Mafia is overrated, trash.

Sorry, but it's true.

More than half the game consists of boring "drive from point A to B" objectives. This would have been too much to bear even in a GTA game, where driving around can be somewhat fun, but in Mafia what you get is the perfect recipe for absolute mind numbing boredom. Mind you, I'm perfectly ok with having realistic driving as opposed to the mayhem of GTA if it's not overdone and it's merely for the sake of maintaining a certain level of integrity in the serious nature of the game. But when driving around the city is such a huge part of the game, there should be something that makes it feel like a meaningful game mechanic rather than a chore. Most of the time, there's no challenge in it, nor can we expect any mindless fun from it. In the end, it just feels like an artificial means of lengthening the game,nothing more. The taxi driver simulator mission was just unbearable. What a dissappointment that was, considering that I was pleasantly surprised when the game started off well by avoiding the generic "since its your first mission just drive a car to X location without any hassle just to get a feel for the game" formula that is ever present in the GTA series. Also, I find it lame how they threw in some pointless racing mission in what is supposed to be a serious mafia crime saga.

And then there's the on-foot action which is decent at best and annoying as hell at worst, mainly due to the camera angles. It's not an issue in more open environment, but it was awful when you're inside a narrow corridor in a building.

Now, let's talk about the aspect of the game that gets the most praise here: the story. I was expecting a game that would be thoroughly gripping and compelling from start to finish. Oh how wrong I was. The main plot by itself is fine, but the problem here is that actual meaningful missions that are closely tied in with the main plot are rare. 90% of the game is spent doing a bunch of generic, cliched mafia missions. It's a shame that for the most part, the setting is handled in the most predictable manner possible.

The few good things I remember from the game was that some of the mission design was pretty interesting (like the boat mission), and as I mentioned, the main plot and also the voice acting and all that was very well done.

Your opinion is true? So that must mean people who like it have false opinions? How can an opinion be true or false?

Oh, and I actually had more fun with Mercenaries and Just Cause than GTA or Mafia.

I completely agree.

There were two things I particularly disliked about the game. The first is the story, and the second is everything else. The biggest problem with the story for me is that the English write-up is absolutely terrible, and while the voice work isn't outright poor, it's subpect - especially when combined with such poor writing.

I appreciate that the game is coming out of Poland, but the game is extremely story driven and the driving force behind every story is the writing. I pretty much had to rewrite every line in my head as I was watching it to make it tolerable.

I also dislike the driving sections intensely - the biggest problem being that they bitterly cling to realism at the expense of fun gameplay. Realism is great, but as soon as it starts stepping on fun's toes, it's time to cut it. The cars (for most of the game) were too slow, the way you were (often) restricted to one car was tiresome. I would have thought the developers would have played GTA1 and 2 and seen what about the game worked. Seems like they musta missed 'em.

I don't have any major problems with the gunplay, but it was certainly nothing special. Pales in comparison with Max Payne, which was released a year prior.

What? Mafia is the best game ever. The on-foot action is intense and great, what are you talking about? The camera angle is fine. The story is also one of the very best (got second in votes I think, first was Splinter Cell for the year). And what do you expect? Do you expect to just suddenly be at Salieri's bar then a second later be where you are supposed to be? Of course you have to drive. bedram793

The OP isn't saying that the driving was needed, he's saying that all the missions that require driving was dull.

As for the game, I wasn't impressed when I played it. My roommate had aquired the game and he was playing it all the time....I played a handful of times, but I just wasn't impressed. The missions were rather dull and the story was ok...I made it through about 1/4 or maybe a 1/3 of the game, but I just wasn't hooked.

To each their own, but I'd have to somewhat agree with the OP that Mafia isn't that great of a game, but I wouldn't say it was trash.

Maybe you should have played the game 6 years ago...

Thanks, I will get through it, I know I will. Maybe I should start a "System Shock 2 sucks" thread. And yes, I've played the game. bedram793

[QUOTE="bedram793"]Thanks, I will get through it, I know I will. Maybe I should start a "System Shock 2 sucks" thread. And yes, I've played the game. smokeydabear076

At first I thought so, but wasn't sure. Thanks for clarifying, lol.

I appreciate that the game is coming out of Poland, but the game is extremely story driven and the driving force behind every story is the writing. I pretty much had to rewrite every line in my head as I was watching it to make it tolerable.fatshodan

It's actually the Czech Republic, but whatever. The writing was really good, perhaps borrowed too much from The Godfather, but still really good especially coupled with the voice acting.

