Table Salt Review Guidelines

Whenever I finish a game (or feel that I’ve played a game long enough), I’ll write a review for Table Salt. While my Top 52 segment is very subjective, my reviews or newer games will be more objective. Obviously I can't be completely objective, I am human. Rather, I'll just be honest about my views. Reviews may affect how gamers buy their games, so I’ll try not to let my personal biases get in the way of what makes a good game. If I don’t like the genre, I’ll tell you in the review, as my like or dislike for a genre may affect my opinion on its score.

I don’t break down games into separate categories either. I’m not going to rate the sound, controls, and plot in different segments. I will review the game as a cohesive whole, and incorporate the different aspects of gameplay into my review. By separating the review into parts, I fear that the result may be the sum of all its parts. If you don’t feel like reading the entire review however, I will have a “Quick Fix,” where I will just list out the general pros and cons of the game.

I will be using a number system for ratings since that seems like the easiest to me and gives me a lot of choices. Below are my descriptions for games that fit into different ranges starting from the worst to the best.

Rating Levels:

0.0 - 0.9: Absolute Garbage: Hopefully I’ll never need to review a game that is this bad. A game that gets this score is probably not fully functional and in need of improvement in every category imaginable. A game rated this low might make your ears explode upon even hearing its name out loud.

1.0 - 1.9: Horrendous: Not quite the worst games ever, but pretty close. These games probably have near-unworkable controls and are devoid of any fun whatsoever. Homework is probably more fun than this game.

2.0 - 2.9: Awful: Games with this rating probably have one good thing going for them. Maybe the music didn’t suck or maybe the game suffered from poor execution. Regardless, the game was a major disappointment and needed multiple improvements.

3.0 - 3.9: Bad: Simply put, the game’s negatives far outweigh the game’s positives. Maybe the gameplay was well thought out but the controls make it really hard to play. Either way, games with this low of a ranking need a lot of help.

4.0 - 4.9: Poor: A game with this rating might have had a chance to be really good except for some major setbacks. Games with this rating most likely underachieved and suffer from numerous problems.

5.0 - 5.9: Mediocre: This game is average. There were some fun moments and/or creative ideas but the fun of the game was hampered by other faults probably causing the player to be angry at some times.

6.0 - 6.9: Fair: You’ve definitely seen better games than this but you enjoyed the time you spent with this game. Maybe the controls and the music were really lame but the story kept you going. If you like the genre, you may like this game.

7.0 - 7.9: Good: This game was very enjoyable. This game was probably not very memorable and you probably played through it once, liked it, but would not go back to it again. A worthwhile experience while it lasted.

8.0 - 8.9: Great: This game was amazing. You loved the time you spent with it and with a few minor tweaks this game can become outstanding. A must-have for any fan of the genre.

9.0 - 9.9: Outstanding: Games with this rating are near-perfect. The controls were solid; the gameplay was fun; the music rocked. Games of this stature are rare and anyone who has the console probably has or wants this game.

10: Masterful: Masterful games stay with you throughout your entire lifetime. These are games that you enjoyed every second of and the only bad thing about it was that it eventually ended. Games of this level have probably influenced hundreds of other games and innovated an entire genre. As of today, only two games in my mind have reached this perfect score. I can’t tell you those games though, otherwise that would really mess up the drama of my Top 52 segment!

Why am I giving this all to you right now? If you look at my next blog entry, you’ll see my first review! Refer back to this page in the future if you want a reminder about generally what the numbers mean.