Godfather II offering top-down strategy

  • By thorsen-ink, GameSpot
  • Posted Jun 18, 2008 3:31 pm PT

In 2006, the first Godfather game was released for the PC, Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and the PlayStation Portable. (A Wii edition shipped the following spring.) The full-sized editions were largely the same, with players shaking down businesses in the street and fighting off...

In 2006, the first Godfather game was released for the PC, Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and the PlayStation Portable. (A Wii edition shipped the following spring.) The full-sized editions were largely the same, with players shaking down businesses in the street and fighting off rivals to take over territories, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas-style. The handheld spin-off, titled The Godfather: Mob Wars (pictured), went one step further, featuring card-based Risk-meets-the-Mafia gameplay in which players vied for control of New York City's five boroughs.

Although Mob Wars received only tepid reviews, it looks as if EA will be offering something similar--albeit presumably vastly expanded--in the Godfather II. At a Chicago investor summit yesterday, EA CEO John Riccitiello revealed that the publisher's Redwood Shores studio is hard at work on a second game based on director Francis Ford Coppola's Oscar-winning Mafia film series. Though Coppola is no fan, Riccitiello was particularly excited about the game, lavishing praise on executive producer Hunter Smith for making a "spectacular" game.

"I think we'll be talking a lot about [The Godfather II] this fall," he gushed to analysts. "You can play this game both at the street level, much like GTA or a Vice City-style game, but you can also play from the top down, almost like an RTS. You can go into strategy in the boroughs, you can see what's going on, you play it in a different way, on a different level. It's a very differentiated gameplay experience." Riccitiello did not go into further detail, quickly jinking to other topics.

Contrary to widespread reports, Riccitiello didn't explicitly say that The Godfather II would have an RTS mode, merely that it would have the top-down view common to the genre. However, though rare, a crime RTS game is not unprecedented. The lukewarmly received 2004 RTS Gangland had armies of criminals conquering urban turf in a fictional 1930s city, drawing resources from gambling parlors, speakeasies, and other illicit operations.

72 Comments

  • xxglitchxx33

    Posted Apr 5, 2009 9:06 am PT

    Its a really cool game to play you really feel like a gangster and its fun you have your own team/family now. On the other hand your done playing it in like 5 hours. Then theres simply nothing else to do. So it is really amazing to play it. Your just done to fast with it. With the whole godfather the game series i have the feeling they spend more time on marketing and the ingame movies and voices. Then the actual game lenght. Verdict really cool game but 1 evening playing it your done. No replay value

  • frano911

    Posted Jan 23, 2009 1:52 pm PT

    Godfather 1 was amazing for ps2 so godfather 2 should be 10 times better for 360

  • dj_c4

    Posted Aug 9, 2008 4:57 pm PT

    Ugh...I dunno about this RTS mode. I hope they just make the game play less repetitive then the first one.

  • BIGPIMPING187

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 9:29 pm PT

    Love godfather 1, I bet godfather 2 will be better. I wounder if they are going to keep the black hand?

  • XDaJokermanX

    Posted Jul 5, 2008 5:14 pm PT

    This could either be really good or really bad depending on how they do it. If it's done well it might be a huge new invention to the open world crime genre. I've never played a RTS game but always been interested in checking out the genre. The first game was great and the fact they're making a new one is exciting. Makes me wanna pop in the first one back into my 360 and finally beat it. Only thing I'm wondering is will this be based on Godfather Part 2. Would make perfect sense. Of course if they keep basing them off the movies only so many games they can do before the movies and books run out. There's only like 4 books right?

  • Gizmyle

    Posted Jun 21, 2008 2:54 am PT

    I'm not sure, but I loved the first game. Lets see how this goes.

  • fernan17893

    Posted Jun 20, 2008 8:59 pm PT

    I enjoyed the first one. And Im pretty sure a lot of other people did. But this top down perspective sounds a little to gimicky for me.

  • BulletsnOctane

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 11:07 pm PT

    As long as the windows aren't blacked out I'm happy. ...That minor detail hampered the first one a little for me. Don't get me wrong...I enjoyed my time with it, but it just ruined some of the authenticity -the feel- of the game. For me.

  • JDaleMoney

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 7:26 pm PT

    Sweet!! Godfather 1 was up in there in my favorite PS2 games with scarface

  • kelgoneimy84

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 3:38 pm PT

    I can't wait for this to come I played Godfather twice fully which is something I usually don't do. I hope the make 2 based off of the series, which would be great.

  • DarkSeeker32

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 3:36 pm PT

    It doesn't really make sense why they would make a Godfather 2. Maybe it will take place in the 70's like the Godfather 3 but I personally don't think it will be better.

  • Nicksta101

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 3:03 pm PT

    No no no NO! Christ sakes, one game is fine! Just leave the lisence alone as a trilogy of films. The first game was good but that's it. F**king EA.

  • Lord_Xanatos

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 12:12 pm PT

    They should also use the euphoria engine, with the gta 4 the engine certainly gives more realism also it looks lees cartooned than the first godfather. I think it will be a good game too, and rts...probably the strategy will be used because now you act as the Godfather and not a soldier or of less rank.

  • necronaux

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 10:11 am PT

    I enjoyed the first one and the way they tied it to closely to the movie. With the cut scenes duplicated from the film, and getting to play out portions of the movie was definetly a strong point to the game. It will be interesting to see how closely, if at all, they match the game with the 2nd movie. Begs the question, is there a game trilogy here?

  • cooldude03

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 9:39 am PT

    The first Godfather game was only so-so and if you add in a RTS element it's only going to slow the game down. Hopefully they can make this work I would love to play an awesome Godfather game. This movie franchise should make a great gaming franchise hopefully this RTS twist is the solution.

