Over the years, gamers have seen dozens of high-profile titles make their world debut by being featured on the cover of Game Informer. In fact, if you’re a regular shopper at GameStop, you’re probably one of the magazine’s more than two million readers.

But does a game getting on Game Informer’s cover signal it’s going to be great?

Can you be confident that these debuts will, one or two years later, become games you want to buy and play? Perhaps the GI has a “Madden” curse (though that was recently debunked) — or, instead, maybe it offers a Game Informer… blessing?

Recent covers of games such as “Ghostbusters” and “Prototype” (both in publishing limbo) or “Dark Sector” (released to flat reviews) might make a GI reader wonder.

We decided to look at a 55-issue run of Game Informer – from June 2003 to December 2007 — to see which games lived up to GI’s hype… and which ones didn’t. We also tracked the games’ review scores, so you can see one measure of how well they turned out.

Read on to see what happened to these cover games, and which ones were hits, misses and even canceled…

June 2003 #122 - Spider-Man 2
Release Date: June 2004
Metacritic Score: Xbox - 83; PS2 - 80
Game Informer Score: 8/10, 8.25/10
What Happened: With the game being tied to the film, “Spider-Man 2″ was a pleasant surprise to critics, particularly for its web-swinging mechanic. It also gave gamers have high expectations for “Spider-Man 3,” and well… we all know how that turned out.

July 2003 #123 - “Champions of Norrath: Realms of EverQuest”
Release Date: February 2004
Metacritic Score: 85
Game Informer Score: 8.75/10, 8.5/10
What Happened: The EverQuest-themed hack-n-slash title was released in early 2004, and the solid reviews led us to assume that the game adhered to GI’s prediction: “Action/RPG fans, your chariot awaits; and its name is Champions of Norrath.”

August 2003 #124 - “Gran Turismo 4″
Release Date: February 2005
Metacritic Score: 89
Game Informer Score: 9.25/10, 8.5/10
What Happened: The game sold well, but not without reviewers’ gripes about the lack of rendered damage, no online play, the weak AI system and missing brands. The GI review said, “A fabulously executed game that remains a consistent joy to play for many, many moons. But it lacks innovation.” The game was included in GI’s Top 50 Games of 2005 list.

September 2003 #125 - “Max Payne 2: The Fall Of Max Payne”
Release Date: PC - October 2003; Xbox - November 2003
Metacritic Score: PC - 86; Xbox - 84
Game Informer Score: PC- 9.25/10, 9/10; Xbox - 8.75/10, 9/10;
What Happened: GI said, “Given Rockstar’s shocking success over the past few years and the obvious devotion that Remedy exhibits for its hard-luck detective, it would be difficult to bet against Max Payne 2.” While no one at the time would’ve disagreed, the sales of the sequel turned out to be “disappointing,” especially because the first title in the franchise sold over four million copies worldwide.

October 2003 #126 - “Jade Empire”
Release Date: April 2005
Metacritic Score: 89
Game Informer Score: 9.5/10, 9.5/10
What Happened: Though players voiced concerns about the game’s loading screens, easy battle system and short playtime, the action-RPG was well-received, and even won Game Informer’s Game of the Month.

November 2003 #127 - “Dead To Rights II: Hell To Pay”
Release Date: April 2005
Metacritic Score: Xbox - 54; PS2 - 51
Game Informer Score: 5/10, 4/10
What Happened: The cover claimed that “Namco redefines vigilante justice.” It turned out that Namco didn’t redefine vigilante justice so much as kill it. GI’s later review had a subtitle that read, “how to kill a franchise — without really trying.” It criticized the game saying it was “a lesson in what happens when there is an unwillingness to evolve or risk new ideas.”

December 2003 #128 - “Call Of Duty: Finest Hour”
Release Date: November 2004
Metacritic Score: 76
Game Informer Score: 8.5/10, 8.5/10
What Happened: Though perhaps not literally the franchise’s “Finest Hour,” the spin-off title had a 76 Metacritic score and the GI review praised its “brilliant targeting mechanism.”

