How we actually test a game before writing about it

People ask how long we sit with a game before scoring it. The honest answer is: until it stops surprising us. That's usually a few days, sometimes a couple of weeks for bigger titles.

We play on ordinary hardware, not flagship phones, because that's what most readers use. Performance and battery drain go into the notes just like mechanics do. A great game that cooks your phone earns a mention for it.

We also try to hit the point where the shine wears off. Lots of games feel amazing for an hour. The real question is whether they hold up on day five, and that's where our ratings come from.