THE GODFATHER: THE GAME - & Me at EA

THE EA EVENT

As posted in another thread, I was one of 10 people from around the world (one flew in from Naples!) invited to Electronic Arts in San Francisco to preview the game, meet and talk with the game developers, and take a tour of EA's main campus.




Most of the guests were video game reviewers, of course, and I was invited for other, yet obvious, reasons. ;-) Here's a brief rundown of what we did last weekend:

3/9 - I arrived at the airport and was picked up in a black Lincoln with tinted windows. Already I felt special. lol Everyone arrived at the hotel and in the banquet room they had 10 consoles set up, PS2 and X-BOX. While enjoying a cold cut spread, we were privileged to meet each other and play the game for a couple hours to get a feel for it.

Later that evening we walked over to EA's incredible campus and watched The Godfather film in their theater, enjoying some nice subs. Of course, I enjoyed watching GF on a big screen, but damn was I tired from a long day already -- having gotten up at 5:30AM after 3 hours of sleep, and now it's like 10PM my-time. But it was fun, and even having seen it so much, there's always something new I pick up, especially when it's on a big screen! After the movie we went back to the hotel where we were able to play the game again until 2AM local (5AM for me!), but I didn't last too long. lol




I was gonna get a drink at the hotel bar before bed, but they "pulled a Somerset" on me! Even tho the web site said the bar was open until 1:30AM, it now closed at midnight!!!! WTF?? Just as well, tho, since I was exhausted and didn't need any help getting to sleep!

3/10 - This day at EA was all planned out for us, and was so much fun! We had breakfast with a couple members of the team, then got a tour of the HUGE campus that blew me away! And by campus, I mean it -- this property and multiple beautiful buildings rivaled that of any college! There were game consoles scattered everywhere in all the buildings where one could just stop and play. They had an NBA-regulation basketball court, soccer field, a huge gym for employees to work out, a beautiful open cafeteria, game rooms with all types of table games, historical displays and showcases all concerning video games, etc. Blew my mind.



But what blew my mind the most was visiting "The Godfather Floor" -- almost an entire office building floor devoted to the 100 or so developers working on this game alone. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photographs as some things were under development *cough*GF2*cough* but I was in heaven. All the walls were filled with GF artwork from the game, and from the movie. Storyboards, proposed sets and backgrounds, photos from not only the movie but 1940's era New York. Man, my collection would've rocked if I could take just a few of those things!

We stopped at 6-8 cubicles where developers were working and got a short talk on what they were doing, and how it worked. We saw what creating a video game was like, and I tell you, it's quite tedious! Each developer had their own specialty, and I was pretty amazed how the team all came together to create such a beautiful product. Some worked on backgrounds, others characters, sounds, music -- even one person to do the lighting of scenes. I was truly impressed.

We also visited the EA employee store. Not only did they pay our way for airfare, room, and meals, but even spotted us $50 in the store. That may not seem like a lot, but this is the employee store -- every game, including boxed sets, was only $10! Not being a big gamer myself, I just picked up 2 for the PC: Tiger Woods 2006, and the Battlefield 1942/Vietnam collection. I also got 2 t-shirts, and a baseball cap. And I probably didn't even reach $50!

After the tour, we went into a room where consoles were set up again, including 2 PCs to check out the PC version. We were able to play the game more, for a few hours, during lunch, at the same time being able to talk to more dev members and even the executive producer.

At one point, they pulled us each aside to interview us on video. While they asked the others about the game itself, they asked me more about the movie (thankfully!). And this time, I got my favorite line correct!! I think. lol

After this, we were taken out to dinner to a nice Italian restaurant (what else??). EA didn't provide alcohol the entire weekend, but the executive producer was sitting at my table (there were 3 tables), and he picked up the few beers I and a couple others had. After dinner, they thanked us for attending, and held up a framed poster of the game characters, signed by all the development team. Everyone was wondering who'd be the lucky winner of that -- and we were all pleasantly surprised when they told us that they'd be mailing one of these out to all of us! EA rocks!!




After we returned to the hotel, most of us sat in the lounge and had a few drinks and talked a while. All the invited guests, as well as the people who made this game, are great people and I even befriended some whom I will try to stay in touch with. Some of you hardcore gamers who visit gaming sites might even know some of these people. And I was happy that at least one other guest knew who *I* was. lol

3/11 - Return flight home, exhausted. lol

Who wouldn't wanna work in a place like this??

THE GODFATHER GAME

As most of you know, I'm not much of gamer in general. The last console I owned was a Sega, k? But I've had my fair share of video game addictions in the past -- I just could never get too far in any of them because I wasn't all that coordinated. So, I nervously (yet also curiously) sat down with this game to give it a shot.

Wow. First off, the graphics were great! (Personally, I think the X-BOX version looked a little better than the PS2 version, but both were really nice. However, the PC version of course blew them both away). There was no "official confirmation" -- nor denial -- of a 360 version in the works, but I have a feeling they're working on that for a later release. Incidentally, they're also going to release a special edition which will include a DVD with special features (making-of) for the console versions.

Anyway, back to the game itself: I played mostly on the PS2 version, and have always had trouble with all those buttons. That's just me, of course. But I tell you, I had fewer problems with this game than most others I've tried -- the "Black Hand" controls were quite intuitive for once, and it never felt like I had to fumble around to find the right button.

What's unique -- and wonderful!! -- about this game is that you are NOT Vito or Michael or Sonny or anyone like that, but you are you -- your own character (that you can even create to look however you want to the most minor detail) interacting with the characters from the movie. You start out as a lowly hood and work your way up the ranks by first strong-arming shop keepers for protection money, bribing cops, and going on specific missions set forth by Clemenza or other characters. What is REALLY cool is that you can be doing your thing and at any moment, a major scene from the movie will happen, say, outside the window!

For instance, while in a shop muscling the shopkeeper, outside I saw Don Vito get shot, and my new mission was then to kill the would-be assassins before escorting the ambulance to the hospital! And what's great is, events such as these happen pretty much chronologically, and pretty true to the story -- the movie and surprisingly also the book itself.

One of my favorite features was walking down the street, and hearing passers-by having conversations! Very much like real life.

