The Godfather Game Review
The best parts (4 out of 5)
The Godfather makes excellent use of its movie license, the popularity of the movie, and it’s content to produce a highly entertaining, always engaging, and satisfying interactive experience for the computer.
It includes a nice variety of action, challenge, and adventure in the different missions - many multi-tiered missions that keep you engaged in the storyline and busy taking care of business.
The combat is fun and satisfying, with variety in the techniques and weapons you can use to intimidate, and a nice interrogation system that makes it fun to be bad.
The nice visual tapestry of 1940s New York with an expansive map is wonderfully detailed and designed to be interactive and easy to use. Find out more in this Godfather game review.
The bad parts (3 out of 5)
The character models of the cars and side characters don’t have enough variety; nothing takes me out of the moment more than interacting with a supposedly different character who looks exactly like three or four other characters I’ve had to deal with.
The AI definitely shows signs of its age; it can be extremely entertaining or frustrating at times, depending on your frame of mind and expectations. It’s certainly no Grand Theft Auto 4, though.
The frame rate of the production fluctuates far too much, which slows the action and muddles the screen at times, and takes you out of the action.
Sounds in the game (4 out of 5)
There is superb voice acting by the original cast of the movie - except for Al Pacino doing Michael Corleone - and even the actor who does his voice provides a pretty good imitation of Al.
The music score is also from the movie, and it’s excellent at setting the pace and creating the atmosphere from the movie. Unfortunately it loops and repeats far too often, which you’ll start to notice at times.
The sound effects aren’t spectacular and don’t have a lot of the nuances we have seen in recent games for the PC such as Crysis, but they’re distinctive and brutal at times and definitely provide audible clues concerning the action on screen.
The graphical picture (3 out of 5)
The presentation of The Godfather has been carefully detailed to create environments that put your senses in the game, and you will even see several scenes you will remember from the movie as you travel around Brooklyn, Little Italy, Hell’s Kitchen, Midtown, and New Jersey in your quest to be number one.
The texture work of many of the character models is average, lacking detail you will see in many games today, but the strategies and combat are the main draw in this game.
The story line (5 out of 5)
The original script and story line of The Godfather is considered one of the best American stories ever told on film and the PC version of The Godfather makes excellent use of its source material.
You will begin the story as an up-and-coming Button man for Don Vito Corleone in 1940s New York, and you will take part in all of the movies biggest scenes. Everything your character does is just off-camera, so instead of changing with the storyline, your character is used to fill in the holes.
Your quest is ultimately to own New York City and it’s a tough and challenging goal that will keep you occupied and satisfied for hours on end.
Playability (3 out of 5)
The Godfather does use a nice combat scheme that - while simple - is fun, engaging, and totally satisfying to implement in the battle to own New York. It provides a nice reason to come back for more.
The handy heat meter always tells you when the police are looking for you, so it’s easy to avoid the cops. This also adds to the playability of the game.
The bottom line (3 out of 5)
If you’re a Godfather fan or even a GTA goon desperate for a little more fun, then playing The Godfather is a no brainer. Its a fun, engaging, and satisfying experience you will surely enjoy. The missions can be a little simple at times though, and the characters and racketeering are a little repetitive, so it might not be as much fun for gamers who don’t usually enjoy this genre.
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