Reviews and the S.T.A.R.S System

Reviews

The goal here is to offer a unified perspective on games and tech. I believe a review from someone who likes similar games and products will give you a better idea of whether you will like the game.

The S.T.A.R.S System

The S.T.A.R.S. System is the rating system for games used in my reviews. Each category gets its own rating, which is then weighted and combined to determine a final score. The final score is then rounded to the nearest decimal place.

(Satisfaction×0.35)+(Tech×0.25)+(Atmosphere×0.15)+(Replayability×0.05)+(Story×0.20) = Final Score

For games with little focus on the story or no story at all, the following weighing is used:

(Satisfaction×0.40)+(Tech×0.30)+(Atmosphere×0.20)+(Replayability×0.10) = Final Score

Satisfaction:

Reflects on the overall enjoyment of the game. Is it fun to play? Since this is arguably the most important part, this section has the highest weight of 0.35/0.40.

Tech:

Assesses performance and optimization while also covering any issues or bugs. As this is an integral part of a game, greatly impacting your satisfaction, it has the second-highest weight of 0.25/0.30.

Atmosphere:

Covers the graphics, audio, and immersion of the game. While very subjective, this is still an important factor in a game, and as such, this section has a weight of 0.15/0.20.

Replayability:

Determines the value of replaying after completion and the things that keep you coming back. As this is not terribly important, this section has the lowest weight of 0.05/0.10.

Story:

Evaluates the story, characters, and plot of the game. While somewhat dependent on the genre, the story is arguably one of the most important parts of a game. Because of this, it has the third-highest weight of 0.20. For games with minimal or no story, is skipped skipped.