The Sopranos is some of the best telly ever, fact. What of the video game however? Some of our favourite TV shows and films have been given the interactive treatment before, and suffered at the hands of lazy development and lax storylines. The Sopranos: Road to Respect is a different Canoli altogether; it feels like a natural addition to the family, so to speak, with its fruity language and scenes of sleazy, seedy sordidness.

A war between the Philadelphia and New Jersey mobs is brewing a ... more >>

The Sopranos is some of the best telly ever, fact. What of the video game however? Some of our favourite TV shows and films have been given the interactive treatment before, and suffered at the hands of lazy development and lax storylines. The Sopranos: Road to Respect is a different Canoli altogether; it feels like a natural addition to the family, so to speak, with its fruity language and scenes of sleazy, seedy sordidness.

A war between the Philadelphia and New Jersey mobs is brewing after the slaying of the Philly boss' nephew. Tony Soprano's crew is fingered as the one responsible for the killing, and as the illegitimate son of the late Big Pussy, this is where you begin this tale of violence, fear and intimidation. Starting out as a 'soldier', you must prove your loyalty to the family by making 'collections' and protecting your turf by any means necessary. Some of the series' top talent is present and correct in Road to Respect, with authentic voice acting from Anthonys Senior and Junior, Paulie Walnuts, Silvio, Christu-fuh! and one or two more familiar faces. These faces are all recognisable, and so are some of the threads they wear. Some of the clothes in the TV series are of unusual taste at least, questionably gaudy at worst, and they're presented in all their glory here.

Looking good while you're scaring the pants off of your perceived enemies is all well and good, as it's all about respect. If you find your 'respect meter' dangerously low, you can pay tribute to your bosses to bring your respect back to 100%. You'll find opportunities to do this at Tony's bases of operation: the Vesuvio, the Bada Bing and Satriale's. Earning respect the hard way is the best aspect of the game. Some missions require you to go in with all guns blazing, but some scenarios need something a little more subtle. Using your gun when a star is on show below your Respect Meter will cause a drop in respect. If too many stars are displayed, the crew will make you 'go away' to prevent you from bringing any more attention to its activities.

With a genuinely interesting storyline - whether you're a fan of the TV show or not - and the choice to play it tough or cool in scenarios throughout the game, your decision-making impacts on Road to Respect's outcome(s). Definitely worth a few dollars of your hard-earned, say we. Whaddyagonnado? << less