Otter and I have had a few arguments about how we each rank and rate the board games we play. We both use Board Game Geek’s collection feature, and add our rankings to each game we play. If you’re unfamiliar with BGG’s system, there’s a 10 point rating scale, and they publish a guideline on how they suggest you rate a game, although admitting that ratings are completely subjective.
- 10 – Outstanding. Always want to play and expect this will never change.
- 9 – Excellent game. Always want to play it.
- 8 – Very good game. I like to play. Probably I’ll suggest it and will never turn down a game.
- 7 – Good game, usually willing to play.
- 6 – Ok game, some fun or challenge at least, will play sporadically if in the right mood.
- 5 – Average game, slightly boring, take it or leave it.
- 4 – Not so good, it doesn’t get me but could be talked into it on occasion.
- 3 – Likely won’t play this again, although could be convinced. Bad.
- 2 – Extremely annoying game, won’t play this ever again.
- 1 – Defies description of a game. You won’t catch me dead playing this. Clearly broken.
The argument that Otter and I have, is that I follow this chart pretty closely, and because of that, the vast majority of the games I rate are a 7 (36.7% of the games I’ve ranked are a 7). I feel like this is fair and true to my feelings on most games, most games that we play end with a “That was pretty good. I’d play it again. Don’t necessarily love it, but I didn’t dislike it.”. The real reason for this, is mostly because our group has played a LOT of games, and we’ve gotten pretty good at figuring out what games we like, and which ones we don’t. If a game doesn’t look like it’s going to grab any of us, it’s not going to see any table time, as time is our most precious resource.
Otter argues that because I rate almost everything between 7 and 10, that I really have a 4 point scale. He, on the other hand, tries to use the whole scale to greater effect. The games that he kinda likes if he’s in the right mood, the 5’s and the 6’s, those drop to the bottom of the scale as 3’s and 4’s, because those end up being the worst games he played that year. Meanwhile, average games languish on the 5’s and 6’s, and there are a couple new 9’s and 10’s every year too.
Now, I should be clear here, these ratings don’t really matter. We’re both totally valid in having our own systems that work for us, as every system has flaws. Like, my system’s flaw is that there are so many 7’s, that it’s hard to differentiate which of those 7’s I like more than other 7’s. The flaw with Otter’s system is that we’ve all been somewhat conditioned to believe that a 6 or below is just bad. Like, if someone told me a game is a 5/10, but reaction would be “ooh, what’s wrong with it?”
This leads me into the second part of this post. Why I don’t have scores in my reviews. I’ve always felt that reducing a review (of anything) to a number, or a binary (like thumbs up/thumbs down, or recommend vs not recommend), doesn’t really get at the heart of a review. For me, a review should be a person’s experience with the product, and a discussion of the merits and flaws. All people have different opinions, but the qualities that make one person run for the hills, might just be what makes another person beam with delight., For instance, I love real-time games, and the stress it produces, but at least half the board gamers I know absolutely detest them. Conversely, games that feature a lot of diplomacy, or bartering, or trading just do not land with me.
And that’s why I don’t like giving a number in my reviews. I’d hate to have a giant 4/10 plastered at the top of a review, and then have someone dismiss the game entirely without reading my reasons why I rated the game a 4/10. A game I think is trash absolutely could be someone else treasure. Terraforming Mars and Grand Austria Hotel are two examples that come to mind, I’ve rated them a 5 and a 4 respectively, but my opinion is very much in the minority.
I try not to, but when I read reviews, I immediately jump to the rating, which ultimately colours my opinion of the content of the review. I subconsciously put a lot of stock into the rating, even though not all 7’s are created equal. Another reason I don’t put ratings in my reviews is because my ratings do change over time. Sometimes, when I rate a game, I’m not in a good mood, or I just had a bad experience with a game. Now, I’m usually pretty good at separating my feelings about a game from my attitude or specific experience at the time, but every now, and then I’m surprised when I like something much more on a repeat play just because the space in which I’m playing a game is different.
Much more often the reverse happens. Where I have a really great session of a game, only for it to fall flat later when whatever silly mood we were in has worn off. Fog of Love is probably the best example of this.
Do you rate the games you play? Do you adhere to BGG’s criteria, or have you defined your own rating scale! Please let me know of all the ways to rank games in the comments!
