Mafia (Illusion Softworks, 2002) showed us that a mobster game could be made well. Straw-sucking inspiration from the medley of memorable moments found in Cappola’s Godfather, it provided a thrilling story-lead experience. Four years later, it serves to expose just how very disappointing the real Godfather licensed game is. 

Mafia, naturally, was a PC-only title initially (it did make an appearance on the PS2 some years later) and The Godfather’s cross-platform development has doubtlessly sapped it off much potential. Heck, EA were adamant this could be the definitive, deep title the film franchise really warranted and we’re left with a flimsy, hollow creation that, while enjoyable, is absolutely less than expected.

From the outset EA lays down their right of rule. You’re presented with a Tiger Woods/Sims style character creation menu that ensures you won’t be commandeering any character from the ‘70s classic. No matter, for it’s eminently enjoyable to customize your soon-to-be mobster’s mug and physical appearance and even more satisfying when he appears in cutscenes with the appropriate facial gestures and lip-synching. Your character does have a history however, with a brief introductory cutscene detailing the death of his father at the hands of a rival gang. Some years later, you’re taken under Don Vito Corleone’s wing (Marlon Brando from the film, who lends his voice and likeness for the part) and are taught the ways of a mobster.

While Mafia was a story-lead game with the odd GTA aspect, The Godfather borrows heavily from Rockstar’s born-and-bred formula. So much so that you get the idea that when EA were stuck they fired up GTA 3, Vice City and San Andreas and asked themselves: “What did Rockstar do”? Even the act of saving your game is scarily similar, with various safehouses littered about the game (more can be procured) and a save sign that bears more than a passing resemblance to the one in San Andreas. Visually there’s little to differentiate them either, with muddy, grainy textures present in both titles. Thankfully, The Godfather manages to prevent any load times within the city, one aspect of the GTA games much appreciated here. 

There’s a rather disjointed nature to The Godfather and it suffers for it. Whilst Mafia never left you wandering, The Godfather is guilty of such. This would be all very well if it presented an interesting, diverse city with a plethora of things to do – like San Andreas, for instance – but it doesn’t, and repetition is rammed home with alarming regularity.

Things don’t start out too badly however, with eighteen missions to be undertaken from the film. It’s here that The Godfather feels the most like Mafia. The tasks at hand aren’t as fun, gripping or as downright rewarding, but they’re enjoyable nonetheless, even when working against the constraints of the control interface (more on this later). And for the eight or so hours they last, you’re certainly enjoying the period romp. Sadly, while the missions encompassed the entirety of Mafia, this is only a segment of EA’s creation.

It might seem odd to lambaste the addition of more than just missions, but the “filler” leads to boundless boredom. It’s an example of poor game design, illogical thinking and a downright dearth of ideas that you’re forced to extort eighty-three businesses, raid samey looking warehouses and seize a clutch of recycled compounds. It’s as if, once the developers had finished following the blueprint laid down by the film, they were at a loss of what to include.

It’s true that you’re never forced to do a mission at any one time, but with the ultimate task of brining down the rival gangs and becoming Don of New York, you need cash, and undertaking tasks for Michael Corleone and co. garners money. Acts of extortion and indulging in underground racketing also leads to dough (in the form of a weekly payday) but the ensuing monotony of extorting yet another business means you’ll be keen to play through the mission side of the game.

And again, once the missions are over, you’re left with a cyclic, poorly-presented GTA derivative.

The Godfather really suffers from too few ideas, a reliance on Grand Theft Auto and a cross-platform release. Pertaining to the latter, the PC version controls poorly, with the A and D keys (by default) turning your character rather than initiating a strafing movement. In essence, it controls like an old Tomb Raider game rather than a first-person shooter with a third-person viewpoint. The camera acts as a hindrance too, with shootouts made all the more frustrating as you struggle with the controls and the inability to see as you round a corner. Stop playing the game for a few days and come back and you’ll likely forget the key commands too, for there’s an inordinate amount to remember. In fact, it’s all about remembering for there’s nothing much to master. Punch-ups are a fiddly affair as you wildly bash the keys, vaguely aware of which are the right ones in a distinctly Tony Hawk’s fashion. Shootouts steep further into the mindless mire as a lock-on feature negates any true gaming challenge.