The Godfather review

The Corleones come back swinging in this beefed-up car-crime epic

12DOVE Verdict

Pros

  • +

    Plenty more to do

  • +

    Characters act more realistically

  • +

    Pretty faithful film adaptation

Cons

  • -

    Missions still repetitive

  • -

    New York still artificial

  • -

    Michael Corleone still not Al Pacino

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So here's the $60 question: if you played The Godfather when it was released six months ago on the Xbox, PS2 and PC, is it still worth playing on the 360? That depends on whether you're the type to run out and buy director's cut versions of DVDs you already own. The Godfather is still basically the same Grand Theft Auto clone it was in March, but so much has been retooled and improved that its fans will want to take a second look.

If you didn't catch The Godfather the first time, though, this is definitely the version you'll want to sample. Rather than just rehashing the movie's plotline, this videogame Godfather spins a separate narrative that runs parallel to it, following the story of a young street bastard who gets inducted into the infamous Corleone crime family. Instead of calling shots, you'll be capping thugs, stealing cars and sneaking horse heads between bed sheets on orders from the Don himself.

It's an unusual approach, but it gives you a more personal connection to the characters and setting - as do the customization options for your mob goon, which have been expanded for the 360 version. The 360 also adds a big visual upgrade to the game, but it doesn't stop at Marlon Brando's liver spots. Fresh missions are available, the cutscenes have been redirected and there's a ton of new stuff in the environment to destroy and/or use as a weapon. Better yet, you'll be able to jack new types of cars and explore different kinds of building layouts, which helps keep the indoor missions from going stale.

More info

GenreAction
DescriptionA great (if repetitive) car-crime game that immerses you in the movie's 1940s gangster drama.
Platform"Xbox","Xbox 360","PS2","PC"
US censor rating"Mature","Mature","Mature","Mature"
UK censor rating"","","",""
Release date1 January 1970 (US), 1 January 1970 (UK)
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Mikel Reparaz
After graduating from college in 2000 with a BA in journalism, I worked for five years as a copy editor, page designer and videogame-review columnist at a couple of mid-sized newspapers you've never heard of. My column eventually got me a freelancing gig with GMR magazine, which folded a few months later. I was hired on full-time by GamesRadar in late 2005, and have since been paid actual money to write silly articles about lovable blobs.