Game review: The Godfather II 

Source: Gamefreaks

Platform: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Publisher: Electronic Arts

The Godfather has the reputation of being one of the greatest, nay the greatest, movie of all time. Can EA's second attempt to make an R18 classic sandbox stand against the fervered love of movie buffs and their library of classic gangster quotes?

Do you feel like the boss? If so it's time so show if you're man enough for it with EA's sequel to their GTA inspired mafia sandbox game which unsurprisingly enough happens to be based on the much more famous movie of the same name - The Godfather II. Fast forward a couple of decades and we're in the golden 50s. Cuba has just been taken over by Castro's Communist forces (as detailed in the opening scenes of the game) before the action moves on to New York, Miami and back to Havana.

If you've played the original Godfather game, then you'll find that much here remains the same... yet at the same time, in my opinion at least, sadly lacking. There's the three different cities on offer, yet they all feel rather dull, so too there is the ability to extort and take over business, but they get repetitive real quick.

The main plot follows the aspiring Don-to-be Dominic who is a made man in the Corleone family - ruled naturally by the previous game's protagonist. The events are loosely based on the events of the film, although obviously with a fair amount of fluff and artistic license to add some hours to the whole experience.

Fundamentally the game is about wiping out the other familes and taking over rackets - ranging from prostitution rings, gambling dens and car scrap yards, etc. Collecting an entire set leads to bonuses ranging from a greater cash flow or special equipment like a bullet proof car or body armour.

Taking over said establishments involves killing the guards (who will belong to one of four or so rival families) and then proceeding to threaten the owner into submission - without pushing things too far (via a little on screen bar) at which point they'll stubbornly refuse to buckle.

Of course other families don't take too kindly to all of this and will do their best to sieze them back. This is where the biggest change in The Godfather II shows its hand.

Being a Don in making, you get to control a bevy of underlings. This ranges from $100 a day thugs who can be hired to defend your businesses from enemy attacks to an eventual half dozen NPC's who make up your most capable made men. Up to three of them at a time can accompany you during your journies and have special skills such as the ability to set explosives, crack safes or implement first aid. Those not in your immediate gang can be sent via the Don's View to help defend properties under attack or to try their best shot at taking over an enemy location on your behalf.

The Godfather II also supports 4 multiplayer game modes for up to 16 players. There's not much new here and it's certainly lacking in local players. The upside though is that winnings carry over into your single player game.

Synopsis: The Godfather II is a capable game but fails to excite as a third person shooter or an open world 'sandbox' opus. Compared to many of its like it's also 'short' at about 15 hrs to complete.

This review brought to you by Gamefreaks.