The Godfather (2006 video game)

The Godfather: The Game
File:The Godfather game.jpg
Developer(s)	Electronic Arts
Publisher(s)	Electronic Arts
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2, Playstation 3, PSP, Xbox, Xbox 360, PC, Wii
Release	March 21, 2006 (PC, PS2, Xbox) September 19, 2006 (Xbox 360)
Genre(s)	Action-adventure
Mode(s)	Single player

The Godfather: The Game is a 2006 video game based on the 1972 film of the same name.

The game is notable in that it features the return of several original actors from the original film to lend their voice. The participating actors are Marlon Brando as Don Vito Corleone, James Caan as Sonny Corleone, Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen and Abe Vigoda as Salvatore Tessio, with the most notable absence being Al Pacino. In addition, Mark Winegardner, author of the novel The Godfather Returns, provided story editing and insight into the fictional world of the Godfather.

Electronic Arts announced in 2005 that players would create mobsters of their own, customizing their character's physical features, build and clothing in a very in-depth program known as "MobFace". Also, the game would not be the traditional mission-style type but a sandbox game, in a huge free-roam '40s-'50s style New York City, and non-linear gameplay (similar to games in the Grand Theft Auto franchise). Electronic Arts has also created the "Black Hand" control system as a means of pressuring and extorting business owners. Using the analog sticks on the game controller, players have a wide range of available methods to achieve their goals. These methods include punching, kicking, headbutting, strangling, etc. EA has announced a separate version for the Wii titled The Godfather: Blackhand Edition. There is also a PlayStation 3 version (titled The Godfather: The Don's Edition) includes the "Corleone Expansion Pack" (adding new gameplay and missions), an enhanced "Black Hand" control system that makes use of the Wii's controller, and added Shipyard and Rail yard transportation hubs for the player to "explore and exploit". [1]

While the game shares much in common with the GTA series, it also has similarities with the video game Mafia.

Plot and Overview

Template:Spoilers The game starts with a cutscene that shows the main character (who, for the sake of reference, is called Aldo Trapani here, according to the default set name) as a child witness his father get gunned down on the street by the Barzinis, the Corleones' rivals in 1936 New York. Don Vito Corleone comforts the child, telling him when he has grown up he can take revenge for the death of his father. The story then fastforwards to 1945 with the wedding scene in the opening of the film, wherein Aldo's mother asks Don Corleone to look after her son, who has been hanging with the wrong crowd. Luca Brasi is sent to recruit Aldo and teach him the ways of the Mafia. Soon Aldo is thrust into the action, extorting businesses, taking over rackets and executing hit targets just as mini missions. He eventually makes his way through the ranks and earns respect, meeting with Tom Hagen, Sonny Corleone, Pete Clemenza, Salvatore Tessio, and several others in the Corleone crime family along the way.

Essentially, there are two stories: the major events of the film (with the character making central contributions) and a personal story arc. In the former, Aldo does everything from planting the gun for Michael Corleone to kill Sollozzo to helping Rocco put the horse head in Woltz's bed, guarding Don Vito Corleone at the hospital to killing significant Corleone rivals during the baptism, witnessing the death of Sonny to showing up at the meeting of the five families. In the latter, Aldo befriends and later kills "Monk" Malone, romances Francis "Frankie" Malone and takes revenge for her death, and kills Don Barzini.

After the story missions explained above have been completed, wherein the character becomes an underboss in the end, the miniature missions continue, with Aldo subsequently becoming Don of New York in 1955. Before this, Aldo must continue to intimidate store owners for protection money, bribe police, pay the FBI to stop mob wars, bomb rival mobster warehouses, assassinate thugs, take over goods, and buy out gambling rings and brothels. All of these things increase your respect points further.