The idea of the game, of course, is to move up in rank in the Corleone family by earning money and respect. As you progress, you'll be taking control of neighborhoods and the compounds themselves of the Barzini's, Tattaglia's, Stracci's and Cuneo's (the other 4 of the 5 Families). Your ultimate goal is to be The Don of NY/NJ controlling everything.

Some of Marlon Brando's dialogue was used I was told, but they got a terrific voice actor to record bits they needed afterwards. Of course, Caan, Duvall, and Vigoda lent their voices as well, and I was told that they had a terrific time doing it! (We saw some footage of them, which will be on the bonus DVD of the special edition).

All in all, I was VERY impressed with this effort from EA! And even tho I'm not much of a gamer, this is definitely one that I will spend some time with once I get it (they're going to send it to me).

I think even the elders among us here will love to check this out -- get the PC version (it comes on DVD), and you won't need to buy a console!

CHECK OUT THE SITE FOR SCREEN SHOTS AND VIDEOS



Coming MARCH 21, 2006

Pre-Order Now!!

• PS2
• PS2 Collector\'s Edition
• X-Box
• X-Box Collector\'s Edition
• PC (DVD)

See Also: Prima Official Strategy Guide
Coming Later: PSP, X-Box 360

Wow! It sounds like you had a lot of fun, JG. I'm jealous!

sounds like you got blown alot lol jk jk no disrespect JG.

The game sounds better than I thought so did they tell you for sure if they're making a second and third game?

Great review, Geoff - thanks for doing this.

Glad to hear you had such a fun time. I've definitely developed a further appreciation for this game and how much work goes into it. I'll be sure to show this to my cousin, as I'm certain he'll enjoy reading it and seeing the photos. I love that framed poster!

Well, blown UP and blown AWAY a lot, at least.

But JG did they confirm any second part?

Don Geoff,

I am so happy for you having had that experience. I'm glad you had a good time. The pic's are great. I promise to buy the PS2 Collector's Edition from your site. BTW how many pack's of niccorette(sp) did you go through?

They said that they plan to make The Godfather title a "franchise" so yes, if this does well, I'm sure there will be at least one more....

Sounds like a pretty cool weekend, JG! It sounds fascinating to tour such a huge place and see how everything gets put together. Pretty cool. The 2 guys holding up the signed poster look really familiar... who are they?

Well, Zia, the one on the right is Mr. Orlando Palmeiro of the Houston Astros...

That's who he immediately reminded me of...

(I hope you meant "4 of the other 5 families" ) (j/k)

Sounds like you had fun, especially with getting the V.I.P. treatment.

One day I'm gonna play one of those new-fangled video games
(The last one I played was Space Invaders) .

I had to do a little wheres Waldo with this pic.

[IMG] [/IMG]

They work for EA -- the guy on the left is the Executive Producer of the game. He has a few interviews up on GameSpot.com\'s Godfather page , another good place to check out samples of the game!

How old is that guy on the right, like 12?

Another cool feature I just remembered (and I'll probably remember more down the line) is that, on the console games, when you're strangling someone (which I enjoyed doing!), the controller actually vibrates like their heartbeat... It's just too bad that, even with a controller on the PC, you miss that little feature, cuz they use it for driving, too, and other things. It just doesn't work on PC....

Shit. No PC "Collector's Edition"?

I asked them the same question - I think marketing wise they want to push the console versions first, and down the road they'll probably come out with a special edition for PC as well....

I believe most of them were college students, and had to be 18+ to attend. So no. He's just short. :p

Any other important questions? I'll answer the best I can....

This is interesting... I just discovered this family tree on EA's site...

As you'll notice, they didn't have permission to use Al Pacino's likeness. They also list The 5 Families and their territories in the game:

Corleone (Little Italy)
Tattaglia (Brooklyn)
Stracci (New Jersey)
Cuneo (Hell's Kitchen)
Barzini (Midtown Manhattan)

JG can you send me the family tree for some reason my PC wont get it.

It's a PDF, so you'll need Adobe Reader to see it. Install that and try again...

That's really a fantastic experience for you JG. You seem like you had a great time and met some great people.

Can I join in when Sonny kicks the shit out of Carlo?

So Godfather, I need your expert advice here. My son has a PS2 console and of course we have computers.

What version do you recommend that I buy? The PC version or the PS2 version?

Wouldn't the PS2 version be a little more easier to navigate than the PC version?


Don Cardi

Fan-tastic, Don!
How many bulletholes did the black Lincoln have?

Hmm, well, I'm sure you'd be happy with the PS2 version - it does look great, and gives you the vibration feedback in the controller.

The PC version looks a little better, and it can be played pretty well with the mouse/keyboard combination - or, you can get a PS2 USB adapter and use that on the PC. But you'll lack the vibration support.

Up to you, really. If I had a PS2 (and/or X-Box), I'd probably get both versions, truthfully.... but that's just me. That way, Daddy and Jr can play at the same time as well.

So is it on-line playable? In other words if I buy a PS2 version and a PC version, can I play online with my son and others?

Or did you mean that it is a two player game?

Don Cardi

Sounds pretty awesome, Geoff!

I'm getting excited reading your posts. I'm glad you had a great time.

I'm glad the game's good too, I preordered it from Gamestop back in October.

I asked them whether they had plans for an online version, and they told me that for the first one, they wanted to do it as best as they could. There may be a multiplayer/online version in the future.

This is a one-person game. What I meant was, you both could play at the same time, alone in your rooms. :p

I'm so pumped for this game. I preordered it last month and may be getting it early.

Geoff,

I'm so glad it turned out to be so much fun. Sounds like you had a really good time. The description you gave of the game sounds really cool!

I am sorry to say though, I wouldn't know the difference between a PS2, PC, or XBox version. I've never played any games like that.

Sure looks like a beautiful place too. Were all the guys nice? (btw, no women hu?) Did you tell them about the BB? You sure did a whole lot for the short time you were there. It sounds like they took care of everything for you. Now tell me, are you glad you decided to go? Just seeing the GF on the big screen again seems worth it.

Welcome back.

