How we actually decide a score

People sometimes assume our scores come from a spreadsheet of weighted categories. They don't. A number out of five is a blunt instrument, and we treat it as a summary of a feeling, not a formula.

What we really ask is simple: did I want to keep playing, and would I tell a friend about it? A game that nails one thing and respects your time can score higher than a bigger, more polished game that bores us.

Context matters too. We score Legends of Slots as a casual game against other casual games, not against a sprawling RPG. Judging everything on one scale would be unfair to both.

If the number and the words ever seem to disagree, trust the words. The paragraphs are where the honest opinion lives — the score is just there for people skimming.