How we rank
One number out of 100, built from five weighted criteria and one editor's judgement. Here is every part of it.
Five criteria
Each game gets a score out of 100 in each criterion. The weighted total is then adjusted by the editor by up to five points in either direction, to reflect how the game holds together as a whole. Every review shows the weighted total and the adjustment.
How fights feel and how much skill they reward: timing, positioning, tactics.
Atmosphere, writing and how much the setting rewards attention.
How many genuinely different ways there are to play, and how far they go.
Whether difficulty is honest: readable threats, legible failure, sensible options.
Settings, stability, controller support, Steam Deck behaviour and system support.
The tiers
Sovereign
90+
Defines what a dark fantasy game on PC can be. Play these first.
Ascendant
85+
Excellent, with one clear caveat. Easy to recommend to fans of the genre.
Bannered
80+
Great for the right player; read the "who should enter" note first.
Common
70+
Good, but a better option exists for most people.
The trial
A separate difficulty rating that never affects the score. It tells you how hard a world will make you work, so you can choose the right fight.
- Gentle Trial: Gentle
- Measured Trial: Measured
- Testing Trial: Testing
- Punishing Trial: Punishing
- Merciless Trial: Merciless
How entries are written
Our editorial process is desk-based and AI-assisted. Each entry draws on official Steam store data, Valve's Steam Deck ratings, published system requirements, developer patch notes and the broad critical and player consensus. An editor writes, checks and approves every rank and score.
What we do not claim
We do not publish lab benchmarks as our own. Performance notes describe what developers, Valve and the wider community report. Playtime figures are typical estimates for the main content, not stopwatch readings.
Re-ranking
The Index is re-read every quarter. Moves are explained in the Chronicles. Store facts are updated whenever they change.
Independence
Nobody pays for coverage, rank or score. See the editorial policy.