TIS

Don Malta -

I just ordered the PS2 Collector's Edition through this site. I am not a video game player by any means. But being a GF fanatic, I do want to play this one.

I also will buy Scarface, if and when it ever comes out.


Don Cardi

What's the difference between the original and the collector's edition?

"The Collector's Edition for PS2 & X-Box includes: Behind-the-scenes video with James Caan and Robert Duvall; detailed "making of" game footage and interviews; documentary exploring the cultural impact of The Godfather; in-depth video walkthroughs of game strategy."

$10 more, but kinda worth it. Cancel your pre-order and order it via my site. :p

Yes, I am! And now I've wiped away all my anxiety about flying since 9/11! So even just for that it woulda be worth it - but it was even so much better than that!

Why does it look like JG is photoshopped on at the back?

Don Malta...
Thank you for THE GREAT REVIEW!!!

JG - This was my hesitation about this game - how do you create a good Godfather game without Al Pacino? Is Michael in the game? If not, how did EA get around it?

I believe most of them were college students, and had to be 18+ to attend. So no. He's just short. :p

[/b][/quote]Oh, I can't fault the guy for that then.

Looking at the pic I think that guy now has a resemblence to Douche. (The person...not the hygiene product).

The EA campus is gorgeous. There's alot of money in those little electronic games .

Can't say that I'll ever get around to playing the game though. The last game system I played was atari.

JG - This was my hesitation about this game - how do you create a good Godfather game without Al Pacino? Is Michael in the game? If not, how did EA get around it? [/b][/quote]I didn't get far enough into the game to see "Michael", but I suppose he's in there. How could he not be? I guess we just gotta get used to him looking different. It's too bad that he didn't (or couldn't?) authorize his likeness in both this and the Scarface game....

Yeah, I'm not too crazy about how that turned out, either. I didn't realize there was space there in the middle, and the person taking the picture didn't say anything. Ahh well. Maybe I'll photoshop myself in the right spot!

Did you get any good contacts with the gaming industy (i.e. could you hook me up with a free PS3), Geoff?

Not THAT good! :p Had it been a tour of Sony, then I'd've tried for myself...

Yeah, but those developers like EA always get stuff early - you should've snuck around the office and found their secret stash of next-gen goodies!

What a great experience! Thanks for posting, Geoff!

This game doesn't look like it does anything we haven't already seen or done. For fans of the film, though, it at least allows them to play something they've always wanted to be part of.

Cool pics, JG. You lucky devil.

Michael is in the game, but he looks nothing like Pacino.

It doesn't matter, the ending of the game is;

***SPOILER WARNING***


1- You become UB to Michael.
2- You become Don of the Corleone family.
3- You become Don of New York. (?)

I don't care that Mike looks different I'm a bigger fan of the book than the movie anyway can't wait to play this game.

Hey bro, very nice review btw. I couldnt explain the game better than that. It is truly a great game and a must for all Godfather fans.

Anyways, my name is Stephen Phung.. I also participated in the event. If anyone is curious to who I am, Im the guy crossing my arms with the brown polo in the group picture.

Anyways, if youre ever stoping by at the Godfather Game site, Roberto (Italain guy) and I need some help in answering these fan questions on the forum. (Roberto username is Spim77 and mine is Tommygun87)

By the way, do you know what the prize was bro?

Yeah, thanks for your review on the other Godfather board on EA, btw.

Welcome to these boards BTW, I'm CaneMutiny83 over there.

I could have gone but Im 15 but it looks like it was so much fun. This game looks awsome too.

Hi I'm John Olin, I run a site called Xbox Evolved (http://www.xboxevolved.com)

I also attended the event, and when I first got there, I met Mr. Geoff, and at first it didn't click about who he was--then I asked him--"Is your site the one that has stuff about the author of the Godfather books also?" and when he said yes I couldn't believe it! I had visited this site before being a fan, but couldn't believe I would meet the guy who ran it. Anyways, Geoff is a nice guy, in fact I ran out of cigarettes and he gave me a pack (because God knows I would have to put a pack on layaway out there).

ANyways it is a good game. I am working on two other articles about the game, but until then here are some links to pics and a interview with the team:

http://xe360.com/article/Godfather_The/3193.html
http://xe360.com/media.php?gameid=600

I also borrowed some of your pics, but I will make sure you are credited. I will post in here the link to the preview and the "journal" article once it is finished! I enjoy your site Geoff, and lets hope they do this again for GF2 the game

I was mad about Al Pacinos likeness not in the game(of course they couldnt have his voice). Its too bad I can do a killer Al Pacino, young and old. But I dont think it will stop me from enjoying this game.

I just read that the Xbox360 version of this game will be released in July.

Stephen: First, it was nice meeting you there! Secondly, I will check it out and gladly answer any questions I could possibly answer. I just may need some time to get there. I've been in touch w/ Roberto and Rich since the event, and am glad to see you (and John) now as well!

We're gonna rock this thing!

As for the prize, do you mean for the "highest score after the first night" or whatever? I don't know, but it seems we're all getting the prize - of that signed poster!

John! Glad you stopped by, thanks! I think we all had a great time last weekend, and I look forward to checking out your take of it on your site! Thanks for the kind words, too, and feel free to borrow the pics. You were cool to hang with, and, I hope I taught you something about getting cigs cheap I'll visit you soon...

Well, "officially" there's not even an acknowledgment of the format -- altho it's, well, likely. But, obviously there's no official date announced at this point, regardless of what Amazon may state...

what did they feed you guys?

Probably more than you can imagine!

The last dinner was banquet-style, in a nice Italian restaurant. I had the salmon w/ caesar salad and tiaramisu, with hot appetizer buffet of calamari and other delectibles....

Otherwise, it was cold cut platters, subs, a great nacho dip, gourmet pizza (pretty good for Cally, actually ), etc.... breakfast was bagels and coffee...

But there was always plenty! I think there were like six 3' subs for 12 of us, for instance, before the movie!

No complaints here!

Probably more than you can imagine!

The last dinner was banquet-style, in a nice Italian restaurant. I had the salmon w/ caesar salad and tiaramisu, with hot appetizer buffet of calamari and other delectibles....

