Software:The Sopranos: Road to Respect

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Short description: 2006 video game

The Sopranos: Road to Respect
North American cover art
Developer(s)7 Studios
Publisher(s)THQ
Director(s)Douglas Carrigan
Producer(s)Mo Davoudian
Writer(s)Allen Rucker
Paul Golding
Composer(s)Victor Rodriguez
Platform(s)PlayStation 2
Release
  • NA: November 9, 2006[1]
  • EU: November 17, 2006
  • AU: November 23, 2006
Genre(s)Action-adventure, beat 'em up
Mode(s)Single-player

The Sopranos: Road to Respect is a 2006 video game by American developer 7 Studios based on the HBO series The Sopranos (1999–2007). The game's storyline takes place between the fifth and sixth seasons and centers on Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero's illegitimate son, Joey LaRocca, as he works his way up in the Soprano crime family.

Road to Respect was published by THQ for the PlayStation 2; a version for the Xbox 360 was set for release, but was canceled.[2] The game received mostly negative reviews.

Gameplay

The player is able to take missions from the main characters of the series at certain points in the game. Road to Respect differs from other mob-influenced games in that it is a linear, story-driven action game as opposed to Grand Theft Auto's open-world type gameplay. Players are able to play Texas Hold 'Em with members of the family and visit the Bada Bing!. The game focuses almost exclusively on the Mafia aspect of The Sopranos.

Story

The game begins with Tony Soprano offering Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero's son Joey LaRocca (the player character) a place in the Mafia after discovering that he's become a petty thief and punk. While working as a bouncer in the Bada Bing, Joey accidentally beats a man to death after he insults Paulie. The victim turns out to be Mario Buscetta, the nephew of Angelo Buscetta. Angelo is the boss of the Philadelphia mob. Angie orders a hit on Joey, but Joey kills the hitman during a rooftop chase. However, Tony then forces him to whack his friend Reggie after he and Silvio conclude that some kind of punishment is necessary.

Joey going to talk to Paulie at Satriale's

A few days later, Tony's son A.J. has a drug deal go bad on him; his partner wasted the drug money, prompting the black dealers to kill his partner and steal his dad's car. Joey, who had agreed to keep an eye on AJ, retrieves the car and kills one of the dealers, only to have the car stolen by Angie's men. While Joey is fearful that the theft of Tony's truck may get him whacked, Tony says that A.J. admitted responsibility. Tony has Joey retaliate for the theft by burning down one of Angie's businesses, a porn studio run by his brother Dino.

Angie then returns Tony's car, completely wrecked, and containing Joey's girlfriend, Trichelle, beaten and raped. Joey vows vengeance. At the docks, he finds Angie and throws him off of his yacht, killing him.

Through various intervals in the game, Joey is visited by the ghost of his dead father Salvatore, who warns him about some of the trouble ahead. For eliminating the rival boss Angie, Tony approves Joey becoming a made man of the Soprano clan. Just before the ceremony, Joey is visited one last time by Salvatore, who is not bitter about his son joining the same mobsters who killed him, and only wants the best for him.

An alternative ending is unlocked should Joey lose all of his respect; the game has a brief scene of him on a boat with Tony and Paulie, asking if he can keep his eyes.

Cast

Cast members who reprised their roles from the show include James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano, Michael Imperioli as Christopher Moltisanti, Steven Van Zandt as Silvio Dante, Tony Sirico as Paulie "Walnuts" Gualtieri, Joseph Gannascoli as Vito Spatafore, Vincent Pastore as Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero, and Robert Iler as Anthony "A.J." Soprano Jr. The main character, Joey LaRocca, is voiced by Christian Maelen.

Other cast members include Monica Keena as Joey's girlfriend Trishelle and Robert Costanzo as Angelo Buscetta of the Philadelphia mob. Anthony DeSando, who played Brendan Filone on the series, voices an entirely new character as LaRocca's friend and associate, Reggie.

Development

The concept for the game originated from an idea that Sopranos creator David Chase had years earlier in his writing career. Chase described the original idea as "an action/comedy about a regular Joe from nowhere who decides he wants to be in the Mafia and how you go about joining."[3] Despite the connection to his original idea, Chase maintained that it wasn't his idea to develop a Sopranos video game and that HBO executives spearheaded the project.[3] Chase did however oversee Alan Rucker's script for the game to ensure "the characters were true to the characters."[4]

In an interview with MTV around the time of the game's release, Chase insisted that Road to Respect had little to no connection to the show: "It wasn't my idea to do a game [...] What I didn't want to have happen was that the game and the show bleed together, that any of the stuff in [the show's] story arcs [...] was in the game or had anything to do with the game."[3]

Many actors from the show reprised their roles for the game, lending their voices and likenesses. Christian Maelen, who voiced the new player character Joey LaRocca, was reportedly Chase's second choice to play Christopher Moltisanti.[5]