Character level stages

As the player successfully completes missions in the game, he gets promoted to a higher level of the Corleone crime family. Stages include:

Outsider - Outsiders are freelance hoodlums who work for the mob for a fee and have no loyalty to any organization. They hold no rank within any of the crime syndicates and, being out for their own good with no allegiance to anyone, they are usually not to be trusted. Occasionally, such as the player does in the game, an outsider may choose to offer his services to only one family in the hope of working his way up the ranks. A subrank of Enforcer is obtained before moving on to the next stage.

Associate - Associates are not members of the mob, but more like gofers. They are usually a go-between or sometimes deal in drugs to keep the heat off of the actual members. Non-Italians never go any further than this. In the game, the player's character reaches this rank a few missions into the main story mission sequence as he is introduced to characters such as Tom Hagen and Sonny Corleone.

Soldier - Soldiers (soldatos), known as "made men", are members of the family, and can only be of Italian background. Soldiers start as Associates that have proven themselves. When "the books are open", meaning that there is an open spot in the family, a Capo (or several Capos) may recommend an up-and-coming Associate to become a new member. In the case that there is only one slot and multiple recommendations, the Boss will decide. The new member usually becomes part of the Capo's crew that recommended him. In the game, this rank is attained at a certain point through the main story mission sequence.

Capo - Short for caporegime. Capos head groups or squads of soldiers. They report directly to the Don and act as liaisons between the Don and the soldiers.

Underboss - Usually appointed by the Boss, he is the second-in-command of the family. The Underboss is considered to be the Captain that is in charge of all of the other Capos and is controlled by the Don. The Underboss is usually first in line to become Acting Boss if the Don is unable to serve. In the game, this rank is achieved by completing all of the story missions.

Don - The Don is the head of the family. In the game, this rank is achieved after becoming Underboss and bombing each of the rival families' compounds. The Godfather of the title, Vito Corleone, holds this rank as the leader of the Corleone family. When your character becomes the Don, he takes the name Corleone, as understood by the fact that when you talk to certain people on the streets, they will call him Don Corleone.

Don Of New York - Achieved once the player has completed all missions, taken control of all rackets and businesses, and have slightly more than 91.5% completion in the game. Afterwards, you go to a hotel in Little Italy as your last mission. This means that all the families have been unified under a single banner with you having complete control over the streets of New York with no opposition. In the game once this rank has been achieved, the player will receive 1,000,000 dollars and 1,000,000 respect. For every version except Wii and PS3 version, player will also get unlimited ammunition in his weapons (PS3 and Wii version is integrated into "Enforcer" route.)

Families

In the game there are 5 mafia families that have been adapted from the The Godfather. Nicknamed The 5 Families, these families consist of:

• The Tattaglia Family - The Tattaglia family hails from Brooklyn, owning almost every business and racket on the Brooklyn waterfront. Don Philip Tattaglia heads the Tattaglia Family. The Tattaglia family has a serious rivalry with the Corleone family because of their business expansion into Little Italy, the Corleone's turf. The Don's son Bruno Tattaglia is next in line to become Don of the Tattaglia Family. Bruno has an alliance with Virgil "The Turk" Sollozzo. The Tattaglias' consigliere is Freddie Nobile, and their Underbosses are Bruno and Johnny Tattaglia.

• The Cuneo Family - The Cuneo family hails from Hell's Kitchen. The Cuneo family is not very rich, owning few rackets and businesses. Don Ottilio Cuneo heads the Cuneo Family. They are ruthless killers, always appearing in the motherload largely due to the environment of Hell's Kitchen, which is run down and filled with poor communities. The Cuneos' Consigliere is Luciano Fabbri, and their Underboss is Marco Cuneo.

• The Stracci Family - The Stracci family, quoting the family secrets video, are "pure fucking evil." Don Victor Stracci heads the Stracci Family. They hail from New Jersey. In the daytime the neighborhood looks quite peaceful, with fancy houses and well-groomed parks, but at night, it becomes much more dangerous. The Straccis are the most cruel and vicious family. The Straccis' consigliere is Jack Fontana, and their Underboss is Salvatore Stracci. If you mess with them and their rackets or businesses they will not take very kindly to you. In fact, it should be noted that they may set up barricades at certain points to actually ambush you.