Otherwise, it was cold cut platters, subs, a great nacho dip, gourmet pizza (pretty good for Cally, actually ), etc.... breakfast was bagels and coffee...

But there was always plenty! I think there were like six 3' subs for 12 of us, for instance, before the movie!

No complaints here! [/b][/quote]Sounds like a great weekend, man. Im a top poster "TeryMaloy" on TGF forums(not saying much, there arent any moderators) and I was invited to go but I'm 15 and had to be at least 17-such a drag. Plus, I live in SF so EA wouldnt even need to send out a Lincoln, I could take a train!lol but I emailed them and they are sending me some "EA goodness".

Hey

This is how Michael looks in the game, when he kills Solozzo :

I took this from the video Highlights II on the game website : http://www.ea.com/official/godfather/godfather/us/videos.jsp?setID=Highlights%20 II&resID=hi

By the way, you can see on the lower left of that page that the game will get out on XBox 360, "coming soon".


I don't post much on boards, but I wanted to thank J Geoff and MrTommygun87 for their respective reviews.

April 2004 you joined, and this is your first post? Jesus, I think that needs a congrats thead over in General Discussion!

Talk about an understatement!!

Anyway, its good to (finally) see you post.

Well this game does look absolutely amazing.. I`ll definitely be getting it, without a doubt.

Thank you Capo and SC.

I'm sorry I didn't post earlier but english isn't my primary language, and most of the time, the "search" function answers my questions

But I've been reading these boards for a while (even before I registered) and it has always been really interesting.

I'll try not to wait 2 more years for another post, lol

Hello fellow board members! This is my first post.

To begin with, I am purchasing The Godfather game for the X-BOX--in fact, I took the liberty of reserving it with Electronics Boutique several days ago. In addition, I appreciate the efforts of J Geoff and others in shedding some more insight into the game. I'll admit that I haven't followed the game's development (and pending release) since last June, and I haven't heard much about it until this week, the week before its release.

Firstly, I apologize if the preceding question has been answered before, but did Al Pacino--who refused to allow EA Games to use his likeness (appearance)--simply allow UbiSoft to use his likeness or is he also doing voicework for their upcoming Scarface game?

"The Collector's Edition for PS2 & X-Box includes: Behind-the-scenes video with James Caan and Robert Duvall; detailed "making of" game footage and interviews; documentary exploring the cultural impact of The Godfather; in-depth video walkthroughs of game strategy."

$10 more, but kinda worth it. Cancel your pre-order and order it via my site. :p [/b][/quote]Thanks Geoff!

I got my order switched at our local video game outlet, the Collector's Edition I have now ordered (I had already put money down on the game at the store, or else I would have ordered from your site, but thanks anyway, Geoff).

Welcome, Butters!

I don't know all the little details, so not sure if it was a "refusal" or a contractual issue - but as far as I know, Pacino only lent his likeness to the Scarface game. I was hoping he did the voicework, too, but I heard somewhere he didn't. (But I hope that source was wrong! )

Pacino did lend his physical likeness to the Scarface game, but you're right Geoff, his voice won't be used. His voice has changed quite a bit since 1983, so much so that both he and the developers deemed his voice unusable. There were open casting calls for the voice-over of Tony Montana, and they seem to have found an exceptionally suitable voice actor (whom Pacino had the final say in hiring).

There's a pretty in-depth article on both The Godfather game and Scarface game in the March issue of PSM. You guys oughta check it out if you can still find it on newsstands.

Thanks for the info, XXX!

I just found the Strategy Guide on Amazon, so updated the links. And am plugging them again here so more people may see them.

The Strategy Guide features:
> A complete walkthough with multiple methods of completion
> Optimal tactics and multiple paths for every mission and contract hit
> Learn all Blackhand attacks, execution styles, and extortion techniques
> All secrets uncovered; from safes, heists, and film reels to racket trucks and weapon upgrades
> How to maximize your money and respect
> All the maps, NPC stats, ambush locations, etc
> A complete list of everything the game has to offer
> Art Galleries w/ production sketches, renders, paintings, etc...
> Over 300 pages!
> View: Quicktime trailer


Order it here: Prima\'s Official Strategy Guide ($12.99)

Order the games here:

• PS2
• PS2 Collector\'s Edition
• X-Box
• X-Box Collector\'s Edition
• PC (DVD)

Thanks Don Malta

I found this quote on another site, by the Executive Producer of the game, and it seems to sum it up quite nicely...

wow

I'm reposting this, that I found on EA's forums:

Launch Party videos - EA threw a Godfather launch party in LA. Lots of celebs and athletes came out to check the game. Then, see behind-the-scenes footage with Caan, Duvall, and Vigoda!

Cops - Gameplay Designer John Calhoun breaks down 1945-1955 NYPD

The Five Families - Creative Director Mike Olsen details The Five Families

TV Coverage

Thursday 3/16 (damn, missed it! Hopefully it'll replay!)

VH1
Godfather Sneak Peek at 8p ET/PT
Godfather Sneak Peek at 12mid ET/PT

Friday 3/17

Comedy Central
A gang of coverage throughout Friday Night Stand Up 9-11p ET/PT

Saturday 3/18

Spike TV
Godfather-themed GameHead, filmed on the Paramount lot - 12:30a ET/PT

MTV
The Godfather: Money, Power, Respect at 10p ET/PT.

Sunday 3/19

MTV
The Godfather: Money, Power, Respect at 11p ET/PT

Monday 3/20

FX
Godfather Sneak Peek at 10p ET/PT -- this is not on the tv schedule, so perhaps it's a very short promo spot?


(Please check your local listings to be sure)

I've updated the Gangster TV Listings to include the above!

I just bought the strategy guide from GameStop. It looks pretty good. I'm very anxious for the game's release on Tuesday.

Are there cheats?

I walked past F.Y.E at the mall tonight, and they had a big sign that said the GF game would be $19.99 there. $39.99 with a $20 mail-in rebate. I didn't have time to go in and get any other details. I don't see anything on their website.

John! Glad you stopped by, thanks! I think we all had a great time last weekend, and I look forward to checking out your take of it on your site! Thanks for the kind words, too, and feel free to borrow the pics. You were cool to hang with, and, I hope I taught you something about getting cigs cheap I'll visit you soon... [/b][/quote]And I'm.....