January 2004 #129 - Video Games 2003: The Year In Review
N/A

February 2004 #130 - “Chronicles of Riddick”
Release Date: June 2004
Metacritic Score: 89
Game Informer Score: 9.5/10, 9.25/10
What Happened: The cover touted “Riddick” as “the most amazing Xbox game you have never heard of.” Glowing reviews sparked sales of the game, even prompting some to claim that the game was better than the accompanying movie. The review said, “Hands down, this is one of the best titles in the Xbox library.”

March 2004 #131 - “Resident Evil 4″ / “Killer 7″
Release Date: RE4 - January 2005; Killer 7 - July 2005
Metacritic Score: RE4 - 96; Killer 7 - 74
Game Informer Score: RE4 - 10/10, 10/10; Killer 7 - 7.5/10, 8/10
What Happened: GI claimed that “Resident Evil 4″ is set to change the industry yet again.” And clearly, it did. The review said, “There are no flaws in Resident Evil 4. It is the greatest horror game to date,” and with a Metacritic score of 96, many other reviewers agreed. Meanwhile, even in the cover article, the writer cautioned that “Killer 7″ can either be “an eye-opening venture through the surreal like the original Matrix movie or a confusing, self-involved snoozefest like its sequels.” The review went on to reflect the latter opinion.

April 2004 #132 - “Jak 3″ / “Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal”
Release Date: Both - November 2004
Metacritic Score: Jak 3 - 84; R&C - 91
Game Informer Score: Jak 3 - 9.25/10, 9/10; R&C - 10/10, 10/10
What Happened: Unlike last month, this month GI was two for two. Both “Jak 3″ and “Ratchet & Clank” were lauded by reviews, making the PS2 a strong holiday contender when those games were released.

May 2004 #133 - “Halo 2″
Release Date: November 2004
Metacritic Score: 95
Game Informer Score: 10/10, 10/10
What Happened: It’s “Halo 2″ — people loved it and bought it. The game was both praised and criticized for largely sticking with the formula of the first “Halo.” But GI was one of the outlets that gave the sequel a higher score than its predecessor: “Simply put, Halo 2 is by far the greatest first-person shooter the console world has seen to date.”

June 2004 #134 - “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas”
Release Date: October 2004
Metacritic Score: 95
Game Informer Score: 10/10, 10/10
What Happened: Everyone hated the game and Rockstar had to file for bankruptcy. Or actually, quite the opposite. GI hailed the game as “greatest development project to date” said it’s clear that Rockstar “has no plan to step down as one of the most daring and successful companies in video games.”

July 2004 #135 - “Metroid Prime 2: Echoes”
Release Date: November 2004
Metacritic Score: 92
Game Informer Score: 9.5/10, 9.5/10
What Happened: “We would go as far to say that this might be Samus’ greatest adventure yet… expect Metroid Prime 2: Echoes to remind you why Nintendo was once the most powerful company in video games, and can be once again.” While “Metroid 2″ didn’t bring Nintendo back to the top, it did garner positive reviews.

August 2004 #136 - “Splinter Cell Chaos Theory”
Release Date: March 2005
Metacritic Score: 94
Game Informer Score: 9.25/10, 9.5/10
What Happened: GI said, “This is a title that gamers around the world will clamor for, count the days until its release.” And they did, and gave the game a 94 Metacritic rating. The review said it was “arguably the best spy-themed video game to date.”

September 2004 #137 - “Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition”
Release Date: April 2005
Metacritic Score: 84
Game Informer Score: 9.5/10, 9.25/10
What Happened: The cover story predicted it’d be “an instant classic,” and the game received generally positive reviews.

