Method
How a score is made
Every review on Worth the Load ends in a number, but the number is the last thing we write. This page explains exactly what goes into it — and what never does.
Verdict first, number last
Each review starts as a written judgement: who the game suits, what it asks of you over a month and where it is likely to frustrate. Only once that is settled do we mark the four measures below. A single figure cannot capture a game, so if the text and the number ever seem to disagree, trust the text.
The four measures
| Measure | Weight | What we ask |
|---|---|---|
| Time well spent | 25% | Does each visit give back something meaningful for the minutes it takes? Short sessions that end with a real decision beat long ones that end with a timer. |
| Depth of choice | 25% | Do decisions keep producing different answers after the first week, or does the game settle into one obvious routine? |
| Fair to free players | 35% | Can you keep playing comfortably without paying? Is the shop clear about what it sells, and does money buy convenience or a genuine advantage over other players? |
| Craft & clarity | 15% | Is the game readable, well presented and pleasant to use on an ordinary laptop as well as a large monitor? |
How the total is formed
Each measure is marked from 1 to 10 in steps of 0.2. We multiply each mark by its weight, add the four results together and round once, at the very end, to one decimal place.
Overall = (Time well spent × 0.25) + (Depth of choice × 0.25) + (Fair to free players × 0.35) + (Craft & clarity × 0.15)
A worked example, using our Combat Siege review:
(7.8 × 0.25) + (7.8 × 0.25) + (7.2 × 0.35) + (7.8 × 0.15)
= 1.95 + 1.95 + 2.52 + 1.17 = 7.59 → 7.6
Why fairness carries the most weight
Free games are paid for in one of two currencies: money or patience. We give the largest share of the score to fairness because it is the measure readers find hardest to judge from a trailer or a first session. A game can be beautiful and deep and still quietly steer you towards the shop; this measure is where that shows up.
Convenience or leverage?
We draw a clear line between purchases that save time and purchases that change outcomes for other people. Cosmetic items and modest time savers count lightly against a game. Premium currencies that skip key timers, extra attempts sold at decisive moments and paid advantages in competitive rankings count more heavily, because they affect more than one player’s patience.
Energy meters and timers
Many browser games cap how much you can play each day. A cap is not automatically a fault — it can even protect against burnout — but we note whether it is clearly explained and whether paying to lift it changes the competitive picture.
What never affects a score
- Whether a link to the game may earn us a commission.
- Advertising bought on this site or anywhere else.
- Requests from publishers, studios or their agencies.
- How recently a game was released or how heavily it is being promoted.
When we revisit a review
A significant change to access, progression, social play or the shop can trigger a fresh assessment. When a score changes we update the review in place and show the month of the latest review beside the overall mark. Commercial arrangements are never a reason to raise or keep a score.