Making-of documentary

HBO: The Making of 'The Sopranos: Road to Respect' is a behind-the-scenes documentary[6] that aired on HBO in 2006; the hour-long special includes previews of Road to Respect, cast and crew interviews, and footage of actors recording their parts for the game.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic42/100[7]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Eurogamer3 out of 10[8]
Game Informer6 out of 10[9]
GameSpot4.2 out of 10[10]
GamesRadar+StarStarHalf star[11]
GameTrailers4.4 out of 10[12]
GameZone4 out of 10[13]
IGN4.5 out of 10[14]
3 out of 10 (UK)[15]
VideoGamer.com3 out of 10[16]
X-PlayStarStar[17]
Detroit Free PressStar[18]

The game received "generally unfavorable" reviews according to review aggregator Metacritic.[7] The game received poor reviews from gaming websites like GameSpot and IGN, which complained of overly simplistic gameplay, a small and linear game world with little ability to explore, blocky and unappealing graphics, marginal game mechanics, and various clipping and collision detection bugs. The voice acting contributed by Sopranos cast members received praise.[19]

References

  1. ↑ "Gamers Get 'Made' With THQ's The Sopranos(R): Road to Respect(TM) for the PlayStation(R)2 Computer Entertainment System" (in en). November 9, 2006. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/gamers-get-made-with-thqs-the-sopranosr-road-to-respecttm-for-the-playstationr2-computer-entertainment-system. 
  2. ↑ Harrison, Dave (July 29, 2006). "Xbox 360 Sopranos whacked". https://www.gamesradar.com/xbox-360-sopranos-whacked-10/. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Totilo, Stephen (October 3, 2006). "'SOPRANOS' CREATOR: VIDEO GAME HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SHOW". http://www.mtv.com/news/1542305/sopranos-creator-video-game-has-nothing-to-do-with-show/. 
  4. ↑ Pope, Nick (September 1, 2019). "Remembering 'The Sopranos: Road To Respect' Video Game, The Lost Episode True Fans Need To See". Equire. https://www.esquire.com/uk/latest-news/a25831403/sopranos-road-to-respect-video-game/. 
  5. ↑ Totilo, Stephen (June 15, 2006). "WHACK OR BE WHACKED IN 'SOPRANOS' VIDEO GAME". https://www.mtv.com/news/7gboa1/whack-or-be-whacked-in-sopranos-video-game. 
  6. ↑ HBO: The Making of 'The Sopranos: Road to Respect' (2006) at IMDb
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "The Sopranos: Road to Respect Critic Reviews for PlayStation 2". https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-sopranos/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2. 
  8. ↑ Whitehead, Dan (November 22, 2006). "The Sopranos Review". http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/Sop_eg_rev_ps2. 
  9. ↑ Reeves, Ben (February 2007). "The Sopranos: Road to Respect". Game Informer (166). http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/ABEBE5E5-9036-4E9F-B9BA-B2858E65E152.htm. Retrieved June 26, 2013. 
  10. ↑ Mueller, Greg (November 20, 2006). "The Sopranos: Road to Respect Review". http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-sopranos-road-to-respect-review/1900-6162537/. 
  11. ↑ Grisham, Richard (November 13, 2006). "The Sopranos: Road to Respect". GamesRadar. http://www.gamesradar.com/the-sopranos-road-to-respect-review/. 
  12. ↑ "The Sopranos: Road to Respect Review". GameTrailers. December 21, 2006. http://www.gametrailers.com/reviews/f99u2r/the-sopranos--road-to-respect-review. 
  13. ↑ Valentino, Nick (November 28, 2006). "The Sopranos: Road to Respect – PS2 – Review". GameZone. http://www.gamezone.com/reviews/2006/11/28/the_sopranos_road_to_respect_ps2_review. 
  14. ↑ Haynes, Jeff (November 21, 2006). "The Sopranos: Road to Respect Review". http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/11/22/the-sopranos-road-to-respect-review. 
  15. ↑ Meer, Alec (November 22, 2006). "The Sopranos: Road to Respect UK Review". http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/11/22/the-sopranos-road-to-respect-uk-review. 
  16. ↑ Devlin, Paul (December 4, 2006). "The Sopranos Review". VideoGamer.com. http://www.videogamer.com/ps2/the_sopranos/review.html. 
  17. ↑ D'Aprile, Jason. "Reviews – The Sopranos: Road to Respect". X-Play. http://www.g4tv.com/xplay/reviews/1365/The_Sopranos_Road_to_Respect.html. 
  18. ↑ Antonucci, Mike (December 24, 2006). "GAME REVIEW: 'The Sopranos: Road to Respect'". Detroit Free Press. http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061224/ENT06/612240473/1044&GID=OYWygKaTygW8+07TFZh3eybRGENLdzC7IV7EFGO5fWM%3D. 
  19. ↑ Pope, Nick (January 10, 2019). "Remembering 'The Sopranos: Road To Respect' Video Game, The Lost Episode True Fans Need To See". https://www.esquire.com/uk/latest-news/a25831403/sopranos-road-to-respect-video-game/. 
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

On February 13, 2025, Freyholtz stepped down as the site lead to move onto new projects, leaving operations to Tracy Poff, a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.[18]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
  18. ↑ "An update on MobyGames leadership". 2025-02-13. https://www.mobygames.com/forum/3/thread/269628/an-update-on-mobygames-leadership/#post-269628. 
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