Mafia

 PlayStation 2
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 108 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 81 out of 108
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 108
  3. Negative: 11 out of 108
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  1. Duke_Nukem
    Sep 23, 2015
    7
    Mafia does a great job at recreating the atmosphere of the 1930's american-italian underworld. The voice acting is good, the graphics are not so special. Especially if you try to shoot enemies who are hiding in a far distance it can be very annoying because you can't see them, while they are emptying their tommy-guns in your chest and head.

    The driving is also not very good. Just    Mafia does a great job at recreating the atmosphere of the 1930's american-italian underworld. The voice acting is good, the graphics are not so special. Especially if you try to shoot enemies who are hiding in a far distance it can be very annoying because you can't see them, while they are emptying their tommy-guns in your chest and head.

    The driving is also not very good. Just slightly hitting the sidewalk makes your car spin around like a wet piece of soap on an ice rink.

    The shooting will require some time to get used to. There is no auto-aim and you'll have to shoot the enemy a lot of times to make them sleep with the fishes. At times it even feels like you're hitting R1 (the shootbutton) like crazy and nothing happens, which will result in a bullet in your brains coz the enemy rarely misses its target.

    Even with all those little annoyances Mafia is still a game that's hard to put down, thanks to an engrossing story and believable characters. Especially the main character Tommy Angelo feels like a real guy, and by the end of the game you feel like the whole story happened to you. Don Salieri is also very real and makes some funny comments.

    Every mission starts at the Don's bar, where you'll receive your instructions from Salieri. Then it's off to Vincenzo to get a weapon (or two) and then you'll visit Ralph for some wheels. All these little details makes you feel like you're in a real gang, a tight mafia family if you wish.

