Question for you guys and gals:

Do you lower a score for a game if it has one great mode and one bad mode? Or do you treat the bad mode as a bonus that needn't affect the overall score? For example, let's say game A has three modes. The multiplayer is fantastic, the co-op is OK, and the single-player is dreadful. Does that single-player drag the score down? In other words, would game A get a higher score if it didn't have the single-player mode at all?

Let's call this question the "Mario Kart 8 battle mode" query

Depends if I play that mode or not. For example Rocket League has a fucking atrocious single player mode that's why it's a terrible game.

I guess it would depend if that is the main mode

Like the MK8 Battle mode isn't the main feature so I would sort of(?) not really include it my rating as it doesn't affect the main game.. but if it was good, it could improve the overall score. More like an extra in a sense

The question becomes a lot more grey when it comes to games that are mainly focused on multiplayer like CoD or Splatoon

Depends on the game.

So as an example, lets say its a new IP that has single player story, coop and online. I will deduct marks if the single player is lousy even if the online excellent since if there is a single player story mode, then it better be good.

Lets take another example. Lets say a new IP has a single player mode that is basically just tracks/missions without an actual story or much focus on one but it has an excellent online. I would deduct marks but since they aren't focusing on the single player very much, I wouldn't deduct them as harshly because they are selling the game for its online provided they advertise as such.

And lets do a final example. Lets say it is an old IP like MK but a new iteration but the new iteration doesn't have something that is as good or better than the previous iteration such as battlemode. I will 110% deduct marks because a new iteration has to be at a minimum the same level of quality as the previous version and then it must have new shitz.

Thats what I would do anyway

Only if I care about it. Doom 2016 multiplayer is mediocre, but I have not even touched it, nor do I care about it. The campoaign is enough for me.

As long as the lousy mode isn't one of my favoured ones, I don't care much. But if single player is lousy, I can ditch the game altogether.

Doom is a perfect example! I feel the same way about single player and multiplayer.

Yes, and it's a critical failing to do anything less.

Now, obviously there are games that more specifically cater to a particular aspect than any other. So games like Battlefield will always put much greater effort and resources into developing it's multiplayer, than a deep, rich single player campaign, and games like big RPGs, Action/Adventure games and the like will have it vice versa. However, if you are in fact going to put forth another aspect to your game, that is taking extra development time, resource, man hours, etc, then I expect that aspect to be worthwhile. If not, then it is simply wasted resources and work that could have gone into expanding, fine-tuning, and polishing what is actually good about your game, and so clearly the key focus. At the very least, if nothing else, resources and money could be saved so as not to bloat the ever increasing gaming budgets with something that is clearly treated as a tacked on throwaway, just so you can tick an extra box that's then quickly ignored upon release due to substandard quality.

Do it right, or at least look like you're trying to do it right, or don't do it at all

I rate a game by the experience it gives me. I don't care too much about multiplayer for example, so it a game has a great multiplayer mode but a lousy single-player mode, the chances are that my score is lower. If a game has good single-player but bad multiplayer, I don't really mind and I'll probably give it a good score. If we're talking about several modes that I generally but but one of them is lousy, it's a bit trickier though. It depends on how I experience the game. If it feels like a complete experience and I don't get disappointed at the other mode(s), I'll probably give the game a good score. But in general, I rate games as experiences, not products, so in that regard I don't necessarily care if a game has some bad modes as long as it has something good for me.

That said, I don't generally score games very often.

If the bad part is an inherent part of the game then it will get a lower score for me (for example when they cut a good story mode in a game to make a multiplayer which ends up being bad).

But if the bad part is only a little extra feature of the game then it won't affect the score for me.