Introduction:
A game remake of the classic film made by Francis Ford Coppola in 1972. Some might question whether it was wise to touch something like The Godfather, I think they've done a great job. Why? It was fun, there was quite a bit to do, and it never got boring. The graphics were great, the music was awesome to listen to, and it featured the mafia, something I adore. Anyway, the review...
Story:
The story of this shooting games follows two things - the Godfather film, usually cutscenes are like the film, and your own story. Your story is that you're father was killed when you're young, which is the first ever cutscene you'll experience, and the theme of the game is present even them. Brutal murders, and tough mobsters. You're taking in by the kind Vito Corleone, and then the game is fast forwarded, to where you are now a mobster, a lowly outsider. You must work your way up through the ranks, by earning respect, and completing missions for your family - but that isn't all you'll do in this brilliant game, as you'll soon find out. I can't spoil the story too much, but it is a good one, and if you've ever seen the films, you won't be disappointed.
Gameplay:
We all know the mafia, they whack mobsters, get cops on their payroll, and extort businesses. All of these are possible, all of these are fun, and ultimately, you're not going to be the one going to jail. So, it is a win-win situation.
Whacking mobsters is particularly fun, and if you whack them a certain way, such as death by fire, or getting garrote wired to death, you get bonuses.
Getting cops on your payroll isn't fundamental, but it does make it easier. You approach “bent” cops, and pay them money to look the other way once in a while, as long as you don't shoot another cop. They'll even help you out in a gunfight from time to time.
Extorting businesses, the delight that is the core of this game. You have to find an innocent baker, and find his weak spot, by toying with him. It ranges from wrecking the place, to beating his brains in with a bat. I prefer to go for the latter option. Brings more fun, and enjoyment. Another thing once this is done is the back room. The front, for example, bakery are playing hosts to a wide variety of ongoings in their back room, such as gambling. You also have the opportunity to take over compounds, by blowing them up. This means you've got another compound to lay around in. In each doctors/back room, there are safes. Safes drop an item, and money. These are required for 100%, and also, to gather enough funds for that illustrious, if that is the word I am looking for, fully upgraded magnum. One shot kills, oh yeah.
Missions in this game reward money and respect. Money, it brings fascinating things such as dynamite, healing from a doctor, new houses, and most importantly: Weapon upgrades. Respect, this levels up your respect meter, which in turn grants skill points, which you can give out to increase how well your character is. From street smarts to fighting and shooting. Each bring rewards, such as increased reload speed, or increased extortion. How else can I gather respect? Through killing mobsters with your fists, or buying the best clothes. Clothes gain you quite a bit of respect, despite their costs.
Your place in the mafia:
You start off as an Outsider, and through the story, you can work your way up to Don. You can progress this even further by getting 100%, and becoming the Don of NYC. Bonuses you get are an increased cut of profits, this means not having to give half of it to the don. It also brings stuff such as, well, that is it. Nothing much to it, besides more cash to spend on guns.
Weaponry, Fighting and Shooting:
The weaponry in this game is immense, but things don't kick off until you can buy a gun upgrade. Bad guns are the unupgraded, if that is a real word, Tommy Gun. The spray is unbelievable. The highlight is the magnum, fully upgraded.
Shooting, it follows the strict rule that has been set in place in most shooters. Lock on, and tap/press RT/R2, whatever you're playing it on. A fun part to shooting, and possibly the only fun part to shooting, is that it features stuff such as shooting someone in the knee drops them to the floor - or a shot to the shoulder disarms them. This is very fun. Another aspect are the fighting and shooting executions.
Executions, you press a button, and depending on the way you're holding the enemy, and with what gun you have equipped, you kill them in a viciously awesome way. Or, a garrote wire execution, a kill from behind, primarily strangling.
Fighting in this game isn't very good, and isn't something you're gonna do often. Sure, you get respect for killing mobsters with fists, but if someone has a machine gun, or a pistol, you're not going to be willing to run up to him and his friends and punch him in the face. However, batting people to death is always fun.
Driving:
This games major flaw, the driving is utter fail, for lack of a better word at this time. Turning corners, I know it is supposed to be some sort of realism, but the moment turning corners becomes harder than quantum physics, it has been taking a little too far. The cars die out after about four bullets. The cars themselves are rubbish, apart from one little speedster, which isn't all that speedy. All in all, the driving combined with the cars, it doesn't go well.
Soundtrack:
If you haven't heard the awesome that is the Godfather themetune, you haven't lived. This game features it, and it is most certainly awesome. Driving through the streets, or capping some mafia ass, the soundtrack is evident. Some people don't take the music into account, and it is often over looked, but this is a game where that isn't possible.
Conclusion:
This is certainly a highlight of gaming history, and a sterling example of film to game transitions – done well! The fighting games is great, and a soundtrack worth a listen, this is definitely a game you must play. It is let down on dodgy driving controls, and annoying bakers who just don't seem to have a weak spot. Yeah, three slams of the head into a cash register obviously isn't enough to make someone surrender. /sarcasm
