Though a solid game, rather than rush out an obvious sequel EA have taken their time and released a completely revamped follow-up. Just like the film it is set in the late fifties and sixties, 4 years after the first film. Michael is the Don Corleone and you return as Dominic, one of his most trusted aides. The game starts off in Cuba, with our gangsters all happy with the way they run the country and the fact that all of the families are working together, only for it to be overrun by rebels. You make a quick escape back to New York but the death of a prominent mafia figure causes the truce to collapse and it's all out war for the families again as they try to hold onto as much land as possible.

 

 

Rather than being a hoodlum, taking orders and having a small crew of gangsters for back up, Godfather II sees you call the shots as you become the Don of your own family. You start with just one sidekick but this can increase to 7 under your command, though you can only have three working with you at once. Each sidekick has an ability to utilize as well as a firearms licence. The licence dictates what weapons they can use, though I managed to play most of the game with the basic setting on all of my men. The specialities are vital to progress through certain levels so it is always good to have a variety in your family. The bruisers are able to break down doors, safe crackers can get you extra cash and pick locks, arsonists and demolition experts can blow up buildings and medics will constantly boost your health if hit and also revive you and fallen family members. Control of your men is very easy, X calls them to you and B will either make them go to a spot of your choice or do one of their specialties.

 

The game will start you in New York with another rival gang running most of it. With your new family you go around reclaiming the city, a building at a time. To get a new business you need to first take out all of the goons on site and then intimidate the owner using the Black Hand technique. If used properly you can find their weakness and get a cash bonus before they snap and give you nothing. This can be with physical violence or property damage.

 

There is a wide range of businesses to take over including brothels, construction sites, bars and gambling dens. The game has sets of rackets to take over, get a full crime ring and your family will earn a bonus like body armour, faster property rebuilds, brass knuckles and cash boosts. You can also extort small businesses so you can launder your cash, allowing for a bigger cut. As you take over each property you are able to set guards at each one, although these cost you so bear that in mind before filling up the place with your own hoods. Getting the right balance is crucial as opposing families will try and take over them again, although if your men struggle you can always send one of your sidekicks in to help out.

 

Once all of the fronts are yours the rival family’s compound will open allowing you to take them out once and for all. To prepare for the final attack you can do favours to find out their soldiers and Capo weaknesses and locations, causing less soldiers to be at the compound and make your attack a bit easier. Favours range from beating people, a hit or some property damage. Other favours involve corrupt officials and the Police and completing these allows for instant recovery for downed members and also helps to call the police off your back.

 

 

Though the game does weave in between the films story, most of it is based around recovering your empire, taking you from New York, Florida, Cuba (yes there are less cars as it's Cuba after a huge revolution, they still don't have many there *cough eurogamer cough*) and back again. Each map is of a reasonable size and easy to navigate. To help organize your criminal empire you have the Don View. This is a very cool 3D map of the city, showing who owns what, how heavily guarded and what it is. Using the Don View you can also command spare soldiers to bomb and take over property, allowing you to concentrate on other areas.

 

Included with the single player experience is a pretty good multiplayer mode, with a good selection of maps allowing for classic team deathmath modes plus a few mafia orientated modes like arson and safe cracking. A genius move is allowing you to play as your soldiers from the single player game and rank them up, allowing them to use better weapons on and offline.

 

At around 13 hours solid play this is a lot shorter than the first game but it feels more complete with easy to use team controls and a fun online ranking up mode. Godfather II will certainly not disappoint fans of the original.