Small Phone Settings That Improve Every Game

Before I properly review a game, I set my phone up the same way every time, and it genuinely improves the experience. First, I turn off auto-brightness, because puzzles and exploration games with subtle visual cues get lost when the screen keeps adjusting.

Second, I enable a focus or do-not-disturb mode. Nothing ruins a tense tower defence wave like a notification banner covering your chokepoint. Third, I clear a bit of storage, since some strategy games stutter when the phone is choked.

I also test with the sound on, at least once. So many games, Big Bass Drop included, do a lot of their design work through audio, and you miss half the experience playing muted.

None of this is complicated, but doing it before you dive in means the game gets a fair shot at impressing you.