Review: Mafia II


Platform: Xbox 360 (also on PS3/PC)

Developer: 2K Czech

Publisher: 2K Games

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)


Official Site

Score: B

The original Mafia was an ambitiously cool, well-made PC game that made for a less than perfect (but still enjoyable) console translation. Seven years and a new console cycle later, 2K Czech's Mafia II is a heck of a lot more visually impressive, even more ambitious and offers up a far more interesting cast of wiseguys playing out their lives of crime to assorted results. The sequel is sharp as a new suit, but there are a few loose threads hanging that make it a bit less than a perfect fit. Those going into it expecting yet another cut & paste Grand Theft Auto experience will be in for a surprise. The pure story driven focus here means your enjoyment of the game relies on sticking to the script rather than going too far off the beaten path.

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Mafia II Complete Song Listing + First Hour Live Play Online


If you're free around 2PM Pacific Time (5PM EST) TODAY, you can actually Watch Denby Grace (Sr. Producer) and Dan Schmittou (Production) play through the first Hour of Mafia II LIVE from the official Mafia II website. 2K Games will be streaming the play session live on the official Mafia II Ustream website. Denby and Dan will also be answering questions from the Mafia II twitter account and in the chat real-time as they play.

As for those songs…

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Preview: Mafia II Hands-On

With 2K Games set to strong-arm Mafia II into stores on August 24, I had the opportunity to play a demo of the PS3 version at Sony’s Holiday showcase in NYC. The build had a brief taste of game’s driving and shooting mechanics and featured spectacular visuals, deadly enemy AI, partially destructible environments and some excellently acted and voiced cinematic sequences. So far, 2K’s Czech studios has crafted a dynamic, violent crime saga with what’s looking to be a richly developed plot. Granted, a great deal of what’s here is clearly inspired by Rockstar’s epic GTA juggernaut. However, the time period and overall visual quality of Mafia II’s Empire Bay looks as it will be a bit more realistic in some aspects.

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