The Seven Star Review System ⭐

Let's talk about something that's been bothering me for years: review scores.

You know the feeling. You're reading reviews, trying to figure out if a game is worth your precious time and money, and you see three completely different games all sitting pretty with 9/10 scores.

A groundbreaking RPG that pushes the boundaries of interactive storytelling? 9/10. A solid but safe sequel that adds exactly one new mechanic? Also 9/10. That one game that's basically just "Generic Open World: The Game" but with really nice trees? You guessed it – 9/10.

Something's broken here, and we need to fix it.

Why Seven Stars?

After years of wrestling with this problem (and maybe one too many late-night gaming sessions), I realized what we needed wasn't another 1-10 scale. We needed something that actually reflects how games work their magic on us, how they grow from good to great to "holy shit, you need to play this right now."

Enter the Seven Star System.

Think of it like a very picky dragon collecting treasures. Each star represents not just a step up in quality, but a leap into a whole new realm of achievement. The difference between one star and two stars is like upgrading from a bicycle to a car. But the gap between six stars and seven? That's like trading your car for a spaceship.

The Stars: A Journey from "It Works" to "It Changed Everything"

Let me break down what each star really means:

⭐ Functional 

The game turns on. You can play it. Your character moves when you press buttons. Like that first date who showed up and had a pulse – technically, they met the minimum requirements.

⭐⭐ Competent 

Now we're actually getting somewhere. The game knows what it's trying to be and does it without major mishaps. It's the Honda Civic of games – reliable, gets the job done, nobody's writing poetry about it.

⭐⭐⭐ Proficient 

This is where things get interesting. The game's not just going through the motions; it's starting to show some real skill. Like discovering your reliable friend is actually a pretty great cook.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent 

Welcome to the realm of genuine excellence. These games don't just do things well; they do them well enough to make you pause and think "damn, that was nice." Think of arriving at a fancy restaurant and realizing the hype was actually justified.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Outstanding 

Now we're in the territory where other developers start taking notes. These games aren't just playing the game; they're changing it. Like when Bloodborne dropped and suddenly everyone had to rethink what combat could feel like.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Masterful 

Rarefied air. These games don't just excel; they make excellence look easy. Hollow Knight isn't just a great game; it's a master class in how every single element of a game can work in perfect harmony.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Immaculate 

The holy grail. The perfect game. I'm talking Baldur's Gate 3 levels of "how did they even do this?" These games don't just raise the bar; they basically create a new bar in a different dimension.

The Seven Pillars: Because "Graphics" Isn't a Personality Trait

Every game gets examined through seven lenses. But here's the cool part – how these apply shifts based on what the game is trying to do. Let's break it down:

World Crafting

Not just "are the graphics pretty?" but "does this world feel real?" Elden Ring's Lands Between isn't just gorgeous; it's a place where every broken statue and crumbling wall tells a story. But hey, Tetris Effect proves you can build an incredible world with nothing but falling blocks and good vibes.

Narrative & Choice Design

This is where we separate "and then stuff happens" from actual storytelling. Sometimes it's branching narratives that make Baldur's Gate 3 feel like it's reading your mind. Sometimes it's the story you piece together from item descriptions in Hollow Knight. And sometimes, like in Inside, it's telling a whole damn story without saying a single word. Wild, right?

Creative Direction

Think of this as the game's personality. It's not just about having good graphics or nice music – it's about everything working together to create something distinct. Cuphead doesn't just look like a 1930s cartoon; it feels like one came to life and decided to repeatedly punch you in the face (in a good way). It's about having a vision and absolutely nailing it.

Combat & Systems Design

This is where the rubber meets the road – or where the sword meets the face, if you prefer. How does the game actually feel to play? Sekiro isn't just about hitting things with a sword; it's about creating a whole language of combat where every clash feels like a conversation. And hey, if your game isn't about combat, this is about whatever core mechanics make it tick. Portal's portals. Outer Wilds' space exploration. Hades' "just one more run" perfection.

Technical Achievement

Let's be real – this isn't about counting pixels or bragging about ray tracing. It's about how well the game uses technology to serve its vision. Return of the Obra Dinn created an entire mystery masterpiece in basically two colors. Meanwhile, some games with cutting-edge graphics can barely run without catching fire. It's not about having the most technology; it's about using it right.

Player Experience Integration

This is the invisible art of making sure everything just works. Good UI design is like good plumbing – you only notice it when it's broken. It's about respecting the player's time, making systems clear without dumbing them down, and ensuring that every button press feels just right. Hades doesn't just have great combat; it has a thousand little touches that make playing it feel effortless.

Artistic Achievement

This is the big one – where everything comes together to create something greater than the sum of its parts. It's not just about being pretty or playing well; it's about creating something meaningful. Something that sticks with you. Something that makes you see games – or maybe even the world – a little differently after you're done.

Think about Disco Elysium. On paper, it's just a bunch of skill checks and dialogue trees. In practice? It's a philosophical journey through identity, ideology, and what it means to be human, all wrapped up in a detective story that feels like Raymond Chandler had a fever dream after reading too much political theory.

The Reality Check

Here's the thing – context matters. An indie game made by three people in a garage isn't getting judged the same way as a $70 AAA blockbuster with a team of thousands. But the stars? They don't care about your budget. They care about how well you achieved what you set out to do.

This system isn't about punishing small games or giving big ones a free pass. It's about understanding what each game is trying to achieve and evaluating how well it gets there. Stardew Valley wasn't trying to be God of War, and that's exactly why it's brilliant. A game that perfectly executes its vision deserves recognition, whether that vision was crafted by hundreds of people or just one really caffeinated developer with a dream.

Genre Matters (But Not How You Think)

Different games need different things to shine. A fighting game like Street Fighter 6 lives and dies by its combat systems, while something like Kentucky Route Zero is all about narrative atmosphere. The seven pillars flex and adapt to what each game is trying to achieve.

This doesn't mean we grade on a curve – it means we understand that excellence comes in many forms. Vampire Survivors isn't less worthy of stars because it's "simple." If anything, its laser focus on doing one thing perfectly makes it more impressive. When I review a game, I'm looking at how well it achieves its goals, not how well it fits some arbitrary template of what games "should" be.

Where Do We Go From Here?

This isn't just another review system – it's a way of thinking about games that gives them the respect they deserve. Every review I write will use this system, breaking down exactly why a game earned each of its stars. No more "it has a little something for everyone" cop-outs.

Join the Conversation

Subscribe to my newsletter for in-depth analysis and early access to reviews.

Check out my YouTube channel where I break down these concepts in detail and show you exactly what seven-star gaming looks like in action.

Let's raise the bar for how we talk about games. Because let's be honest – "pretty good out of ten" just isn't cutting it anymore.

Game on.