    After 22 missions the game ends with an interesting twist (which i wont reveal here) and there is little replay-value. There is a racing and freeride mode that allows you to take up Tommy's old job as a taxi driver, and you can replay all the missions, but that wont keep you busy very long. But the storymode of Mafia gives you the feeling of being in a 1930's gangster movie and that is pretty nice. As Don Salieri would say: "Forget about it!".    … Expand
  2. AnthraxMailbag
    Feb 3, 2004
    10
    As u know, i have a very good talent on rating games (my reviews can be read on such games as socom2.) the game starts off with u,( a mentally retarted taxi driver), going to give three italien morrocon men a ride to club bojangles. they pay a fair of 5 yengs. u are deeple unhappy with this amount of money. therefore ur character whips out a sword and starts to slash at the wild Bonjagnle As u know, i have a very good talent on rating games (my reviews can be read on such games as socom2.) the game starts off with u,( a mentally retarted taxi driver), going to give three italien morrocon men a ride to club bojangles. they pay a fair of 5 yengs. u are deeple unhappy with this amount of money. therefore ur character whips out a sword and starts to slash at the wild Bonjagnle men. they fight back throwing stones at u, which i find deeply erotic. this causes ur character ( shamu )to go to hospital, where he wakes up from a 3000000000 year comma. U are now a very upset man, and want ur revenge upon these evildoers. u set out on ur mission in a place called the city of devils. it is here where u must battle up to 30292934840272274048 evil devils. they have the magical ability to ram pineapples up ur ass, this can cause great damage to Shamu(sadly) if SHamu has to many pineapples up his ass, he may explode, and then DIE(wouldn't u know) I and my freinds(of which i have none) also find this to be erotic, and allow SHamu to continuely have pinapples rammed up his ass for pleasure, like they say in urzbikastan, pain for pleasure. BUY THIS GAME it is very erotic and magistical. WAIt im not finished, there is also a leader of these evil devils, his name being BABU the GREAT, ur character findz out in the end that he is ur father. u then become even more depresseddd in the game, and then go onto living a very sad lifee, that is what happens in the end, honest trust me. read Anthrax's socom2 review. … Expand
  3. ZG.
    Jul 8, 2005
    10
    It is soooo awesome!!!!!! When u play it you feel like you are back in time. Best game ever. Buy It!!!!!
  4. TuomasK.
    Jan 26, 2004
    9
    Much better looking in PS2 than PC, but Getaway is still much better.
  5. SulaimanA.
    Aug 27, 2005
    10
    Mafia was the best game i ever had i just hope the next version of this game should be better and the main person should not die in the end.
  6. FredC.
    Jan 26, 2004
    10
    10 out of 10...this game is awesome now that its on PS2, it had to many programming problems when it came to the PC...
  7. PIRANHAg.
    Jan 7, 2004
    9
    Well i´m a lucky bastard cause i already have the final version to ps2 (not gonna say how, cause.. you guys know why) and it just kicks nice arses. Gameplay is just a bit frisky
  8. WimB.
    Apr 16, 2004
    5
    I tried, I really did! Ooh I tried so hard to play the fu..ing game!
  9. WimB.
    Apr 16, 2004
    5
    I tried, I really did! Ooh I tried so hard to play the fu..ing game!
  10. MattS.
    Jan 30, 2004
    9
    A great game. Good story line, and the only problem is that there is more driving missions than shooting, but with a free drive mode that lets you just roam the city(on foot and car) with a thompson gun, shotgun, and handgun, I think that should satisfy every ruthless killer, among us. And the police work good too. Like only getting tickets for speeding and running redlights, to arrests A great game. Good story line, and the only problem is that there is more driving missions than shooting, but with a free drive mode that lets you just roam the city(on foot and car) with a thompson gun, shotgun, and handgun, I think that should satisfy every ruthless killer, among us. And the police work good too. Like only getting tickets for speeding and running redlights, to arrests for hitting people. And the classic cars OOhh the classic cars, A very good game, I would buy it, not rent it.… Expand
  11. OmarM.
    May 4, 2004
    8
    This game is all right, I mean its not the best nor the worst game I've played. If your debating whether or not to buy it. BUY IT! It's good enough for your time.
  12. JoeyL.
    Feb 21, 2005
    7
    I gave this game a 7. i have it on both ps2 and pc. altyhough it is good on both if you are going to buy it and dont know wheather to but it for ps2 or pc get it for pc. i would give it a 9 or a 10 for pc. good game but better on pc.
  13. MansoorS.
    Jan 27, 2004
    10
    This game is a must i recommend u get this game B4 its sold out. trust me this gme is awesome. a masterpiece!
  14. MikeD.
    Feb 8, 2004
    8
    "Mafia" is a very good game, but not a great one. You have to expect the graphics to look blockier than the PC version -- it's an unfair comparison. This game would have looked fine in 2000, but not four years later. But a fantastic story and exciting gameplay make up for the graphic's shortcomings. The shooting takes a while to get used to, but once you do, the shootouts are "Mafia" is a very good game, but not a great one. You have to expect the graphics to look blockier than the PC version -- it's an unfair comparison. This game would have looked fine in 2000, but not four years later. But a fantastic story and exciting gameplay make up for the graphic's shortcomings. The shooting takes a while to get used to, but once you do, the shootouts are thrilling and fun. The story and atmosphere are what this game is about and sets it apart. At least give "Mafia" a rental.… Expand
  15. JohnC.
    May 28, 2004
    8
    My only criticism of this game is that it is slooow! Mind you it is set in the 1930's when cars didn't go that fast, especially uphill apparently, that and the loading screens - but even GTA Vice city had that. Great missions, great variety, nice visuals, good storyline and a believable lead character...Great, but not GTA Lost Heaven!
  16. Batmanas[foasfo[
    Aug 30, 2004
    6
    A crappy port...graphics were dumbed down on the PS2 and Xbox versions of this game...the graphics were really good on the PC and they look like crap on the consoles...Even the framerate was worse on the consoles...which was surprising...the game was just not as fun playing when it looked that bad.
  17. SanjeevK.
    Feb 18, 2004
    10
    I played it on pc, and now on ps2 this is an amazing game to play, i realy like this game because they refers to my favourite movie, GOODFELLAS!
  18. ProvoloneG.
    Feb 28, 2004
    1
    Bad conversion !
  19. Rox22
    Sep 12, 2013
    6
    A decent enough GTA wannabe that does what it set out to do. But for the most part I felt the game was lacking. Story is good, but short. Graphics a pretty and detailed, but also dull and boring to look, and gameplay is fun, but pacing feels a little slow at times.

