GameStop Offers Some Sucky Games for Movie Stubs

In an interesting video game/movie tie-in, GameStop has a promo running until June 30, 2009 ("or until all e-Movie Cash tickets have been distributed, whichever comes first," natch) called "Love the Movie - Live the Game," and it's definitely a mixed bag.

Basically, if you buy one of the following games, you can get a $10 voucher for select movies at participating theaters that's only good until July 31, 2009. That's a lot of ifs, especially if you check out the games they're offering, which are not all tied in to current releases. And some of them will make real gaming geeks bleed from the eyes. Take a look.
1. Hannah Montana: The Movie
2. UP
3. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
4. X-Men Origins: Wolverine Uncaged Edition
5. Terminator: Salvation
6. Ghostbusters
7. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
8. Resident Evil 5
9. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
10. Destiny of Zorro
11. Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings

First of all, let's not even discuss Destiny of Zorro or Hannah Montana. Resident Evil 5 is definitely worth $10, because it's a good video game made by an actual video game company, Capcom. As for Wolverine, I haven't played it yet, but sister site GameDaily gave it a thumbs-up in its preview. And Ghostbusters is definitely looking sexy with help from its Infernal Engine inner-workings, which developer Terminal Reality is actually going to use to power other games as well. And the orig Busters of Ghosts Dan Akroyd, Bill Murray, and Harold Ramis were involved! But the rest? Big fat MEH.

The worst offenders are video games based on children's movies. I tried to play Coraline and nearly threw my Wiimote at my TV because it was so frustrating and ugly that I couldn't even finish the goals to get to her crazy alternate Other Mother universe. The movie website was actually more entertaining.

Let's face it. Many video games that are based on movies suck because they're quick money-makers that the studios often have nothing to do with or are rushed out the door so they can be released at the same time as the movie. With video game sales dropping, this is an interesting way to get movie-goers into GameStop; once they're there, chances are something else will also catch their eye. Something that's not Zorro, probably.

For more deets on this summer's blockbuster game offerings, check out GameDaily's preview.