How We Actually Test A Mobile Game Before Reviewing It

People sometimes assume reviewers play a game for ten minutes and write a verdict. We try hard not to do that, because mobile games change a lot after the opening hours.

Our rule is a minimum of a week with any game we cover. That's long enough to hit the mid-game slump that so many titles fall into once the tutorial glow wears off.

We play on more than one device, because performance varies wildly. A game that runs smooth on a new phone can stutter badly on an older one, and that affects the score.

We also note how often a game interrupts you. Constant nagging to come back drags a rating down for us, even if the core game is good.

None of this is glamorous. It's mostly playing, taking notes, and arguing in the group chat until we agree on a number.