Electronic Arts announced March 24th as the day The Godfather The Game will be on store shelves in Europe and March 21st in North America. Developed by EA, the open-world videogame is based on the critically-acclaimed book by Mario Puzo and the classic film by Paramount Pictures through a strategic licensing relationship with Viacom Consumer Products. In less than two months, gamers worldwide will step into the Don's dangerous world of intimidation and negotiation via their PlayStation 2, Xbox or PC. The Godfather The Game will also be available for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and PSP later in 2006.
EA's The Godfather The Game puts you at the center of one of the world's most revered stories. In the role of a young man just entering the Corleone family, you create your own mob character and work your way to the top. For the first time ever, you will go beyond the films and book to actually step into the living world of The Godfather fiction throughout 1940s New York City. You will work your way up the mob ranks your own way, choosing just how much force to use as you rise to power. Relive classic moments from the fiction and experience open-world gameplay alongside unforgettable characters from the film such as Luca Brasi, Sonny, Tom Hagan, and of course, Don Vito Corleone himself.
The Godfather is one of the most exciting, dramatic and memorable works of fiction in the world; for the videogame, we felt it was important to build a complex and responsive open-world that puts you in the heart of the action, said David DeMartini Executive Producer of The Godfather The Game.
The Godfather The Game is being developed by EA Redwood Shores where such franchises as Lord of the Rings, James Bond, and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR games are made.
To mark the announcement MegaGames has secured a Q&A with David De Martini, Vice President, Executive Producer, Godfather egarding the MobFace feature available in the game.
1. How did the 'MobFace' idea come about?
Building off of the GameFace success in Tiger Woods we set out to allow you to create & customize you character and allow YOU to join the Corleone family taking on roles as a lowly outsider trying to work your way up to become Don yourself. Our goal was to increase the emotional impact of the overall experience by allowing the play to create an Italian American version of themselves so that they would then be part of the Godfather fiction and you would experience the game looking at yourself as a key player in the fiction.
2. How in-depth does the feature get? Is it true to the era?
The customization possibilities are seemingly endless. MobFace is presented in a slider driven fashion so you no longer "choose" your character, but rather sculpt him from head to toe. There are over 75 sliders; each controlling a different facial/body feature from hair style to scars on your face all the way down to the shoes on your feet. We stayed very true to the era with the clothing choices (over 50 different attire choices each with dozens of pattern and color choices) and stayed true to the fiction with the appearance allowing you to create a character of Italian decent...after all if you weren't blood you could never become Don.
3. Why is it so important to the game? Does what you wear have an effect on gameplay?
As you progress through the game you are managing two commodities, Respect & Money. As you partake in the various opportunities New York City offers (extortion, racketeering, bank heists, etc...), you will earn money. With that cash you can visit the tailor shop and edit your characters appearance. A mobster who doesn't spend money appears to be struggling so in buying apparel upgrades (not to mention other "lifestyle" items such as safehouses, explosives and weapon upgrades) you increase your characters Respect Level, which is the key to becoming the Don of NYC.
4. Talk a little about the development. What were the big successes?
I remember the first time we saw our MobFace characters sitting amongst the Corelone family in one of a recreated In Game Cinematics and thinking wow, that guy really could have been there...that really is me in that scene. It really does accomplish the mission of increasing the emotional intensity of the experience. When the character does something great, it is me doing something great. When the character gets arrested or killed, I'm getting arrested or killed. When I watch the movie moments in the game, I'm in the movie!
5. How would you design your Mobster?
I almost always try to create myself each time, but you can create anyone from a scrawny, frail Fredo like character to a heavyset brawler like Luca. The coolest thing about Mobfaces is that everyone has freedom and choice to create their mobster. It is a level of customization not seen in these open world games.
