"Someday, and that day may never come, I may call upon you to do a thirvith for me."
Stuff You'll Probably Dig:
Execution Styles: Seemingly discontent with the notion of the main character simply finishing his foes off with a well placed shot to the head, the developers over at EA decided to include a "finishers" mechanic to each of the games several melee weapons, firearms, and hand to hand combat maneuvers. And the idea works well. You'll find an impressive number of methods to dispatch your would-be assassins, from throwing them in front of cars to setting them on fire with burning wooden planks.
Extortion, Bribery, and Bank-robbery: How can you go wrong? It seems that everyone in old New York is capable of being corrupted, and those that won't answer to the almighty dollar will give in to your demands via putting them through the plate glass of their storefront or brandishing a pistol in their face. In trouble with the cops? If the heat isn't too high, you can pay off the boys in blue to help you out in raids or just keep people off your back? Started a gang war? Just find an FBI agent to pay off, and he'll keep the rival families too busy to worry about their qualms with you.
Achievements: The Godfather contains a solid blend of achievements to cater to the points-hungry crowd. Ranging from easy to difficult, you won't find any that lean towards the "impossible" side of the street, but you will find a few that will keep you busy for some time.
The Weapons: Baseball bats, Tommy guns, Magnums, Dynamite and a host of others all wait for you within this game. Most of them are great fun to use, though you will find a few of them collecting dust as your arsenal gets more powerful. Though the upgrade system seems slightly unrealistic, it doesn't diminish from the sum of the game, and actually makes the combat more entertaining as the game progresses.
The Setting: Even if EA had chosen to craft a game from films such as "Dick Tracy" or "The Untouchables," the backdrop for the story being told would have been just as fun to explore. From the period specific clothing to the dated (and fun to drive) cars, this game does a decent job of pulling its audience into the world placed before them. Furthermore, the world itself is fairly vast, with a good variety of neighborhoods and businesses to keep you searching for more.
The Story: For the most part, the Godfather's tale is handled with a great deal of care. Your role as the main character is one that finds you placed behind the scenes. Its you who place the gun for Michael to find behind the toilet, and it is you who helps place the severed head of a horse in an unlucky man's bed. All in all, it does a reasonably good job of fleshing out the movie. At least, that is, until……….
Stuff You Probably Won't:
………the ending: This one leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth. It's almost as if, when writing the game, they went for the most obvious out they could think of.
Dated Graphics: The Godfather shares a common thread with "Gun," in that it received little to no polish from its transition from last gen to current. This won't really diminish the fun you'll have playing the game, but for those of you looking for over-the-top visuals, you won't find them here. Bland textures, cloned enemies, and repetitious interiors will leave you wanting more.
The Target System: Though not completely broken, the system does suffer from some issues. You will find your character has a tendency to fix his aim on the target that is farthest from you, rather than a more imminent threat. Things can get really tricky up close as well, with the "precision aim" seeming to completely miss your intended target with consecutive shots. Think of firing a double barrel, sawed off shotgun down a narrow hall at an enemy, and seeing the pellets simply make a mark on the wall next to them. Get the picture? While not a constant problem, it does seem to cause some unwarranted deaths.
Stuff That's Just Bizarre:
Many of the cops you bribe sound like Muppets.
The Lowdown: For a sandbox style game, the Godfather manages to present itself as something more than just another clone. From start to finish, you'll find yourself entertained. Despite a flawed but not completely useless targeting system, and an ending that will make fans of the movies want to shred their pin-stripe suits, the Godfather manages to keep it together long enough for your time in Little Italy to be well spent. It by no means redefines the genre, but it does add its own brand of fun to the mix.