October 2004 #138 - “The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion”
Release Date: March 2006
Metacritic Score: 94
Game Informer Score: 9.5/10, 9.5/10
What Happened: The cover story said, “With the ‘Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion,’ Bethesda Softworks is pioneering the future of gaming.” The title received tons of praise for sheer scope and depth, winning the Game Critics Award for best role-playing game in 2005. As for the future of gaming, Bethesda’s next title, “Fallout 3″ would win that same award as well as Best of Show in 2008.

November 2004 #139 - “Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks”
Release Date: September 2005
Metacritic Score: PS2 - 77; Xbox - 78
Game Informer Score: 8.5/10, 8.5/10
What Happened: GI’s cover article stated, “We were blown away by what we had seen thus far of Shaolin Monks.” So were fans and gamers, as the game sold over a million copies and received above-average reviews, particularly in comparison to the last two “MK” spin-off titles.

December 2004 #140 - “Batman Begins”
Release Date: PS2 - 64; Xbox - 65
Metacritic Score: June 2005
Game Informer Score: 7.25/10, 6.75/10
What happened: The cover story mysteriously said, “What this game attempts to do is give players every excuse to go bump in the night.” Those bumps? They turned out to be bumps of frustration, as players complained about the AI and the linear gameplay. The game received average reviews, and GI didn’t slam the game outright. “Is it great? Heck no. Does it offer little substance, but an enjoyable handful of thrills? It does, more often than not.”

January 2005 #141 - “Fear and Respect”
Release Date: Canceled
Metacritic Score: n/a
Game Informer Score: n/a
What Happened: Set for release in 2006, the John Singleton-helmed, Snoop Dogg-starring “GTA”-style title was canceled, purportedly due to the competition in the urban-themed games market.

February 2005 #142 - “The Fantastic Four”
Release Date: June 2005
Metacritic Score: Xbox - 62; PS2 - 64
Game Informer Score: 7.5/10, 6.5/10
What Happened: Metacritic scores for the various platforms were in the early 60s, and the game was panned for not having — of all things — four-player co-op.

March 2005 #143 - “Condemned: Criminal Origins”
Release Date: November 2005
Metacritic Score: 81
Game Informer Score: 8.75/10, 8.75/10
What Happened: The game garnered generally favorable reviews with GI saying the game is “the start of the next great horror series.” The 2008 sequel on the Xbox 360 and PS3 garnered Metacritic scores of 81 and 82, respectively.

April 2005 #144 - “James Bond 007: From Russia With Love”
Release Date: November 2005
Metacritic Score: Xbox - 71; GC - 70; PS2 - 69
Game Informer Score: 7.75/10, 7.5/10
What Happened: The game received mixed reviews with GI saying in its review that “this sequel just can’t measure up to the standards of excellence set by the Bond films or by the action game genre in general.” The game also sold 277,000 copies in the first three months, though the previous Bond game sold 430,000 copies in the same time frame, according to The New York Times.

May 2005 #145 - “The Warriors”
Release Date: October 2005
Metacritic Score: PS2 - 84; Xbox - 85
Game Informer Score: 8.25/10, 8/10
What Happened: Based on the 1979 cult film, the Rockstar brawler received mostly positive reviews. The cover story said the game “could be a new beginning for genre [sic] that’s been out of the spotlight for far too long.”

June 2005 #146 - “Gears of War”
Release Date: November 2006
Metacritic Score: 94
Game Informer Score: 9.5/10, 9.5/10
What Happened: The cover dubbed the game “Microsoft’s secret weapon.” How right they were. The game became one of best-selling and highest-rated titles of the year. The later review called it “the must-play Xbox 360 title of 2006.”

July 2005 #147 - “Gun”
Release Date: November 2005
Metacritic Score: X360 - 75; Xbox - 79; PS2 - 77
Game Informer Score: 8.75/10, 9/10
What Happened: As one of the first titles released for the Xbox 360, “Gun” had generally positive reviews and went on to sell over a million units across four platforms.

