Developer: 2K Czech
Publisher: 2K Games
Rating Guide: How I Review Games

Review:

There’s something about the mob that makes for pretty good video games.  Mafia 2 offers up one of the most complete instances of “the family” that I’ve seen to date.  What can I say…it’s fun riding around being a gangster and breaking people’s faces.  I know I could never do that in the real world but that’s why we have games like Mafia 2.  I get to live my life as the ganster I was destined to be.  I am Vito Scaletta and I will run Empire Bay.

Gameplay, Graphics and Sound

Mafia II does a lot of things well and perhaps none moreso than its story.  You get entangled in the twists and turns of being young Vito fresh from World War 2 trying to make a living and a name for himself.  That’s the way it is in New York.  You’ll be going on several missions throughout Empire Bay to do just that.  I wish there was more of an open world to explore in Mafia II but you’re basically on a single course to complete the assortment of missions you’ll come across.

I would’ve liked to be able to get odd jobs on my own after exploring and such but you’re pretty much playing out the story as 2K sees fit.  And that’s not a bad thing because what this game does extremely well is tell the story.  I’m a big fan of movies like Scarface and The Godfather so I felt like I was helping an actual movie tidy things up.  It was pretty engaging.

Each mission did just the right things and set just the right atmosphere to make me feel like I really was Vito.  I was this kid trying to make a name for myself in any way I can.  I was this kid rising to power in New York.   I wish I could’ve made my own true mark but in the end you’re really set on a path that you can’t alter.  But the story is such that you really end up not missing out because it’s so well done. 

One of the things I thought was less than perfect was the way you navigated the city (vehicles in particular) as well as the gunplay.  Targeting wasn’t the best there is when compared to other third-person shooters but if you take into account the era, then it may make sense.  But who wants to do that?  It’s a game…I want to be able to shoot with ease.  The cover system was much better though and as it turns out, you’ll definitely need some cover.  There are plenty of guns and action in Mafia II so that means plenty of shootouts, chases and overall dead bodies. 

If you think you’re invincible and you go into most battles guns blazing, you’ll quickly learn the fine art of cover.  Use it!  Although at times I found myself being whacked from behind what I thought was perfect cover.  You can’t tell the path of a bullet I suppose.

And you can’t tell the path of the AI in the game or more specifically the cops.  They seem to operate with a mind of their own.  They’ll take down your license plate number, give a description of you and ultimately make life pretty hectic if you stir them up.  It’s fun being on the “getaway” from the “man” though.

Have I mentioned the Playboy magazines?  I didn’t think this would add to the game at all but I found myself quite pleased when discovering the magazine collectibles.  Or perhaps that’s just me being the fan of porn that I am?  Whatever the case, I wish the partnership with Playboy had been explored a bit more.

The sound and acting in the game I thought were another strong point.  There are only a select few titles that have a soundtrack worthy of actually putting in my CD collection and Mafia II’s is one of them.  I can’t get enough of the early 40s and 50s music being played.  On top of the soundtrack, the casual conversation you run into when passing by some locals is pretty entertaining.  It’s a mobster game so you should know what to expect….a lot of F-bombs etc.

Xbox LIVE Extras

Unfortunately you can’t get your mobster on via Xbox LIVE.  However, there is added content you can download to extend your experience.  You can check out Jimmy Vendetta’s Pack and other content right here.

Conclusion

Mafia II is the best story I’ve experienced in a ”mobster game” to date.  It truly captures the essence of what life is behind the eyes of Vito.  It had some issues mechanically but it provides much more in its detail that you’re too busy being a gangster to care.  The cinematic presentation rivals some of today’s better movies.

Someday I’m going to get a co-op mobster game and I’m going to love it.  Until that happens, it’s nice to be able to experience a single player game in this day and age when multiplayer seems to be the thing to do.  If you’re into having an experience on your own that will take you down a path and then spit you out at the end leaving you satisfied, then try a little mobster in your life with Mafia II.