A (Corleone) Family Affair

You gotta hand it to the makers of “The Godfather.” They took a big chance trying to make a game of the best gangster epic of all time, two of the best movies of any kind ever made.

It was an offer they shuda refused.

U.S. Gold, a firm with a limited concept of computer gaming, turned the wonderful story of the Corleone dynasty into an arcade game! A shoot-’em-up! You can imagine these guys hanging around the office: “What’s your favorite scene?” “When Sonny gets it in the tollbooth.”

Before we continue trashing this thing, a few words of praise: The graphics are really great, especially the opening scene of the New York skyline in 1946. Very stylized, very evocative and far better than the game itself deserves. The music works well too. On another important front, the makers have finally figured out that it’s OK to print a readable copy-protection code wheel; they’ve dropped their trademark black-on-black wheel for an easier to use white-on-black contraption.

That said, you have to wonder what possessed these people to turn “The Godfather” into this kind of mess. You play some low-level soldier in the family who rises up the ladder by walking down a street blasting other bad guys. Scenes change as you progress. From New York in the ‘40s, you go to Las Vegas in the ‘50s. Then it’s on to Havana, Miami and, ultimately, the climactic meeting of the families.

“The Godfather,” it’s a crime.

Godfather

Rating: **

IBM and compatibles; 640K; hard drive. Joystick recommended. List: $49.95.

Computer games are rated on a five-star system, from one star for poor to five for excellent.