I live in the area, and I went to see John and hang out a bit. I talked a little bit with you, too. I didn't know who you were until John mentioned it.

This is the article about EA\'s Community Day

Nice meeting ya, see ya around.

I'm looking through, but not finding any. Sorry.

I picked it up today. Its really good!

Carlos! It was nice meeting you, altho very briefly. Hopefully the next time we'll get to hang out more. Thanks for visiting, and for the link!

...And guess who's posting on your boards right now
...You should remember of a sleazy guy dressed with suspenders & tie and going by the name of "Roberto"...
And by the way, you should remember of our cigarette breaks outside the EA entrance... I'm still trying to defrost my shoes LOL

Anyway, I'd like to shout a big "CIAO" to everyone on this board and wish all the best to Geoff for his efforts on keeping it growing!

just a quick question, i guess this is a case of game vs reality, but from what ive seen of the game, you can go around and hijack any car you want (a la GTA), but would a soldier (i assume thats how you start off, or if not a guy doing things for the mafia) really go around hi jacking cars on his way to do a job and draw attention to,himself? Surely they'd have a car ready or provided?

Pippi

As long as you're supposed to walk through the ranks of the family, earlier in the game you'll not be provided with any car by the family. But let me say that later on, the family will reward your loyalty with some "gifts"... :rolleyes:

Hey Spim (and of course Geoff), thanks for that Q&A thread at the EA Godfather forum. It was like finding an oasis of nerdery (it's also how I found these boards).

Ciao Roberto, amico mio! (See, I'm learning! )

Attn: PC Gamers!

Tommygun posted this link on the EA boards yesterday and I wanted to share it here. If you go to System Requirements Lab and pull down to "The Godfather" (or any other game), it will examine your system to see if it meets the minimum and optimum system requirements to run the game. (There's a small download that will happen automatically to look at your system)

Apparently, my video card isn't up to snuff, so I guess I'll need to purchase a new one. Also, it says minimum 1.4GHz CPU -- mine's 1.3GHz, so hopefully it'll be okay. I need a new computer anyway after 3 years...

ahah! Nice amico mio, you're learning pretty fast! ( impari in fretta! )
Well, about the EA boards...I just "noob" around, I've never had the chance to play with a PS2 and guess what platform EA reserved to me...A PS2 lol Whilst Tommygun has probably almost beated the game, I've only managed to play my worldwide renowned M.B.M. game-style and take Multiple Beatings per Minute lol I dreamt of that "Iced" screen for how many times it showed on my video lol
Iced, iced, iced. Next time I play TGF I'll choose VODKA MARTINI as a nickname...At least it could perfectly fit with the "icing" matter lol

Tomorrow's the big day, everybody! I reserved my copy a couple weeks ago. Expect my first impressions of the game sometime tomorrow night.

Yup, tomorrow's the big day!

I'm still undecided whether to dump money on a new AGP video card or break down and buy a new system and a PCIx card... *sigh* Either way, I probably won't be playing the game tomorrow. Ahh, maybe dumping $100 on a temporary video card now is better than coming up with a grand for a new system...

And you call yourself a fan...

Tsk tsk.. :rolleyes:

You could always drop $150 on a PS2 or Xbox. In fact, I imagine the price for each system will be dropping soon, since the new systems are coming out.

Or you could always go to your local EB or GameStop and purchase a refurbished system for a little cheaper. There's tons of great games for each system (more so for the PS2), and you don't have to worry about whether or not a game is compatible with your system, as is the case with PC gaming.

Either way, if you don't get to play it tomorrow, I'll give you the low-down.

I preodered it aswell, but the Toys R Us (never again will I preorder ANYTHING from there) will be getting it a day late.

I hope it'll be worth it though! I'm going to preorder everything at EB now. Saves me the trouble.

This game rules. I got the Limited Edition, which comes with a bonus dvd and the packaging is slightly different. It has interviews with Robert Duvall & James Caan as well as a documentary on the influence of the Godfather (Very similar to the one they had with the Scarface box set where they talked to various rappers). It also has a video walk through which is also kind of cool, if its worth the extra 10 bucks to ya.

IGN.com has already posted their review of the game. You can read it here:

IGN.com -- Xbox -- The Godfather Review

I've come to notice that Al Pacino was NOT a part of this game. Anybody know the scoop on that?

Thats old news, he did Scarface instead of TGF.

Gamespot Review

Is it just me or does EA overplay TGF Love Theme?

Just real quick, here are all my Godfather related articles on my site:

You can check out XE's review of the game http://www.xe360.com/article/Godfather_The/3216.html

If you want to see more about the Godfather game, and learn a bit more you can check out our interview with the team http://www.xe360.com/article/Godfather_The/3193.html

or you can check out EA's podcast (also available on iTunes) with the game's executive producer, Dave DeMartini http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=132672356&s=143 441

Also, make sure to check out Xbox Evolved's visit to EA to see the Godfather team http://www.xe360.com/article/EA_Community_Day_Godfather/3208.html

Thanks for the links, John!

Just found out we're getting our games and guides Wednesday... dag, a day later than everyone else!

I played the game and the game is crazy right now I am an Underboss and have to take out the other three famiies.But the game is worth buying people.I now own Little Italy and Brooklyn baby Nwe Jersey is next

40-60 hours to complete?! Hell yes! If I wasn't already just about to leave to go pick it up, those would have been the magic words.

My friends getting it for me for my birthday which sucks cause I still got 19 days till then.

I gotta wait, too - just ordered a new video card online...

This thread is pretty quiet for release day... I suppose everyone is playing it! C'mon, people, take a break and let us know what you think!!

Geoff, my cousin called his mom from school today to make sure she was able to pick it up okay.

We ride home together, and he got his stuff together before we even reached our street, then he ran into his house as soon as he got out.

I guess he's a bit excited.

What did you order? My card on my desktop is fairly old
(Radeon 9600XT), but more than enough for this game.

I've been playing for the past 2 hours or so. Without spoiling anything, I will say this...you won't be disappointed.

