Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

40 to 100 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Immersive"

The graphics in the game are just amazing. 1940's New York in grand detail. You'll definitely want to take some time and look around. It appears that all the Non-Playable Characters each have their own names… talk about detail.

The create-a-mobster feature can replicate your face through several controls, better than most facial-construction games out there. This game was shown in an episode of Entourage were they duplicated Johnny D's face perfectly.

The actors that played several key characters in the film lend their voices, and faces, to the game. New scenes as well as ones recreated from the movie, blend together as if they were original parts of the script. Your character in put in seamlessly as if you were always a part of the film.

There are three main ways to progress through the game, earn money, and gain respect: Missions, that mostly follow the movie plot; Contract Hits, random jobs for the family; Extortion, Robbery, and Bribery. Missions usually follow cut scenes from the movie, the story will be adjusted so you take on the roll of the main character, or you'll 'assist' by driving, or protecting the lead mobster. The Hits will have 'conditions' that will earn more money and respect. Instead of just killing the mark, you might need to throw him into the oven at the bakery. All of the businesses in the game can be extorted or bought out. As with the contract hits, there are conditions to be met. Push a store owner too far, they'll fight back and you'll have to kill them. Push them just to their limit, you'll earn their respect, and they'll unlock the backroom, which you can buy or extort the 'racket' to earn more money and respect. The "black-hand" control feature gives you a hands-on feel to your extortion techniques. Pull left-right triggers, click left-right thumb-sticks, and you'll choke-out your victim, with the controller's vibration feature, you'll feel his heartbeat slow. Bank robberies, hi-jacking delivery trucks, and cracking safes (with dynamite) are always fun.

There were several distractions to the game. Although frustrating at times, not enough so that you'd want to stop playing the game. The camera angle couldn't be locked behind the character, or any of the cars. The turn rate couldn't be adjusted. You couldn't exit a car with weapons drawn. I died several times because I couldn't turn around or adjust the camera-look fast enough. Way, way, too much driving is needed. It's cool to see 1940's NY and drive over the Brooklyn bridge, but after once or twice, it's an unnecessary, useless, waste of game time. It would have been better to have your character 'transfer' from safe-house to safe-house once you've purchased one (or more) in each of the five burros (is that the correct term for NY's Manhattan, Hell's Kitchen, Mid-Town, New Jersey, and Little Italy?) . Although there are a huge number of NPCs, there comments get tiresome and repetitive very fast (e.g. when you flirt with an lady "escort" you only have a limited number pick-up lines).

Here's some tips that will make your game go a little easier… if you're interested. Save your money (i.e. don't buy clothes right away) and purchase the shotgun and its 2 upgrades as soon as possible. Maxed out the shotgun turns into street-sweeper (10 shot clip, long range shotgun, 100 shell reserve). All of the building types are the same. Once you've breached one building you'll know layout for the rest of them is exactly the same. When taking down a hub or compound, don't waste time by fighting through several road blocks (several layers of cars and rival family mobsters blocking the road)… Get a car, ram your way through the blockade and up to the door way, and blast your way to the objective points. Some cars can take more punishment than others, where as some are faster. Change cars as needed, you won't take any damage while in the car (but get out if it catches fire, or it will explode with you in it).

Over all, an excellent way to kill 30 or 40 hrs. Great for the movie fan, and although not as statistic-happy as GTA (e.g. there are jumps-ramps in the godfather game, but they seem to do nothing for your statistics), enough free-roam stuff to be fun.