Customer Reviews

Mafia II

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(37)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Back in 2007 when the first trailer for Mafia II debuted, I said to myself this looks awesome.
I played the first one and thought it was one of the best PC Games ever made, So I was looking forward to this game since it was announced. I was blown away by the demo despite it having a 12 minute time limit. It wasn't long into my Mafia II playing experience that I realized I enjoyed playing a 12 minute demo more than playing 2 hours of the actual game.
I was very disappointed in this one.

The game is set in a fictional called Empire Bay (Based heavily on 1940's-50's era New York City)Taking place after World War 2 and beginning in 1945 when The main character Vito, returns home from serving in the US Army. We are introduced to Empire Bay and the games characters. The vintage cars & Well put together oldies soundtrack add to the overall feel of the 40's and it certainly feels authentic. However This all provides a facade for a game that lacks much substance and leaves the player craving for any kind of excitement. This game reminds me of a beautiful woman, appealing and seductive at first glance, but you find she's as dumb as a bag of rocks.

Mafia II is similar to it's predecesor. The story is really the only thing that makes this game interesting but it's dense plot and predictable outcome really make it just as dull and boring as the gameplay. The voice acting is certainly one of the few postitives of the game, featuring the voices of TV stars Rick Pasqualone & Sonny Marinelli. The Cinematics really make you feel like your watching a Scorcese flick, sadly this isn't enough to mask the insipid world around the player.
The map itself isn't very big to begin with, Despite having an open world with seemingly limitless possibilities, The game feels more like a dictator forcing you to rush through the game and beat it as quickly as you can. For instance,
when Vito completes a Chapter/Mission he is always told to "go home" and "sleep" this leaves the story to proceed to the next chapter. I'm not saying it should be like GTA, But it would have been better if you could space out your story progression and do side-missions for different characters at your own leisure, rather than just go straight up the gut with the story. Perhaps 2k Czech did this purposely to hide what awful non-linear activities they have spread throughout the map

To put it blatantly there is really nothing outside the linear plot that can keep you occupied, The car customization option is a really cool feature and I'm sorry to say is perhaps the highlight of the game, allowing you to get a fresh paint job, new rims, and engine upgrade. Unless you enjoy robbing stores, Bringing stolen cars to a chop shop for money, Getting drunk or buying clothes this game is not for you.

There is no free roam save feature the game saves automatically when you advance to the next chapter, this really cripples the open world, sandbox type game I was expecting it to be. Mafia II lacks the diversity of the other mafia themed video games such as The Godfather. The Godfather allowed you to run a vast criminal empire of rackets, store fronts and prostitution rings, why wouldn't The people at 2k Czech realize that's what being in the mafia was all about and what makes the game fun and interesting. 2k Czech must not have played this game after they made it because they would realize how dull and un inspiring of a game it was, Which makes me wonder why they even delayed this game for as long as they did. It didn't improve anything. The map is consists of only 3 islands which are all clones of each other with simlar buildings, shops and streets.

If anyone played the demo, somewhere along your torturous experience in this game you'll notice the subtle differences like the bridge cincematic in the demo is not even in the game at all. I feel 2k sucker punched us and made us look like fools.

This game had alot of potential. It wasn't long into my Mafia II playing experience that I realized I enjoyed playing a 12 minute demo more than playing 2 hours of the actual game. My advice to those interested in purchasing this game, don't be decieved by the trailers, gameplay footage or what favorable reviews you may come across, This game isn't half bad however I would not reccomend buying it there is no replay value at all. It's the ultimate game designed to look good in Trailers, Posters, etc. and set us up for a high expectations and HUGE letdown. Perfect example of style lacking substance.

Mafia 2 is a fun 3rd-person action game. It's not a GTA clone nor is it up there with Gears of War or Uncharted as far as shooting and covering go. It does however have a great story to tell with well-staged cut-scenes and some of the best graphics I've seen on a console.