August 2005 #148 - “Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie”
Release Date: November 2005
Metacritic Score: Xbox/PS2 - 82; GC - 81; X360 - 80; PC - 77
What Happened: GI’s feature claimed, “Ubisoft and Peter Jackson are about to change the way you think about movie licensed games forever.” The magazine’s review praised the game saying, “Graphically, it’s a masterpiece.”

September 2005 #149 - “Def Jam: Icon” / “Fight Night Round 3″
Metacritic Score: Fight Night X360 - 83; DJI X360 - 69, PS3 - 63
Game Informer Score: Fight Night - 9/10, 9.25/10; DJI - 7.75/10, 7.75/10
What Happened: Both games were created by EA’s Chicago Studio. While “Fight Night,” did well — it’s sold over 1.5 million domestically to-date and received positive reviews, “Def Jam Icon” had lower scores. GI even said, “After a while, the recycled environments and repetitive battles start to feel like a chore rather than a reward.” Some even credited the poor sales of “Icon” for the studio’s closing.

October 2005 #150 - “Crackdown”
Release Date: February 2007
Metacritic Score: 83
Game Informer Score: 8.5/10, 8.5/10
What Happened: The “GTA” clone by the “GTA” creator had good reviews and ended up in many critics’ Best Of lists for 2007. The packed-in “Halo 3″ multiplayer beta invites didn’t hurt either, and the game sold 1.5 million copies worldwide.

November 2005 #151 - “Superman Returns”
Release Date: November 2006
Metacritic Score: X360 - 51
Game Informer Score: 6/10, 6.25/10
What Happened: The end of the cover story has high hopes for the title: “The game has remarkable potential to redefine a genre, and is at the same time remarably early on in the process…. we can’t wait to see more of the game once all the disparate puzzle pieces begin to fit into place.” The later review announced, “Look up into the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s another crappy Superman game!” Guess those pieces didn’t fit.

December 2005 #152 - “Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots”
Release Date: June 2008
Metacritic Score: 94
Game Informer Score: 10/10, 9.75/10
What Happened: The game scored high marks as expected, and has shipped 3.94 million copies worldwide. According to GI, “As the crowning achievement of the series’ 20-year history, Hideo Kojima’s final Metal Gear Solid title may not be what you expect, but it is everything you could hope for in a video game.”

January 2006 #153 - “Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Double Agent”
Release Date: October 2006
Metacritic Score: X360 - 85; Xbox - 89; PS2 - 84; PC - 80

Game Informer Score: 9/10, 8/10
What Happened: The game got postive reviews as well as a slew of various publication’s awards, proving that the “Splinter Cell” franchise continues to do well and is worthy of the GI cover.

February 2006 #154 - “Medal of Honor: Airborne”
Release Date: PC/X360 - September 2007; PS3 - November 2007
Metacritic Score: X360 - 73; PC - 78; PS3 - 75
Game Informer Score: 7.25/10, 7.25/10
What Happened: The cover story said, “So many technical and gameplay innovations govern the project that it feels like an entirely new approach to first-person shooting.” However, it seemed that the “new approach” didn’t quite work. The later review said, “Medal of Honor: Airborne sprinkles minor moments of brilliance though a minefield of questionable game design.”

March 2006 #155 - “Bioshock”
Release Date: August 2007
Metacritic Score: 96
Game Informer Score: 10/10, 10/10
What Happened: Unless you’re living under a rock, you may have heard that “Bioshock” was one of the top games of the year for many critics, receiving many accolades, including “Best of Show” at E3 2006. Over 2.2 million copies have been shipped, and a PS3 version is slated for October.

April 2006 #156 - “God of War II”
Release Date: March 2007
Metacritic Score: 93
Game Informer Score: 9.75/10, 9.75/10
What Happened: “God of War II,” like its predecessor, was lauded by critics and gamers, and has sold 1.5 million copies domestically to-date.

