What Are Your Game Rating Standards? (part 1)

I was thinking about game ratings the other day, because games can live or die based on just a few ratings. I'm not talking about reviews--reviews are more comprehensive and detail different aspects of the game so that potential buyers can make informed decisions. Game reviews can even reveal the reviewer's bias, so even if the reviewer gives a negative review, that doesn't necessarily hurt the game too much. Sometimes game companies put out demos, but this can cost more time and money and it's hard to say if demo's encourage or discourage purchases. Rating systems are a much more common method of informing consumers about a game. However, rating systems are totally impersonal and lack detail, and even if a game is rated 5 out of 5 stars, that doesn't necessarily mean that it will be a good game--it just means that one buyer really enjoyed it (or, it's also possible someone hated it and wants to trick others into purchasing it!) When a rating average is displayed and the number of raters is indicated, that sometimes helps to better communicate how the game is generally being received. Despite the absence of information in a simple rating system, most digital storefronts use a 5 or 10 star system to help potential buyers decide if they want to risk their money. When you rate a game, though, what are your standards?