Mafia II

Am up to Chapter 11 at this stage and well into wondering why I'm still bothering. This game has none of the originals charm imo. The best description I can give it is that it's very much like playing a movie. A very slow paced movie where every chapter in the game would just be the montage section showing how the gangster grew up.

This.... 'game' for the last 9ish chapters has pretty much been drive, cutscene, drive drive drive drive drive cutscene maaaaybe a really badly implemented fist fight and then more driving. It should be mentioned that the cars are slow and just awkward to control changing what should be fun into a complete chore. So far, two chapters are basic repeats where you drive your drunk mates home and hide a dead body, that's literally it!! Up to chapter 9 I think I had more of the aforementioned ****ty fist fights than I had shot people nevermind the bajillion (admitedly well acted and composed)cut scenes.

When you finally DO get to shoot at someone you're quickly bored. It's a simple affair of grabbing cover and leaning out to take pot shots. The enemy AI is appalling... just appalling and offers ZERO challenge. In fact, it feels like a console shooter at this point ie simple and dumbed down.

This game is not a GTA clone and unlike what Sparrow says above it's NOT a sandbox and not a sim. The police will chase you if you pass them going faster than 40 but all you do is stop till they get out of the car to book you and then speed off. No challenge and I'm not even sure why they're in the game.

What this game does well is create a nice ambience. Like I said it's very much like playing a gangster movie. Some of the scenery is really well done and the music is lovely. There are some very brief moments when you just have to stop the car and have a look about.

But having a nice ambience does not a game make and I couldn't recommend it to anyone unless it's in a bargain bin and you've nothing better to do with your money and time.

Got a loan of this last night and on chapter 11 now, I'm really enjoying it right now, I love the atmosphere of the game and the sense of what it was like back in the 40's, I understand were people are coming from saying it is repetitive but I can get over that, it would be different if it took 20-30 hours to finish.

No idea about the DLC, but I cleared it on hard and didn't notice any particularly annoying checkpoints. For what it's worth, I really liked Mafia 2. There are a lot of really great things about the game and a few negatives too.

The most obvious negative is the game time which is only about 10 hours. The main positives is the wonderful setting and the story which I found immersive. Just driving around the snowy city with Sinatra or Bing Crosby on the radio is fantastic.

It's not as good as the first Mafia, but it is still very good. Give it a shot or even consider renting it for a week if you have the time to spend the ten hours over that time.

The Sparrow wrote: »

I think it depends what you are into. If you approach this as a GTA clone then you will be dissappointed but for many of us that is one of the strengths. I almost view this as a sim as much as a sandbox game. I love driving around the city obeying the traffic lights and stop signs and speed limit.

And how it is just a really interesting story and not a million side missions that I have to do and that there is no annoying girlfriend that I have to take out or that I don't have to go to they gym and play annoying mini games.

Mafia 2 is all about the feeling of the time that it evokes with the music and the cars and the fashion etc. There are definitely legitimate gripes with it such as paying more for dlc that should be in the game and towards the end of the game the checkpoint system is a bit irritating. But that was in the first game too and it is just the way Mafia games are.

I can understand people not liking it but I doubt anyone who loved the first Mafia will dislike this game even if it is not as good.

I just love the charm of Mafia 2 and I'm willing to overlook some gripes and enjoy the overall package. Now if only I could finish Chaapter 14!



That is just what a low level Mafia henchman would have been doing in the forties when there was a war on and everything was rationed.

Agree. I loved mafia and loved mafia 2. It being nothing as gta made this game so great for me.

I loved story. Loved all ladder - going up from small thug and become a respectable mobster!

I hated gta4. Free roaming is fun for awile. It gets dull very fast. Story telling and missions in gta4 was crap anyway! I had no connection with characters, all characters were just a sign on minimap.

Mafia2 was different. I was actually worried about characters in game! I got dlcs for if very cheap on steam sale. I need to get to them and finish them.


Great game if you love good story! Atmosphere of that time is just amazing!

Have to say i'm loving this game! on the 2nd last mission at just over 9 hours, it is a bit short but I had a blast going through the game. Once I changed the driving to Sim, it was just a joy to drive around the city. I took a cab everywhere in GTA but didnt mind a long drive in this once! Brilliant soundtrack as well. I'm going trophy hunting after I clear it. Has anyone got any of the DLC's? Are they worth it?

Rockstar support took over my missing dlc code issue, had to send em a picture of the game and receipt, waiting to hear back from them now. Tempted to pick up the other DLCs anyway tho, raging I skipped this when it was 1st out because of the negative reviews.

The mission where you was just unbelievably epic.

da gamer wrote: »

rockstar support? wasnt it 2kczech who devolped mafia 2?

I was just as confused! I opened the ticket with 2k and rockstar emailed me saying they were handling it. I asked 2k about it and they said Take Two owns R* and 2k. Now im waiting on a manager who will be in monday to check my case, balls.

Picked this up recently, took 10 hours and I loved every minute of it! Thought the story was excellent.