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The Game You Cannot Refuse

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 29 / 39
Date: March 22, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I was one of 10 people from around the world (one flew in from Naples!) invited to Electronic Arts in San Francisco to preview the game, meet and talk with the game developers, and take a tour of EA's main campus.

I'm not much of gamer in general. The last console I owned was a Sega, ok? So, I nervously (yet also curiously) sat down with this game to give it a shot.

Wow. First off, the graphics were great! (Personally, I think the X-BOX version looked a little better than the PS2 version, but both were really nice. However, the PC version of course blew them both away). There was no "official confirmation" -- nor denial -- of a 360 version in the works, but I have a feeling they're working on that for a later release. Incidentally, they're also going to release a special edition which will include a DVD with special features (making-of) for the console versions.

Anyway, back to the game itself: I played mostly on the PS2 version, and have always had trouble with all those buttons. That's just me, of course. But I tell you, I had fewer problems with this game than most others I've tried -- the "Black Hand" controls were quite intuitive for once, and it never felt like I had to fumble around to find the right button.

What's unique -- and wonderful!! -- about this game is that you are NOT Vito or Michael or Sonny or anyone like that, but you are you -- your own character (that you can even create to look however you want to the most minor detail) interacting with the characters from the movie. You start out as a lowly hood and work your way up the ranks by first strong-arming shop keepers for protection money, bribing cops, and going on specific missions set forth by Clemenza or other characters. What is REALLY cool is that you can be doing your thing and at any moment, a major scene from the movie will happen, say, outside the window!

For instance, while in a shop muscling the shopkeeper, outside I saw Don Vito get shot, and my new mission was then to kill the would-be assassins before escorting the ambulance to the hospital! And what's great is, events such as these happen pretty much chronologically, and pretty true to the story -- the movie and surprisingly also the book itself.

One of my favorite features was walking down the street, and hearing passers-by having conversations! Very much like real life.

The idea of the game, of course, is to move up in rank in the Corleone family by earning money and respect. As you progress, you'll be taking control of neighborhoods and the compounds themselves of the Barzini's, Tattaglia's, Stracci's and Cuneo's (the other 4 of the 5 Families). Your ultimate goal is to be The Don of NY/NJ controlling everything.

Some of Marlon Brando's dialogue was used I was told, but they got a terrific voice actor to record bits they needed afterwards. Of course, Caan, Duvall, and Vigoda lent their voices as well, and I was told that they had a terrific time doing it! (We saw some footage of them, which will be on the bonus DVD of the special edition).

All in all, I was VERY impressed with this effort from EA! And even tho I'm not much of a gamer, this is definitely one that I will spend some time with!

I think all Godfather fans (not just gamers) will love to check this out!

If you love GTA...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: March 22, 2006
Author: Amazon User

...You will really be into this game. You are are a gangster working for the Godfather who has to work your way up from being an outsider to eventually becoming a Don. In the meantime, you will be taking control of businesses by way of extortion, bribing the cops, and whacking rival families' gangsters. It is very similar to GTA in that there are main missions, side missions, free roam game-play, you can enter any vehicle, there are safe-houses, etc. All in all, it is very comparable to GTA except the music & cars are all very 40's and you cannot skip the cut-scenes. The game follows the first Godfather movie, and while I love the Godfather movies, I really don't need to see extensive scenes re-created in this game. Sometimes waiting for the action can be aggravating. Bottom line though, I would recommend this game.

This game is GTA on steroids

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 13 / 13
Date: March 23, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I stopped over at a friend's house the day that this game came out after he had bought it, not expecting that I would be driving out to Wal-Mart that very night to get a copy for myself.

As soon as the game started, it was obvious that The Godfather was not going to be an average game. The "Mobface" feature in the beginning of the game that allows you to create and customize your own character is truly revolutionary. Any game that allows you to change any physical feature about your character down to the width of the bridge of their nose and if they have smile lines or not is just insane.

