that looks great but stutters or drains your battery loses points, because that is how most people will experience it. Fancy graphics never save a bad frame rate for us.

Controls matter a lot. If a racer fights your thumbs or a menu takes four taps to do one thing, we notice and we mention it. Comfort over long sessions counts too.

None of this is a science, and we say so. A rating is one team's opinion after playing, meant to save you a download you'd regret. Read the review, not just the number.