As I said before the story of Mafia 2 is excellent and VERY much carries the game. You play as Vito Scalletta, a poor Italian-American in the 1940's who, after fighting in WWII, finds himself drawn into the world of crime. Every character in Mafia 2 is well developed and well voice-acted and the story plays out very dynamically (starting in WWII Italy to a prison stretch to being a mafioso on the streets on Empire Bay) but is easy to follow.

The graphics are also excellent in Mafia 2 and really bring the world to life. Snow and leaves fall, birds and cats move around on stoops and in alleys, and people go on about their daily lives while you are on a mission. The building interiors look especially good like they were taken out of an episode of 'Mad Men'. The character models are surprisingly detailed as well.

While the presentation of Mafia 2 is a wonder to behold, the gameplay is very disappointing. The controls are shaky when you're just walking around. Driving around takes some getting used to but is fun overall, same with hand-to-hand combat. Shooting and covering however is lacking: namely you can't blind-fire from cover. Normally I wouldn't mind (I mean you can't blind-fire in Mass Effect either) but when your enemies CAN blind-fire from cover and with some of them trying to rush you, gun-fights can get frustrating.

Mafia 2 is also very linear. I don't mind that there's no side-missions (which I rarely partook in games like GTA or Red Dead Redemption) but the basic story-missions almost never have alternate paths. This is a shame because there's a couple really good stealth-missions thrown into the mix that could've benefitted from non-linear solutions. In fact I think the game needed more stealth missions because I had more fun on those than the actual gun-fight and chase missions (or at least have a stealth optional solution to most missions, I mean I ASSUME the criminal underworld doesn't want this much attention drawn to itself!).

Despite my complaints Mafia 2 is still a worth-while game. It took me about 10 hours to beat which is average for a linear action game. If you love good gangster stories like I do you'll love the narrative of Mafia 2. If you're looking for a more well-polished gaming experience best to save your money.

I am quite the fan of GTA style games. Not just the storyline but the way the game plays as far as controls etc. This game while somewhat predictable because of who made it, is exactly the kind of game I like. The graphics are fabulous. They have a somewhat dark feel to them without actually being "dark". The missions really fall into being predictable but again, fun. The camera controls are also predictable which is a good thing. I hated Alan Wake for the reason of the camera control being absolute crap, those in this game are what I am use to and gives you the ability to really look around and watch where you're going and what's going on around you.

Edited to add that the soundtrack is simply amazing. I'm not old enough to remember music from that era so I forget that there were alot of good artists back then.

Editing a second time now that I have finished the game. Wow! The ending comes fast. I wasn't expecting it when it came. I had a feeling the mission I was on might be the final mission the way it was playing out but was still surprised. The fact that there is no free play after the final mission is bad. If you wanted to collect all the collectables in the game you'd better do it before you get sent to the Observatory. There were so many open ended things in this game that they could have expanded on but didn't.

Overall this was a fun game but not worth the $60 paid for it. This was shorter than most EP's/ports for GTA games. I've said that just to give you a reference to how short this game really is. There really is little replay value in this game. Play it once and you're done.

Story has often been a minor addition to video games. Recently it has been coming into it's own with some previous and next gen games really pushing the limits of digital storytelling. When you play Mafia 2, you'll realize you have have one example of excellent story telling in a game to tell your friends about.

The game begins with an introduction of the character you will be controlling, Vito. Vito's story begins in Italy as he is part of the US Army forces tasked with invading Sicily. In this level you will get a feel for the gameplay and be introduced to the extremely intricate character that is Vito. Over the next 10-15 hours, you will take part in a story that rivals some of the best mob movies ever made. Vito's story is so compelling that you will find yourself looking forward to the next cutscene. Your friends in the game will really tear at your heartstrings at different moments and you will really feel for the characters.

So, the story is fantastic and hits a homerun, but for most, this isn't enough. Luckily, the gameplay isn't too bad. Shooting is and movement in the game is basically what you would find in any other game out there. If you have played other third person shooters then you will feel right at home with Mafia 2.

The sound is a homerun as well. The sound of the city and characters is extremely well done. Along with the sound, the graphics are top notch in some places. Occasionally you won't be wowed by the graphics but then you will see the city skyline and your jaw will drop. It's a mixed bag but one that is perfectly capable in a game of it's caliber.