May 2006 #157 - “Red Steel”
Release Date: November 2006
Metacritic Score: 63
Game Informer Score: 7.5/10, 7.5/10
What Happened: For the Wii launch title, the cover story claimed, “If every game for the system looks as promising as Red Steel, then the Revolution might have a bright future indeed.” However, the later review cut no slack, saying “Most of Red Steel’s faults lie with the game’s presentation. Enemies shout annoying obscenities in your direction during every firefight, the cheesy score is bad enough to incite chuckles, and the jaggy graphics look worse than many Xbox and PlayStation 2 games.”

June 2006 #158 - “Assassin’s Creed”
Release Date: November 2007
Metacritic Score: X360 - 81; PS3 - 80
Game Informer Score: 9.5/10, 9.5/10
What Happened: The game won numerous awards and accolades, and even exceeded Ubisoft’s sales expectations. Following the positive press, the company stated it anticipated the game would sell at least five million units instead of the projected three million.

July 2006 #159 - “Need For Speed Carbon”
Release Date: November 2006
Metacritic Score: X360 - 77; PS3 - 75
Game Informer Score: X360 - 8.5/10, 8.75/10
What Happened: The game received generally good reviews, with most complaining about the lack of innovation but still saying it was good enough. In its review, GI said, “The city’s sections felt too similar to each other. I admit, I don’t have all the answers on making a perfect open-world racing title, but Carbon falls short in this area. Don’t worry though, the speed in this game is enough to outrun such criticisms.”

August 2006 #160 - “Kane & Lynch”
Release Date: November 2007
Metacritic Score: X360 - 65; PS3 - 64
Game Informer Score: 7/10, 7.25/10
What Happened: Controversy occurred when Gamespot editorial director Jeff Gerstmann was fired following his negative review of the game. GI didn’t love the game either in its review: “There’s certainly a lot here to love, and a lot more that you want to love, but most of your time in Kane & Lynch is spent shaking or scratching your head. The problems are just too visible for it to be taken seriously as a gritty thriller.”

September 2006 #161 - “Bully”
Release Date: October 2006
Metacritic Score: 87
Game Informer Score: 8.5/10, 8.75/10
What Happened: The game received positive reviews and sold well despite (or because of) the controversy surrounding such material as same-sex kissing and school violence.

October 2006 #162 - “Devil May Cry 4″
Release Date: February 2008
Metacritic Score: 84
Game Informer Score: 9/10, 9/10
What Happened: As expected, the game received good review scores, and the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions combined sold 2.3 million copies according to Capcom.

November 2006 #163 - “Dark Sector”
Release Date: March 2008
Metacritic Score: 72
Game Informer Score: 7.5/10; 8.25/10
What Happened: The game with the glaive, “Dark Sector” got mixed reviews, cons being the bad plot and overall lack of originality. GI’s review said, “Sadly, you’ll remember the weapon more than the game itself.”

December 2006 #164 - “Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2″
Release Date: X360 - March 2007; PS3 - August 2007
Metacritic Score: X360 - 86; PS3 - 84
Game Informer Score: X360 - 8.75/10, 9/10; PS3 - 8.5/10, 8.5/10
What Happened: The game sold one million on the Xbox 360 alone, and won GI’s Game of the Month. “While GRAW 2 may have fallen behind the excellent ‘Rainbow Six Vegas,’ its great multiplayer and explosive single-player storyline still make this game a tour of duty worth taking.”

January 2007 #165 - Top 50 Games of 2006
N/A

February 2007 #166 - “Blue Dragon”
Release Date: August 2007
Metacritic Score: 79
Game Informer Score: 9/10; 8.75/10
What Happened: This was one of the few GI covers in recent memory that was not a “world exclusive.” Although the game was hyped for its beloved creators, it received mixed reviews. The GI reviewer still gave it a 9/10, despite lacking “the jaw-dropping moments to make it legendary.”

March 2007 #167 - “Star Wars: The Force Unleashed”
Release Date: September 2008
Metacritic Score: n/a
Game Informer Score: n/a
What Happened: Once due in the Spring 2008, the game will finally be unleashed in September continuing the saga between movies Episodes III and IV, along with a series of toys and comics.