• The Barzini Family - The Barzini family hails from Midtown, the richest community in New York, making them the richest family. The Barzini Family is headed by Don Emilio Barzini, who rules with an iron fist. Emilio Barzini is also the one who ordered the murder of the main character's father. The Barzini Family is undoubtedly the most powerful family in all of New York. The Barzini' Consigliere is Domenica Mazza, and their Underboss is Emillio Barzini Jr.

• The Corleone Family - The family where the main character settles down. The once-powerful crime Family was created by four Italian immigrants in the mid 1920s - - Don Vito Corleone, Peter Clemenza, Salvatore Tessio and Genco Abbandando. The Corleones' business operations are run from the Genco Olive Oil Import Company (named after the Don's first consigliere, Genco Abbandando), and their methods of extorting local businesses was the model system for decades. The Corleones thrive on their wits and brutal nature, and the Godfather, Don Vito, still commands tremendous respect. However, the family has fought incursions from rival operatives, and now owns only a small selection of businesses, although they are currently looking to expand into Las Vegas. The Corleones' operations are based in central Manhattan, in Little Italy, and are troubled by increasingly daring raids by the Tattaglias in Brooklyn. Little Italy has streets of moderately poor local shops run by well-established Families. It is against this backdrop that the Corleone creed was developed: Loyalty and reward to those in their service, but a sudden and violent response to a traitor. In the game you meet many members of the Corleone Family, including Vito Corleone, Sonny Corleone, Tom Hagen, Michael Corleone, Fredo Corleone, Salvatore Tessio, Pete Clemenza, Paulie Gatto, Rocco Lampone, Al Neri, Willie Cicci, Jaggy Jovino, Jimmy DeNunzio, Luca Brasi, and "Monk" Malone.

Other versions

Xbox 360 version

The Xbox 360 version was released on September 19, 2006. This version had a huge improvement on the earlier versions with the addition of several new features:

• The graphics have been widely improved, this time including more hue, saturation and detail to the city. Also, lighting and shadow have been added to buildings and cars.
• There are additional story missions that were in the movie but not included in the game first time around.
• Weather physics have been added such as rain, fog etc. to bring more realism.
• There is new option called "Crew" which allows the player to hire additional assistance from the family throughout the game. The higher your ranking is, the better people you are able to recruit.
• As to the above, the cops can now be bribed to fight alongside the player in certain situations.
• The ability to shoot out of vehicles is now possible while driving is possible if you have a crewmember with you.
• The enemy A.I has been updated. Enemies will now hide behind walls and shoot out. They will now also 'search and kill' if they cannot target the player.
• Two out of the four compounds, which can be taken over, have been redesigned bigger and better.
• Face Damage is also part of the game (When you punch someone you can actually see a black eye, big lip and the face bleeding)
• The following execution moves have been added to the 360 version:
  • 'Between The Eyes' - The player shoots the enemy in the chest and then rapidly shoots the enemy between the eyes (the forehead)
  • 'Head Strong' - The Player uses a machine gun (Tommy Gun) and rapidly shoots the person in the body while moving the machine gun to every part of the body all the way up.
  • 'Crooked Cop' - The Player uses a bat or a police baton and quickly kicks the enemy in the midsection and breaks the gangster's neck.
  • 'Taste My Chandler' - The player shoots the enemy in the chest and quickly shoots again in the face.

• Three new missions have been added:
  • Tom is Still Missing: Trapani must rescue Tom Hagen from Tattaglia captors.
  • Special Delivery: Trapani must bomb a drug-filled warehouse
  • A Royal Flush: Trapani accompanies Michael to Las Vegas and helps kill Moe Green.

