The Star Rating

A Mouthful of Games uses a system of zero to four stars, with half-star increments, and a pantheon of great, important games called the 'Hall of Fame'. Here is a summary of what the different ratings mean.

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~: HALL OF FAME :~

Games in the Hall of Fame fall outside of the star rating. These entries are a little more grounded in research, and takes a more objective approach to the game's historical significance. Here the reviewer attempts to account for the great importance it holds, either to him personally, or the surrounding gaming landscape and culture at large.

A Hall of Fame entry does not have to be a fully-fledged masterpiece today, but might have been at one time, or contains some element that elevates it to art. Most top scoring games will have the possibility to make their appearance here someday, but don't be surprised if games of lower scores find their way here as well.

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4 stars - Masterful/Brilliant 

The highest score. Awarded to genuine works of art or the top-tier games that completely hook the reviewer. Generally given to creative endeavors that somehow enhance the gaming experience to new heights. This could happen either by perfecting existing mechanics or storytelling, or inventing new ones, or a combination of both. Does not have to be perfect in every regard, but cannot contain a single major, indefensible flaw.

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3½ stars - Excellent/Very Good

Just below the top tier, we find the games that fall just short of masterful. Still a great game, but something too major to disregard holds it back from those absolutely awe-inspiring heights. It could be the masters of past years who have since been surpassed by even better games, or games that miss some cruicial quality, that, if fixed, would make it wonderful. Nevertheless, the magic contained within makes it a must play.

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3 stars - Good/Fun

An entertaining game, recommended for everyone to try out even if you're not a fan of the genre. There's room for improvement in many ways, or it might be a genre exercise without the ambition to be great. Still, what's there is good enough to make it worth your while. A common, all-encompassing rating to award games that are really fun in the heat of the moment, but not all that memorable.

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2½ stars - Decent/Promising

Be wary of this game. It's certainly not for everyone, but possesses one or a few qualities that makes it worth checking out for genre fans. A typical score to award the bunch of games that show great promise in a few departments, but contains major flaws in others. Or it might even lack crucial elements and truly excel in others. Still, the qualities on display makes it rise above the average bunch.

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2 stars - Okay/Average

A passing grade. The default rating from where every game experience starts out, and then hopefully expands. The broadest category, it's awarded to highly uneven games, or games that you play through with nary a single emotional response or inspiring thought. Also awarded to games that function as intended, but completely lack ambitions, or are way too long. Would be the most common score, if the reviewer had time to play every game in existence.

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1½ stars - Disappointing/Weak

Now we're reaching levels where anyone would struggle to find meaning. Has at least one fatal flaw, and nothing to redeem it. Only check this game out if you're a devout genre fan or franchise completionist. You might find something worthwhile, even though the reviewer did not. Usually overlong timewasters with uninspiring content, dull aesthetics or lacklustre technical qualities.

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1 star - Poor/Bad

Reserved for the truly bad and unsalvagable, this is a no-go zone for anybody. Parts of the game does not function properly, or even the concept behind the game might be flawed. If it has any qualities whatsoever, it's in departments that do not matter in the slightest, making the reviewer question whether the developers has their priorities straight. What's more - even if a game has average gameplay, horrible writing might relegate it all the way down to this score, and vice versa.

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½ star - Awful/Horrible

A game that hardly functions, or executes everything so horribly that it is near unplayable. It could have unresponsive controls, a faulty camera, and suffer from numerous glitches or even crashing - all at the same time. You name it. Everything about this game makes it an unintentionally provocative mess. A game any reviewer would hope to not come across many times in a lifetime, but nevertheless will know by sight and stench. Should never have seen the light of day.

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*** ZERO STARS ***

Games that were designed to provoke, games that can hardly be called games, games that are morally or politically bankrupt, games that are so bad we can only laugh at them, games that belong to the worst-of-all-time lists. Games that the reviewer will enjoy poking fun at. They are hard to come by, and the reviewer secretly dreads the day it happens, but by research he should know how they present themselves. Let's wait and see if and when it happens...