  • koHd

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 9:37 am PT

    Sounds good. Kind of like GTA+Gangsters 2.

    But I wish there was another Gangsters game. Gangsters 2 was great. Pity I never got to play it online.

    Now a Gangsters 2 style MMORTS would be the king of games.

  • alexthemagnum

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 9:25 am PT

    This game sounds great

  • AwakenedMaster

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 8:51 am PT

    Hopefully there will be no RTS gameplay, and the top down is just another view. I actually enjoyed the first game, so I'm interested in how this turns out. I'm much more excited for Mafia II however.

  • Vadoc81

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 8:23 am PT

    Nice I really loved the first one.

  • metaljeff

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 6:01 am PT

    EA are bad people who hate America....

  • metaljeff

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 6:00 am PT

    EA aare turd blossoms....

  • metaljeff

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 5:59 am PT

    EA are turd blossoms....

  • metaljeff

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 5:57 am PT

    EA are a bunch of turd blossoms...

  • isahunt

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 5:55 am PT

    I'm glad Coppola hated the first game - I hated it too. The whole gameplay was rinse and repeat. Extorting one business was no different from extorting another. Just bang the owner's head on cash register and you're done. The environment and the buildings were just a wallpaper.

    Lord-Rasay - Post hoc ergo propter hoc - wiki that. Also your knowledge of PC games is severely lacking.

  • 02sfraser

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 2:58 am PT

    didnt they try something similar with "The Godfather:Blackhand Edition"? well either way it sounds good

  • jmf69

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 2:37 am PT

    i loved the first game hope there is a wii version

  • DIMANICUS

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 2:22 am PT

    I don't like veering too far from Coppola's inition idea of the New York mob scene. The first Godfather game was ok (although Godfather Part III wasn't very good), and Mob Wars wasn't especially good, I don't think RTS style gameplay will help, at all. It should remain at street level IMO, then again...It's EA.

  • Lord-Rasay

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 12:29 am PT

    To all who says that EA sux and EA dosent make good games,well Shut the f*** up. If it werent for EA there wouldn't have been any good games at all. Whether EA made it or its technology inspired it. Would there be call of duty 2 if there wasnt medal of honor. would there be any modern strategy game if it werent for generals. would there be any racing game if it werent for need for speed. wpuld there be a modern tactical shooter if it werent for battlefield. So ppl go look at ur games and i dare u 2 if u dnt find in ur video game collection an EA game!!!!

  • black_ice23

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 11:48 pm PT

    loved the wii version if they do it like that or better im in

  • awarapanmovie

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 11:32 pm PT

    ohh man i played the Godfather in 2006 its nice but this one really suck all i m damn wating for dis

  • chad_giac

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 10:50 pm PT

    personaly not a big fan of the top down view. too restricted IMO.

  • thenewau25

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 10:50 pm PT

    eh? i the previous game needed a bit more attention so i guess i ll stay off this on no 50s mobs rts fan!

  • Cheeseboy90

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 10:26 pm PT

    Will this game be based on The Godfather Part II?

  • Karmacodelc18

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 10:03 pm PT

    Im excited though I don't particularly enjoy RTS games I hope theres like on the street mode and RTS mode so like my brother who loves Civilization can chose to play it RTS style and me who prefers the sandbox style can chose to play it as such.

  • bigd575

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 10:01 pm PT

    The first one was really good and they can do the same with this one. But i hope they don't mess it up.

  • Pete5506

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 9:55 pm PT

    Man this game is going to rock

  • CommanderShiro

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 8:54 pm PT

    I bought the first one and was kind of disappointed. It was fun, but way too short and there wasn't much to do after you beat the storyline.

  • originalart

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 8:36 pm PT

    I don't see how anyone enjoyed the first one. The graphic were garbage (except the fire looked good) the city was a mockery of NYC. The story was decent...but FAR from good. And the game play was repetitive as hell!! The only good thing from the first was the hand to hand combat system.

    I am not looking forward to this at all...but hey you never know. Maybe EA will actually make a good game for a change.

  • s_emi_xxxxx

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 8:27 pm PT

    I see.. this must be because they can't compete with Mafia II.That game's gonna pwn everything.

  • kos1085

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 8:03 pm PT

    I still haven't played the first game. I was thinking about getting it for the PS3 though.

  • mashom

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 7:46 pm PT

    Luckly on rockstars.

  • mjc0961

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 7:35 pm PT

    Godfather 2, huh? Sounds interesting. I'm not so sure about this RTS thing, though.

  • club-sandwich

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 7:09 pm PT

    Rockstar should do this game instead of EA, Rockstar is the real deal when making a sandbox game.

  • yanksfan829

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 7:01 pm PT

    this game looks pretty good. Its either this or Mafia II, idk who'll come out on top. Mafia II's graphics look amazing

  • halosniper52

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 6:43 pm PT

    Give the game to rockstar they will know what to do with it

  • Sig12047

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 6:13 pm PT

    The first one was pretty fun but this sounds like something way different.

  • OfficialBed

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 6:03 pm PT

    not bad

  • RHCPfan24

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 6:01 pm PT

    I liked the first one, but the ps3 and wii versions were released simultaneously I believe in 2007.

  • Funkyhamster

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 6:01 pm PT

    This sounds like it will be really good or really bad... and I'm hoping for the former since the premise sounds awesome.

  • Lord_Xanatos

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 6:00 pm PT

    At least they mention something similiar to GTA, I hope it would be better than the first one, even when I did liked the first Godfather, I hope it would improve more, at their forum there are threads with many ideas and suggestions, they should pay attention to what many people wrote about new ideas.

    Will it come out next year?

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