Mafia III

Well, If you are here then you definitely like open world games. So simply just go and buy it, it really worths the price. Yes it has some issues, yes propably all the yapping about it being a not finished game with glitches is true but there is more to it than that. As far as I am concerned it is not as good as mafia 2 concerning the script, feeling and how close you get to the characters BUT it is a whole other story so let's just get over with the nagging. I definitely enjoyed playing the game. Did all the main & side missions along with getting all the city wire tapped and finding all the collectibles. I gave it an easy 8 out of 10. I hope we ll see another mafia game soon..

As always, I will review this game from the story and cinematography point of view. But first let's talk about the gameplay. It's extremely repetitive but a lot of games are. Hell, all games are repetitive. you just do the same thing over and over until it's over. But the variety of tasks is bigger and you don't feel it.

In this game, there are only 2 things to do: driving and shooting and all missions are a combination of these 2 things. That can be a problem as there aren't a lot of combinations you can make from only 2 things. The shooting is great and the driving the best in open world games but I guess only 2 really good things without any context can create a repetitive experience.

The first few hours before you are let on your own to do the same things over and over again create a really good context for the story. Lincoln Clay returned from Vietnam gets involved with the mob in New Bordeaux and well, if you don't know, don't look for more, just play the opening hours, these are really, really good.

But after that, the story becomes so simplistic that could have been told in only one mission and that is the disappointing part of the game. There's not enough to justify just wondering through the city for the next 20 hours (I took my time because of the driving)

All in all, I enjoyed the story (beginning and ending, as there's nothing in the middle) but I didn't find it as offensive as the developer said. Instead of being repulsed of how the NPC react to my character (it was not easy to be a black man in the 60s), I was pleasantly surprised to hear a lot of characters being nice to me and greet me on the streets. A change of tone from the normal open world game where everyone swears at you and makes you an idiot for driving on the wrong side of the road.

I don't get people who say this game is repetitive.

I do have minor annoyances with some of the decisions they made, like weirdly unintuitive controls (skipped so many cutscenes cause X apparently means skip, all the doors open with a square, except for when you're in a car and the garage opens with the down button on the D pad, you beat people with a circle and you jump with the triangle... why...?) Also I hate when games decide to have customizable characters AND prerendered cutscenes. Just do one or the other, 2K, don't pander to youtubers who are constantly complaining about things nobody cares about. In that sense Mafia III is a downgrade from Mafia II.

But the story is incredible, the gameplay is pretty nice and I think a lot of the decisions for this game came from the backlash from Mafia II being "boring".

This was perfectly predictable. Mafia II comes out "boring, nice story, too linear, not enough to do in open world". Mafia III comes out, you have side missions, better gameplay and more collectibles and people are like "too long, too much stuff to do and they're all the same, Mafia II was way better".

I blame video game reviewers. It shouldn't be a thing. They definitely don't improve the medium with their constant drivel but for some reason some developers actually pay attention to that feedback.

And I really don't get it. I prefer playing a game that does one or two things right, than to just play any random Ubisoft, EA or you-name-it franchise that tries to cram everything good from other games into one mess of a game just cause they need the money. And yeah sure... for some this game may be boring, but playing through it, apart from the minor annoyances all I get out of it is the impression that they put a lot of effort into it.

I also love this game as a stealth fan, so yeah... You have the areas. You get the objectives. You have the means and they give you a pretty good scope on the layout of each area. You can do whatever you like for each mission. You have plenty of approaches and a good arsenal for each mission.

If you're bored playing this game - you're probably playing it in a boring way...

If like me, you're into old timey/retro cars, fashion and music. Then this game will be an all you can eat buffet for you.

Mafia III drops you in the middle of the late 1960's, everywhere you look you'll see a really inspired and accurate recreation of the time period. But things are not as pretty as they seem.

After the exciting intro, the story takes a fast and surprisingly dark turn. Leaving you as a player with a strong motivation to complete your characters daunting mission.

You play as Lincoln Clay, a dark-skinned Vietnam veteran who's just returned from battle. You'll discover with him that the world you've come back to could very well be worse than that of the battlefield. Crime, Racism, Crooked cops and Sinister politicians infect the streets of your hometown.

Right off the bat, the game does it's very best to remind you constantly that these are not happy times. The story is formatted like a dark Netflix crime drama, missions are broken up by cut-scenes of interviews about the events that take place in the story.

Exciting blocks of fast paced action are very neatly divided by these intriguing interviews, but you're not limited to the story. Mafia 3 permits you to travel around it's exciting open world at your will. And with the incredible choice of classic songs at your disposal, cruising around the city is a genuine joy that you'll want to experience as a gamer. You may very well be reminded of L.A Noire.

But this is where there's a couple points of complaint, despite the fantastic racing mini game. And incredible (But not overwhelming) collectibles, You might quickly discover how there isn't much for you to take part in, but this absolutely does not ruin the game, let me convince you why!

Firstly, the objectives in the game are very open ended. You're never limited as a player, you're instead given many different ways to conquer a mission. Do you prefer stealth? Guns blazing? Being a sniper? Drive by shooting? Your objectives are never closed areas, You can approach or escape any mission whenever you fancy. Need to escape and stock up on ammo? That's fine!

Secondly, the game world sometimes feels alive. You can enter bars or night clubs that are always bustling with life inside. But because of your skin color, you may find that you aren't welcome in most of the joints. It's little things like this that really differentiates Mafia 3 to other Free roam titles.

You may find that the police even present some racism, in a black neighborhood police are less interested, they arrive later and the dispatch call seems generally bored. Whereas if you cause trouble in a wealthy white neighborhood, the police will be all over you before you have a chance to say sorry.

And you best always be ready for a gunfight, a well placed shot (Even on easy mode) can do some serious damage. Sometimes even killing you instantly. Gunfights are brutal, you're forced to be light on your toes and dance around the battlefield. Always keeping an eye on enemy locations.

The characters are also surprisingly interesting, the story is missing any 'good guys' meaning you're likely to be conflicted at some points about who your friends and enemies should really be.

In conclusion, Mafia 3 is a really solid free roam title. The historical accuracy is a fantastic experience. And the dark story should intrigue you in a really satisfying way, don't believe all of the negative hate for this game. It's absolutely worth giving it a try for yourself.

Before I get in to the main review, let me just grab your attention with this: YOU CAN GROW AND SELL WEED! And create your own strains. EPIC!

This game is unjustly maligned and seriously underrated. Though 2K did get a smidge political and overly racial, the fundamentals of the game are just too strong to ignore. I highly encourage you to enjoy this phenomenal game.

Hangar 13 deserves so much credit for the functionality and rich gameplay Mafia III provides.

This game has it all: Clean, incredibly realistic sounding gunfire. Strong, reactive hand-to-hand combat complimented by gruesome finishers and chilling stealth kills. An efficient and well designed weapon wheel with very unique "summon" options for your weapons dealer, cash handler, and car delivery services. I could go on for a while!

Though this game has an invigorating main storyline, the beginning is quite dark and abrasive. It gets a little heavy, but the payoff is well worth the weight of the plot. Vengeance is sweet!

The vehicles were so beautifully designed, and the driving is as fulfilling as I've ever experienced. Perfect engine, and tire sound replication.

Give this game a chance. You'll be glad you did.