14 DAY TRIAL // Open-world games are the latest fashion these days, courtesy of Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto series, which practically wrote the book on how characters could interact in an open-world environment and, eventually, set up their own criminal network that would favor them completely.
But even though GTA is the benchmark that other titles need to be compared with, there have been some notable examples of more interesting takes on the whole sandbox genre of games, including Saints Row 2, which introduced us to a huge variety of amusing mini games in order to make the experience more fun.
But now, Electronic Arts' own take on the open-world genre, Godfather, has made its return in the second installment of the video game adapted from the famous movies series, which was in turn based on Mario Puzo's book. The new game promises to depart from the GTA clone status and provide players with a unique take on running a crime syndicate like the Mob. With features such as the Don's View, which gives you a top-down perspective on the actions of the Mob families in New York, and the fact that you will be able to delegate your own made men to dethrone rival families, the game looks pretty promising. Here's my one hour spent with the Godfather II.
13:00 I didn't play the first Godfather so this will be my first interaction with EA's take on the cult film. Hopefully it will be more than just a GTA look-alike and the Mob will be more intriguing than the criminal underworld of the fictional Liberty City.
13:10 After an introductory cut scene and the customization of my own character with the Mob Face feature, the game plays out a memorable scene from the second movie, the Cuban New Year, which sees the Corleone family with Michael and Fredo alongside my own character, Dominic celebrating the takeover of the small country. But, like in the movie, the rebels start tearing up Havana, and there is no time to drink the champagne. A critical part of the movie isn't featured, sadly, as the Kiss of Death scene between Michael and Fredo doesn't take place, which will surely annoy a lot of fans.
13:20 I eventually arrive in the United States, and after a few disturbing events, I am named the Don of New York. All is not well here, as growing tensions in the Corleone family reveal betrayals and bad business. Luckily, this is where you will play the biggest role, as you need to rebuild the criminal empire to its former glory.
13:30 I have recruited and named a Made Man, which specializes in medical health care. Now, we're off to one of Rosato's rackets, a gentlemen’s club posing as a bakery. It's time to make the owner of the club an offer he can't refuse (I just couldn't help it).
13:35 After a few punches, the owner sees things my way, and is now gladly paying a cut of the profit to the Corleone family. But after this new racket it's time to take over a front in order to launder the money. Luckily, a TV store is nearby and the owner can be “persuaded” quite easily.
13:45 It only took a few smashed TVs in order for him to let me use his business as a front. Now I need to deal with an eye witness that might talk to the police if my associate and I don't talk to him first. There are two points for each person – a breaking one that, when reached makes him do whatever you ask, and a retaliation one, which makes him fight back, so a careful balance must be reached in order to assure maximum profitability.
13:50 After a quick look at the Don's View, which makes the game seem more of a Real Time Strategy one intertwined with an open-world game, it seems that more facilities need to be taken over in order to control the crime ring. No rest for the Mob it seems.
14:00 After showing a bar owner the view on top of his building, he gladly decides to offer me the profits. Now, all I have to do is send some guards to the facility, through the Don's View feature, and watch the money arrive into the accounts of the family.
All in all, Godfather II looks very solid, and I'll certainly enjoy running my own criminal family in New York City. Until I utterly control every racket and crime ring though, a long road needs to be followed, filled with bloodshed and other illegal activities.