Review Policy

Scoring Scale

All games are scored on a 0–10 scale in 0.1 increments. The score is a holistic editorial judgment that weighs gameplay, visuals, story, performance, and value — it is not a mathematical average of category scores. A score reflects the game at the time of review on the tested platform.

We do not award half-point scores or use letter grades. A score of 5.0 is not a "pass" — it indicates a game that is mediocre but not broken. A 10.0 is exceptionally rare and reserved for games that redefine their genre.

Platform-Specific Scores

Scores apply to the platform tested. A game reviewed on PC may receive a different score than the same game reviewed on console if meaningful performance, control, or content differences exist between versions. The tested platform is always disclosed in the review header. If a patch or update significantly changes the experience on another platform, we may publish a separate platform-specific follow-up.

Review Copy Policy

TheCoreGamer sometimes receives advance review copies from publishers, developers, or PR agencies at no cost. When this occurs, it is disclosed at the top of the review. The provision of a review copy does not influence our score, our coverage decisions, or the content of the review in any way.

When a game is purchased with personal or editorial funds, or accessed via a subscription service (Game Pass, PlayStation Plus, etc.), that is also disclosed. We do not participate in paid review programs, guaranteed-score arrangements, or any form of review-for-compensation agreement.

Embargo Policy

We respect publisher review embargoes as a standard industry practice that allows reviewers adequate time with a game before publishing. We will not publish review scores or detailed impressions before an agreed embargo date. If we believe an embargo is unreasonably short — preventing a fair assessment — we will disclose this to readers in the review. We do not accept embargo terms that restrict the content or tone of our coverage.

Score Update Policy

Published scores may be updated when a major patch, expansion, or technical update significantly changes the experience — in either direction. Score updates are uncommon and reserved for substantial changes, not minor bug fixes.

When a score is updated, the review displays a visible "Score Updated" notice that includes the original score, the new score, the date of the change, and the reason for the revision. The original review text is preserved and an addendum is appended explaining what changed.

Conflict of Interest Policy

Reviewers who have a personal, financial, or professional relationship with a game's developer or publisher are required to disclose this and recuse themselves from reviewing that title. This includes prior employment, personal friendships, Kickstarter backing, or any financial stake in the product.

TheCoreGamer does not accept advertising from publishers whose games we are currently reviewing. Advertising relationships are handled by a separate business team with no editorial access. Ad placement decisions are never shared with reviewers prior to publication.