MethodologyHow we testReviews produced by YouGamers take quite a different approach to that used by many of the popular online and printed publications around. As well as trying to offer the reader a detailed examination of the gameplay and content, every author takes considerable effort to test a game across as wide a range of PC systems as possible. One of the first things we test out is how a game plays, runs and looks on a computer configured to be as close to the publisher's stated minimum requirements. Sometimes we have to make informed judgements as to exactly what setup they are referring to, simply because the requirements are so general. We then try the game out with recommended setups before trying out combinations of our own until we're confident that we can state anything. YouGamers Hardware RecommendationsJust like publishers, we offer you two setup configurations: minimum and recommended. For us, the min is more than just what you need to run the game - this is an approximate configuration to be able to enjoy it, even though the settings might be very low. There's no point in buying a game if it only just runs on your PC! We spend a lot of time testing before we make a recommended statement as it's not about running the game on the maximum details with every graphics card function activated too. The YouGamers recommended configuration is for having the best possible balance between performance, gameplay, and looks as the developers intended it to be - this might be at the max settings but it may not be; if it isn't then we'll let you exactly what you should aim for to play on the highest of settings.
How we score gamesA glance at any of our reviews will show you that we have 5 criteria that we rate a game in, using a percentage value:
GameplayThis rating reflects how the entire game plays and feels; it includes elements such as replay value, learning curve, game logic and so on. Games that score well here will give the player a great and memorable experience, shaped by consistent and balanced rules; low scores are achieved by games that are full of inconsistencies or illogical options. GraphicsThis is obviously about how the game looks but the score is awarded taking the genre into account. For example, one would expect a modern 3D shooter to use the latest rendering techniques to produce a realistic, believable world; in contrast though, you wouldn't expect a simple puzzler to do the same - both though could achieve the same score in the graphics section. AudioAs well as the looks, the music and sound effects form an integral part of the gaming experience. Repetitive, annoying music or poor voice acting will lower the score; poor use of audio hardware (for example, not using 5.1 surround sound correctly) will affect this too. Done right, a simple piece of music can transform a gaming moment from being ordinary to extraordinary. TechnologyGames need to use hardware in order to run and this score reflects how well it's doing so. Several metrics are considered to rate this section, such as the number of bugs and how well it scales from low-end to high-end PC setups. A game engine doesn't have to be packed with all the latest techniques to score well here but if they're used to really benefit the experience, then it certainly won't be ignored. OverallA game is more than just the sum of its parts and likewise, the overall score is influenced by the other ratings but still separate. What this means is that a game can run poorly on certain PC systems or have lots of bugs but still score well if the entire experience is highly satisfactory. And the converse is also true - a low overall score could be awarded to a game that's polished, beautiful to look at but ultimately a shallow and dull event.
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