How we actually test the games we review

People ask how long we play before writing a review. The honest answer is: until we have something real to say, which is never as short as a single session.

We spread play across at least a week. That's on purpose. The first hour of most mobile games is designed to feel great, and the cracks only show once the tutorial rewards dry up.

For RPGs and strategy games we push toward the mid or endgame, because that's where the design either holds together or falls apart. For arcade and casual games we test how well they hold up across many short sessions instead.

We also note the annoying stuff most reviews skip: intrusive timers, confusing menus, forced waits. Those details affect your day-to-day more than any headline feature.

Then we sit on the score for a day. First impressions lie, and giving it a night usually shifts our opinion in some direction.