PSP version

A Sony PlayStation Portable version was released, titled The Godfather: Mob Wars. Unlike the console versions, Mob Wars does not feature free-roaming environments. Instead, the game is restricted to a series of story missions involving Aldo Trapani. However, Mob Wars includes a new turn-based strategy mode with the aim of controlling all of New York City by neutralizing the rival families, completed by issuing orders and executing them as real-time missions. The portable version of the game also lacks the entire section of driving, even in the story missions, where the driving segments are replaced with cutscenes.

Wii Version

File:Godfather Wii.jpg

The Godfather: Blackhand Edition Box

The Wii^[2] version, entitled The Godfather: Blackhand Edition, was developed alongside the PS3 edition and released March 20, 2007. Improved upon the Xbox 360 edition, it includes brand new controls designed for the Wii Remote. Aiming is now handled by the pointer function of the Wii Remote, and allow more locational damages, though the lock-on option is still in the game. Melee combat is handled using the Wii-mote and Nunchuk, such as swinging a Baseball Bat, or throwing a Fire bomb. Also, once the player has taken hold of a NPC, making a punching action with the Wii-mote and Chuck will result in throwing numerous styles of punches in-game, also quickly pushing the controllers towards the screen with cause the player to shove, and bringing the controller away from the screen will result in a head butt. Bringing the wiimote and nunchuk away and then together will choke them; twisting the controllers left or right will move the player and the held NPC around and even throw the NPC through a window. In total, there are 25 unique motion-based execution moves available in the game, in addition to normal punches, choke, and headbutt motions.

The Wii version also reworked the crew system; unlike the 360 edition, the crew will accompany the player even after loading a saved game (that had hired a crew previously). Furtheremore, player also have the ability to call in a 4-Man Hit Squad to assist the player in missions; the guage that is need to be recharge can be automatically refilled if they did not sustained too much damage in the last save points, allowing player to instantly call upon them on the next load. This provided player with an ability to call upon a total of five crew members at any time, helpful in assaulting enemy compound or holding up a bank.

The Blackhand Edition also adds a second path that the player may take through the game, that of the operator. The main method of progressing for the operator is by using Blackmail on cops, the FBI or members of other families. Blackmailing is a Mini-Game of sorts, as what the player does or says will affect the outcome. While the Enforcer's goal is to destroy the other Families through brute forces, the operator's is to blackmail the police chiefs of the Five Boroughs by finding "dirt" on them during missions, once enough is collected the player then blackmails the chiefs, enabling the bribe guage to fill to the top for free everytime player talks to the chief. This effectively allows the player to takes controls of police in that area, which not only provide free-reign for players, but also helpful during any confrontation with other families, as the police will also fight along side your family members.

The path of the operator also grants the player's abilities additional tactical abilities that are not open to the enforcer

• Enhanced and regenerating health.
• The ability to call in the 4 man hit-squad twice as often.
• The ability to plant car bombs and pull of instant, silent kills.
• Enhanced crew's damages and health
• reduced price on bribing on FBI and Police.

The Wii version also features about 30 new normal missions, ten hit missions, rooftop battles, new favors, and other methods such as blackmail and bribe to improve gameplay.

PS3 Version

File:Don's Edition.jpg

Cover art

The Sony PS3 version, titled The Godfather: The Don's Edition, is very similar with the Wii version (such as 4-man hit squad, operator's path, and battle on rooftops) and Improved upon the Xbox 360 edition, save for having some minor graphic enhancements, a larger city with additional locale, lack of interactive controlling, and instead, utilization of the SIXAXIS motion sensor controls. While the moves available is less than those available on Wii version, players can use SIXAXIS to shove people around and perform special execution moves. However, unlike Wii, these moves are generally finishing moves and thus not always available, and motion sensing is not sensitive enough to follow exactly what the player wants.

Additionally, the PS3 edition has two special locales, a freighter and a train yard, that serve as transportation hub, providing a few special scenarios.

