On Ratings

Here is the system I use to rate and review games.

5.0 Stars = Fantastic on all levels
4.5 Stars = Near perfection
4.0 Stars = Masterpiece
3.5 Stars = Great
3.0 Stars = Good
2.5 Stars = Okay
2.0 Stars = Disappointing
1.5 Stars = Mediocre
1.0 Stars = Bad
0.5 Stars = Utter crap

Here are some of the factors that go into a rating:
Gameplay (quality of and how well the game mechanics work and are implemented)
Controls (how well the game handles and feels)
Story (the quality of the narrative, plot, writing, and characters)
Originality/Innovation (the level of uniqueness and creativity that went into it)
Fun Factor (how fun or enjoyable it is to play)
Sound & Music (how good the sound effects, music, and voice acting are)
Visual Style (how appealing the game looks, the presentation, graphical styles)
Artistic Merit (is it a good representation of Video Games as a separate artistic medium?)
Intellectual Merit/Logic (does it deal with deep ideas, challenging themes, provoke thought, and does the story and characters follow a logic that makes sense?)
How does it compare to other games of the genre? (is it good compared to similar games?)
Personal Bias (yes, biases are present in my reviews as they are my personal opinion)

Other factors are added depending on the game or genre, e.g. Scariness for Horror games, Balance for Multiplayer games.

Keep in mind that my ratings and reviews are of my own opinion and if you disagree with my thoughts that is completely fine, in fact I'd love to hear your own thoughts in the comment section.