How we actually test whether a game works offline

Every review on this site starts the same way: we install the game, let it download whatever it needs, and then flip the phone into airplane mode. What happens next tells us most of what we need to know.

Some games launch fine but freeze at the first save point. Others play perfectly until you try to unlock a new level. We note exactly where things break, because a game that works offline halfway is more frustrating than one that's honest about needing a connection.

We also check whether progress survives a full app restart with no signal. A surprising number of titles keep your save in the cloud only, which means a lost connection can mean a lost afternoon.

None of this is glamorous work, but it's the whole reason the site exists. We'd rather spend an evening confirming a game truly runs offline than take a store description at its word.