The only drawback to the game is the open world. The open world is great, it just feels empty. There's nothing to do but go in some random shops and drive around. You will spend your time in between missions driving to the next story mission and nothing much else.

All in all, Mafia 2 is a great game you should check out if you like a great story in your video games.

there is a few things i dont like about this game such as the camera when i doors when you walk inside an apartment or sometimes other biulding the camera gets extremely close direclty over the shoulder of the character making it harder on my eyes atleast and harder to see whats around you, also there isnt much of a free mode everytime you end a mission you pretty much start another but i will say this im only on chapter 9 so maybe that changes, and i have the feeling that this game is going to be short and not as long as say GTA 4 which i hope isnt the case but like i said i have the feeling it is. that said the graphics are great and the way the have the story mode set up you see yourself having trouble putting the controller down, i like the fighting sequences in the game and the cars are pretty nice to drive . that said i would say this is a buy if you are into these type of games like i am.

Mafia II is an excellent game! Graphics are amazing and the attention to detail is overwhelming. After only a few mins of playing you feel like you're really in the game or watching a movie which makes stopping once you've started vertually impossible!! Controls and game play are top notch and not hard to learn at all. Story line is fun, intellegent and oftern brutal/graphic of nature but that's what you want (and expect) from a mafia game right!

Spot on game overall!

Mafia 2 really captures the feeling you get watching mob movies like, Goodfellas and the God Father in a video game. The shooting controls and driving controls are pretty standard GTA style. The cover system works well but is frustrating at times. What makes this game a hit is the atmosphere. The city feels real, You feel like your in late 40's early 50's. The voice acting and story is top notch, one of the best jobs done in games. I love the time period sound track. Everything about this game just sucks you in. I played the demo and did not like it. But after reading a 9 out of 10 score from Gameinformer i decided to give it a shoot, Im glad I did.

It's almost impossible to mention Mafia II without the GTA IV comparison coming up, so to get this out of the way, I'll say that I'm not a fan of GTA IV and one would think that this cancels out Mafia II altogether. Not quite. I've just played through the game and I can say that it's a fun, albeit short and linear game that throws every mob movie cliche at you.

Set first in the 1940's and 1950's, you play as Vito Scalleta, a decorated war hero who returns to Empire City (a fictional take on New York) and decides the life of organized crime is for him. The story takes the predictable turns where the character starts small and works his way up the mob ladder, with a few bumps along the way. The story reminded me a lot of Goodfellas, though these mob movies all start to feel the same after a while. The characters are the colorful Italian stereotypes you would expect, but some of their dialogue is downright hilarious, riddled with Italian slang and plenty of four letter words to keep you amused. There are few surprised and even fewer dramatic twists, so don't go into this game expecting a deep story. But within the context of the game, the story works and keeps you entertained until the end. Gameplay follows the standard GTA formula; drive somewhere, do something/kill someone and then drive back. You make money from doing jobs for various bosses, which can be used to upgrade your cars and acquire new clothes. Some missions are harder than others, while some are timed and require you to be a good driver. The combat is broken down into melee and shooting, though the selection of guns is limited. Melee combat is rather on the simple side, with three buttons doing the work and a limited number of combos and finishing moves you can perform. The driving and combat controls are standard for sandbox action games, so those familiar with other titles can jump right in.

The 40's and 50's look of the game is surprisingly effective, with period cars all over the place and licensed music from that era playing on the radio. Mixed with the music are news broadcasts which sound distinctly from their era. For example, you hear news broadcasts about the war overseas during the 40's portion of the game. Graphically, the city looks fantastic and is a joy to drive through, and while the character animation and facial capture animation is rough around the edges, this title is on part with other games of it's type. The missions also tend to be on the easy side, but I didn't find them to be boring thanks to the voice acting and some hilarious dialogue between the characters.

