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"When you're old enough and the time is right, you will take your revenge..."

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 26 / 28
Date: May 19, 2006
Author: Amazon User

You know, it's been quite some time since I've found myself glued to a videogame where in my mind hours become seconds. I say to myself that I'm only going to play for a few minutes--fifteen, tops--next thing you know, three hours have gone by.

The last game to do that to me was "GTA: San Andreas." I thought there would never be another game that would hook me like that. I was wrong. Boy, was I ever wrong.

"The Godfather" for PS2 is an addicting and gripping game that throws you into the world of the Mafia and links you to the classic storyline found in the film. You play an older son with a score to settle. Your father was wiped out by Don Barzini right in front of you when you were little. Don Corleone tells you that when you're old enough, you will take your revenge. Now all grown up, you aim to serve your Godfather and move up the ranks from an outsider to becoming a made man and then some. If you're clever enough, you might even become Don. If you're ruthless enough to wipe out all of your enemies, you can become the Don of NY. The decision is up to you.

The game gives you the classic storyline that we all love and know from the movie, only it involves you. The missions will be very familiar to the famous scenes we have seen over and over again. Not only that, but in GTA fashion you are given a lot of freedom to do things on your own. You can shake down rival businesses using various "negotiation tactics." Need some extra cash? Rob a bank. Better yet, hijack a rival truck and steal the goodies inside. You're given a giant world to interact with. Whether you decide to play the missions straight through or do some freelancing, many opportunities to enjoy the game are to be had.

The graphics are pretty impressive. Players who are familiar with the GTA games will have an easier time getting used to the controls and the various camera angles. The look and feel are very identical. If you want my honest opinion, I actually enjoy this game a lot more than any of the GTA games, but that's because I'm such a fan of the movie. It's great that you get to relive your favorite scenes and be a part of the action.

Cons: The missions can be tricky and sometimes even downright frustrating. A good majority of them are timed so it may take you a few times to get a mission done just right. I understand the timer in some missions, but sometimes they get a little ridiculous and I feel that they're just trying to throw some unneeded obsticles in your path. The good news is that there are tons of checkpoints for each mission, so if you fail or die you will not have to start all over again. Also, the game can be glitchy at times. Now, I haven't seen anything major that disrupts my playing at all but I've heard some people with earlier copies that had some major problems, so be careful about that.

I could go on and on about this game, but I'm sure it's all been said before. You want my verdict? I love this game and think it's a blast to play. "The Godfather" is bound to be a classic. If you're a fan of the movie or the GTA games, then give it a shot. I have beat the game twice already, and I still find myself playing it all over again more and more.

If you have no free time whatsoever, then stay away. This game will consume you, whether you like it or not. You have been warned. The offer has been made. Don't you dare try to refuse it if you know what's good for you. - Michael Crane

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!

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.

Make me an offer...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 10 / 12
Date: April 02, 2006
Author: Amazon User

So often, adults are straddled with playing kiddie games on their gaming systems, that are no more mentally challenging or fun than playing Old Maid with an eight year old girl. Maybe with the "Godfather" coming out on PS2, this trend is starting to change; the Godfather on PS2 is truly an adult game.

Working seemlessly with the plot of the Godfather movie, you start a lowly child, rescued from obscurity by a compassion Don Corleone. He raises you, and desires that you become a member of his family. Thus starts your training, under the watchful eye of Clemenza himself. The training time is quick, easy, and soon, you're off to extort businesses, plant bombs, steal cars, rob banks, and murder all you want. In short, for this law-abiding citizen, it's criminal bliss!

The creators of the game worked very hard to honor the originial, while adding layers within the story that works in congruence with the movie. New characters are introduced, and they might as well have come from Mario Puzo's pen itself. The look of the game is seemless. Details such as the birds in the New Jersey park flying in streaming patterns, the foul language, the look of each different neighborhood, all adds authenticity to the gaming experience.

Another added feature I enjoyed is not always being controlled by the story to go places. If you want, you may delay going to the next part of the story and start extorting more businesses to rack up that dough, woo a few women in the brothels, bribe policemen, or rob banks. This added sense of decision making allows you to feel your in control of the game.

And isn't that the main purpose of the game, control? As you work your way up to being the Don, the journey is frought with much peril, negotiation, and explosions So get your cotton ready, stuff it in your cheeks, perform your best Marlon Brando impression, for the Godfather is on your way to your living room!

