Mafia 3 Review Roundup

Six years after the release of Mafia II in 2010, the sequel Mafia III has arrived.

GameSpot did not have a review available right away, in part because we did not have a review copy in hand until launch. We have now weighed in with our verdict, while we've also collected a series of review scores and editor opinions to help you decide if Mafia III is worth your time and money.

Mafia III was developed by Hangar 13, a new 2K studio that's led by industry veteran Haden Blackman, who previously worked on the Star Wars franchise. The game is set in 1968 and puts players into the shoes of Lincoln Clay, a mixed-race Vietnam War veteran who comes home to get revenge on the Italian mob. Mafia III is set in New Bordeaux, a version of the real-world New Orleans.

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The PC version of Mafia III launched with a 30 FPS locked frame rate, but Hangar 13 quickly updated the game to include options for 60 FPS and unlimited frame rates. Read more about that here.

For more on the critical reaction to Mafia III, go to GameSpot sister site Metacritic.

• Game: Mafia III
• Developer: Hangar 13
• Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC
• Release Date: October 7
• Price: $60

GameSpot -- 6/10

"Every aspect of Mafia III's writing--from the dialogue to the mission descriptions--is excellent. The obvious care and craftsmanship that went into its narrative elements should serve as a model for all other triple-A titles. The gameplay, however, just can't live up, and repetitive missions and technical problems drag the experience down further, turning a game that could have been truly great into one that has to settle for 'fair.'" -- Scott Butterworth [Full review]

IGN -- 7.5/10

"Mafia III's strong characters and confident storytelling kept me engaged, even if the gameplay rarely delivered anything but bog-standard and repetitive open-world action. That's a bummer, because Lincoln is an incredible protagonist and New Bordeaux is a fantastic setting thematically, and it would've been great to see them put to better use." -- Marty Sliva [Full review]

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Kotaku

"An occasionally frustrating open-world experience that's greater than the sum of its parts." -- Nathan Grayson [Full review]

PC Gamer -- 54/100

"It draws too much water from a very shallow well, repeating the same mission types far too often, and wrapping its story around a territory system that just isn't deep or entertaining enough to support an entire game. Mafia II was criticized by many for being too linear, but I'd take that over this aimless parade of dull any day." -- Andy Kelly [Full review]

Ars Technica

"Mafia III is a classic case of style over substance, where its slick setting and story can't make up for tired open-world gameplay. What a disappointment." -- Sam White [Full review]

TrustedReviews -- 2.5/5

"Mafia III is the biggest disappointment of the year. It's a game with masses of potential, but unfortunately that potential is wasted on by-the-numbers open-world game design. The first few hours tease the game that could have been if it hadn't succumbed to the open-world bloat. This is a solid eight-hour game stretched far too thin. Mafia III has an interesting setting and a great cast of characters, but its lack of focus undermines everything it’s trying to do, and that's a damn shame." -- Kirk McKeand [Full review]