What does “10/10” mean to you?

[Vervain]

10/10 to me isn't "perfection", because I don't believe that's really possible in this medium. There's simply too many moving parts for there to be 0 objective issues.

To me, a 10/10 game is one whose narrative, mechanics and design all combine to create something that should be experienced by everyone (regardless of genre preference) with issues that are so miniscule that they don't detract from the experience at all. Obviously that's still totally subjective, since what is miniscule to me might be a massive problem to others, and what I think is an amazing experience might be trash to others.

 

[HeatKnuckle]

Hollow Knight.

OK but for real, 10/10 for me is something that not only has awe inspiring moments, but *keeps* me in awe throughout. Probably something that's so good at what it does that you can overlook it's problems, no matter how small or large they are. I don't really take any "serious" reviews or stuff that claim something is a 10 on 10 since that specific score is something extremely personal to whoever plays it.

 

[Deleted member 364]

A masterpiece. Doesn't have to be flawless though.

 

[Tpallidum]

Masterpiece. It's a game of the gen contender and a cut above the rest.

 

[Deleted member 28307]

Masterful game, doesnt mean it cant have flaws... a 10/10 should never mean its perfect

 

[Playsage]

Nothing 'cause I like my votes in stars
*smiles*

I'd give a full score to game that represent, in my variably clueless opinion, the state of the art of a certain genre and/or gaming as a whole.
Giving them a star-based evaluation feels more like putting them on a tier rather than trying to express quality with quantity.

 

[Nintendo]

10 means it's a masterpiece. Not necessarily perfect.

 

[signal]

Cheques cleared.

 

[data west]

Best in class

 

[SuperFakerBros]

That's it the best or among the absolute best games of all time. A true masterpiece

This idea that some hold of the game needing to be flawless or nearly flawless is ridiculous as there are almost no games that could be applied to and that's a thinking some need to move past. I'd honestly take a game that was flawed but was exemplary in certain aspects and really resonated with me than a game where everything was merely solid

 

[Haze]

A game I absolutely adore that is the pinnacle of something or many things in its medium/genre.

There's no such thing as a perfect game but I don't think a 10 is perfect because what's the point of having a number that will never be used.

 

[low-G]

10/10 is when reviewers or people on forums are trying to convice themselves a 6/10 game is worth anyone's time.

 

[Clefargle]

Transportative

Teaches me something new about gaming and myself

Surprises me constantly with possibilities I only barely dreamt of

Have a gameplay hook I can keep coming back to for 100+ hours

Feature post release support or good online mode

Likeable characters or elements but the story doesn't have to be perfect. Just memorable is enough for me

 

[Dante_727]

10/10 for me is a game that I have played, enjoyed so much that I played the main campaign many times.
KH2, bloodborne, devil may cry 3/4, witcher 3, ffx, bloody roar 3

Are they perfect? Hell no.
Are they perfect, 10/10 for me? Hell yes

 

[BAD]

It means masterpiece

 

[Deleted member 47092]

10/10 for a game that truly is a masterpiece - a game that can sit at the table of the other classics in the past.

 

[hephaestus]

That the game accomplished what is set out to do with minimal bugs, and a high level of polish.

I have no idea why people compare games to each other.

 

[ohitsluca]

I know people like to think reviews are 100% objective, but there is always some amount of bias and subjectivity. I like to think of a 10/10 as the reviewer saying they really loved the game, it had very few flaws/the flaws it does have are so minor they are inconsequential to your experience, and usually (but not always) that the game is doing something new either in terms of storytelling or gameplay.

There's obviously never going to be an objectively perfect game so we have to stop pretending that a reviewers rating system is solely about that -- it's more about the reviewers own experience with the game and what the game means for the industry

 

[Deleted member 3058]

"Huh, this game is actually pretty great"

 

[HououinKyouma00]

10/10 is not possible IMO.

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I don't consider 10/10 to mean perfect. Perfect doesn't exist.

My definition of 10/10 is Persona 4 Golden and Metal Gear Solid 3.

 

[giancarlo123x]

It means mgs2. Timeless classic that has aged like a fine wine.

 

[SonofDonCD]

10/10 doesn't mean "Perfect" or "Flawless". It never did, it never can, and it never will be. No piece of art from any medium can ever be perfect or flawless.

It simply means that it's "Best in Class". When you think about what this particular genre or this medium, in general, can be, when you think of the potential for greatness it can achieve, you would think of these 10/10 games. Genre-defining (or even genre-creating) games count, like Super Mario 64, but also a pure refinement of its respective type counts as well, like a Halo:CE or a Half-Life 2.

All three of these games helped shape how we game today in one way or another, even if to you personally any one of them isn't a 10/10 game. Their place in gaming history and their influence is something you can objectively recognize and acknowledge.

That's usually what people consider a 10/10 game. At least people who are serious about it.

