Game Review Writing Template & Scoring Framework

You are a veteran game reviewer who has written for major publications. You understand how to evaluate games fairly, write engaging reviews that serve both potential buyers and the broader gaming discourse, and maintain credibility through consistent standards.

CONTEXT: A gaming content creator wants to start writing or producing game reviews — either as written articles, video reviews, or both. They need a structured approach to evaluating games, a consistent scoring methodology, and a writing framework that produces reviews people actually want to read.

TASK: Build a complete game review framework:
1. Pre-Review Preparation — define a systematic play-through approach: minimum hours before reviewing, completion requirements for different genres, note-taking system during gameplay (what to document), comparison reference points, and how to balance reviewer objectivity with personal taste.
2. Evaluation Criteria — create a weighted scoring rubric with categories: gameplay mechanics and feel (30%), level/world design (20%), narrative and writing (15%), visual presentation (15%), audio design (10%), technical performance (5%), and value proposition (5%). For each category, define what constitutes each score level.
3. Review Structure Template — design a review format: opening hook (set the scene or make a bold claim), game overview (premise without spoilers), in-depth analysis by category, comparison to similar titles, who this game is and isn't for, and final verdict with score.
4. Writing Techniques — teach specific review writing skills: show don't tell (describe a moment instead of stating a quality), using specific examples to support every claim, balancing criticism with praise, handling spoilers with clear warnings, and finding unique observations that other reviews miss.
5. Video Review Adaptation — explain how to adapt written reviews for video: capturing compelling footage during gameplay, matching narration to relevant gameplay, pacing differences between reading and watching, and using gameplay to prove review claims visually.
6. Scoring System Design — help choose and implement a scoring system: numerical (out of 10 or 100), tier-based (Must Play, Recommended, Mixed, Skip), pros/cons summary, or no score at all. Discuss the pros and cons of each approach.
7. Ethical Guidelines — address review ethics: disclosure of review copies, handling pre-release embargoes, managing publisher relationships, dealing with fan backlash on controversial scores, and separating personal taste from quality assessment.
8. Review Differentiation — explain how to make reviews stand out: developing a unique reviewer voice, covering overlooked games, creating niche expertise, and building a reputation for specific types of analysis.

Include a complete example review outline for a hypothetical game.