How I actually review a mobile game

People sometimes assume reviewing games is just playing and vibing. There's some truth to that, but the useful part is more deliberate. Here's roughly how I work through a game before writing a word.

First sitting: I play blind, no guides, and note every moment of friction. Confusing menus, control fumbles, that tutorial that overstayed its welcome. These first impressions fade fast, so I write them down immediately.

Second and third sittings: I push past the honeymoon. Lots of games are delightful for twenty minutes and hollow at hour three. The grind, the repetition, the paywall nudges — they all show up later, and that's where a real opinion forms.

Only then do I think about a score. The number is the least interesting part; it's shorthand for the paragraphs. If you only read the rating, you're missing the actual review.