PX360: Explain to our readers what the "Don's View" is and how the feature changes how gamers will play The Godfather II?
Hunter Smith: The Don’s View is a fully built 3D, zoom-able, miniature version of the game world where the player can access all the tools he needs to see the world of organized crime through the eyes of the Don. Our inspiration was the architectural models you may have seen of some new development or far off location, with all the buildings, materials, landscapes present that provides this fascinating perspective that you can’t access from being in the place, even when it exists. It’s a god view and what could be more appropriate for a godfather. There’s something fascinating and powerful from this view that compels many of us to really enjoy looking at them, walking & moving around them, imagining what could be going on inside. In Godfather 2 we recreate our game world in miniature and then add a strategy layer interface to provide you with the appropriate details of what is going on in this world; of course we focus on the things that might interest you if you were, say, a crime boss. From the Don’s View, you can navigate the world and see how the crime opportunities are organized in rackets and fronts, who owns each racket and who has formed a Crime Ring; you can see that current status of each rackets or fronts, how well they are defended, what are the current moves by and battles raging between the other families you are competing against.
In addition to getting information about the world, the Don’s View provides you the interface to access the status of the Made Men in your Family and all the rival Families through the Family Tree as well as the power to direct your Families offensive and defensive moves. In your Family Tree, you can manage your family members, upgrade their skills, equip their weapons, even select the clothing style you want your family to wear. In your opponents Family trees, you can check the condition of their Made Men, and if you are smart and well-connected to the right folks in the world by doing favors for them, you can get access to information on their whereabouts and kill conditions to actually eliminate them from the game. These guys are tough – a smart Don will certainly order the right Hits to send the right messages. While in the original game your rivals were static as you gained more and more businesses, in The Godfather II, all five of the rival families are actively trying to acquire the same rackets you are. Continually making sure your business interests are well defended, checking on, improving and directing your made men, or plotting your next attack are going to be key to eliminating your enemies. The Don’s View makes that possible, and puts all the information & tools you need at your fingertips.
PX360: The world is full of a massive number of Godfather fans, what are you doing with this video game to keep those people happy while also making sure people who have never seen the films will enjoy playing?
Hunter Smith: As we set out on this endeavor our intention was to make a game inspired by the fantasy of being the Godfather in the world defined in the Godfather 2 film, of working for and with the Corleones, of dealing with their friends and enemies, so we really invested in picking the right moments, the right arc that supported that fantasy. Our intention was not to remake the movie or retell the intricate story that works in a linear medium with the structures of a game. A game is meant to be played, to be won; it’s defined by mechanics, rules, objectives, opponents and goals. Our approach provides you with a deep game to play within the arc of the modern half of the Godfather 2 story – where your character, Dominic, is introduced and is one of the key figures in this arc, where you and your actions will dictate your success, and where you get to be a key part of many great moments inspired from the powerful world presented in the film. Should you trust Hyman Roth? How can you blackmail Senator Geary?
We also extend and craft the story to provide context and motivation for the game. We strive to give you a fictional arc which feels unique and relevant to the game you are trying to win and which helps suggest the world beyond what was shown in the film. We even borrow from some recently declassified info that weaves the CIA, Castro and the mob together in ways that are relevant to the world of Godfather 2, with the goal of providing some additional interest and motivation for the game.
The team at Paramount has been a strong partner to work with in ensuring we’ve brought the Godfather fan an authentic, yet new and exciting universe in a game world. We took some chances sure, but always with the goal of making the best game experience of the property. If you enjoyed the films you’ll be familiar and intrigued by the association, and if you are new to the Godfather world, the game itself is a holistic experience that you’ll enjoy in its own right.
PX360: Any celebrity voices this time around, if so how was it working with such great actors/actresses during the development process?
Hunter Smith: All of the key characters from the film are there, including Fredo, Hyman Roth, Frank Pantangelli, and even Senator Pat Geary. Unfortunately many of the actors from the films aren’t with us anymore, but we’re very fortunate to have Robert Duvall reprise his role as Tom Hagen, in fact he eventually joins your family as consigliore. Robert Duvall is a true professional and it was a very cool experience to see and hear him bring Tom back to life.
PX360: The Godfather II is only coming to the Xbox 360, PC, and Playstation 3 gaming systems, is this "exclusive" move to next-generation consoles a sign of the future of this franchise, and why?
Hunter Smith: In terms of building only for “next-generation” systems, we really wanted to make sure we could pull off the world and the game system as effectively as possible and felt these systems provided the right environment to make that happen.