April 2007 #168 - “Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune”
Release Date: November 2007
Metacritic Score: 88
Game Informer Score: 8.57/10; 9/10
What Happened: One of the highest rated PS3 games to-date, “Uncharted” received praise for its high production values, technical achievements and engaging narrative.

May 2007 #169 - “Grand Theft Auto IV”
Release Date: April 2008
Metacritic Score: X360/PS3 - 98
Game Informer Score: 10/10; 10/10
What Happened: The game became the third-highest rated game of all time according to Game Rankings and pulled in more than $500 million in its first week. You could say it did okay.

June 2007 #170 - “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare”
Release Date: November 2007
Metacritic Score: X360/PS3 - 94; PC - 93
Game Informer Score: 10/10; 10/10
What Happened: The cover called it out as “The most INTENSE first-person shooter WE HAVE EVER SEEN!” Not sure if it’s the most “intense” FPS gamers have laid their eyes on, but it’s certainly one of most lauded. It’s arguably the first FPS to make gamers go “‘Halo,’ what?” (Note: “Halo 3″ didn’t get a cover and only received two 9.75/10s).

July 2007 #171 - “Fallout 3″
Release Date: October 2008
Metacritic Score: n/a
Game Informer Score: n/a
What Happened: With its multi-facted combat system and nuke-enabled weaponry, the game won best of show and best role-playing game at this year’s Game Critics Awards.

August 2007 #172 - “Prototype”
Release Date: TBD 2009
Metacritic Score: n/a
Game Informer Score: n/a
What Happened: Originally set for a fall release, the game removed its multiplayer mode due to time constraints. However, it was announced in May that the game is being delayed until 2009, causing speculation that the multiplayer mode will return.

September 2007 #173 - “Borderlands”
Release Date: TBD 2009
Metacritic Score: n/a
Game Informer Score: n/a
What Happened: The Gearbox-developed FPS is slated for release next year. The GI cover story revealed that the game is inspired by the “Mad Max” films and Blizzard’s “Diablo” games, making it a title to look out for next year.

October 2007 #174 - “Dead Space”
Release Date: October 2008
Metacritic Score: n/a
Game Informer Score: n/a
What Happened: A year later, the survival horror space shooter has positive buzz with its animated comics and enthusiastic previews thus far.

November 2007 #175 - “Brütal Legend”
Release Date: TBD
Metacritic Score: n/a
Game Informer Score: n/a
What Happened: Many were excited for the metal-injected action-adventure game from Tim Schafer, whose last work was the critically-acclaimed 2005 title “Psychonauts.” Following July’s Activision Blizzard merger, Schafer put rumors of the game’s possible cancellation to rest by saying simply, “Brütal Legend is fine.” But is it Double Fine? (Sorry.)

December 2007 #176 - “Ghostbusters”
Release Date: TBD 2009
Metacritic Score: n/a
Game Informer Score: n/a
What Happened: With the game written and backed by franchise stars Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, “Ghostbusters The Video Game” had good buzz and was slated for October 2008 release. That is, until the Activision Blizzard merger in July. Because Activision decided not to publish the former Sierra game, “Ghostbusters” is currently looking for a new publisher.

CONCLUSION:

So far this year, Game Informer has had games like “Gears of War 2,” “Resistance 2” and “Guitar Hero: World Tour” on its cover — sequels of successful franchises that are likely to be huge hits. However, “Tiberium,” which was on its January 2008 cover has been delayed to next year, making it three for three in a row for postponed titles (joining “Ghostbusters” and “Brütal Legend”). GI also featured new intellectual properties like “Alpha Protocol” and “Infamous” — games whose fates are hard to predict.

Overall though, minus a few glaring exceptions (”Superman Returns,” “Fear and Respect” and “Kane & Lynch”), it seems that most Game Informer cover games go on to do pretty well. GI shoppers need not beware, it seems.