I've extorted 3 shops already, and taken over a few rackets as well. I died six times trying to take over a shop run by the Cuneo family. There's two Cuneo wiseguys standing outside the shop, and a couple across the street. So I whipped out my .38 snubnose, shot three of em in the face, and shot the fourth guy in the knee caps. Then I casually walked up to him, and put another round in his skull.

Then I walked into the shop, roughed up the owner, and took over his business.

BTW, whoever ended up voicing Vito for the game has done an INCREDIBLE job. He sounds just like Marlon Brando's Vito!

Ok, I'm going back to playing now.

I only saw bits and pieces from the special that was on TV the other night, but I could have sworn they said Brando's voice was used. I know he supposedly wasn't able to.

Heres what I heard from an some site they used bits of Brando but what couldn't be used they got an actor to do but some parts were Brando supposdly.

What did you order? My card on my desktop is fairly old
(Radeon 9600XT), but more than enough for this game. [/b][/quote]I ordered the cheapest 8xAGP card that I could get away with, an Nvidia FX 5500 w/ 256MB for about $60 ($45 after rebate). My motherboard has an Nvidia chipset so I didn't want to stray from that. I'm gonna replace my mobo and cpu soon anyway, and upgrade to PCIx, so didn't want to blow $150 on a card I'm only gonna use temporarily anyway...

Mine arrived today when I got home from work. But I had to take my son for his Golf Lesson, then get him fitted for a custom set of new clubs, and then went to dinner. I just got home and was going to play it, but my son beat me to it and won't move from the game!

I don't even want to go near him because I don't want to see what it looks like. I want to play it myself and be surprised.

I'm giving him 1 more hour! Then I'm gonna kick his sicilian ass all over the street if he doesn't let me on the PS2!


Don Cardi

Good luck!! I told you to get both versions!

Playing it, loving it. I'm only at about 5% of the game. I have a minor spoilers question about one of the few first missions (please scroll though the rest of my post if you're sensitive about that stuff):
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
My next mission should be protecting Don Corleone at the hospital. Weird thing is, I've heard one of the missions consists of you bringing the horse's head to Woltz' bedroom. Haven't seen the Godfather in over a year, so maybe I'm wrong about the order of the scenes in the movie here (don't think so), but shouldn't that mission take place BEFORE the Don gets shot? I never had the Woltz mission come up at all as an option. This could be because I wasn't invited to the Corleone compound until AFTER he got shot, so maybe this is a result of me not earning enough from the extortions before delving into the story. Any ideas?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
End of spoilers

There are SOOOOO many things to do in this game! I get a huge kick out of exorting shop owners and taking over rackets.

I have just been promoted to "Unofficial Enforcer." Now when I walk around town and talk to random people, most of the time they show me respect. If they don't, I slam their heads into a brick wall.

The only thing I'm disappointed with so far is the "new" Michael Corleone. It doesn't detract from the game too much, but it would have been nice to have Al Pacino's likeness for Michael. What makes it worse is that not only does it look nothing like the Michael we all know and love (or loathe), but the voice sounds nothing alike either. Like I said, it doesn't detract from the game too much, but it woulda added just a little more to it.

I'm impressed with the driving physics, as well. I didn't have much hope for the driving parts (I figured the driving system would be as crappy as the one used in Mafia), but I was pleasently surprised. The cars all handle great, as a matter of fact.

But the thing I am most impressed with is the re-creation of 1940's NYC. Now I can't vouch for how accurate a reproduction it is, but I actually feel like I'm playing in the 40's, and that I'm in the real Little Italy of that time period. The city itself is massive (not quite as big as San Andreas, but plenty big enough), and there are plenty of recognizable landmarks (Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge, etc.)

The graphics are mighty impressive for this type of game. Usually, an open-ended, GTA-style game has to cut corners in the graphics department (let's face it, none of the GTA games are graphical powerhouses), but EA has done a remarkable job with The Godfather. And there's absolutely no loading between cities, or walking in and out of buildings. In fact, the only loading you'll see in the game is before you start a mission, and after you finish it. Kudos to EA! My only complaint is a lot of the interiors are recycled. Most building interiors look the same.

That's all for now. I've been playing almost non-stop since I got it. Now it's time for bed.

Thanks for the review, dude. What console are you using?

xXx, that's GREAT to hear!!

Good... I'm NOT the only one who loves this game...!

You have another couple days before I get my new nvidia card... so take advantage!! :p

Got he game yesterday and so far- really like it. Their is a ton to do besides just doing the missions.

As stated in a previous thread- was dissapointed w/ how they did Michael's character. The voice and look are not their- however that would be my only downside to the game.

Worth it for all Godfather fans.

I just took over Louis' Restaurant in the Bronx!

How was the veal?

Hey Cardi - Did you get a chance to play it last night?

My brother got it for me. I'm gonna play it now.

After waiting a year for this game, I must wait one more day.

I made it to the safehouse!

I MADE IT TO THE SAFEHOUSE!!

I MADE IT TO THE SAFEHOUSE!!!

OK, that may not be a noteworthy issue for you guys but for someone who it took one hour to just set up the game console (after two panicked calls to Lori's son for help) thats quite an accomplishment.

The graphics are pretty awesome.

Wow, you bought a console just to play the game? Now THAT is dedication, folks!! Which one did you get, PS2 or X-Box? I can see it now... a month from now you'll be all over Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty!!

I have to agree with people that the game is very good. Now, I'm not the gamer I was 4-5 years ago in my college days, so I don't have much to go on, but it is sure fun to play.

One thing I don't really like though, is the fact that you lose absolutely nothing when you die trying to accomplish a mission or take over a racket. At least not that I can see anyways. When I die, I still have all my money, weapons, respect points, etc. This game isn't really a matter of if you can beat it, it's merely a matter of how long it takes. I used to like games where you had to wonder if you were every going to finish it.

No....I already had a PS2 (sitting in the bottom of my tv cabinet collecting dust. I tried the GTA last year but kept driving the stupid car up on the sidewalk running over the hookers).

I'm really not into these games (I only have three others) but thats mostly because I don't really know how to play them (or have the patience to learn). I mainly got this one simply because its "The Godfather" (and I bought the instruction book for the same reason). I'll take my time trying to learn the moves because I want to see how the game plays out (as I said the graphics look pretty damned good).

