I bought it the other day, and basically.... it kicks ass!
flaws:
Driving unrealistic, e.g. a truck handles like a ferrari
ups:
Graphics: Unbelivable, I never seen x-box pushed that far since halo 2
Gameplay: Imagine a grown up, more entertaining version of GTA. Imagine brutal violence, like strangulation, with hands or wire. Executions and finishing moves (my fav is holding someone down and blowing there brains out). Extortion, man handle people to get money of them.
Local: This has an entire 1930's new york mapped to every single detail, to be honest, its breath taking!!!
Back to gameplay again, your character is FULLY customizamle. I spent 2 hours making mine look like a dirty pikey :P
You get to play in the godfather universe, like helping some guy put a horses head in someones bed :D Is unbelivable man, buy this game. FUck the critics!