A Superior Evaluation System

When I review a video game or a film, readers may notice that I never assign a number based score (i.e. 8.5/10) to anything.  I divide my movie reviews into the categories of Production Values, Story, and Intellectual Content, and in video games I add a fourth section called Gameplay, but I never refer to any score on a numeric spectrum.  Why?

Well, there is a very specific reason I avoid this.  Giving a game or movie an 8/10 or a 9.2/10 (or any other such score) is purely subjective.  How can I prove that a game deserves 7 out of 10 points?  Such a rating system is hopelessly subjective and unhelpful.  However, making statements like "The game's multiplayer features an extraordinary amount of content", "The visuals of the game exceed its prequel in quality and clarity", or "The combat system has more complexity and creativity in this installment" does not resort to subjectivity and these statements can be verified or refuted.  I can recognize that a game has objectively impressive graphics after assessing the type of gaming system, year of release, and other considerations.  I can tell if a game has superior graphics to its younger predecessor from three years ago.  I can tell if the actors/actresses in a movie produced far more realistic and plausible performances than the common generic movies of our day.  I know if a plot twist is simple, cliche, and predictable, or if it is ingenious, inventive, and original.  These things can be judged objectively, but number scores cannot be.  What one person assigns a 6 might be an 8 to someone else, and no one can prove such claims.  But if someone offers a claim about the visuals, story, intellectual content, or production values in a game or movie, then the statement in question can be legitimately proved or at least addressed on a far more objective level.

No, entertainment reviews are not all based on subjective preferences.  Some games do have objectively better graphics than others and some movies have plot arcs that are objectively far more sophisticated and unique than others.  People need to abandon the popular review style of number-based grading and replace it with simple, verifiable claims about how a movie or game succeeds or fails in a particular aspect.