I wanna hook it up through my sound system (it sounds good through the stereo tv but I wanna let it rip).

55 and too damned old for this stuff.

Im gunna try to convince my mom to take me to EB games today but the chances are slim. Im so hyped up I cant take it.

You're never too old, SC!

Great game! Though the controls take a little time to get used to I love it, especially since you can create and edit your appearance.

I just finished the Paulie Gatto mission.

I got it!

If any of you have the PC version, it'd be interesting to see what your characters look like - try to post them! (I suppose that can't be done w/ a console version, right? Maybe a digital camera might catch it well enough...?)

I was supposed to get my stuff from EA today, but it never showed... :rolleyes:

Since I couldn't get the look of Jef Costello down the way I wanted to from Le Samourai, I made mine to look like Vincent from Collateral, only with brown hair. Maybe later on I'll do the gray look just for fun. :p

My guy ended up looking like Willie Cicci. He's wearing a silver, pin-striped suit, with a matching fedora. He also has sun-glasses, and a little facial hair on his chin. The resemblance is almost uncanny, and it was completely by accident!

The Barzini's are REAL sons of bitches! They're the toughest gang in the game, and they can take a hell of a beating. I unloaded an entire clip from my Tommy gun on one guy, and it took him down to his knees!

Robbing banks is fun too! You pay off the cop standing outside, walk in, try and make it past the guards without them calling for back up, plant the dynamite on the safe, and run like the dickens! Then you rush into the safe, grab all the loot, and haul ass back to your safe house. You'll usually end up with a $50,000 score.

My favorite method of killing is throwing people in a pizza oven, although pushing them off of roofs is plenty of fun, as well.

Never found out. I threw the cook in the oven.

Rich Reed, head writer at xboxsolution.com (and my roommate at the EA event), just posted his exclusive interview with GF Executive Producer David DeMartini (whom I also had dinner with) -- check it out!

I will also be tracking down and posting links to more reviews made by those who've attended the EA event, so keep checking back...!

Grrr! I keep dying every time I try to take over the Tattaglia compound!

Tattaglia may be a pimp, and he may be unable to outfight Santino. But he's kicking my ass!

Thanks for the plug I noticed you did not talk about the roommate that is okay I just hope the wake up calls at odd hours did not ruin the trip for you
For the member that is trying to take over the compound you may not have enough attribute points yet? Let me know if you have any questions or need some help. I will try to help if its okay with The Don?

Hey Rich! Thanks for stopping by!

Feel free to help all you want
I won't be able to start playing the game until later tonight!

P.S. Wow, you're a Rush fan, too?? I have a crappy site for them, too!

Thanks for the offer, R Reed!

Fortunately, though, I've succeeded in taking over those Tattaglia pimps. You were right, though. My attributes were nowhere near as high as they should have been. Now they're upgraded to my satisfaction, and I have the "Dillinger" machine gun, so I'm cutting guys down left to right.

BTW everybody. I've finished all the main story missions. I only received the "Underboss" ending, because I still have 3 more family compounds to take down before I become the Don.

I won't spoil anything, but I will say this: The final mission is incredible!

But now I must address a few complaints I have concerning the story: (SPOILER ALERT!!! READ AT OWN DISCRETION!)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

For anyone playing this game that has never actually seen the film (and trust me, there will be a lot of them), they will be a bit thrown off by the story. For one, they won't know why Sonny was ambushed on the causeway. There is no funeral for the Don. One mission, he's alive. Then all of a sudden, he's dead. They won't know what caused Don Vito's death. That clever twist in the film where we find out Tessio is the traitor is non-existent. You're just told one mission that he was setting up Michael, and he has to be whacked. In short, and I hate saying this, but you will not be getting that full Godfather experience.

But then again, maybe this is all a ploy by EA to make gamers want to see the film. Maybe they knew that if they left certain parts out, that the gamer would be wondering "why this happened" or "why that happened", and so they'd immediately go out and purchase the film. Who knows!

-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
*-*-*-*-*-*END SPOILER*-*-*-*-*-*

Now here's what I'm loving. I've completed the story missions, and yet I still have so much left to do. EA could have very easily skimped on the extortion bits of the game, but they made it really fun to do. So far, I've extorted over 45 business, and 25 rackets, and I'm still not bored with it. It doesn't feel monotanous.

Also, driving around the city is fun, too. Now I've played a lot of games that have tried to emulate that "living, breathing world" schtick that the GTA games have pulled off, and most of them have failed miserably. Let's take Mafia, for example. Sure, they give you a "free-roam" when you beat the game, but you have absolutely no incentive to drive around the city. There is absolutely nothing to do. In short, it doesn't feel like a "living, breathing world."

What most people seem to overlook is the extreme importance of providing the player with that aformentioned "world", in this type of game. If they're gonna be devoting 40+ hours of their lives to a game, then the world in which they are exploring ABSOLUTELY HAS TO FEEL ALIVE!

The Godfather pulls this feeling off extremely well. There's plenty of traffic, you hear the city-folk going on about their lives and what not, you've got a ton of business and rackets to take over. It's an incredible feeling. Another little touch I like is how you have newspapers being blown around by cars that are driving by. How the birds fly in formation, and how when one bird swoops down, they all follow it's lead. It's little touches like that that make you feel absolutely immersed in this world.

And as I mentioned in a previous post, I actually feel like I'm in "1940's New York." I don't think it's important to have a "brick-by-brick" reproduction of New York from that era. As long as it "feels" like it, that's what matters.

I've heard a few complaints on how the "Godfather Love Theme" is overused in the game. Well I for one never got tired of it. It just adds to the game, IMO. And because it's such a great piece of music, I didn't mind hearing it all the time.

I love using the "BlackHand" fighting techniques to take down my enemies. I'll usually shoot em in the kneecaps to put em down, and then I'll run up to em and either pull off a "quick execution", beat the snot out of em, or stangle em to death. I also like sneaking up behind the enemies and garroting them.

I'm also a sadist in this game. I'll walk up to random innocent people and just toss em into the street.

