How we test whether a game is truly offline

The first thing we do with any game isn't play it — it's switch the phone to airplane mode and see if it even opens. You'd be surprised how many 'offline' games stall on a connection check.

Next we test the full loop offline: starting a new save, playing a session, closing the app, and reopening it later without a signal. If progress vanishes, that's an instant note in the review.

We also watch for sneaky requirements — ads that block progress until they load, or 'sync' prompts that lock features. Those get flagged clearly so you know what you're getting.

Only after all that do we settle in and actually play for the review. The score you read reflects days of play, not a first impression.

It sounds fussy, but it's the whole reason this site exists. We'd rather find the annoyances so you don't have to.