Our rating system explained
We here at Unnamed Gaming Reviews have decided that the current "-infinity to 10" system we use is not really the most useful way of getting information across. The problem we have is that the system does not really impart any useful information to the reader, nor does it allow for games to be considered "good" once they dip below 7.5. If you went to the store, would you plunk down $50 for a game that had received a 6.0? Probably not, unless you have a lot of money to throw around, and in that situation we would suggest giving the money to us, since we love you, Rich Person X, and would like to praise you for your kind generosity on the front page of the website with stars and pop-ups declaring our unending love for you and your generosity and did I mention how generous you are?Therefore, from here on out we at Unnamed Gaming Reviews will be using a Dollar Value system. For example, Zach posted a review of Serious Sam: The Second Encounter in the Quickie section. He thinks that SS:SE is a great game, and should be played by all. However, he doesn't think that it's worth $50. It is a good value at $20, which is the MSRP. Therefore, under the new rating system, his score of $23 implies that you should definitely buy SS:SE if you see it at or under a price of $23. Since the game should be no more than $20 at any store you visit, this would be considered a "glowing review".
On the other hand, what about a game like State of Emergency or New Legends? Zach thinks that these games are worth around $20, too. However, these games usually cost around $50 each. This means that neither game is particularly good, and should be avoided until they wind up in the bargain bin at a price around $20.
This raises one unfortunate question: Is State of Emergency as good as SS:SE since their values are roughly the same?
In this case, the answer is no. SS:SE is a better game. The rating system judges games based on their launch price. SS:SE, at launch, was $20. This makes it a must buy. State of Emergency has a launch price of $50, but is only worth about $20. Theoretically, State of Emergency will eventually be sold for $20 in the bargain bin. By that time, however, SS:SE should only be selling for around $5-10, and also be in the bargain bin. Therefore, when State of Emergency reaches the "worthwhile purchase" price of $20, SS:SE will be at the "Why haven't you bought this yet and what the hell is your damn problem?" price of $10. Ergo, you should still purchase SS:SE instead of State of Emergency because SS:SE is a better value, as was the case at the time of review.
Make sense?
Zachary Rounds
Editor in Chief of State