A few weeks ago, I received an intriguing e-mail from Aspyr Media asking me if I wanted to play its newly released title, "Made Man: Confessions of the Family Blood," as well as have a little chat with the game's writer. Indeed, I was flattered and jumped at the opportunity. A gaggle of electronic discourse and a phone call from New York later, I now have a greater understanding of what goes on behind the scenes in the creation of a game. When I picked up the phone Friday, just as spring break was getting underway, "Made Man" writer David Fisher greeted me, and we began our short 10-minute chat. By trade, Fisher is a best-selling author and expert on organized crime. Over the course of his career, he has published more than 50 books and is also the only reporter ever granted access to the FBI's crime lab for research. I, of course, had to ask if Fisher is a gamer himself. I was rather shocked to find that he wasn't, though he explained his kids were, leading him to dabble in various first-person shooters. When I asked Fisher what motivated him to get into such a line of work and he jokingly responded "the money," I instantly became more relaxed. (Yes, I will admit to being nervous about the interview as I am more accustomed to shooting my mouth off about games, rather than conducting interviews.) Although this is Fisher's first project in the gaming industry, he was assigned the ambitious task of creating the most realistic Mafia game experience to date. To avoid mistakes of games such as "The Godfather," which caters more to a Hollywood audience, focusing more on gameplay was essential. Gamers want to play and become involved in the game without being bogged down with a film-like experience they can watch on the big screen. One of the challenges for Fisher in translating ideas from the literary world into the electronic was making compromises. This was especially difficult when deciding which features to emphasize. Fisher said he would have liked to see more picture-in-picture effects, which show the gameplay from a different angle, allowing players to see what is coming up (like a weapon or obstacle) and then guiding them through it. However, sacrifices had to be made, and the game is light on these effects. To combat the limitations of the gaming medium, Fisher and company devised a unique real-time voiceover system. During gameplay, players hear the thoughts of the main character Joey as he goes about his rampage of mob carnage. The goal is to allow players to become more involved with the character during the action and be able to identify more with him. Fisher played a large role in designing the characters from the ground up, giving them life by using real living souls to base them off of. Some characters are based off specific people, while others, like Joey, are "composite characters," taking on characteristics of a few. Joey was based mainly off of a personal acquaintance of Fisher, a Mafia hit man known as "Joey Black." Yet the design strayed from the real-life Joey, since Fisher gave his character, "Joey Verola," a greater sense of morality. He is designed in a way that enables players to see him progressively become more comfortable with taking people out as he is assimilated into the family. "Made Man" emulates true Mafia scenarios. Each level, character, etc., is grounded in real events and people, which add to the realistic tone of the title. The stages in the game are meant to simulate a typical mobster moving up through the ranks. The end of the game essentially teaches players more about the world of organized crime than they ever thought they would know. The future of "Made Man" is uncertain, but it sounded as though there is the possibility of at least a second installment. Fisher said that he would be overjoyed to take part in a sequel if the opportunity arose. He also expressed an interest in taking on other projects in gaming, like a forensic science title. After our chat, I could really begin to see the influence the author had on the design of the game. As I advance further into the story, I really get the sense that it develops like a novel. When playing, players get to know what is happening from all different angles. The story and gameplay create a sense of dramatic irony, as well. For instance, picture-in-picture shots time and again allow players to see a bit of action that lies before Joey. This is really like a chapter out of a novel where you know the "bad guy" is coming, except in this world you can control the character. Now that I have sat down and had a little heart-to-heart with the main man behind "Made Man," there is really only one thing left to do — review the game itself. I should be wrapping up the game in very short order, and you fine folks can look for my full review of "Made Man" next week. Will "Made Man" become the don of Mafia titles? I guess you will just have to wait and find out. For now, I am back to more trigger-happy fun with a side of spaghetti and meatballs. Let the blood bath commence! Justin Voss is a sophomore majoring in Japanese. Does "Made Man" whack "The Godfather" when it comes to mobster games? Tell Tanuki Voss what you think at [email protected].