Here are some quick tips to tell if an upcoming video game will suck.

1. Does it have an ad campaign that involves only cutscene footage?

In general, a big ad campaign denotes lower confidence on the publisher’s part. There are some exceptions like Halo and GTA. But for the most part, high octane TV commercials that only show the prerendered cutscenes indicate a game that is sucky.

2. Is the game based on a recent movie?

Video games based directly on blockbusters are mostly shitty. Maybe more luck is to be had in creating video games out of more obscure, non-action films? I’d play “The Crying Game: The Game”. It looks like some studios are experimenting with this concept on such upcoming releases as “The Godfather” and “The Warriors”.

3. Is the game based on a corporate logo?

Wasn’t there a “Noid” game years ago? Exactly.

4. Do you think the game will suck?

Gut instinct is not to be ignored, especially with the batting average of games coming out these days. Some games just suck, and that’s the way it is.