CoreyTheGent
02-21-2005, 01:49 AM
http://img145.exs.cx/img145/5645/intro9yp.png
Based on the 1972 film of the same name, The Godfather immerses you in the dangerous world of the Mafia. The game features GTA-style gameplay, a new storyline, and voice-acting by original cast members.
http://img66.exs.cx/img66/9857/ss10gj.png
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Electronic Arts
Genre: Action
Release Date: Q4 2005
NEW YORK--How do you make a game based on a beloved movie and book franchise that's known the world over? Such is the question that Electronic Arts' Redwood Shores studio faced roughly two years ago. There are challenges aplenty for any developer setting out to make the best game it can, but all that gets taken up several notches when you factor in expectations from the fans of a classic film franchise. While the daunting task could be intimidating enough to frighten off some, the fine folks at EARS appear to be enthusiastically up to the challenge...if the game's official unveiling in New York tonight is any indication of the team's drive. At an event held in Little Italy this evening, EA offered those in attendance a taste of what to expect from the long-awaited video game version of The Godfather.
http://img212.exs.cx/img212/7065/vito9ni.png
Your virtual Italian self will be an up-and-coming mobster who gets the opportunity to join the Corleone family. Your experience in the game will be shaped by the factors that influence any ambitious mafioso: respect, family, expanding your territory, and the repercussions of the choices you make in your life. The life you lead will form part of The Godfather's narrative, which will closely weave your experiences with the events from The Godfather story everyone knows. This means you can expect to find yourself experiencing familiar moments from the film firsthand. To polish up the new elements and fold them into the existing Puzo lore, creative director Philip Campbell worked with Mark Winegardner (the current torchbearer of The Godfather franchise) to ensure everything worked together smoothly.
http://img146.exs.cx/img146/1905/ss33qn.png
The first clip shown was a cinematic that showed the untimely demise of Don Vito Corleone. The cinematic appeared to be running in-engine and admirably re-created the visuals from the film. Demartini noted that the game will draw on the original score from Nino Rota and will also tap Academy Award-winning composer Bill Conti for around 100 additional minutes of score that's being tweaked to match the game's dynamic action, on the fly, as it unfolds.
http://img214.exs.cx/img214/4205/ss22gv.png
This action will take place in a living world the team is crafting to offer a sandbox experience that doesn't appear to be too far removed from what's been done in the Grand Theft Auto series. Demartini's description of the world that's being created for the game hit all the buzzwords you'd expect, with mentions of "freedom of choice, nonlinearity, and consequences." To back up his points, an actual clip of the game then ran, which showed the main-player character going through his neighborhood and interacting with the locals. The reactions from the residents showed off some subtle effects, mostly done through body language, which signaled their attitudes toward the character. Some head tracking was visible and suggested that your effect on people will be tied to the level of respect you have in the game and your notoriety among them. Mention was also made of how your lifestyle in the game will affect your experience. Interestingly, the respect mechanic seems like the next step in reputation-based gameplay, much like in Fable.
http://img232.exs.cx/img232/7866/gf13je.png
All told, while EA didn't show off as much as we would have liked to have seen of The Godfather, what we saw in motion showed promise. The game will likely be one of the most-scrutinized to hit the market when it ships, due in particular to the expectations from fans of the film and those hoping for something beyond a by-the-numbers movie game that draws on various established gameplay elements. The pressures of the third-person genre will also weigh heavily on the game, as the bar has been raised by games such as GTA, Mercenaries, and Fable. If EA can match those games in quality and offer some innovations to boot, The Godfather could be something special. Hopefully, the team at EA Redwood Shores can do that, because if it falls short, there's going to a whole lot of horse heads winding up in people's beds. The Godfather is currently slated to ship this fall for the PlayStation 2, PC, and Xbox. A PSP game is slated to ship late this year as well.
