
1. Explore reviews of critics and players
Reviews are a good way to learn more about the game. The main thing is not to attach much importance to assessments. This is a very subjective parameter, and it will not help to understand whether you like the game or not.
Indicative can be only a very low score – up to 50 points out of 100. It means that the game, most likely, does not bring pleasure at all. However, even in this case, it is better to check the assessments of different publications. Aggregators like Metacritic and GameRankings will help with this.
But the most formidable critic for any game is gamers. If you’re playing on a PC, the best place to look for reviews of regular players is on the project page on Steam. If the desired game is not in this store, or you play on the console, then it makes sense to look at the English-language Gamespot, Giant Bomb and Metacritic or The Russian-language Playground and StopGame.

It is important to understand that the perception of projects is very subjective. What may seem like a bad decision to one may delight another. Therefore, foremost, pay attention to what components of the game the author of the review lists, and not to his attitude to them.
For example, the review says that the game has a mechanic of gradual destruction of weapons, as in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The author of the review writes that it is perfectly implemented and does not interfere with the gameplay. But you know that systems like this irritate you with having to constantly change or fix things. Consequently, it increases the likelihood that you will not like the game.
2. Watch gameplay
From the gameplay recordings on YouTube, you can understand what the game graphics are, visual style, how well the characters are voiced, what is the basis of the gameplay and much more.

In most cases, it is enough to watch a couple of videos to understand whether it is worth buying the game or not. However, it must be remembered that the record does not convey the most important component – the feeling of control.
At the heart of video games is interactivity, and videos are devoid of it. According to them, it is impossible to understand how the character responds to pressing buttons, whether it is easy to aim in the game, how convenient the menu is made, and so on. To find out about this, you need to either read someone’s review, or play it yourself.
3. Поиграть в полную версию или демо
A demo is the best way to figure out if it’s worth taking a title. This is a small excerpt of the game that gives an idea of the gameplay, skills, design and overall feel of the project. After its passage, it becomes much easier to make a decision.

Unfortunately, demos have been rare in recent years. But many stores have money-back systems. You can buy the game, try it out, and ask for money back if you don’t like it.
The rules are different everywhere, but usually allow you to return a project in which you played no more than two hours. To find out for sure, take a look at the “Frequently Asked Questions” or the help of the site where you are going to buy the game.
4. Learn more about the developer
First, this applies to those games that should receive major updates every few months. For example, projects in Early Access or those that are released in episodes – like Life is Strange or Hitman.

Read on Wikipedia or look for news about the development studio. If it’s a well-known firm with an impressive track record, then it’s unlikely to allow itself to abandon the game while it has fans. And if this is a new team or a company has recently been involved in high-profile scandals, you should beware.