Mark Botwright
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Reviewed by Ste carter
Publisher – Take Two
Developer – 2K Czech
Rating – 18 (BBFC)
Format – Xbox 360 (also available on PlayStation 3, PC)
Synopsis
Publisher – Take Two
Developer – 2K Czech
Rating – 18 (BBFC)
Format – Xbox 360 (also available on PlayStation 3, PC)
Synopsis
It must be said, this summer has been somewhat of a let down. We failed to make a mark on the world football scene, we never received the promised 'hot' summer again and the inevitable gaming summer drought hit hard. For many, it was time to dust off the old favourites and give them a whirl. But, fortunately, it seems that the worst is over and at last we are beginning to see bigger and better games once again gracing our screens.
So here we are, Mafia II. A game that puts you into the shoes of an Italian come American gangster, sounds good eh? Well Take Two were the ones who put out the original Mafia across the last gen formats and it was quite well received to say the least. Like every game it had its problems, yes, but it had more positives than negatives. So since its initial revealing in 2007, Mafia II has had much love and attention in order to make it shine amongst the best of the current gen classics like Grand Theft Auto IV (GTAIV) and Red Dead Redemption. Although not obviously challenging these triple A titles, some similarities would be drawn, but every game can be seen to be similar in different ways.
A crime against many open world adventures, or 'sandbox' games, is the fact that they can feel empty and have not shown much attention to detail when it comes to the little things, say when it comes to changing a character's outfits or modifying vehicles and so on. So here we see a potential downfall which will need avoiding in order to make this game a hit. Surely if there's a strong shooting element and a cover system that works well, then this in turn will attract fans of two of the biggest genres around? If so, Take Two could well end up with a fat wad of dough in their bank accounts.
It was self defence officer!
Presentation
With three years in development you'd expect to see a fair amount of polish throughout the game, and you do. Cut-scenes have lovely graphics, whilst the in game visuals aren't too shabby either. The detail throughout the game is remarkable; the snow in the streets looks touchable and light reflecting off the glass panels in the doors looks wonderful. Whilst cars are stood stationary, snow will build up on the roof and once mobile it will inevitably slip off round a corner. This just shows how much love has been put into the game, rather than just sending it off with the completed basics.
One key feature of setting a game in a past generation is the importance of capturing the spirit of the era without being inaccurate or too stereotypical, which Mafia II uncannily seems to do with frightening accuracy. Throughout this period, the Second World War is ongoing which can be seen, and heard, throughout your travels. There will be announcements played out through the radio stations in cars, revealing how the war effort is going not only for America, but for all the Allies too. Army vehicles will also be seen across the city, driving around undoubtedly transporting supplies. Not only this, but you will come across numerous music tracks from the era, cars that have been inspired by vehicles from the 40's and 50's and various accents and people from across the world.
One of the very minor faults with games such as Grand Theft Auto is that their interior details are below that of the treatment that is given to the outside world, leaving them feeling a little bland and generic, whereas they should reveal a character's personality etc. Within Mafia II though, every interior is bursting with life and such detail that you could spend a good amount of time simply interacting with the many objects that can be found within each room. Feeling a bit nippy? Then shut the window. Or are you a premature 'eco-warrior'? Then go round switching off all the lights. Yes, it really is that detailed and lifelike. You can even open the fridge in your living quarters to tuck into a sandwich and a beer or an ice cold Cola. Not only this, but if you happen to break into a Post Office say, and look around, you'll find people's desks scattered with the day's papers. No generic tidy desks or tucked-under chairs here. Oh no.
From the interior, to the hectic and quite frankly, beautiful exterior that is Empire City you have the ultimate pleasure of exploring. As pre-stated, there is plenty of life within the streets of the city, regardless of the time, as would be expected with a city that has been based on New York. So should you take a walk downtown at 3pm or 3am, there will always be someone around. Not only will you notice the various Non-Playable-Characters scattered around, but also the beauty of the city will catch your eye, specially given that you will see it through different seasons. You really begin to appreciate how well this city has been put together in order for an enjoyable experience to be had within it; shop windows are not generic and cafés and bars have a 'buzz' within them through jukeboxes and endless conversation between customers.
Game Mechanics
Upon beginning a new campaign, you are given the background story to the guy you control; Vito. His family moved to America from Italy when he was a boy. His father, like everyone at this time, was chasing their “American dream” with the goal of becoming rich and retiring early. But things didn't quite work out that way. Their flat they moved into was falling apart, and the majority of the money made went on the father's drink habit. With no male role model, Vito falls in with the wrong crowd and is caught in the act of burglary with his 'pal' Joe, more on which later. With the choice of jail or military service, the young Vito chooses the latter and is sent back home to Italy for translation purposes throughout the invasion. After a pleasant WW2 shoot-out, Vito is sent back to America suffering an injury in battle, where sure enough he is reunited with his old friend Joe, and needless to say, it all kicks off from there.
Say hello to my little friend
With a story that is driven by crime, corruption and action it's unsurprising that the most important feature that works and works well, is the shooting and cover system. Snapping in and out of cover feels easy and is as simple as a press of the 'A' button. Keeping your head low is not only used for popping out to fire at enemies though, it also comes in mighty handy when using stealth to bypass your enemies. You can peak round the corners, standing or crouched, and analyse your surroundings before then making your move. The overall movement of Vito feels good, he isn't too sluggish or speedy and his military training means he can sprint a fair distance.
Contrasting this, the guns you will get your mitts on make the game enjoyable to play through the various set pieces and fire-fights that you will encounter frequently. Following suit of GTAIV, when Mafia II does set pieces, it does them well and on scale. Guns like the MP40, Tommy Gun and the standard pistol make an appearance here and all feel satisfying to use as they neither feel overpowered or under for that matter. But the fact is that enemies react differently to being shot, be it falling to the floor or clutching the wound, before trying to return fire in vain, thus meaning that each target needs a different amount of damage to take down, as opposed to enemies being generically copied and pasted throughout the game.
If you find yourself low on cash, and more importantly ammo, then you can engage in a simple yet effective hand-to-hand combat mechanic. Combo's can be executed with a triple press of 'A' or 'B' whilst big hits can be delivered with 'Y'. Don't expect to see any glamorous finishing moves or combos Street Fighter style though.
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