The Godfather: Mob Wars

Don’t let your expectations get in the way of a good game–The Godfather: Mob Wars is a rare departure from motion picture-licensed gaming fare. The Godfather: Mob Wars, which borrows heavily from its console counterparts, sets itself apart by introducing new gameplay elements tailored to the handheld’s strengths. While it may not be so good an offer you can’t refuse, Electronic Arts has taken enough creative liberty with The Godfather: Mob Wars to craft a well-presented, interesting and enjoyable experience.

The Godfather: Mob Wars closely follows the original motion picture, but introduces a new character which you control. Following his father’s death, you’ll take him through the Corleone family as he works his way toward being a made man. The campaign remains essentially untouched from the console versions of the game; that is, the same action-packed missions are found here in this PlayStation Portable edition. Most missions require you to take out a rival mobster or eliminate a mole within the family; although, there is a little variety with a few of stealthy objectives and a small assortment of weapons. The Godfather: Mob Wars focuses less on providing an arsenal of cool weapons or mixing the action up with crazy missions; rather, the story mode really attempts to follow the film and succeeds in doing so, while being fun.

Exclusive to the PlayStation Portable version of the game is Mob Wars mode. A mix of turn-based tactics and real-time action, Mob Wars puts you at the helm of the Corleone family in their bid to take over New York City. During your turns, you’ll move mobsters on a map of the city in an effort to oust competing families. By selecting a rival family’s territory, you’ll enter into real-time gameplay in order to retaliate against them and take their turf. The mode is surprisingly fun, even if it suffers from the same lack of variety as the story mode. Since progress in the story unlocks weapons and upgrades to your character’s attributes, working your way through the story in concert with moves in Mob Wars mode tie the two together.

The biggest draw for The Godfather: Mob Wars is its short length. Even with the addition of Mob Wars, the game is only a few hours long. At least it looks good for those few hours; while it doesn’t have the high-definition charm of the Xbox 360 version (read our review), the game looks quite good on PlayStation Portable. Looks aside, The Godfather: Mob Wars is simply an enjoyable extension of the console version that appropriately adds new content to the mix. While it isn’t a ground-breaking experience, it is fun while it lasts.

– Tracy Erickson