At GameHaunt, our mission is to be your most trusted source for everything significant in the world of video games and technology. As a team of experienced video game journalists and passionate players, we are dedicated to providing honest, insightful, and thorough reviews.
Our final score is a summary of our comprehensive evaluation, but the full story is always in the text of the review itself. We encourage you to read the complete analysis to understand the context, nuance, and reasoning behind our final verdict.
How We Review Video Games
Every game is unique, but we evaluate each one on its own terms, focusing on several key pillars to form our critique:
- Gameplay: How does the game feel to play? We analyze the core mechanics, control responsiveness, level design, and the overall fun factor. Is the gameplay loop engaging and rewarding?
- Presentation: This covers the game's aesthetic and technical performance. We look at the art style, graphical fidelity, sound design, and musical score. We also assess its technical stability, including frame rate and bugs.
- Narrative: For story-driven games, we examine the plot, character development, world-building, and the quality of the writing and performances. Does the story create an immersive and memorable experience?
- Value & Innovation: Does the game respect the player's time and money? We consider its length, replayability, and overall content package. We also look for innovation—does it bring new ideas to its genre or execute existing ones in an exceptional way?
How We Review Gaming Peripherals & Tech Hardware
While our 5-star scale remains consistent, our evaluation criteria for hardware are tailored to the product category. We believe what matters most in a peripheral is the “feel” and its performance. For internal components, we focus on empirical data and real-world results.
Core Pillars for Gaming Peripherals (Mice, Keyboards, Headsets, etc.):
- Performance & Functionality: We test the core function of the device. For a mouse, this includes sensor accuracy and DPI range. For a keyboard, it's the responsiveness of the switches. For a headset, it's the clarity of the audio and microphone. We also evaluate wireless connectivity and battery life where applicable.
- Design & Ergonomics: This covers the physical interaction with the product. We assess build quality, materials used, and long-term comfort. Is the device comfortable to use for extended gaming sessions? Is it built to last?
- Features & Customization: We look at what sets the product apart. This includes the quality and usability of its software, the range of customization options (e.g., programmable buttons, RGB lighting), and any unique features it offers.
- Value: We weigh the peripheral's performance and features against its price. Is it a worthwhile investment compared to its competitors? Does it justify its cost, whether it's a budget item or a premium product?
Core Pillars for Tech Components (CPUs, GPUs, SSDs, etc.):
- Core Performance: This is based on objective data. We use industry-standard benchmarks and real-world tests to measure performance in gaming and productivity tasks.
- Features & Technology: We evaluate the underlying architecture, power efficiency, and support for new technologies (e.g., AI processing, advanced graphics rendering).
- Thermals & Power: We assess the component's power consumption and its ability to maintain performance under load without overheating.
- Value & Market Position: We analyze the component's price-to-performance ratio and its standing against direct competitors in the current market.
Our 5-Star Scoring System Explained
We use a 5-star system, including half-star increments, to summarize our findings for all reviewed products. Here is what each rating means:
★★★★★ (5 Stars) – Essential
A masterpiece. A 5-star product is truly exceptional and stands as a pinnacle of its category, demonstrating outstanding ambition and near-flawless execution. While no product is perfect, these items leave a lasting impact and set a new standard.
★★★★☆ (4.5 Stars) – Superb
A phenomenal product that falls just shy of masterpiece status. These items are top-tier and come with our highest recommendation. Any flaws are minor and do not detract from an otherwise brilliant experience. A 4.5-star rating was given to titles like Tom Clancy's The Division 2 for its formidable content and mesmerizing graphics.
★★★★ (4 Stars) – Great
An excellent product that delivers a high-quality experience. It may have a few noticeable flaws or lack the groundbreaking innovation of a higher-rated item, but its strengths far outweigh its weaknesses. We strongly recommend these products.
★★★☆☆ (3.5 Stars) – Good
A solid and enjoyable product that is well worth your time, but comes with caveats. It might not be overly ambitious or could be held back by some design or technical issues, but the overall experience is positive.
★★★ (3 Stars) – Decent
A competent product that is functional but ultimately unremarkable. It may have an interesting concept that is hampered by flawed execution, or it may simply be a polished but uninspired entry in its category. There's utility to be found, but often requires overlooking significant issues.
★★☆☆☆ (2.5 Stars) – Mediocre
A product where the negatives begin to outweigh the positives. While it may have some redeeming qualities, it is a largely unimpressive and forgettable experience that is difficult to recommend.
★★ (2 Stars) – Poor
A product with fundamental flaws in its design, technology, or core concept. The experience is likely more frustrating than useful, and we cannot recommend investing your time or money in it.
★☆☆☆☆ (1 Star) – Abysmal
A deeply flawed and unenjoyable product. These items are plagued by poor execution, significant bugs, or uninspired design, making them a waste of time. We strongly advise you to avoid these.
(0 Stars) – Broken
Reserved for products that are fundamentally unusable due to critical technical issues, game-breaking bugs, or a complete failure to deliver on their basic premise.