The settings menu is the most underrated part of a game

I've quietly started judging games by their settings menu first. It sounds dull, but a thoughtful options screen tells you the developers respect the person holding the phone.

The toggles I look for are simple: separate sliders for music and effects, a reduced-motion option, haptics on or off, and some control over visual quality. Reduced motion especially — not everyone enjoys screen shake and flying particles, and it helps on long sessions.

Control customisation is the big one for me. Letting me move or resize the buttons means I can set a game up for my hands and my phone. Fixed layouts feel like being handed shoes in the wrong size.

When I review a game, I spend a few minutes just in the options before I play. The ones that give you real choices nearly always turn out to be the more polished games overall.