About 56 minutes later, we had finally gotten our character just the way we wanted. I was already sure I was going to have to go out and get it for myself, and we hadn't even played it yet.

So what's it like? The interface is indeed very much like the Grand Theft Auto series, set in an uber-cool Mafia setting. Yet it's what you can do with that interface that makes The Godfather entirely separate from any GTA game. First of all, the controls are very ingeniously thought out and easy to learn. Instead of hitting any one button to punch and hit enemies (which you'll be doing a lot of initially), you simply target them with L1 and then move the right analog stick to hit them again and again as many times as you need to. You can even duck and dodge around simply by moving the analog sticks.

A main component to this game that really got me hooked once we were in gameplay was the business extortion. They give you a map and say, basically, "The family needs to take back Little Italy and get some money." Take your pick of which businesses you want to target, in what order, from what family, what technique you'll use to intimidate the business owner, etc. It's frustrating when you get tough business owners who aren't easily flustered - you can beat them up to a point to scare them, but you might end up killing them before their compliance meter passes the critical level. Likewise, if you push them too far, the meter will enter a "red zone" that is different for each character and causes them to fight back. Good luck getting a deal. I remember feeling more than a little bit irritated that I accidentally pummeled to death the person I needed to hand me the keys, essentially. After you leave the business, it closes for a while due to a "death in the family", but I believe it opens again after a while.

Once you get into the gameplay, you'll know what I mean. And there are just some things that you are not gonna find on GTA that make this game sweet and had us erupting into incredulous laughter on more than one occasion. Feel free to check out the "Execution Styles" checklist on one of the pause menus. As you kill people in various ways, the game will check off the methods on your list. Some of them are so obscurely named (let your imagination run wild with whatever a "Stained Glass Execution" is) that it's going to be interesting to try and find out how to achieve that method of execution.

Taking all these great features and putting it into a setting as dynamic as The Godfather is just over the top and more than I could ever express in words in this review. There's so many more features I haven't even touched base on - taking over racketeering businesses, attacking supply trucks and warehouses, going out on contract hits. If there's anything this game is not, it's definitely not a GTA knockoff. The Godfather makes GTA ripoffs look like virtual cricket matches.

The Godfather made me an offer I couldn't refuse, and you won't be able to either.

Respect the true Godfather- Francis Ford Coppola!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: March 25, 2006
Author: Amazon User

OK, it's a great game with clever storytelling and lots of cathartic violent fun. But it's shameful the way Electronic Arts and the game creators, in their "Making of" documentary on the Special Edition, have conspicuously decided to not credit the true creator of the Godfather: Francis Ford Coppola. I heard that Coppola was not happy with the game because of its concentration on violence (What did he expect? A gnocchi recipe and wine making puzzle challenge?) But nevertheless, talk about vendettas! For the creators of the Godfather videogame, poor Francis is sleeping with the fishes.

The game is better then the movies

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 12
Date: March 25, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Before Marlon Brando died (which I'm glad he did) recorded all of his dialogues to reprise his character, Don Corleone.

While some actors from the film have reprise their so call famous roles for the video game adaptation, Al Pacino flat out refused to reprise his famous Michael Character (which I don't blame him). Poor Paramount cannot use his voice or likeness for the game. Paramount does own the rights to Godfather story and charcters, they have announced that the Michael Corleone (actor) will appear in the game, just with different looks and a seperate voice acting.

I love this game like I love intimidating hot women.

An excellent edition to a gamer's collection.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: March 26, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This game allows you to create your own mobster to put through the ringer in an attempt to become "Don of the Dons." From what I have seen in hours of playing time, the game takes a lot of strategy and remarkable thought.

Though the game appears to be of a typical violent "shoot 'em up" nature, I was pleasantly surprised to discover the amount of thought and work the game actually took. For example, in one scene, after snuffing out some deadly assassins, you are required to return to your safe house within an allotted timespan. Depending on how long you take leaving, which routes you travel, and how often you switch cars, your journey home vastly varies!