Here's some advice for when you wanna get ready to take over a warehouse or (especially) a compound. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE PLENTY OF AMMO, YOU'VE UPGRADED YOUR STATS A GREAT DEAL, AND THAT YOU HAVE AT LEAST ONE LEVEL 2 OR LEVEL 3 WEAPON! AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE 2 BOMBS, AND A FULL SUPPLY OF DYNAMITE AND MOLOTOVS! If you have all of those, things should go rather smoothly.

That's all for now. I'm sure I'll come back and add things I forgot to mention. For those who braved this long ass review, thanks for reading! And enjoy the game!

Final rating: 9/10

Great review!

So you can still become Don after the story parts are completed? That's cool...!

You can spend 100+ hours playing the game and not see everything. David DeMartini played the final version and spent well over that to get every part and see everything. I know the way EA threw in another story with in the Godfather is confusing but at the same time they did this for a reason. While it would have been cool to see the funeral help with the hit and the other thigs you mentioned. You have the best of both worlds at least that is wat I think so far since you now play in he stories you know and other things some from the book and some writen just for the game. They blended them well but die-hard fans of the movie are going to expect certain things.

I know they stressed that the game was made for fans and those who never saw the game nice review. There are a lot of hidden areas as well and they really did take time to give gamers the best of the Godfather without it being like most movie games I think that angle would have made this project fail this way gives the gamer a few more options but that is just my take so far.

Hmmm...I made my guy look exactly like him. Wasn't very hard.

I even got the black suit and gray hat down. I'm disappointed they don't have raincoats in the game, or I'd give him a beige one, like he wears in the movie.

[img]http://www.thegline.com/cgi-bin/t.php?pic=../dvd-of-the-week/images/2003/samourai106.jpg[/img]

How do you know if your video/sound card is up to par? I bought the PC version and I'm unable to install it. I put it in, and it's like my comp doesn't even know I put it in. It does nothing. My computer is well over the recommended requirements for everything except the card, beacuse I have no idea what I have.

I got pissed off and went and bought the ps2 version too beacuse I've been waiting for it to come out for what seems like two years now. I'm stuck with the PC version, so I want to figure out what I need to do.

There are a few links to HERE to test your system.... I had to get a new video card myself, and since, it's been working just fine...

Ugh, this gaming shit gets expensive, huh? I gotta return the game pad I bought last week at Wal-Mart cuz it didn't work with this game, so I had to order another one....

Here's the official list for supported gamepad controllers for The Godfather game:

• Logitech Dual Action Gamepad
• Logitech Rumblepad 2 Vibration Feedback Gamepad
• Logitech Cordless Rumblepad 2
• Thrustmaster Firestorm Dual Power 3
• Thrustmaster Firestorm Wireless Gamepad
• Saitek P990 Dual Analog Gamepad
• Saitek P2600 Rumble Gamepad
• Saitek P2900 Wireless Gamepad
• Saitek P3000 Wireless Gamepad
• Microsoft Universal Controller
• Mad Catz PC Con™
• Playstation 2 Controller (via Adapter -- only some adapters are supported)
• Xbox Controller (via Adapter -- only some adapters are supported)
• Nyko Airflo EX

Not really sure if that's an exhaustive list - why wouldn't any dual-analog controller work is beyond me, but, I couldn't get it to work. Ordered the "Logitech Rumblepad 2 Vibration Feedback Gamepad" from TigerDirect even tho this game doesn't support the vibration feature....

Back to the mouse/keyboard combo!

hello, one and all! most of you don't know me (i've been quiet since 2003), but i'm back!

JGeoff, did you finally receive your game? my husband just bought the simple version today, and it's on sale at $29.99 -- only until March 28! he bought it at Fry's Electronics, but i don't think there's a Fry's Electronics elsewhere but Phoenix.

he's so thrilled with the game that he keeps laughing at all his extortion and mauling!

I just noticed Mama Corleone is around the Corleone home and in the kitchen. Awesome.

My brother actually beat her up! What a fucking prick.

Messing around with the Mob Face thing, I actually found I could make Costello, however I actually like the Collateral look more. Considering I finished all of the missions, I even decided to make the hair and faded facial hair gray, though not in an elderly.

I've completely eliminated the Tattaglia family and the Stracci family. I'm currently working on the Cuneo's. My respect level is so high now, I can just walk into a shop, talk to the owner, and they'll agree to allow the protection of the Corleones. Then I'll just casually walk up the stairs to the guy running the racket, pay him off, and casually walk out. Although every now and then, I'll grab one of the rival mobsters and throw em out the window.

There is one controller missing from the list.
The Xbox 360 USB controller will work I think it is the first game to support it the driver is included so all you need to do is plaug it and play for those wanting a controller not a bad way to go.

You said it! Thanks for that link to test my system, that's top 5 coolest/useful things I've ever seen. I am also lacking on the video card. This part might explain why my comp doesn't even act like the disk exist: I never bothered to get a DVD drive for my computer because I didn't figure I would have any use for it. I guess the regular cd-rom drive doesn't fly. So my list for things I have to get:
1. Bad ass video card
2. DVD drive
3. ps2 usb controller adapter (I don't even know what it is, but sounds like the way to go) Can you just plug a ps2 controller in this?

I got the cheapest there is that'll work -- and I insisted on nVidia cuz that's my motherboard's chipset, so -- I went with the eVGA GeForce FX 5500 w/ 256MB for only $45 after the $15 mail-in rebate. Can't beat that! Don't know if it's great, but, the price is right.

It took 3 hours to install, but, I'm sure that's my failing system's problem, not the card... but anyway... give that one a shot.... TigerDirect.com actually has very good prices, even with the modest shipping charges...!

(I went back there to order a new game pad, and the one I decided on was MUCH cheaper than going to Best Buy or Circuit City, even w/ shipping...!)

You're right - they were saying the 360 controller would work cuz it's USB. And, I'm kinda sure that even the one I got woulda worked eventually had I "hacked" the .ini file, but, I figured I'd go and just get one from the list...

I did an email interview for a Columbian newspaper about the game, and posted it here if anyone's interested...

I don't like fuckin Columbians.

:p