How we actually test a game before writing a word

People ask how long we play before reviewing. The honest answer is: until we have something to say that we'd stand behind. For a short adventure that might be one full playthrough. For a strategy game it could be a couple of weeks of sessions.

We test on more than one device on purpose. A game can feel great on a flagship and awful on a three-year-old phone. Since most people aren't buying a new phone for one game, we think that matters.

Two of us play everything independently before we compare notes. If our impressions clash badly, that's usually the most interesting part, and it often ends up in the review itself. Disagreement is honest.

None of this is glamorous. There are plenty of games we drop halfway because they simply aren't worth finishing, and those rarely get written up. Time is the one resource we can't fake.