Enduring grades throughout school can be an unpleasant experience, and many would agree. However, assessing proficiency can be imperative in various aspects of life—and gaming is no different.
While I often champion the idea of “good enough, ”there’s an undeniable satisfaction that comes from achieving top marks on a challenging assignment. This sensation extends to my enjoyment of video games.
Although I don’t typically aim for high scores when gaming, reaching a flow state and successfully conquering a difficult challenge is gratifying, especially when the game acknowledges my efforts through a trophy or a grading system.
Many gaming genres such as action, platformers, JRPGs, and rhythm games incorporate grading systems to evaluate player performance after levels. Among these titles, the following games excel when it comes to rewarding players for their accomplishments:
9 Devil May Cry 3
High Marks Across The Board
When discussing grading systems in games, the Devil May Cry series stands out as a benchmark. From the series’ inception, players have received evaluations based on their performance in each level.
While the grading metrics remain consistent across the series, my personal favorite is certainly Devil May Cry 3. At the conclusion of each mission, players are assessed on five detailed categories: mission completion time, total Red Orbs collected, stylish moves executed, damage incurred, and item usage. Each of these categories is graded from D to S, culminating in a final rank labeled as your Devil Hunter Rank for that mission.
Achieving higher ranks translates to generous bonuses in the form of additional Red Orbs.
The simplicity in Devil May Cry 3‘s grading system is endearing, especially since the varied letter grades sometimes create amusing combinations—an unorthodox reason, but it’s my reason nonetheless.
8 Bayonetta
The Bayo/Rodin/Luka/Cereza/Enzo Seal Of Approval
Given their shared direction under Hideki Kamiya, it’s no surprise that Bayonetta echoes design elements from Devil May Cry, including a robust grading system. While Devil May Cry uses letter grades, Bayonetta opts for award statues based on slightly different performance metrics.
Upon completion of each level in Bayonetta, players receive scores that accumulate from every cleared verse, encouraging exploration for hidden verses to maximize points.
Your overall ranking hinges on several factors: highest combo achieved, completion time, and damage taken. Notably, the penalty for dying or using items can significantly impact your score, leading to heightened tension as players rush to avoid such setbacks.
Awards range from Stone to Platinum ranks, with the ultimate goal of achieving Pure Platinum for flawless runs.
As someone who managed to earn a Pure Platinum, I treasure that achievement dearly.
7 Ultrakill
Shoot For The Coveted P
Ultrakill often draws comparisons to Devil May Cry reimagined as a first-person shooter, and those parallels hold true. The game rewards players with Style Ranks for smooth movement, uninterrupted damage output, and efficient gameplay.
The grading system mirrors that of its predecessor, awarding letter grades at the end of each stage based on completion time, number of enemies dispatched, and highest style performance.
However, a critical stipulation is that activating Major Assists, which alter game mechanics, disqualifies you from achieving top scores. Only players who disable these features and attain S ranks across all categories can aspire to a coveted P rank.
Additionally, enabling cheats voids any ranking results, as fair play is a core tenet of the game.
6 Cuphead
Slapping For Scores
Cuphead revives the nostalgia of classic arcade games, characterized by its vintage visuals and rigorous gameplay demands. The game necessitates near-perfection in gameplay to meet its high difficulty.
While there is no overt reward for achieving flawless scores, the satisfaction of mastering a level serves as its own incentive.
During boss encounters, Cuphead evaluates players across four criteria: time taken, damage received, successful parry actions, and usage of the super meter for powerful attacks.
It’s important to note that your Skill Level is contingent upon the difficulty setting. For instance, playing on Simple limits your maximum grade to a B, while Regular raises that cap to A+.
The pinnacle of achievement—an S-grade—can only be achieved when playing on Expert. Furthermore, specific Run ‘n Gun levels feature unique P grades, seemingly indicating “Pacifist”for players who avoid attacking.
5 Pizza Tower
Give Peppino Something To Be Happy About
Pizza Tower distinguishes itself as a fast-paced platformer designed for speed-focused players.
If you possess the instincts of a speedrunner, you’ll be rewarded by the game’s grading system, which grades you from D to S upon leveling completion.
Your score on each level depends so much on speed and skill, enabling players to secure a decent rank even if some collectibles are missed, as long as they excel in high combos.
A challenging achievement lies in obtaining a P rank. This is reserved for those who can not only meet the threshold for S but also maintain a single combo throughout the level, recover all collectibles, and complete the second lap during the escape.
I must admit that I’ve never attained this rank, as it requires a level of concentration and skill that’s beyond my reach.
4 Rhythm Heaven Fever
Do You Want To Be Superb, Or Just OK?
If you’ve experienced the film Whiplash starring J. K.Simmons, you’ll understand the difficulty of maintaining a musical tempo.
Luckily, Rhythm Heaven Fever avoids harsh measures like physical punishment, opting instead for a subtly critical grading method.
Following each level, players are assigned one of three rankings based on their ability to keep rhythm and track beats. A stark failure earns you the directive to “Try Again, ”while a respectable attempt still results in the ambivalent “OK.”
Aiming for the highest recognition, tagged as “Superb, ” invites fanfare and sparkling visuals, particularly for players achieving a Perfect score by missing no beats.
3 Tales Of Berseria
High Marks Are A Commodity
Grading in video games can take on various forms, sometimes introducing a fluid scoring system that feels reminiscent of Olympic events.
The Tales series prominently employs this methodology through a system called Grade. For this analysis, I’ll focus on Berseria, one of my preferred entries in the franchise.
After every battle, players receive a Grade based on performance factors like battle time, maximum damage dealt, and damage sustained. Chain consecutive battles without healing for a Grade multiplier as well.
Upon completing the main story, all Grade points accumulated throughout your journey are tallied together.
This total Grade score comes into play during New Game Plus (NG+) sessions, allowing players to purchase beneficial perks for their subsequent runs, such as carrying over equipment or boosting experience gain—showcasing that your success directly influences the quality of your next adventure.
2 Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
Earn Your Codename
The Metal Gear series is renowned for assigning codenames to its combatants, reflecting their unique strategies. For instance, Sniper Wolf is named for her proficiency with sniper rifles.
In Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, players receive both a letter grade for mission performance and a personalized codename that reflects their tactical approach.
Performance evaluation considers various factors such as mission goals accomplished, speed, accurate shooting, and stealth maintained. Significant events yield substantial point bonuses or penalties, ensuring that actions carry weight—like rescuing a prisoner earning 5, 000 points, or triggering an alarm resulting in a 5, 000-point deduction.
Your tallied score results in a letter grade from E to S, alongside a codename based on your weapon and tactic preferences, showcasing players’ unique play styles while enhancing the immersive experience.
1 Mega Man Battle Network
Busting Viruses For Fun And Profit
Have you ever encountered a frustrating computer issue for a friend, feeling the pressure of their impatience? That’s akin to the experience of virus busting in the Mega Man Battle Network, though here, rapid performance leads to tangible rewards.
Post-battle, the game reveals your total engaged battle time along with a Busting Level. Swiftly defeating viruses, executing multi-deletes, and taking minimal damage will enhance your Busting Level, while sustaining damage will lower it.
Your Busting Level ranges from 1 to 10, with S rank awarded for surpassing that threshold. Higher levels yield better loot, making performance critical.
While mid-range scores might yield basic items or currency, achieving significant scores against Navis will grant you better Navi Chips. Even if you falter, the game typically offers a recovery deal, though it often comes with a side of snark.
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