Mafia II Review
If there can be one thing said about this game, it is that it has atmosphere. This isn’t a genre defying game. The core game play is reminiscent of any basic third-person, cover based shooter. It features some interesting set pieces, but the driving mechanic can be difficult to get used to. Once the game’s story and atmosphere kicks in, it is easy to lose yourself in the world and characters.
If you’ve played other third-person, cover based shooters; you’ve pretty much played this one. Later stages of the game may present some real challenges (I played through on hard difficulty on the PC), so be prepared to make some long distance shots if you want to survive for long. A few of the enemies have the ability to kill you in one to two shots, so it would be interesting to see how difficult it is to play through the game using a controller.
The game itself plays out across a fairly limited map, though the locations never end up feeling overused. The seasons change midway through the game, which goes a long way when trying to memorize the area, providing new and different scenery to enjoy. Driving is a major factor in this game, and it feels like you’re fighting against the city itself as a major section of the game play involves you driving to and fro, from your house to the various mission locations. The city is dense and packed with other cars and pedestrians, so the toggle based speed limiting option is a welcome addition.
Driving is definitely a task that you will have to get accustomed to. Finding or receiving a fast car is a rare occasion, so once you find these gems, you will not want to destroy them needlessly. It’s interesting to note that cars do not typically explode when they take excessive damage. Rather, the game allows the player to get out and work on the engine, fixing it just enough to allow you to continue driving. Garages also have options available to increase the speed and handling of your car, as well as repair services. Though repairing your car can become quite expensive, especially on the various hot rods and convertibles. This lends to a more careful style of driving, especially when your passengers are eager to point out each driving mistake (especially when behind the wheel of their car). It doesn’t help that a lot of the cars handle like they were made from the late 40′s to early 50′s.