The negative points of Mafia II are mainly due to some missed potential. I've always complained that GTA-style games have TOO MUCH to do, with an abundance of pointless side-objectives that drag the game out. But in Mafia II, there is a total dearth of anything to do outside of the missions. You can sell stolen cars, buy clothes, eat and drink in bars and restaurants and buy upgrades for your car. That's it - no side missions to speak of. With a city as big as Empire City, you'd think there would be more to do. The game also has it's fair share of glitches and bugs, ranging from small graphical hiccups to getting stuck and having to restart from my last checkpoint.

It's easier to think of Mafia II as a story-driven action game instead of a sandbox title, since it offers little outside the short single-player campaign. Having said that, I had a lot of fun with this title and I think you will too, provided that you can move past the GTA IV comparisons and appreciate the game on it's own merits.

Since Amazon seems to lumping all the reviews together now, I should clarify that I'm reviewing the Xbox 360 version.

The gameplay was solid and fun. The driving's well done. The shooting and cover systems work well. The few times it called for stealth, I found it satisfying. I found it to be sufficiently challenging with the difficulty set to hard. The mission structure was very linear, though.

The story was well executed and I didn't find myself skipping any of the cut scenes the first time through, but the subject matter seemed a tad trite. The plot mirrored that of Goodfellas in several places. I don't wish to get into any spoilers, but I can say I didn't really find the story all that compelling.

Besides following the main story missions, you can buy food/drinks/clothing, steal cars for money, customize cars, rob stores, and collect playboy centerfolds/wanted posters, but that's it.

It's fun as a shooter, but only so-so as a sandbox. The time and weather effects are static and do not change until you progress to the next mission. With only 15 chapters (a chapter is a set of a few missions that usually take place over the course of a day) and no side missions to break up the flow, the game felt pretty short.

There is no save function outside of starting the next mission, so if you spend a good amount of time collecting and upgrading cars for your garage, then die (usually from crashing your car at high speeds, which is easy to do on the difficult setting) you're out of luck.

You can only store 10 cars in your garage, which seemed like an unnecessary limitation since collecting cars is one of the few things to do outside of the main story. Also, it would have been nice if you could shoot from your car, seeing as there are two separate buttons for the horn (press left stick and the X button, well actually the very flimsy manual says press left stick is the horn but it doesn't do anything. The RB doesn't do anything either when you're driving, so that could have easily been shoot), and the NPCs all can, so why not you?

The only glitch I noticed was when stealth killing a person who's in a chair, but it only came up once.

All in all I found it to be a solid game, but I think I'd have been more satisfied with my purchase if I had waited until the price dropped.

Update: "Jimmy's Vendetta" DLC

Let's see: side missions, custom paint jobs, save anytime at any of your safe houses (which progresses time), store 30 cars in your garage. All I can say is...why weren't these features included in the regular game? Well, that one's easy: so they can milk you for 10 more dollars. Still, it answered many of the complaints I had about the original game.

It just sticks in my craw the way they make you pay for features that should've been in the game to begin with. I guess I'll make it a point to buy 2K games used in the future, which in turn will cause them to try and bilk more money from gamers through cheap tactics. In the end, everyone suffers. Such is life.

No, MAFIA II isn't GRAND THEFT AUTO for THE GODFATHER generation. Is there something wrong with that? 2kCzech has produced a game that is all about the experience of going back to a certain time and place, evoking the '40s and '50s in a carefully reconstructed manner with authentic music (this is easily one of the great game soundtracks of all-time), and enabling you to experience a story that is highly cinematic. Yes the game is linear, no the game doesn't allow you to go "free roam sandbox" as much as other games in this (sort of) genre do, but that doesn't mean the title itself isn't worth playing. MAFIA II tells a compelling story with excellent voice acting and atmosphere that few games out there have on-hand. Gunplay is fun and the missions are varied.

Hopefully future DLC expansion packs will give the player the opportunity to further explore the "open world" Empire City that is so beautifully produced here (it does seem a shame that there isn't more of an opportunity to do so; yet a couple of added modes would rectify this), but in the meantime, there's more than enough enjoyment, action and -- again -- atmosphere to make this one highly recommended.