    Overall: An OK game that clearly had great ambition, but could have used a larger studio backing the development as it    A decent enough GTA wannabe that does what it set out to do. But for the most part I felt the game was lacking. Story is good, but short. Graphics a pretty and detailed, but also dull and boring to look, and gameplay is fun, but pacing feels a little slow at times.

    Overall:
    An OK game that clearly had great ambition, but could have used a larger studio backing the development as it does feel a little limited.    … Expand
  20. Shadow1
    Jul 30, 2016
    10
    Graphics in this game is normal for 2004, in this game there are races on old cars, storyline is amazing and very interesting and in this game was die Tommy and I cry when Tommy was die, good open world and I love this game for Good Open World and very interesting storyline, but I don't wait Tommy Angelo Deaths .
  21. arostislavna
    Oct 21, 2020
    10
    I genuinely loved this game and the the time, showcasing the end of WWII in italy and the birth of the mafia was rare, and this was executed wonderfully.
  22. RetroRichie
    Jun 28, 2016
    10
    This game is a true masterpiece!

    This Mafia game is like a time machine, a great perspective of Retro USA. You will time travel back to the 1930's & experience the early Italian American Mafia era. Note: The early American Big band music, classic cars, vintage classy fashion, technicolor looks, beautiful antiques, early American Italian accents, old fashion steamboat ferry, classic    This game is a true masterpiece!

    This Mafia game is like a time machine, a great perspective of Retro USA. You will time travel back to the 1930's & experience the early Italian American Mafia era.

    Note: The early American Big band music, classic cars, vintage classy fashion, technicolor looks, beautiful antiques, early American Italian accents, old fashion steamboat ferry, classic weapons, & lots more goodies. Enjoy this gem of a game, if you can find it. (I'm glad I own the game)

    This game is a must buy !    … Expand
  23. ONEEX
    Feb 12, 2022
    10
    Интересная и привлекательная игра своего времени. Практически всё понравилось.
  24. oOn3LastStaNDo
    Jun 21, 2020
    10
    This is, and has been since I played it all those years ago, my favorite game of all time. It’s controls could have been a little better and the game isn’t technically perfect, but it has the best story and characters ever. Truly one of the most under appreciated games of all time! Maybe the remake that is coming out later this year will do it justice and get it the attention itThis is, and has been since I played it all those years ago, my favorite game of all time. It’s controls could have been a little better and the game isn’t technically perfect, but it has the best story and characters ever. Truly one of the most under appreciated games of all time! Maybe the remake that is coming out later this year will do it justice and get it the attention it deserved/deserves.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

46
#46 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2004
23
#23 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2004

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
65

Mixed or average reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 23 out of 30
  3. Negative: 3 out of 30
  1. GameZone
    69
    The sense of atmosphere and ambience from the excellent PC version is all but gone from the PS2 version, with stiff controls, dumb AI, long loading times and tons of strange bugs. Overall, the gameplay is a shell of the PC version.
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  2. Eurogamer
    60
    When it's good it's fantastic, but when it's not it's a spirit sapping experience. That's Mafia in a nutshell - a flawed classic that'll certainly provide good rental value if nothing else.
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  3. Armchair Empire
    69
    This late in the PS2 life cycle, there really isn't any excuse for a port that is so shoddy, especially when it is coming a year and a half later than the original release.
    Read full review
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