About
Console Crusade Staff
Nick Durheim has played one or two video games, and has a great fondness for tiny TVs.
Chris Gilly-Forrer is a professor and theatre maker. His favorite game series is Metroid, which means he’s better than you.
EJ Olson is a video editor and musician by day, and a large man with anxiety by night.
The Console Crusade Podcast
Video game news, reviews, retro gaming, and too many opinions! The Console Crusade Podcast is hosted by EJ Olson, Nick Durheim, and Chris Gilly-Forrer, released Wednesdays.
Why Score Reviews?
We believe a score is only as good as the review that accompanies it, which is why our emphasis will always be on the substance of the text rather than the number that follows. But review scores are nonetheless the most simple shorthand method for discussing games, a way of weighing recommendations to fellow gamers regardless of their personal gaming backgrounds and habits. It also allows us to contextualize a game’s place in the industry’s current and historical landscape. Taken together, a comprehensive review and matching score gives our readers the key information they need to inform their own purchasing decisions.
How We Review
In order to best serve the needs of those who may find these reviews useful, Console Crusade strives to pair our review staff with titles that they are uniquely qualified to speak on.
We trust our reviewers’ expertise in curating a specific set of criteria to best evaluate each title; as such, there is no formal structure or layout that each review is required to adhere to. However, many of the same core elements often come up in our reviews. These items broadly summarize what Console Crusade values in a video game experience and generally underpins the way we discuss titles:
— Gameplay/game systems
— Presentation (graphics/sound)
— Performance
— Narrative delivery
— Competitive balance
What does it mean to beat a game? Rolling credits? Platinum trophy? A minimum number of hours? There isn’t a clean answer to that. Rather than listing every possible use case, we will be transparent about the degree to which we engaged with a reviewed title and leave it to you to decide if that’s sufficient.
The content of our reviews will generally be spoiler-free in order to preserve the gameplay experience of our readers, unless specifically noted with a warning beforehand.
Review Rubric
Unimpeachable. This game oozes with importance and nails virtually every design choice. The type of game that sticks to the back of your skull, one you have to hold back talking about with strangers on the street. You’ll want to buy copies for your friends, your co-workers, and even your mom who hasn’t played a video game since Donkey Kong Country. While nothing can be flawless, this is as close to a perfect experience as you can get.
Tremendous. A truly fantastic game with very few issues that keep it from its full potential. Captivating story or engrossing gameplay makes this a must-play, as soon as possible.
Impressive. A really good game that you will enjoy from start to finish, as it’s engaging in most aspects it attempts. Despite a few gripes, you won’t want to put it down. This should be near the top of your backlog, only bumped lower by generational outings just up the ladder.
Solid. Recommended with caveats. It’s not going to change your mind on a genre, but you won’t regret your time with it. A good game with moderate highs and minimal lows. If you haven’t already bought into the style or genre, you can wait for a sale.
Tolerable. Either just missed the mark or got in its own way. There’s a good game here, you just have to accept that it may frustrate you occasionally. If you’re still interested, maybe borrow it from your friend who only owns JRPGs with fifteen-word titles.
Poor. There are occasional highlights but much of your time will be spent separating the wheat from the chaff. Largely uninteresting or boring, barely memorable. If you can make it past the title screen, it might be worth it for the meme.
Miserable. This could have been good if more care was put into it. We cannot endorse this, but it’s not actively offensive all the time. Its lows will leave you flabbergasted, however. Give it a go, if you dare.
Disgusting. There may have been a decent concept here at some point, but the final product is wrong and ill-conceived in every way. The time you spent with this game can never be recovered.
Horrid. A truly bad game, useful only for playing tricks on friends and enemies. It fails to be interesting beyond being a punchline to a bad joke. Do not buy (for yourself).
Abysmal. An egregious waste of time, no redeeming value, broken and ugly. Tragic, lowering our faith in humanity. What are you even doing down here? Go outside, we beg you. Of the abyss.
Ethics & Conduct
The staff at Console Crusade strives to adhere to the industry standard ethical guidelines laid out by the Society of Professional Journalists. Some potential conflicts of interest are unique to the video game industry, and we plan to address them in the following ways:
AI
Console Crusade staff will not, under any circumstances, make use of AI of any kind. No generative AI to create copy, no proofreading AI to clean up articles, no AI summaries on search engines — nothing.
Review Codes
Receipt of a review code from the developer or publisher of a title under review will be noted on the review page. Corresponding NDA or embargo restrictions will be honored.
Financial Investment
Members of our review staff who have financially invested in a game will not be allowed to review that title.
Fantasy Critic
Our writers participate in a Fantasy Critic league as part of the Console Crusade Podcast. In the event that a writer reviews a title on their roster (or an opponent’s), our adherence to ethical journalistic standards will continue to take precedence over our friendly (but ultimately meaningless) competition.
Images
Images captured by Console Crusade or pulled from respective press kits unless otherwise credited.
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