Finding Game Evaluation You Can Trust

It’s been estimated that over 14,000 games were released on Steam in 2023. In 2024 the figure is set to be even higher. So even the most dedicated gamer can’t possibly hope to sample more than a tiny fraction of the total number.

Admittedly, among them there will be a fair number of duds. They will also cross every conceivable genre including ones that are distinctly niche. But it still means that the already-stuffed world of gaming has many more titles for players to explore – and the sheer number of them means that a true gem could be missed. This is where being a keen reader of game reviews can be essential. Letting someone else put in the hard yards road testing games, and trusting in their findings, means that you could be introduced to titles you might otherwise never have discovered. And that has to be good news.

The Role Of The Evaluation

Any high quality review of a game will achieve a number of objectives. Firstly, it will give you a good overview what the game is all about. Its theme, its objectives and the level of difficulty you’re going to face when playing it. It should also go into the more granular detail like the graphics, design and even sound design.

Most importantly, it should provide a realistic description of what it’s actually like to play the game, including highlights of the gameplay as well as any negative aspects. As a result of reading it you should be in a good position to decide whether you think that it’s going to be worth dedicating any of your time to playing it. And, if it’s a game that you have to pay for, it will help you to consider if it’s worth the investment.

The Central Problem

In an ideal world this is all well and good. You would read a review praising the latest game. Then you would waste no time in plunging in to play it, finding it is everything the reviewer promised and more. But, and it’s a big but, you’re not that reviewer and you never will be. So your perspective on the game in question could be very different indeed. What they found intriguing you might find banal. The visuals that knocked them over might leave you cold – because taste in games, like taste in cinema, books and art, is a very personal thing.

Then there’s the question of reviewer bias. It has been known in the past that individuals with an axe to grind with a particular developer might give an overly negative review. Conversely, there have certainly been instances in which reviewers have been incentivised to give an overly glowing report of a not-very-impressive game.

The Casino Question

It’s not just video games that have the conundrum of whether to trust the reviewer or not. It’s also very much the case for anyone looking for a good online casino. Today there are so many out there that it can be next to impossible to make a decision. Fortunately, there are plenty of review sites to help.

These tend to give an overview of the site and which developers’ games and software that they use. They will also contain information about all of the current bonuses and other offers that are available. And, while most are put together by anonymous reviewers some do feature stars. If you check the reviews at casino.org Canada, you’ll see the best online casinos in Canada are thoroughly reviewed by Jemma McColgan, they contain details on the best online casinos in Canada with details on the win rate and payout time. And with 10+ years’ experience, readers can rest assured that she knows what she’s writing about. By sticking to reputable sites, such as the one that Jemma contributes to, you can have the added confidence that the information they provide is accurate, honest and true.

The Question Of Trust

However, even if you are relying on reviewers whose motives you know are simply to give an honest collection of opinions, this isn’t always enough. That’s because we need to return to one of the original points in this piece: taste is subjective. So, what you believe may be the greatest game ever created might be picking up one- and two-star reviews. Or you may be left completely cold by the latest big release, and the reviewers’ favourite.

The secret of finding reviews you can trust is simply to try out some of the games that a particular reviewer has written or vlogged about and to see if you agree with their opinions. That way you’ll be able to calibrate whether they think and respond in the same way as you. So, going forward, any games they like you’ll probably enjoy too. Of course you could also rely on user reviews, but some are already suggesting that the system may be broken.

But that, as they say, is a debate best left for another day.