Mafia II

The GTA alternative that really moves in another direction.

Many people though that the first Mafia game was just a rip off of the 3D Grand Theft Auto games, but what actually happened was that people saw they could do more than just cause mayhem when given the freedom to roam. That is not to say that Mafia 1 or 2 players didn’t go on killing rampages as you do with GTA, but with the Mafia games, you don’t feel the need or even the compulsion. It is in effect a very different gameplay experience from the one you get with GTA.

Getting Your Story Straight

The game’s storyline is as predictable as ever, just as it was with the first Mafia game. You are lured into a life of crime and love it until you suddenly decide you don’t. In typical fashion, the mafia is demonized and your character decides he must get out. By the time you get to the point where you discover that crime doesn’t pay, the game almost skips out on you and leaves a lot of stuff unresolved. Is this because they are planning a third? Or, were they going for a Sopranos “Cut to black” ending?

Comparing It To That Game You Have Played

Comparisons to GTA 4 are inevitable, but you will find they are very different games, and one of the reasons is because you are given more freedom with GTA 4. The gameplay within the Mafia 2 game is more story driven, so you tend to be pulled from one mission to another without much choice in the matter.

Is It An Interactive Drama?

Some have suggested that this game is an interactive drama, which is why you are led from one mission to the next, with many of them starting in the morning right after you wake up. This may be some sort of commentary on the fact that working for the Mafia is similar to working for most other companies in that you have to wake up in the morning and go to work to be led by the nose by some halfwit with a tie on. Nevertheless, it does start to feel a little routine after a while. Even the shooting scenes start to feel as nerve-wrenching as buttering your toast with a spoon.

Pros

• The various sandbox opportunities are great fun
• It is a very story-heavy game
• Graphically and visually it is good
• It has a fair amount of replay value
• The controls are easy to master and become expert at
• The story is underwhelming but still okay

Cons

• It feels unnecessarily padded
• The police follow you for something such as speeding
• It drags you back into the story mode when the sandbox is more fun