Fuggetaboutit

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 11 / 19
Date: April 01, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Imagine the sales pitch - "You're this guy who drives the Don to hospital, kills Paulie, puts the horse's head in the bed, helps plant a gun for Michael, kills each and every single head of the five families and so on. We'll make it a free roaming environment with vehicles like GTA and we'll buy the rights from Paramount, hire Brando and the rest of the cast for their likenesses and some voiceover work. The rest will write itself!".

An instant classic right? Well, no. In fact this title is extremely poor.

The movie was violent but it was mostly low key and separated by long bouts of drama. How do you create a GTA clone without dishonoring the source? You can't and EA doesn't. Instead we get a game that rips the heart out of the movie and replaces it with a stick of dynamite. A simple example is the death of Paulie. In the film he's unsuspectingly shot in the back of the head. In the game, you have to chase him through a maze of exploding boxes. What??? In the film, the heads of the five families are killed by different people. In the game you do them all. It's just stupid. Fortunately, not all of the game is this bad, but a good part is just silly and over the top. Why did they even licence the rights to the film if they're just going to spit on it? Why not just churn out a generic mafia game that could be as stupidly violent and unrealistic as they liked?

We'll put aside the franchise issues for a minute and look at the GTA-style aspects. Some people may get riled by the comparison but this is what it boils down to. You do missions, you get cash rewards, you get bigger weapons, you find hidden packages, you carjack, you avoid police "heat", you buy safehouses and you repeat until you complete. Sound familiar? Naturally there are differences such as the ability to extort businesses and upgrade your skills, and the game has made some significant improvements especially for the combat. But fundamentally it's a GTA clone.

It isn't all doom and gloom. The graphics and cut scenes are good, the acting is top notch (as you might expect) with many of the original movie cast revoicing their roles or lending their likeness. Al Pacino is notably absent and Michael Corleone is marginalized in the game. Brando's likeness is there although his voice is an imitation except for a few places where it is ripped straight from the movie. The NPC behavior is pretty smart - the bad guys, cops and pedestrians actually behave in semi-sensible ways such as taking cover, changing position, diving out of the way of vehicles. In fact you'll have a tough job fighting any battle in this game since the enemy fight so well. The weapon aiming system is also unique and commendable meaning you get better accuracy if you can draw a bead on a guy. On the person to person level, this game is far superior. The combat system is sophisticated and you can throw people around, head butt them, push them off ledges and more. It also has an interesting system where you take over businesses "for protection" and any back room rackets they are running.

Where it is not so good? The game world sucks. There, I've said it. The map is meant to be New York - a horribly simplified New York. There are massive stretches of nothing where you must drive your car from one point to another with nothing to do and absolutely no way to go except forward. For variety you can explore the odd side alley, dock or park square but that's about it. You can't jump, climb walls, wander around on rooftops or anything even remotely off the beaten track. Everything and I mean everything else is fenced off. The game does have a lot of interiors which is good, but it soon becomes apparent that they are reused over and again. Virtually every boss compound is identical except for a few textures. The vehicle models are also limited to a handful of generic types. Vehicles have a basic damage system, although they handle fairly well. There are precious few environment effects such as weather. Other modes of transport such as subway or trains are non existent. To be blunt the world, city and vehicles are very poor. Perhaps this is a compromise for the PS2 & Xbox, yet GTA: SA for both consoles managed to pack in a world which was a multiple larger without any of the restrictions you'll see here.

Annoyances? Cut scenes that cannot be skipped, lack of a quick load, and an overly complicated and flaky control system. When the game starts it *insists* that you sit through a Paramount clip whether you've seen it 100 times or not and other cut scenes don't respond to pushing escape or any other key. The lack of quick load is irksome if you've played a mission and want to start from the save point instead of drive from the hospital. The control system while powerful is too sensitive to the way you're facing. Some guy could be hitting you with a bat but if you're not exactly facing him, you can't defend yourself or fight back. The targeting system also makes you cycle through targets and sometimes won't even let you target the one you want to. On a couple of occasions I also got stuck behind an NPC and had to kill them to free myself.