Thought is also required before choosing which businesses to extort. Particularly if there are men guarding the property out front. Can you fight them? Are any armed? Are more men waiting around the corner?

Although the game's main goal in the early stages appears extortion and murder, one feels a certain connection to their mob persona as well as fellow members of the "family." When a family member is assassinated, you cannot help but feel a connection to them, or the strong urge for revenge, which is what helps make the game so appealing. Its desire to suck in even the most casual of gamers makes it a piece worth having, despite rumors that is "identical" to other games.

The one reason this game is not five stars to me is based on the sheer frustration that one can feel after unsuccessfully completing a challenge multiple times.

Nothing new

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 6
Date: March 26, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Different companys make different versions of sport games right? EA, 989 studios, etc. The thing they all have in common is the fact that they are making a game about hockey, or what ever sport. The Godfather has done this. If you've played Grand Theft Auto, you've played a part of the Godfather. Godfather throws in some things like needing to pay off the police and an intimidation meter so it wont be a total clone. The targeting system is flawed but a little better than GTA's and the little map in the corner shows the actual street name not to look like another clone. If you like GTA, you might like this. If you liked the movie, you might enjoy this. If you're looking for something new...you wont find one bit of anything original.

I can't get the game to load.

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 1 / 22
Date: March 26, 2006
Author: Amazon User

You know I would give this game a good review, if I could..you know... PLAY IT! This game is the worst when it comes to loading, or maybe I have a defective game. Before any of you losers comment that maybe my PS2 is crap. I have tried this game on 4 different PS2's so it's not just mines. This game I feel is defective.

I can't take it back because BX policy states "any opened video game and/or system can not be returned/refunded" SO basically I'm screwed. I wouldn't sell the game to anyone because I would feel bad. So I have a game that I can't play.

Let's compare: I have Socom 3, and the disc looks like it was buffed with sandpaper, and it PLAYS. I couldn't even get past the Paramount thing in the beginning with the stars going over the mountain... Yes its THAT bad.

Hope you don't get a defective game.

You doofus!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 10
Date: March 26, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Why would you review a game based on your copy's defective status?

If a store says you can't return a game if it's opened, why would you buy from them? DUH.
(also, why don't you read the little print, most stores say that you can't exchange a product for a different one if opened. You can usually exchange it for the same thing if you can prove its broken/defective).

And game reviews are for reviewing games based on how they play, not for unprobable defectives.

Also, why would you negatively review this game on Amazon's website. Unless BFX is your abbreviation for Amazon, you should review it on their website instead.
Amazon sends replacements before people send their defectives back and you get them within a couple days. You should've bought from them.

My friend just bought this game and he had a bunch of us over for a sleepover. This game is very fun, you can do so many different things. I would say that it's way better than the GTAs but it wouldn't be a fair statement since this game is still 'new and fun' to us. I bet the old looking setting will get old quick but can't tell yet.
So, in short, this game is very fun for kid sleepovers.

Wow, The Standard for Video Games

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: March 27, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This game is one of the greatest PS2 games I have ever played. There is so, so, so much to do, from extorting, to payoffs, to missions, side missions, it's all too much. Anyone who is into Mafia movies or games, this is the game for you. The graphics are great, it's an open-ended environment, but yet it still follows the movie closely. I bought the strategy guide, I recommend this.

The only thing that annoys me about the game is how much there IS to do. It can be overwhelming at times. Often times there are many objective you need to complete at once. Like I mentioned, the strategy guide is like a novel. One could spend hundreds and hundreds of hours trying to discover everything about the game. Also, you die too easily and the fighting system takes a while to learn.

In closing, if you like the GTA games and you like the Mafia, then you will absolutely LOVE this game, no exceptions. Great, great, game that will completely engulf you. NYC and the surrounding boroughs are exact replicas. The midtown tunnell, the manhatten bridge, it's all there for the taking. ENJOY!

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