VIDEO GAME REVIEWS

EA games brings the violence of the underworld, boxing ring to consoles

Adam Goldstein • goldstea@mscd.edu
The Godfather
Publisher: EA Games
Price: $39.99
Platform: Xbox, PS2, PSP

   There are offers you can’t refuse and offers that, well, you could take or leave.
   Unfortunately, EA Games’ video game adaptation of “The Godfather” is more of the latter than the former. Despite a degree of engaging game play and a good dose of nostalgia for hardcore fans of the original film, the overarching feel of the game owes too much to predecessors to offer any fresh dynamics.
   This is EA’s bid to enter the profitable realm of the Grand Theft Auto series, complete with the free-form action and the option to hijack cars and wreak violent chaos. For GTA veterans, the main elements of the game ring a bit hollow in their familiarity, even as the cinematic elements distinguish the plot.
   Though actor Al Pacino and director Francis Ford Coppola both disavowed the project, the game makes a point to complement the 1972 classic film. There is a respect and a devotion to the original that shine in the details of the game. Despite the holdouts, EA managed to lure many of the original major players. James Caan, Robert Duvall and John Martino all reprise their pivotal roles as members of the Corleone family and crew. Even Marlon Brando recorded with the EA crew before his death.
Unfortunately, the session did not provide enough usable material, and an imitator performs most of Don Corleone’s lines.
   The designers make full use of this impressive cast in the game’s structure and cut scenes. This is not a “choose your own adventure” version of the film, as no moments from the film are altered in the course of the game play. Luca Brasi still sleeps with the fishes and the Don is still gunned down in the street.
   The action of the game resides in a new character, who waits in the wings during all the pivotal moments of the plot and exacts revenge when appropriate. The ultimate goal of the game is to replace Don Corleone as the Godfather by taking over New York’s warehouses and businesses and cutting out the competition.
The game’s map is extensive and comprises not only four New York neighborhoods, but parts of New Jersey as well. The interface is impressive in its interactive detail, as every pedestrian offers conversation and most doors are accessible. The streets are peppered with classic 1940s autos that are free for the taking. Unlike “Mafia,” Gathering’s 2004 bid to recreate the excitement and freedom of the GTA format, the driving offers the potential to pull off some impressive and destructive vehicular stunts.
   The character control is similarly responsive and offers a degree of detail reminiscent of EA’s successful sports game. In designing the main character, it is possible to design every element from the placement of the mole on the character’s forehead to the depth of his chin cleft. The stock name is Aldo, but the depth of design choices offers a highly personalized quality to the action.
   The game starts out with petty crimes: extorting businesses, bumping off enemies and taking over rackets. These stock missions are augmented by the main story line, which involves all the familiar Corleone drama. To be trained by Luca Brasi and to be advised by consigliere Tom Hagen is entertaining in its novelty and attention to detail. As the character rises up the ranks and gets nearer to the prime position in the family, the attention to the film comes through.
   The controls rely heavily on the joysticks. Like its notable sports titles, EA has put all the power in the joysticks. The right stick controls the combat, with different options for quick and power attacks. This dynamic offers one of the rare departures from the familiar and repetitive format, as it offers a visceral element to the game play. The choices of weapons are fairly standard to the mafia genre, including a magnum, a tommy gun and a garrote.
   Despite its cinematic and pop-culture appeal, “The Godfather” is still heavily beholden to its predecessors. Hijacking cars and wandering big city streets just isn’t as fresh as it was five years ago.
   Still, there is an impressive degree of detail and countless inside references for any fans of the cinematic masterpiece. The impressive cast and nuanced setting lend for a faithful ode to the film’s original vision.
   Someday—and that day may never come—EA may build upon this solid foundation of a game to create something fresher. But until that day, accept this game as a gift for any fan of the classic mafia film.

Joe Nguyen • nguyejos@mscd.edu

Fight Night Round 3
Publisher: EA Games
Price: $39.99 - $59.99
Platforms: Xbox, Xbox 360, PS2, PSP

   Video game boxing has come a long way from the days of “Punch Out’s” Little Mac.
   Electronic Arts has been the top dog in the field of boxing games since it launched the “Knockout Kings” series in 2001. Its latest release, “Fight Night Round 3,” is the first to take the virtual sport to the next generation of consoles. Its mind-blowing graphics and more realistic game play make it one of the better games to come out for the Xbox 360.
   On a high-definition television, the graphics add a new degree of realism. Fighters are seen in high resolution, down to the little impact ripples of a stiff punch. This effect is best seen in the slow-motion replays after the boxer is knocked down.
   Several new boxers were added to “Round 3,” such as Jeff Lacy, Jesus Chavez and current Middleweight champion Jermain Taylor. This also means many from the previous installments have been left out, but those with a little patience can recreate them in the vamped up Create-a-boxer mode.
   Players can now customize the smallest details of their boxer; from the way he punches to the way he stands in his ready position.
   There are a few changes in the fighting system from its predecessor. The most noticeable is the slowing down of haymakers. Before, players could quickly and easily wail away on their opponents with devastating haymaker combinations.
   The slower attacks are now easier to read and counter, making hooks and jabs more effective. This, along with the removal of the heads-up display, or HUD, creates a more realistic feel to the game.
   There are tips on the loading screen, but many just state the obvious. Hints such as “more stamina means the boxer lasts longer in fights,” and “turning down the difficulty level if the game is too challenging” are hardly helpful.
The biggest gripe is the popularity meter replacing the ranking system in the career mode.
   Players must now fill this meter before they are allowed to advance to the next stage in their careers. Boxing has always been a sport based on rankings, and to remove this status is blasphemous. Seeing a fighter’s progression through the ranks brings greater pleasure than seeing an abstract bar rise.
   The addition of rivals to the career mode is a nice touch. Through the course of a boxer’s career, he has an opponent who shadows him, similar to Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales. But unlike those two fighters, there’s not much to distinguish a rival from his normal opponent.
   There’s also a massive amount of product placement within the game. Players can win the Dodge and Burger King trophies, while a giant Staples logo sits in the middle of the ring.
   Similar to the Madden series, those who’ve graced the “Fight Night” covers have encountered a string of bad luck. Roy Jones Jr., once considered one of the top boxers in the world, is on a three-fight losing streak. Bernard Hopkins, who had won 24 straight, lost twice to Jermain Taylor this past year.
   Oscar De La Hoya is this year’s cover-boy. Will he fall prey to the “Fight Night” curse?
   “ Fight Night” is a solid one-player game despite its flaws in the career mode, but its true purpose is to create bragging rights among friends as to who is the true champion.