Sub-games in The Godfather II frequently take the form of 'doing favours'. If you commit a crime for an individual they will scratch your back in some way. This may simply be by paying you in cash, which is always useful, but it may take the form of giving you vital intelligence about a member of a rival family, and this can enable you to take a Made Man down. These executions have to be done in the right way, or the target will recover and take his place back in the rival gang hierarchy.
With intel you glean from doing a favour, you can take the enemy down permanently. Take out enough rival gang members, and take over all of their rackets, and they'll retreat into their compound. Once they do that, you can mount a full assault, and eliminate them for good. Favours for city officials can result in them returning extremely useful services in return.
Don Control
The Godfather II is an incredibly complex and sophisticated game, but it manages to be so on a shockingly simple learning curve. The game is driven forward with a simple, clear objective, and a compelling narrative. But it also has a huge range of open-world flexibility. At any time you can be pursuing the central goal, or involved in any number of side missions based on the favour system.
SPonG score: 93%
Conclusion
The Godfather II is the thinking man's Grand Theft Auto. For players who find the latter a little too vague and meandering, GF II puts in place a compelling central narrative, and enriches it with a wealth of management and strategy elements to make one of the best games I've ever played.
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Comments
Mike 9 Apr 2009 15:02
1/4
I wonder why this review isn't on MetaCritic or GameRankings?
nigel de jon 16 Apr 2009 16:03
2/4
strange how everyone else says this game is cack, as expected
did the writer get a free trip to vegas in return for sucking EA's festering member?
did the writer get a free trip to vegas in return for sucking EA's festering member?
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DoctorDee 17 Apr 2009 08:38
3/4
nigel de jon wrote:
strange how everyone else says this game is cack, as expected
did the writer get a free trip to vegas in return for sucking EA's festering member?
did the writer get a free trip to vegas in return for sucking EA's festering member?
This writer has not had a freebie from EA since Christmas 1992, when his wife got so incredibly drunk of free EA booze that I had to take her home early (thus missing out on more free booze myself). She vomited in the back of the taxi, and the writer had to bung the taxi driver £25 quid for cleaning. She also vomited on my new Vans.
The writer stays away from Vegas, because the last time I was there, a "gang member" took issue with me asking him not to shout and scream outside our hotel door at two in the morning, and threatened to shoot me in the "motherloving" face.
As for what everyone else says about the Godfather II. I do not really care what they are saying.
I liked the game greatly, and I thought its strengths: attempting to do something interesting and different, far outweighed its weaknesses. Graphical glitches and poor AI were not enough of a concern to me to overcome the fact that the combination of action, management and strategy is compelling and entertaining. It is a game to which I will return, soon and often.
If you prefer to stick to GTA, be my guest. I acknowledge GTA's popularity, but it doesn't appeal to me.
OptimusP 20 Apr 2009 10:14
4/4
I agree with DoctorDee, there are many games that some people still like even if it receives bad scores by a lot of people. Alien Syndrome is loved by quite some few for example. I loved Gotcha Force even if it was a pile of primitive everything.
Hell, there are guys who love Wee Cheer because the incredible accurate motions the game forces you to do.
The real problem this industry/press and gamers has is a lack of perspective.
Hell, there are guys who love Wee Cheer because the incredible accurate motions the game forces you to do.
The real problem this industry/press and gamers has is a lack of perspective.