Mafia Trilogy is coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam. Using the same engine that Mafia 3 was built on, it sounds like the mob classic is getting a major overhaul to bring it in line with the sequels. Mafia 2 was developed by 2K Czech and is available for PC, Xbox 360, and PS3.Mafia: Definitive Edition is "re-made from the ground up," according to a press release, with a new engine, expanded story, and more modern gameplay features, as well as a re-recorded orchestral score. By the end of the campaign it rather amazed me how much of Empire Bay ended up serving as nothing more than incredibly atmospheric set-dressing. Without spoiling anything, I will say that the game's cliffhanger ending is too abrupt for it's own good, and left me wishing for more closure after having grown so attached to the characters. You can waste your money to fill cars that never run out of gas, or take your car to the car wash. Players can also interact with the world in a number of incidental ways, like flicking light switches and flushing toilets, but their inclusion is entirely in the service of ambiance, not gameplay. Cops will occasionally pull you over for speeding or colliding with another vehicle, but you can run red lights all day without repercussions. Mafia 2's biggest shortcoming is that outside of the events and missions in the main storyline, there's not a whole lot of depth-just the illusion of it. (I still have Louis Prima's ' When You're Smiling' stuck in my head.) Listening to Mafia 2's various radio stations is also a treat, since they're brimming with a great selection of songs from the era to help set the mood.
It's also worth noting that high-speed vehicular collisions can kill you instantly, which adds some tension to the game's car chases. I couldn't help but laugh the first time I peeled around a street corner and my hubcaps popped off. Though fictional, the game's period vehicles are highly detailed, a lot of fun to drive, and reflect damage realistically.
(The exclusive "The Betrayal of Jimmy" DLC for the PS3 brings in some more traditional "drive and kill" missions to Empire Bay, via a separate storyline.) Stealing cars and robbing stores are interesting diversions, but the main story is compelling and well-paced enough that you'll rarely feel the need to dally with these minor distractions. You can always explore the city at your leisure while between objectives, but despite Empire Bay's beauty and stellar ambiance, there isn't very much else to do.
Each of the game's fifteen chapters is structured around a series of specific events, though you'll never have more than one primary objective to pursue at a time. Mafia 2's mission structure is more akin to playing through a piece of gangster fiction than playing other open-world games. Step in front of a Tommy gun, or a close-range shotgun blast, and you'll be reloading the last checkpoint before you can say "cannoli." The game's gunplay is fast-paced fun, with cover playing a key role to survival. Gameplay in Mafia 2 consists of a blend of driving and on-foot combat and exploration. Some may find the racism somewhat shocking (and based on stereotypes), but it seems to be there to set the scene for that time and place, not the sake of attention. Pedestrians go about their daily business, and you'll occasionally find yourself stopping to overhear scripted conversations between inconsequential characters just because they're so entertaining.
It's not often that a game can convey emotions effectively through facial expressions alone, but Mafia 2 is full of such moments. Besides the all-around high quality of the voice-acting, the characters are expressive, with their own distinct personalities. Before long, Joe's ingratiating Vito into the Mafia's version of the American dream.Įmpire Bay presents one of the more visually arresting cities to appear in an open world-game, seeming more "alive" than other titles. Players take on the role of Vito Scaletta, an Italian immigrant who, upon returning from the front lines of WWII after suffering a minor injury, reunites with childhood friend-turned-wise guy, Joe Barbaro. Set in the fictional city of Empire Bay during the 1940's and '50's, Mafia 2 aims for a more focused approach to the open-world gameplay style.
It's been about eight years since the release of Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven by 2K Czech (formerly Illusion Softworks) and now Mafia 2 arrives to make some more offers that gamers can't refuse.