Platform: Microsoft Xbox
Genre: Third-Person Action Adventure
# of Players: 1
ESRB Rating: Mature
US Release: March 2006
Developer: EA Redwood Shores 
Publisher: Electronic Arts

Review by: Joel Tandberg

Let’s get something out in the open here: I buy games that I want to play. So unless there is a huge disappointment or I go shopping when I’m drunk (not beneath me), most of the games I review will have at least a 7ish kind of overall score. I wish the same could be said for some of the other things I get—girlfriends, food, music, etc. On that note, I want to ramble. First: Who knew Coheed and Cambria was going to go way over the top? And who would think chocolate Lucky Charms wouldn’t taste good? Anyhoo, on to the game.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock or in a sheltered Mormon existence, you’ve heard of The Godfather. Started as a book by Mario Puzo and transformed into a movie by Frances Ford Coppola (who, strangely enough, is Nicholas Cage's dad or uncle or some shit). There were two Godfather movies made—that’s right, only two. Unless you consider that piece of dog shit stuck in your shoe made 20 years after the fact a movie. That being said, I’ll skip the story because you either know it or you’ve stopped reading and are rushing out to Blockbuster. 

Simply, this game rocks. EA spent quite a while putting it together, and it shows. You follow much of the movie's plot and are completely immersed in “the life.” Almost everybody from the original movie makes an appearance. (I say almost because Al Pacino isn’t a real person anymore; he’s too cool for you and anyone you'll meet.) It’s interesting to have James Caan or my hero Robert Duvall; you can even talk to Abe Vigoda! After raping most sports games, it seems as if EA is starting to turn into a pretty decent company.

I’m never sure what my favorite part of playing this game is. Whether it’s choking people so they give me money every week, robbing banks, taking over territory or watching scenes from the movie, I’m always having fun. Sometimes I get a little tired of driving around from town to town, though. 

This game is a surefire way to have a talk (read: argument) with your girlfriend/boyfriend about not spending enough time together; just be ready for that. I bought this game with two other games on the same day, and the others are still wrapped in plastic. It’s one of those few games out there that I need to beat and I will. I want 100% completion and will settle for nothing less. 

(I had to look over my shoulder for my girlfriend when I typed that, but she’s outside with the dogs, so we’re good.)

So how do I rate a game I knew I was going to love? It’s like knowing you’re going to see Elizabeth Hurley and Franka Potente get naked and get it on and then someone asking how it was. It was great, you dolt! Great I say! That’s it; I’m spent. 

Past Reviews by Joel Tandberg:

Castlevania: Curse of Darkness (MXB)
Forza Motorsport (MXB)
Red Dead Revolver (MXB)