Rules of the table
Updated 18 September 2026
Every point in the table is earned the same way. This page is the rulebook.
Entry
A game qualifies if it runs in a browser without a download, is free to register and play properly, contains no real-money gambling and has been live for at least a year with an active English-speaking community. Qualifying is not entry; a game still has to score 7.0 or better in a season.
The season
Two reviewers play each game on fresh accounts on a normal live server, without press access or free premium currency, for a minimum of three weeks. A third reads both sets of notes and asks the awkward questions. Games with a round structure are played to the end of a round where practical.
The four criteria
| Criterion | Weight | The question |
|---|---|---|
| Time | 35% | Can you make real progress in a short session? Are timers pacing or pressure? Does it punish a day off? |
| Fairness | 30% | How far does a free player get, and does paying buy convenience or victory? Are prices shown plainly? |
| Depth | 20% | Is there still something to learn in week three? Do alliances or guilds create real social play? |
| Polish | 15% | Does it load fast, run in the four major browsers and stay readable on a laptop screen? |
Each criterion is scored out of ten by both reviewers independently. Where they differ by more than two points we play another week and settle it. Points are the weighted average rounded to one decimal place; ties are broken by depth.
Example: 9.0, 8.0, 8.0 and 9.0 gives (9 × 0.35) + (8 × 0.30) + (8 × 0.20) + (9 × 0.15) = 8.5. That is Elvenar this season.
The paid week
After the free period, one reviewer spends a fixed amount (the local equivalent of about 20 euros) the way a typical player would and records exactly what it bought and how far it moved the account. That week feeds the fairness score and the "Shop" line in each report.
Re-tests and relegation
Games are re-tested when they change their shop, release a major update or when readers report something material. A game leaves the table if it breaks an entry rule, scores below 7.0 or its community shrinks to the point where multiplayer stops working. Nothing stays in with an asterisk.
Independence
Affiliate links carry the sponsored attribute. Points are locked before links are added. Publishers have no editorial input. If you think a report has something wrong, tell us and we will look again.