Our reviews are based on either retail copies of games that we purchase ourselves, or on pre-release copies provided by the game’s publisher. In the latter scenario, this is done so that we’re given ample time to assess a game ahead of its embargo or release date, and write up our impressions to give readers everything they need to make an informed decision.
We will always disclose at the bottom of the review if a copy was provided by the publisher. We will never accept any form of compensation in exchange for giving a game a favorable review.
How We Review Games
Retcon makes use of a 10-point scale, where we score games from 1 to 5 stars, with the usage of half-stars where necessary.
When we review a game, we often play it to completion before forming an opinion on it. In some special cases (open-ended games, MMOs, etc.), we play as much of it as we can until we feel we’ve reached a point where we’re able to pen an informed review of the game.
Our goal is to provide a thorough and logical breakdown that goes through all that a game has to offer, its strengths and shortcomings, and whether it is ultimately worth your time to play through. Before publishing, we will endeavor to revise and reiterate on the copy to make sure that it is aligned with the score that we ultimately land on.
100% objectiveness is impossible in any review, but we hope to offer a critical analysis, complete with scores that properly reflect its quality.
Review Score Breakdown
Here’s a full overview of our rating system and what each score represents.
| Rating | Description |
|---|---|
| 5 Stars – Exemplary | A game that represents the best of what its genre and video games as a whole have to offer. Not necessarily a “perfect” game, but is a standout effort that will be remembered for years to come. |
| 4 Stars – Great | A game that is fun and easy to recommend. May not be an all-time classic, but if you’re someone who enjoys this game’s genre, or are a fan of the series it’s part of, you will be very pleased with its effort. |
| 3 Stars – Fair | Distinguished as an effort and may have some great ideas, but its shortcomings are noticeable, making it difficult to recommend to people outside of its target audience. |
| 2 Stars – Mediocre | Functional on a basic level, but suffers from either uninspiring design, persistent technical issues, and/or is just run-of-the-mill and boring. |
| 1 Star – Bad | Straight-up terrible due to being broken, unplayable, offensive, not fun, or any combination of the above. |
For review inquiries, contact Zhiqing at zhiqing@retconmagazine.com.