This is how I roll.  I came up with this so that those of you who read my reviews can get a general idea of what’s going on in my head as I rate the games we all play.  For media/PR out there, please feel free to contact me if you want your games to be reviewed on the site or on the show.  You may contact me at unscripted@unscripted360.com with any coverage requests.

Ok, let’s take a look at how I do it.  Please note that my reviews are not meant to make the purchase for you but rather give you an opinion that may help.

Gameplay, Graphics and Sound – I include a general breakdown of how the game plays, the visual construction of the game (graphics) and how the game sounds.  All of these elements work together so I give them to you in one smooth continous section. 

Xbox Live Extras – Most games will have some form of optional Xbox Live support.  I key in on those additional features a game may provide. For example, downloadable content, multiplayer or leaderboards. Some games may not include any extra features so you will often see this field without my usual comments.

Conclusion – This is just an overall recap of what I thought of the game.

Once these things are decided upon, a final score is given so that you can see how these things added up. I use a scale of 1-10 to rate these games; “10” being the best and “1” being the worst. There are no averages to compute or fancy calculations to be made when deciding the final score. With that said, let’s take a look at the rating scale and what the scores actually mean. 

9.0 - 10.0: “Untouchable”
A game that finds its way into this range is truly remarkable.  You’ve no doubt read Unscripted 360’s first Untouchable  Awards right?  Well, any game that scores in this range automatically qualifies for a shot at the coveted ‘Untouchable of the Year’ Award.  

8.0-8.9: “Standout”
This score identifies a game that did so many right things but yet not enough.  There may be one or two annoying traits that kept it from scoring an ‘Untouchable’ but that doesn’t take from it.    

7.0-7.9: “Exceptional”
These games are good and without question can provide a good playing experience. Faults in this range are more noticeable so it keeps it from placing in the Standout category.  

5.0-6.9: “Average”
A game that scores in this category is average. The experience you might get with a game in this range varies from a good one to a bad one; most times being bad. It all depends on your taste as do most things. The problems in this range tend to mount faster and more repeatedly. I use this range for a game that might have been “Exceptional” but so many things mounted and collected that it couldn’t be.  The key word in games here is ‘potential missed’.

1.0-4.9: “Poor”
Why bother? Games in this range have more negatives than positives and just don’t provide a good enough playing experience. These games probably should’ve stayed on the developer’s table for at least another month or year. It is at your own risk that you purchase a game that scores in this range.