Mafia II

Even though it couldn't quite hold up to our expectations, Mafia 2 is a great game which is driven by the narrative. This is a big plus in a gaming world where deep, believable characters are the exception, not the rule. If you want a truly cinematic experience, go out and buy the game - you won't be disappointed.

Mafia II is exactly the sequel Mafia fans have been waiting all these years for.

If you're looking to blow up city blocks with a rocket launcher, Mafia II may not be your cup of cappuccino. However, if, like me, you're hoping HBO's upcoming Boardwalk Empire fills the gaping Soprano-less void in your life, Mafia II's ready to fit you for a nice pair of cement shoes.

This is one of the best launches of the year. It is ambitious in its presentation, the script immerses us in the life of a gangster from the very beginning, and the missions are hardly repetitive: there is always an unexpected twist or a new situation which tests our abilities.

In an era when video games are moving away from relying on cinematics for storytelling, Mafia II draws on the rich mobster film history to weave a gripping drama about family, friendship, loyalty, betrayal, and pragmatism. If you're fond of quoting Don Corleone and Tony Soprano, don't miss this game.

If you ever wondered how life would be when working within the Mafia, Mafia II is probably your best shot. Stunning story, great sound, cool videos and much variety in the missions show off what a shooter can be.

Great storytelling, great characters and a lot of drama. If you're looking for a classic Free Roaming you can leave Mafia II on the shelf, but if you are in need of an interactive blockbuster, this game will catch you.

Rich, atmospheric, memorable and measured. [Oct 2010, p.87]

In conclusion, Mafia II transcends the original game and what was a rather 2D experience in the original has now been turned into a fully interactive, almost 3D experience.

Mafia II's exciting action and uncompromising mob story make for an impressive and violent adventure.

Mafia II is an epic adventure with a story that rivals some of the best mobster movies. Players are brought in to Vito Scaletta's rise in the family ranks through an engaging narrative, intense action sequences, and a well-crafted vintage city setting.

Some people might lament the nature of an open-world game with so little to do outside of the storyline - they're missing the point. Outside of a lame ending, Mafia 2 is a driven, focused mobster game, well worth the price of entry. If you're a fan of shooting, driving and mobster stories, go and grab Mafia 2.

Mafia 2 looks like your everyday Open-World game. But don´t be fooled. At it´s core it is as linear as a laser-beam. And it´s telling a gripping, epic gangster-story you just have to play for yourself. If you enjoy such a thrilling ride, you will love the game. But if you hope for a 50`s GTA, you will be disappointed. And that would be a shame!

Mafia 2 is a great experience, thanks to a believable cast of characters and a wonderful setting. Sadly, the lack of longevity and some technical flaws somehow spoil the global experience, especially if compared with other recent free roaming experiences.

The wait was worth it. Mafia II delivers a nice campaign of single-player missions with a mesmerizing story and a great bunch of characters.

Mafia II is a game with a great story and atmosphere. The voice-acting is brilliant and the cut-scenes are really nice. But the game doesn't feature a free-roaming option after completion of the story and that's a bit sad. Besides of that it is graphically nice, but with pop-up and bad anti-alising. Mafia II is a great game, but it has some issues.

Due to some weaknesses in terms of story (extremely disappointing ending) and gameplay (savepoints), Mafia II turned out to be a good game, but not the masterpiece we've hoped for. Most of these problems can be quite easily forgiven though, thanks to its overwhelming atmosphere and charm.

The gameplay is fun and mixes it up at the right moments, giving it great pacing, and as a whole all of the parts come together for a solid experience. It may not be perfect, and there may be some technical aspects that aren't up to par, but Mafia II is a game worthy of your time and attention.

There are no side missions, no conveniently placed ramps, and only a small handful of collectibles that work in harmony with the fiction. 2K Czech has invested serious time and effort into conjouring a peerless sense of time and place – we won't begrudge it for not encouraging players to shatter the illusion.

Mafia II refuses to follow the crowd of open-world games by putting authenticity at the head of its agenda instead of sheer scale and off-the-hook action. The fact that it tells you what to do rather than asking what you'd like to do is somewhat counter-intuitively what makes the game feel so original and immersive.

Mafia II is a very fun game to play with a fantastic story, presentation, and graphics. There are a few issues that hold the game back from being a real contender such as the lack of gameplay variety and the linear story.

Mafia II is certainly an enigma among mob drama games, eliciting both an intense satisfaction with story and place while accruing simultaneous disappointment at the limitation of its focus.

The game does deserve some respect because, admittedly, despite its shortcomings players are likely to be compelled enough to finish it. The fun that the game does deliver when it decides to is nail-bitingly entertaining and, as stated above, the storyline is fantastic.

If you love story driven games, then I recommend Mafia II, just don't expect to get the same amount of replay value as similar games already out on the market.

It's still a very good game--well worth playing right now--but we suspect Mafia II will only fulfill its potential with all the DLC that'll inevitably populate Empire Bay. [Nov 2010, p.78]

The game isn't particularly long, and the lack of substantial side-missions hurts this game's replay ability overall. Still, the story mode experience is good enough that the time you do spend with Mafia II is well-spent.

Mafia II lets you experience the story of mafia member Vito. Although Mafia II is not perfect, the game was worth waiting for and offers a cinematic touch. Now we wait for extra content, because a real criminal simply can't stop working!

While its story and action are fantastic, Mafia II is an open-world game with an "open world" that never becomes anything more than an elaborate backdrop for the story. It's a lot of fun while it lasts, but don't expect to be playing this months from now.

Quotation forthcoming.

You're missing the point if you barrel through this trying to complete the chapters like a workman ticking off his list of tasks. For better or worse, Mafia II sometimes feels like more of a guided experience than a game but then you'll be totally engrossed some of the most epic firefights ever seen, and the sound design is amazing. [Oct 2010 p.68]

Mafia 2 is a fun game, with a stellar environment.

A deeply flawed game, where the story is the highlight - and far more engaging than most. I certainly enjoyed my 11-12 hours with Mafia II, and those looking for an authentic-feeling mob tale should definitely check it out. This one is more than the sum of its parts.

Your enjoyment of Mafia II will come down to what you're expecting from the title, DLC notwithstanding. If you were expecting a modern sandbox experience set in an older time, then this isn't the game for you.

The streamlined gameplay of Mafia II makes for a story that's simple to follow and easy to get sucked into for 12 hours. I just wish I could say the same about the environment. The open world is full of life and detail, but there's no encouragement to stray from the game's 15 chapters.

If you enjoy a good mafia story with some fun characters that will last you 10-14 hours then pick up the game. However, with no multiplayer, and few incentives to replay, the story is all that drives this game from beginning to end.

When the strength of the game lies solely on the shoulders of an inconsistent narrative in a limited yet gorgeous environment, I can't help but feel robbed of an experience that should be greater than the sum of its parts.

The PS3 version of the Mafia II, however, features more content, due to the fact that all new copies ship with a unique code that will allow you to download a game add-on called "The Betrayal of Jimmy." It's this add-on content that makes purchasing Mafia II on the PS3 (if given options) a no-brainer.

Flaws and linear nature taken into account, Mafia II is a beautiful, gripping, engaging game-and where it doesn't allow you to go is more than made up for by where it does.