Mafia II

Does Mafia II have the chops to put the hit on the competition?

Gaming's greatest mobster franchise is finally getting back into the family business this year with Mafia II. The original stood as a hallmark of its time, but open-world games have come a long way since. It's no doubt gunning for the top, but does Mafia II have what it takes to put a hit on the competition?
Returning from the war into a life of crippling debt and meager earnings, the ambitious Vito Scaletta embarks upon a career of big risks and ever bigger payouts in Mafia II's rags to riches story. Told earnestly by strong writing and excellent delivery from the cast, the game paints a dark portrait of crime, consequence, and a mob life not quite as glamorous as the original game's romanticized vision. There are some genuinely arresting moments, though many of the twists you'll see coming from miles away, and the tepid conclusion keeps the overall experience from being completely satisfying throughout. For the most part though, Mafia II spins an entertaining yarn with good characters and plenty of screwed up situations that make for some great moments.
Mafia II generally shares the same open-world premise of Grand Theft Auto with its emphasis on driving, shooting, and street-side brawls. Where Liberty City would provide a scattered spread of tasks to tackle at your choosing, however, Empire Bay plays keeps it on the straight and narrow with a linear chapter-based format.
Though in far less quantity than you'd ordinarily expect, the missions are expertly-designed and fit in well with the spirit of the era. Small-time jewelry heists and stolen cigarette sales eventually give way to gang shootouts and hits on high-risk targets. The variety is good, though the missions are touch and go, but at the very least, you'll never be asked to do the same thing twice. Covering a broad range of environments and interesting objectives, the action never sticks to the same notes.
Being that you're interacting with the world primarily through your guns, wheels, or fists, expect to run into some trouble pretty often. Empire Bay's police force is swift, relentless, and quick to punish transgressions. The AI has a pretty keen sense of justice, so don't expect to bump pedestrians or speed on the streets without some kind of risk. Given that the police identify you based on what you're driving or wearing, though, you have a few strategic options when it comes to escaping the law. A quick swap of clothes or plates is all it takes to cast aside unwanted attention.
Apart from chopping up cars for cash and finding hidden collectibles, there really isn't much outside of the campaign. Empire Bay, for all its broad stretches of pavement and concrete, has little to provide apart from nice scenery. In all, Vito's quest for money and respect will last all of around 10 hours, possibly more if you take it upon yourself to struggle on a higher difficulty setting. There's also no multiplayer to speak of, so once you've had your fill of mucking around Empire Bay's streets on your own, there isn't much to return to.
Much like the unsavory lot wielding them, guns in Mafia II display a brutal simplicity that feels appropriate to the times. You'll defer to the mobster's beloved tommy gun for most of your killing, but the game's load out of pistols, shotguns, semi automatics, and explosives prove just as lethal. It doesn't take a whole lot of bullets to coax foes into the big sleep, and the same goes for you. Though health regenerates over time, don't expect to get away with Master Chief levels of bravery unless Much like the unsavory lot wielding them, guns in Mafia II display a brutal simplicity that feels appropriate to the times. You'll defer to the mobster's beloved tommy gun for most of your killing, but the game's load out of pistols, shotguns, semi automatics, and explosives prove just as lethal. It doesn't take a whole lot of bullets to coax foes into the big sleep, and the same goes for you. Though health regenerates over time, don't expect to get away with Master Chief levels of bravery unless you're particularly fond of reloading checkpoints.
Hand-to-hand combat, on the other hand, invites a more daring approach. With techniques like dodges, counter punches, and finishing moves, Mafia II's melee system shows some surprising depth. Scrapping against an opponent when the story calls for it is a nice reprieve from the moment-to-moment gunplay, but apart from the occasional stealth kill, its actual use in missions is discouragingly limited.
When it comes to driving, Mafia II's biggest contribution is the speed limiter function that's useful for playing it cool around the police. A wide array of automobiles all with their own unique configurations for traction, handling, and steering will quickly have you playing favorites, and if your preferred set of wheels isn't running on standby, a getaway vehicle is only a quick lock pick away.
As an action game, Mafia II pours a number of neat flourishes into every one of its individual elements. None of these will necessarily surprise you, but they all coalesce into a tight third-person shooting experience that definitely helps move the story and action along smoothly and effectively.
With decadent high-rises and a virtual citizenry seemingly plucked from the canvas of a Norman Rockwell painting, Mafia II serves up a stunning snapshot of vintage Americana. Empire Bay's take on the postwar American metropolis is truly a sight to behold, with meticulous re-creations of real-life locales like Griffith's Observatory really selling its sense of place. Character models, showing considerable detail and emotive expression, are just as impressive by comparison, and the voice work--barring some obtusely stereotypical portrayals of Asians--is consistently solid throughout. Bound together by the radio rotation's careful sampling of jazz, swing, and the budding roots of rock and roll, Mafia II accomplishes a vivid re-enactment of the 50's that definitely stands up to the genre's Liberty Cities and Wild Wests.
Taken for its strengths, Mafia II delivers a rich slice of 50's mob culture with phenomenal atmosphere and solid gameplay that's easily worth experiencing. But if you're expecting the generous breadth of the best open-world games, the absence of extracurricular activities will be a bit of a disappointment. It doesn't quite stand above the luminaries that inspire it, but if you're looking for an excellently-realized shooter that sticks straight to its target, Mafia II is worth a shot.