How We Actually Test a Game Before Writing

People sometimes ask how long we play before posting a review. The short answer is: longer than you'd think. A quick arcade game gets at least several sessions across a few days, and an RPG gets a week or more.

We install everything on three devices, two mid-range Android phones and an older iPhone, because performance on a flagship tells you nothing about how it runs for most people. If a game stutters on the older hardware, that goes in the review.

The first thing we always check is airplane mode. We download, disconnect, and see what still works. A shocking number of games that claim to be offline quietly need a connection for menus or saves.

Only after all of that does anyone start writing. The goal is to tell you what a game actually feels like after the honeymoon wears off, not what it looks like in the first five minutes.