GWN: PS3 - daily news, reviews, previews, screenshots, trailers and cheats

The Godfather: The Don's Edition
Home : Games : Reviews : PlayStation 3 : The Godfather: The Don's Edition

The Godfather uses an open world structure like GTA, but weaves in the basic plot of Coppola's classic film. You play as a low-level enforcer for the Corleones and many of the memorable key scenes from the film are seen through your eyes, offering a different take on the Godfather mythos. It is during these parts that the game works best. You'll see just how the horse's head got into bed with the film producer, you'll witness the demise of Luca Brazzi and you will be responsible for rushing the Don to the hospital after the initial attempt on his life.

"If this is a counselor ship, where is the ambassador!?!! - oops, wrong movie!"

By including scenes like these in an outside-the-film perspective, the developers have managed to present a game that stays as true as possible to the source material without making you play through the movie scene by scene (which wouldn't have worked for a video game as The Godfather has far more drama than action). The single exception is the death of Paulie. This is handled in the game as something like a boss battle rather than the simple execution that results in one of the film's most memorable lines: "Leave the gun... take the cannoli." Of course we're talking about my favorite movie of all time here, others with less of an emotional investment in The Godfather probably won't care - or won’t care as much.

For those who haven't played an earlier version of the game, it works with the basic GTA open world premise. You'll advance the story and your character's stats by completing missions for the Corleones. In between you're free to roam the city doing pretty much whatever you like, but entering businesses to extort funds from the shopkeepers is the best way to earn extra bread as you rise through the ranks. If a business owner won't agree to cough up the green on a regular basis you can break his stuff - or his face - until he caves in. An extortion meter lets you know just how much pressure to apply to make sure you get the best payout for your efforts and to make sure you don't simply send him over the edge and wind up with a combatant shopkeeper who you'll have to kill, winding up with nothing.

The graphics are definitely updated, even from the Xbox 360 version, but that's to be expected in a PS3 title.

Some businesses are fronts for “rackets”; illegal operations like prostitution, bootlegging, and such. When you take over the front you can also wind up with a piece of the illegal action as well. One of the new additions to the game for the PS3 compels you to make good on your "protection" promise. Often times the extorted shopkeeper, now paying the Corleones through you, will demand that you take care of some problem they're having. You may need to get rid of a dope dealer that is keeping customers away from the butcher shop or off a rival family's man who's also been pressuring the owner. These mini missions are so simple, however, that they add very little value to the mix.

<< Previous 1 23 Next >>