How we actually test an offline game

People sometimes ask how long we spend with a game before writing. The honest answer is: until we have something real to say, which is usually several hours minimum.

First thing we do is flip to airplane mode. If a supposedly offline game freezes or hides features without a connection, that goes straight into the review. It's the single most common letdown.

We also test on older hardware. A game that runs beautifully on a new phone might stutter on a three-year-old one, and plenty of readers aren't upgrading yearly. That drawer of old devices earns its keep.

Finally we play the boring parts. The tutorial, the grindy mid-game, the menus. That's where games either respect your time or waste it, and it's what separates a 4.2 from a 4.7 in our ratings.