Review Score Guide

With the launch of TalkXbox version 5, we have made the decision to change our review scoring format from a 100 point scale, to a more simplistic, five star scale. This review guide is to help explain our reasoning for the switch, as well as detail what each specific score entails about the game it’s attached to.

For starters, the reason we made the switch was simply because the 100 point scale was too vast a system to score games. Most video game enthusiasts seem to have developed a natural understanding that any game that scores below 50% is garbage. It doesn’t matter if it receives a 20% or a 49% rating; it’s most likely a game that you’re not going to play. So why bother using such as large scale? The differences between an 84% and an 86% rating are minimal at best, so why bother?

That brings us to our new five star scale:

1 out of 5 – Awful. They are likely to be plagued by game-stopping glitches, bugs, or bad design that literally makes them unplayable. These games are not recommendable to anyone and should be avoided.

2 out of 5 – Mediocre. Anything under this score is still functional but lacks the creative design to make it worth playing. These games should be approach with caution since it’s more than likely that you’ll be dissatisfied with your experience.

3 out of 5 – Average. This is a respectable score and the game in question will likely bring joy to some people, but could have been better. Many niche titles will fall into this category.

4 out of 5 – Quality. They’re fun to play, or interesting to experience. These games are generally recommendable to anyone who’s a fan of video games.

5 out of 5 – Excellent. Titles that are awarded this score are purely fantastic. Excelling in every part of their design and perhaps going a step further. These games are held in high regard.

editoremblem Editor’s Choice – Astounding. This little emblem is given to games that surpass our expectations and accomplish something we would never have expected. These games are frequently Game of the Year contenders.