At times we get questions or complaints about our grading policy. For one thing, not every country in the world uses the American system of grading (A-F). Some countries use different letters, numbers, stars, the Richter scale, or notched wooden boards. In Italy, two teachers rank each student with either a simple 'thumbs-up' or 'thumbs-down.' Egyptian children are forced to drag home huge stone monoliths at the end of each semester. We have taken a pretty tough stance on grading. This is not like your wimpy school, except for that one mean math teacher, Mr. Nelson. Remember, 'C' is supposed to be average. Also remember that all games are graded when they are brand new, and are judged based on the state of gaming at that time. We assume that most aspects of gameplay (especially sound and graphics) will improve over time, and we grade accordingly. Unlike movies, a sequel must be better than the original in order to receive the same grade. |
What the Grades Mean
| A+ | The Holy Grail of Gaming. The Perfect Game. We have never given one. |
| A | A terrific game. Good graphics, sound, and most of all: fun to play. Also it must do something Revolutionary; introduces a new gaming aspect that we have not seen before. |
| A- | Fabulous. Not quite Revolutionary, but one of the best games of the genre. |
| B+ |
This is a damn good game. Solid graphics and gameplay. |
| B | A good game, but nothing to write home about. |
| B- | Still, a pretty good game, but it has some noticable flaws. |
| C+ | Slightly better than average. Definitely needs improvement. |
| C | Average. Absolutely nothing special or interesting, but no giant flaws either. |
| C- | Below average in most aspects. A half-assed attempt by the designers. |
| D+ | A bad game. If you paid for it, you got ripped off. |
| D | An even worse game with serious flaws. Barely playable. |
| D- | This game is terrible. It is not fun, has big problems, and bad graphics. |
| F | No redeeming qualities whatsoever. Good god, what were they thinking? |