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Ratings

Ratings at Dice Hate Me are a little different than most sites that use a 10 or 100-point system. Since I like sticking to themes, I rank games on a 3d6 system – each d6 corresponds to a different aspect of the game, and the 3d6 total represents the overall rating. An 18 is sheer perfection, while a 3 means you should avoid a game like the plague.

A typical ratings box will look like this:

Gameplay/ReplayComponentsFun
Offers a bit of a challenge against most opponents, but has some balance issues. Lots of variety and challenge will keep players coming back for more. Top notch; the art is wonderful and irreverent, and the sculpting on the plastics is superb.More fun than a barrel of monkeys.
Overall score: 14 out of 18

Here is a breakdown of the 3 elements of each game that I review:

Gameplay/Replay – Basically, this is a wide-open category that reflects the mechanics of the game (if it’s unique or noteworthy) and the possibility that you will want to bring this game out again and again for many years to come.

Components & Theme – This refers to the skill and precision at which the game was put together, and how well those components contribute to an enjoyable theme. A game need not have a hundred well-illustrated counters printed on the thickest cardboard to score high in this category, it simply needs to be elegant, beautiful and enhance the gaming experience.

Fun – This is a very technical category; basically I ask myself “Is this game any fun?” If the answer is “yes,” then the game scores high. If I’d rather poke my eyes out with sharp wooden sticks, it will likely score a 1. Just for reference, I would rather jab splintered toothpicks into my eyeballs than play a game of Bunco. Unless I’m drunk.

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