I just read this very interesting article comparing the games that make the cover of Game Informer magazine and the scores they get and how well they do financially. While it doesn't mention financial returns of every game, it does a good job tackling it's GI rating and that of Metacritic:http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2008/...r-cover-curse/
Whats also fascinating about this article is that it briefly covers two other issues that have nagged gamers this year: the fate of Jeff Gerstmann and the reason for Ghostbusters hiatus. Overall, I was quite impressed.