I ignored bad reviews and tried it myself... and I am glad that I did
Upon starting the game, I pretended that I knew nothing of the Godfather trilogy, or even the previous game in the serious. This way, I would have nothing to counter-act how much I would or would not enjoy this game, as I would have nothing to compare it to constantly.
Though the graphics are quite a bit outdated, and the gameplay is a bit repetitive, I found myself getting deeper in to what the game offers, and cared less and less about its flaws.
I enjoyed battling throughout the city in different stores, venues, and industries to gain control of the cities. Cars have a "just right" feeling to them, not making the cars ridiculously too realistic, such as GTA IV did.
In the end, I have had much enjoyment with the Godfather 2, and wished there were mods to further the gameplay. Even though I will have Mafia 2 soon flooding my computer, I will not forget the Godfather 2.
Now days, the GF2 is a bargain bin treasure, and I highly recommend it if you find a copy for $10 or $15.