Every new console gets its fair share of 'shovelware' in its opening few months - titles hastily ported across to the machine by lazy developers, in the hope of securing a profit whilst putting in the minimum amount effort possible. The is no different in this respect. A number of entries in its ever-expanding library are no more than direct copies of PlayStation 2 or outings given the motion-sensing control treatment to make it look like a real attempt has been made at something special. Far Cry, Medal of Honour: Vanguard, Carbon? No, ta very much.

Initially (many would say wisely) wary of Nintendo's peculiar new console, Electronic Arts was reluctant to throw its hefty weight behind the 'revolutionary' concept from the off, preferring to bide its time and monitor the lie of the land before making its move. However, any of its earlier doubts were soon laid to rest after the overwhelmingly positive response that the Wii garnered at E3 2006. Since then, have back-pedalled, working tirelessly to increase their support for the little white console. The Godfather: Blackhand Edition is one such example, with an EA representative recently admitting that the world renowned developer and publisher had slogged its guts out to convert the hit title to the Wii in just 8 months - that's everything from start to finish including extra features and expansive motion-sensing controls.

And so Blackhand Edition is fundamentally the same game as was released last year on the and Xbox 360. Whether you think that it is cynical cash in on EA's part is up to you, but either way, nothing can detract from the fact that on the whole it is a very solid effort. Set in 1940s New York, you play what could be considered as an extra from the famous film series, who, until now has not been privileged enough to attain a speaking role. Now, though, is his chance. In an effort to prove his worth, your life revolves around serving the Corleone as best you can, extorting businesses, completing missions and ultimately earning enough respect to allow you to rise on up through the ranks of the New York Mafia.

Blackhand Edition plays like a mid 20th Century version of Grand Theft Auto, allowing you to roam the city's great expanse as freely as you please. You could spend your whole life exploring, but buddying up with the Corleone's contacts and acting on telephone tip-offs is the real way to path success. Not surprising since it is based on a work with one of the most gripping storylines in all film history, the game chooses to stick to its classic plot closely. So if you're familiar with the films, you're likely to enjoy reliving some of the greatest moments in Godfather history - from the murder of Salozzo, to the assassination of Don Barzini or the baptism finale, you're always at the heart of the action.

Of course, if there's anything major that's going to help distance Blackhand Edition from The Godfather on other platforms, it's the Wii's control scheme. And pleasingly - for the majority of the time - it works very well, indeed. Basic movement is taken care of via the Nunchuck's analogue sticks, while both it and the Wii remote take care of combat. Hand to hand-style fisticuffs are a case of gesturing the swinging of punches (a la Wii Sports boxing), while the addition of button presses and various motion-sensing movements that see your character performing an additional wealth of hurtingly hurty moves on his unfortunate victim. Now, inflicting violence on people definitely isn't to be recommended as a method to anyone as a way to get the ol' adrenaline pumping, but there's certainly something to be said for grabbing a man, slamming him into a wall, punching him a couple of times, forcing him to his knees and finally cracking his skull open on a nearby solid surface - all in a virtual environment courtesy of the Wii, that is (enough! - Ed).

Firearm-based combat, sadly, is a different kettle of fish all together, using a lock-on system to target enemies and firing at them using the Wii remote. Due to the game's first person perspective on events and the idiocy of having to adjust the camera via the remote's D-pad to achieve the desired viewpoint, locking onto enemies is a frustrating business. There's also the option to go it alone with completely free aim on the Wii remote. However, its erratic sensitivity and the minuteness of the aiming cursor make shooting accurately and efficiently almost impossible - especially so if you're surrounded by a whole group of gun-wielding baddies.

As is the case with so many Wii titles thus far, a pre-occupation with inventing creative Wii-specific controls has meant that other areas of the game, notably the way it looks, tend to suffer. Blackhand is no different in this respect; for while the character models and overall re-creation of the metropolitan setting languish somewhere between the best efforts of the PS2 and the obviously enhanced look of the version, you still get the feeling that the Wii's technical power hasn't been used to its full potential. Standout instances of this include a ropey draw distance (particularly noticeable in driving sections) and the blurry, pixelated background details that a bit more time and effort could have easily rectified. Nevertheless, a faithful fashioning of The Godfather's cast complete with brilliantly authentic voice acting and a typically atmospherically filmic soundtrack more than make up for the title's other aesthetic blips.

If you've already played any of the other versions of The Godfather videogame, then it's questionable whether you'll want to play through it all again on Wii - even with the new-fangled control method. The addition of a basic levelling up element and a few new bonus missions aren't exactly wallet-grabbing, must-play extras by anyone's standards either. If however, your desperate for some more 'grown up' action-adventuring on Wii, then Blackhand Edition might indeed be worth a pop. It's still got some dodgy AI moments (mafia members running non-stop into walls, anyone?) and occasionally the Wii controls are a little unresponsive, but for 20 plus hours of gameplay, you could certainly spend your money on worse during what seems to be a somewhat worryingly slow period for game releases on Wii.

76%

By Andrew Macarthy

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