At the end of the day, what we have here is a fairly average GTA clone which improves in many areas but is a massive step back in others. The graphics are very good, the combat system is very good, but the game world is a waste of space and tiresome to traverse. The worst crime by far is what they have done with The Godfather franchise. Perhaps the movie doesn't translate into a game very well. But in that case they shouldn't have bothered.

In short fans of the GTA genre and fans of The Godfather movie will both be disappointed. This game is a missed opportunity. As a game it is a slick, but inferior effort. As a film translation, it is an insult to its source. It's no wonder Francis Ford Coppola wanted nothing to do with it.

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!

A Good Tribute to a Fantastic Film

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: April 08, 2006
Author: Amazon User

There is always a risk when turning a movie into a game. Most of the time they just don't come out right. So of course, when The Godfather was announced as being a big videogame, fans of the film and even the novel, became nervous. This is not like adapting Spider-Man into a game. The Godfather is often cited as one of the greatst films ever made, so it's important to give special care to such a license. The creators of this game did know what they were doing when adapting the movie into a game. As an adaptation, it's pretty good. As an overall game, it's bogged down in some areas that--considering how long we had to wait--shouldn't be such a big problem anyway. Nonetheless, The Godfather is still a good game.

The Godfather doesn't put you in the role of any of the film's major cast. Rather your just someone working for the mob. An original character. This, surprisingly adds to the game rather than take away. And as a member of the mob you'll be intimidating store clerks, performing the Don's every need, bribing cops and taking on rival mobs. The game borrows a lot from GTA in terms of gameplay. You can steal cars and gun down (or run over) pedestrians. There's even a number of badges to show just how badly the cops want you. The difference here is you can bribe the cops to look the other way, which isn't so bad.

You'll also have a chance to take part in classic moments from the movie. For example you'll have to plant the pistol for Michael Corleone, re-enact the famous horsehead scene and others among those. These scenes stay pretty close to the movie, and they even keep the same feel.

Another thing that helps The Godfather's Gameplay is the arsenal of weapons you have. You can carry as many weapons at a time as you want, and each one can be upgraded. You'll be able to take on anyone you feel. That shouldn't suggest that The Godfather is an easy game (or that it will become such later on). You'll often find yourself as a one man army, and taking on several mobsters at once is not an easy task. You'll die more than a few times. So don't think that because you're a powerhouse you're invincible. There are times when the game glitches out in the gameplay department. Like when a mobster is facing in the opposite direction yet he's still somehow pumping you full of lead. Little glitches like that get annoying.

The way The Godfather looks and sounds is pretty cool. There are some framerate issues in the graphics, and they're frequent. But that doesn't separate from the fact that The Godfather is a beautiful game. The music comes straight from the film, so it works out nicely as well. It would've been nice to hear some original music (but keeping to the theme) but to complain about the music would be complaining about too much of a good thing.

The Godfather is an overall good adaptation of the film. It stays close to the film, without overstepping too many boundaries. It feels too much like Grand Theft Auto at times, but it isn't much to worry about. For what it's worth, The Godfather is an overall fun game.

The Good
+Beautiful Game
+Stays close to the movie
+Even though it has an original character, he fits right in
+There's plenty to do
+Free roaming Grand Theft Auto feel
+Great use of the license

The Bad
-There are some glitches
-Framerate issues
-It feels like another attempt to off Grand Theft Auto

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.

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.

The Corleone Family wants to buy YOU out

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: July 06, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This game reminds me alot of the Grand Theft Auto series. While it has many similar characteristics in the way you get around town, go into buildings, and the way you interact with the environment it still manages to offer a few original and interesting components to the gaming industry. This game has a great storyline that fans will likely enjoy. Even if you weren't a fan of the movie this game is still a must. Like GTA there are a few side missions (not as massive as GTA though), there are collectibles, and then you have main missions along the way. While the object of the game is to take over New York, some of the warehouses and businesses can get repetitive, but its mostly all fun. One plus is the police in this game tend to be less of a hassle unlike the GTA games. This lets you keep playing rather than having to stop and restart at a safehouse or in the police station. This helps speed up the game. The controlls take time to get used to but after you play for a little while you are good to go. If you like the GTA format style of play you will certainly like this. Also if you like the Godfather, the storyline to the game is great and really stays true to the movie. While its not the best game of the year it will certainly do until a new GTA comes out. It took me about 2 weeks to finish the game playing a few hourse each night. I hope they can come up with Godfather 2. We will see...

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