Criticism

It is well documented that the director of the film trilogy, Francis Ford Coppola, did not approve of the game's release.[3] Coppola denounced it, citing that he felt they were making money off of his work.

Despite going to lengths to acquire the likeness and voices of the majority of the main actors, some feel the primary characters from the movies are underused in the game. Additionally, Marlon Brando's own voice is only used in a few scenes in the game, and The Godfather's death and the whereabouts of Michael Corleone (though it was understandable that the Corleone family had to keep Michael's whereabouts a secret at the time) are given little mention in the game. There are speculations that this was due to the fact that the developers were being over-cautious in inadvertently tampering with the story. In the end of the game when the player becomes Don, and later the Don of New York, there is no explanation as to why Michael Corleone is no longer Don (in the movie, Michael takes his business to Las Vegas).

Also, there is a notable absence of the major female characters from the movie. Carlo Rizzo, Connie Corleone, Kay Adams, and Sandra Corleone are almost completely absent, and Carmella Corleone (Vito's wife) is only shown as a stereotypical little old lady with the in-game name as "Mama Corleone", completely unlike Morgana King's portrayal of her. However, the absence of these characters could be a result of rights issues (see below).

In the original Xbox version of the game, it does not follow the working structure of a mafia 'family' as presented in either The Godfather trilogy or other typical fiction and non-fiction accounts. Upon promotion to 'Don Corleone' and subsequently 'Don of New York', the player's primary tasks continue to be committing assassinations (contract 'hits') and directly enforcing extortion. In most other mafia accounts, such activity would be unlikely for a person at the top of a mob hierarchy. In addition, the other characters inexplicably continue to speak to the player in an inferior tone (labels such as 'kid', and orders: 'get your ass over here') and continue to say things such as "Remember me when you're Don." The only way to alleviate such problems is to do the contract hits, extort all businesses and rackets, and blow up safes prior to finishing the story-related missions. These problems had alleviated somewhat in the Xbox360 version with the use of crew systems, and in Wii and PS3 version player can also play as an operator instead, using negotiations, briberies, "digging dirts", and commanding other gang members to fight instead of fighting others yourself, which is probably closer to what a high level member would actually do.

Other criticisms of the Xbox versions include the relatively low number of weapons and vehicles in the game (there are only eight different vehicles and ten different weapons) although the game takes place in the 1940s where the number of vehicles and weapons would be limited, the lack of variety with the types of businesses (many of the clubs, hotels and warehouses have almost identical layouts), and a somewhat limited (and non-customizable) music score. There are only a few character models to populate New York, thus, everyone from prostitutes to insignificant mob enforcers look the same as the next. Again, these concerns are addressed in the Xbox360, Wii, and PS3 version.

Game trivia

• Before his death, Marlon Brando recorded all of his dialogue to reprise his character, Don Corleone. However, Brando's failing health affected the quality of his dialogue, and only a small portion of it (such as when Don Vito speaks with Michael in the hospital) was actually used. The remaining Don Corleone dialogue was re-recorded with a sound-alike.
• While some of the actors from the original film have reprised their roles for the video game adaptation, Al Pacino did not, preventing Paramount from using his voice or likeness for the game . However, since Paramount owns the rights to the Godfather story and characters, the Michael Corleone character does appear in the game, albeit with a different appearance and a separate actor voicing him. In addition to Pacino, it would appear that Tom Rosqui's estate did not give permission for his likeness to be used in the game, as the Rocco Lampone character looks and sounds nothing like his movie counterpart, though his footage of him shooting at Don Tattaglia was used in one of the game's unlockable film clips.
• On the other hand, several characters played by now-deceased actors (for example, Fredo Corleone, Peter Clemenza, Luca Brasi, and Captain McCluskey), look and sound very similar to their movie counterparts, so it is probable that their estates did give permission.
• In 1991, U.S. Gold produced an earlier, completely different, computer-only game based on the movie. It was a DOS-based game and came on 6 floppy disks. There were five levels of gameplay.