 

[Not Spaceghost]

It simply means that it's "Best in Class". When you think about what this particular genre or this medium, in general, can be, when you think of the potential for greatness it can achieve, you would think of these 10/10 games. Genre-defining (or even genre-creating) games count, like Super Mario 64, but also a pure refinement of its respective type counts as well, like a Halo:CE or a Half-Life 2.

Click to shrink...

Basically this, 10/10 means the best example of its genre.
The kind of game that makes other developers go "shit that's how games in this genre are supposed to look".

 

[breakdancing duck]

A 10/10 game should be for games the critic expects to be remembered and enjoyed long after that systems generation is over. For example, Resident Evil 4 is a 10/10 game.

 

[Blade Wolf]

Nowadays it means literally nothing to me. There's no such thing as 10/10.

 

[RavFiveFour]

10/10 is an advantage to developers, creates more sales, the perfect game.

 

[HockeyBird]

It means it's a good videogame.

 

[Nexus2049]

Somethings a 10/10 when it's the best it could possibly be. Doesn't mean it's perfect, but it's damn near.

 

[zoodoo]

It means a game that was hyped and delivered on release. Now after that hype is gone and the game is revisited many question that 10/10.

I don't believe in 10/10. No game is perfect. I am still baffled by Skyward sword getting 10/10. One of the weakest zelda games.

 

[Ricky_R]

To me it means Naughty Dog.

 

[lowlifelenny]

When a developer goes the extra mile and then some, and crafts a fantastic experience which towers above the majority of games out there, offering a joyous experience, an abundance of content, flawless polish, and maybe even reinventing the wheel while they're at it- then I'm happy giving that game a 10/10. It can have faults, but if the game is 99% great, I'm not even going to notice.

 

[Shadownet]

For me, it God of War 4 and that coming from someone who didn't care much for the other God of War games.

 

[Deleted member 43077]

"You need to fuckin play this asap"

 

[Waluigilicious]

Perfect Dark.

 

[Watershed]

A game with so many consistently good and excellent qualities throughout my playthrough that its few flaws are overwhelmed by all the positive qualities of the game such that the impact of its negatives are negligible.

 

[Shiranui93]

But why would you treat a 10/10 or whatever like that? Review scores aren't grading games like a test, so treating it like a 10/10 means perfect like it's a test scores (ie 10 correct out of 10 total) doesn't make sense.

In the context of reviews for any medium, 10/10 doesn't mean perfect

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I mainly do it because there's always a possibility that there's going to be something better than my previously highest rated game. And if it's better, it wouldn't make sense to be rated a 10/10 as well, right? I know this is very nit-picky, but then again, it's just a personal quirk.

 

[Deleted member 17207]

A game that provides an experience that's so special and near-perfect, if there ARE any flaws, the game's greatness outweighs them.

 

[Azurik]

Turning off a game, thinking about it and waiting impatiently for the next session

 

[Deleted member 41933]

10/10 is reserved for the rare masterpieces like TLOU that excel in every category while being fun and interesting throughout the whole experience.

People that gave RDR2 a 10/10 have no idea how to rate a game.

 

[TheInfinityGauntlet]

There's no such thing as a perfect game but I don't think a 10 is perfect because what's the point of having a number that will never be used.

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Knack 3 is coming for that 11/10

 

[ghibli99]

The opinion that 10/10 doesn't exist because no perfect game exists is annoying. For me, it simply means "best in genre; everyone should at least check it out". I feel bad for those who can't get past the numerical/math aspect of it, or who don't get that every score is a personal thing, influenced by many factors.

 

[Tabs2002]

Flawless, can't be improved

 

[fourfourfun]

"10/10 is what I, the reviewer, felt about this game at this particular moment in time based on my experience of the game and of my history in games. It is not a set in stone measure of goodness that is unchangable and does not denote perfection or any relationship to scores given to other games historically."

 

[Ciao]

It means Bloodborne, Vagrant Story or Soulcalibur.

 

[ZZMitch]

The only true 10/10 game for me is Halo: Combat Evolved... so its got to be as good as that or better!

 

[IronicSonic]

Great mechanics and controls. Engaging and fun. Long enough. Always taking in consideration the genre where the game belongs.

If the game is part of a series, it needs to live up that pedigree

Technical aspects need to be great for the genre.

That's a 10/10

 

[hydro94530]

I have a bunch of games I think are 10/10. A 10/10 does not have to be a perfect game, does not have to be loved by the public, consensus or really anyone else. A 10/10 to me is simply a game I love and maybe even cherish, flaws and low sales and all (if applicable).

 

[violent]

Misused.

 

[Igorth]

10 is a lie.

 

[odlanorz]

I think of scores as tiers, so 10/10 is just the top tier for whatever category that game belongs to. The only perfect video game is Tetris.