http://img215.exs.cx/img215/1075/gf21ve.png
GameSpot (http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/thegodfather/preview_6118399.html)
Based on the 1972 film of the same name, The Godfather immerses you in the dangerous world of the Mafia. The game features GTA-style gameplay, a new storyline, and voice-acting by original cast members.
http://img66.exs.cx/img66/9857/ss10gj.png
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Electronic Arts
Genre: Action
Release Date: Q4 2005
NEW YORK--How do you make a game based on a beloved movie and book franchise that's known the world over? Such is the question that Electronic Arts' Redwood Shores studio faced roughly two years ago. There are challenges aplenty for any developer setting out to make the best game it can, but all that gets taken up several notches when you factor in expectations from the fans of a classic film franchise. While the daunting task could be intimidating enough to frighten off some, the fine folks at EARS appear to be enthusiastically up to the challenge...if the game's official unveiling in New York tonight is any indication of the team's drive. At an event held in Little Italy this evening, EA offered those in attendance a taste of what to expect from the long-awaited video game version of The Godfather.
http://img212.exs.cx/img212/7065/vito9ni.png
Your virtual Italian self will be an up-and-coming mobster who gets the opportunity to join the Corleone family. Your experience in the game will be shaped by the factors that influence any ambitious mafioso: respect, family, expanding your territory, and the repercussions of the choices you make in your life. The life you lead will form part of The Godfather's narrative, which will closely weave your experiences with the events from The Godfather story everyone knows. This means you can expect to find yourself experiencing familiar moments from the film firsthand. To polish up the new elements and fold them into the existing Puzo lore, creative director Philip Campbell worked with Mark Winegardner (the current torchbearer of The Godfather franchise) to ensure everything worked together smoothly.
http://img146.exs.cx/img146/1905/ss33qn.png
The first clip shown was a cinematic that showed the untimely demise of Don Vito Corleone. The cinematic appeared to be running in-engine and admirably re-created the visuals from the film. Demartini noted that the game will draw on the original score from Nino Rota and will also tap Academy Award-winning composer Bill Conti for around 100 additional minutes of score that's being tweaked to match the game's dynamic action, on the fly, as it unfolds.
http://img214.exs.cx/img214/4205/ss22gv.png
This action will take place in a living world the team is crafting to offer a sandbox experience that doesn't appear to be too far removed from what's been done in the Grand Theft Auto series. Demartini's description of the world that's being created for the game hit all the buzzwords you'd expect, with mentions of "freedom of choice, nonlinearity, and consequences." To back up his points, an actual clip of the game then ran, which showed the main-player character going through his neighborhood and interacting with the locals. The reactions from the residents showed off some subtle effects, mostly done through body language, which signaled their attitudes toward the character. Some head tracking was visible and suggested that your effect on people will be tied to the level of respect you have in the game and your notoriety among them. Mention was also made of how your lifestyle in the game will affect your experience. Interestingly, the respect mechanic seems like the next step in reputation-based gameplay, much like in Fable.
http://img232.exs.cx/img232/7866/gf13je.png
All told, while EA didn't show off as much as we would have liked to have seen of The Godfather, what we saw in motion showed promise. The game will likely be one of the most-scrutinized to hit the market when it ships, due in particular to the expectations from fans of the film and those hoping for something beyond a by-the-numbers movie game that draws on various established gameplay elements. The pressures of the third-person genre will also weigh heavily on the game, as the bar has been raised by games such as GTA, Mercenaries, and Fable. If EA can match those games in quality and offer some innovations to boot, The Godfather could be something special. Hopefully, the team at EA Redwood Shores can do that, because if it falls short, there's going to a whole lot of horse heads winding up in people's beds. The Godfather is currently slated to ship this fall for the PlayStation 2, PC, and Xbox. A PSP game is slated to ship late this year as well.
http://img215.exs.cx/img215/1075/gf21ve.png
GameSpot (http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/thegodfather/preview_6118399.html)