A one out of five is a game you should never, ever touch. Often they're terribly dismal licensed games, like Beowulf The Game, or they're shovelware of the highest order, like Escape From Bug Island. Hallmarks of the 1 out of 5 include broken controls, amateurish game design, and a nagging feeling that the most fun you’ve had so far with the game was in the main menu.

A three out of five is, well...a game. Not exceptional, not offensive, just a solid playable title. Beautiful Katamari is perfectly adequate. It doesn't bring anything new to the table, but it doesn't really do anything badly. It's a quintessential three. Other common threes include the functional licensed game, such as The Simpsons. A three is not a bad game, nor is the three a condemnation of a game. It’s simply an indication that the game in question is distinctly unexceptional. While technically competent, threes often lack ambition. Perhaps not surprisingly, there are a lot of 3 out of 5 games out there.

The coveted five out of five is reserved for the best of the best in gaming. A game that gets a five isn't necessarily perfect, but it's one we'd feel comfortable putting in the hands of anyone willing to pick up a controller. These are the games that define their genre, realize even the most ambitious elements of their design, and remind us why we play these videogame things to begin with. Five star titles include 2007 game of the year contenders Super Mario Galaxy and BioShock.