Differences in story events

Template:Spoilers Although the game intertwines well with the first movie, minor creative liberties had to take place in the movie scenes in order to fit the player's character into the storyline: For the purposes of this section, the character will be referred to by the default name, Trapani:

• Luca Brasi's meeting with Vito Corleone at the wedding was slightly extended before Brasi's departure in order to recruit the young Trapani.
• Trapani joins Paulie Gatto and a Corleone outsider named Martin "Monk" Malone to "[teach] a lesson" to the college boys that had physically assaulted the undertaker's daughter.
• The events of the attempted assassination on Vito Corleone and the beheading of Woltz's horse are reversed (with the assassination happening first).
• Trapani witnesses Luca Brasi's death and kills the assassins in self-defense.
• Trapani and Fredo Corleone speed-drive Vito to a hospital shortly after being gunned down (Fredo's crying scene was removed from the game).
• Trapani joins Tom Hagen and Rocco Lampone in order to behead Woltz's horse and deliver it to his bed.
• Trapani protects Vito Corleone at the hospital from assassins (essentially substituting Enzo, the baker's son-in-law).
• Instead of Paulie being killed by Rocco Lampone in the car after Clemenza gets out to "take a leak", he runs away, forcing Trapani to chase him down and kill him in an abandoned construction yard.
• Trapani pursues the assassins that were responsible for shooting Sonny Corleone.
• Trapani is responsible for planting the gun and evacuating Michael after assassinating Sollozzo and Captain McClusky.
• Trapani helps kill Tessio before assassinating the mob leaders, whereas in the film Tessio is killed after the mob leaders are assassinated.
• Trapani kills Bruno Tattaglia out of personal revenge (the assassination was only mentioned by word in the film).
• For the assassinations of the mob leaders, Trapani does the killing for the sake of gameplay and a few changes were made:
  • Trapani kills Don Cuneo, instead of Willie Cicci trapping him in a revolving doorway.
  • Trapani kills Don Tattaglia. Tattaglia already got wind of his assassination, and holds a prostitute hostage instead of being in bed with her.
  • Trapani has the option to kill Don Barzini, instead of a police-uniformed Al Neri, in order to get his revenge for the death of his father.

It should be noted that Trapani meets with Clemenza before the murder of Stracci, Cicci before the murder of Cuneo, Lampone before the murder of Tattaglia and Neri before the murder of Barzini. All of the Dons are killed in the same place (elevator, door, bedroom, and justice building) but by Trapani instead of their movie killers.

• After the dons are all assassinated, Trapani proceeds to destroy the compounds of the 4 rival families, thus totally destroying their business, after which he becomes the don of the Corleone family. It remains unknown what happens to Michael Corleone during this, as it is Tom Hagen who calls you to the Corleone Compound to "discuss your future". Michael is last seen at the end of the assassinations on the dons.
• Some of the sexual, violent, or otherwise inappropriate content from the films had to be edited out of the game so it could receive an "M" rating.

Art

Soon after the game for The Godfather was released, Shepard Fairey of Obey Giant released his print-set rendition of four main characters, Fredo, Sonny, The Don and Tom, portrayed as figureheads of United States dollar bills. Electronic Arts and Shepard Fairey coordinated this print set to commemorate the launch of the game. Although there were 500 prints made, only 50 sets were available to the public (numbers 51-100). There is some speculation that the remaining 450 were either given or sold to the employees of Electronic Arts who helped create the game. The print set originally sold for $110 USD, was available from ObeyGiant.com, and sold out in less than a day. In August of 2006, Shepard Fairey found an additional 100 prints in which he sold to the public for $100 a set. Again, with the high popularity of this print set, it rapidly sold out.

External links

• Electronic Arts - official site
• The Godfather (Xbox) Reviews - at Metacritic.com
• GameSpot's Review for the XBox 360
• IGN's Review for the XBox
• The Godfather at MobyGames