Overall, I would say that Mafia is a great game with some questionable design choices. The gunplay and the missions were stellar, but the driving was indeed a real chore. They went with the realistic route with the technical stuff which I could live with, but they completely screwed up the police frequency. You couldn't walk/drive 2 metres without bumping into a cop which is not only highly unrealistic but stupid. People reacting if you pulled out a weapon was an awesome idea, but again, it's completely ruined by the fact that Lost Heaven has a police station on every block.

It's actually the Czech Republic, but whatever. The writing was really good, perhaps borrowed too much from The Godfather, but still really good especially coupled with the voice acting.UpInFlames

My mistake - confusing it with The Witcher I guess (which I actually thought had pretty good English writing!). Out of interest, is English your first language? I ask as it often seems to be the case that people who praise Mafia's writing speak English (often excellently) but not as a first language.

I've thrown away my notes and I can't recall to exact lines, but just in the opening 30 minutes there are a number of lines that I think are absolutely ridiculously terrible. I'd have to reinstall and replay the game to find them, and that's not happening, so I can't find the exact quotes. But man, they were pretty bad.

You guys have to realize that this game was released at around the same time GTA3/vice city was around... Do you honestly think those games were much better? Lilgunney612

GTA 3? NO, Vice City? YES, but that's just me. I presonally didn't like absolutely nothing from Mafia.

[QUOTE="UpInFlames"]

It's actually the Czech Republic, but whatever. The writing was really good, perhaps borrowed too much from The Godfather, but still really good especially coupled with the voice acting.fatshodan

My mistake - confusing it with The Witcher I guess (which I actually thought had pretty good English writing!). Out of interest, is English your first language? I ask as it often seems to be the case that people who praise Mafia's writing speak English (often excellently) but not as a first language.

I've thrown away my notes and I can't recall to exact lines, but just in the opening 30 minutes there are a number of lines that I think are absolutely ridiculously terrible. I'd have to reinstall and replay the game to find them, and that's not happening, so I can't find the exact quotes. But man, they were pretty bad.

Wait a minute, you actually think The Witcher has better writing than Mafia? Wow. I laughed at most of the dialogue in The Witcher, stuff that actually was unintentional. The writing was amateurish at best, and has some of the worst writing in an RPG (although I love the game regardless). Please don't compare it to mafia in that regard, which is an action game and does more than an adequate job at story telling and dialogue. If you have seen any mafia movies, you would realize thats the tone and style they were going for

A matter of taste really I guess but still -

Firstly, you have to look at mafia in it's context, that being 2003. Compared to Vice, also from 2003,

In oppose to Vice, Mafia lets you rotate the camera using the mouse while driving, manual aiming with the mouse while doing drivebys. Also in oppose to Vice you can use the analogue stick for acceleration which grants you cruise control.

Furthermore, look at the wanted system and how you can hide and dodge the cops - that "stealth" concept didn't show up in GTA till this year - 5 years after Mafia. Half a **** decade, sir. (I love GTA)

Another thing is the feel of the combat which I just love, I love having to take cover and switching weapons instead of using time reloading. Combat is so intense because it is hard and I'd say the exact same thing about the racing mission.

In conclusion say what you will about Mafia, but certain key features were superior to GTA.

My mistake - confusing it with The Witcher I guess (which I actually thought had pretty good English writing!). Out of interest, is English your first language? I ask as it often seems to be the case that people who praise Mafia's writing speak English (often excellently) but not as a first language.

I've thrown away my notes and I can't recall to exact lines, but just in the opening 30 minutes there are a number of lines that I think are absolutely ridiculously terrible. I'd have to reinstall and replay the game to find them, and that's not happening, so I can't find the exact quotes. But man, they were pretty bad.fatshodan

English is not my first language, but I still know good writing. I would say that Mafia has better writing than The Witcher which not only has some grammar errors, but uses words like 'babe' which feel completely out of place considering the setting. It's not quite on the level of the best scripts from English/American writers, but still good nonetheless. On a related note, The Longest Journey was written by a Norwegian and it features some of the best writing and natural dialogue in games, period.

Awww it's ok, we all get our feelings hurt when people say mean things about our beloved videogame series and as a result we feel the unimaginably powerful urge to make a negative thread about another game. You will get through it! You might lose the majority of your sanity in the process, but you will get through it!smokeydabear076

:roll:

I made this thread because someone praised Mafia on another thread, reminding me how much I despised the game. That and the fact that I rarely see anyone criticize Mafia, I felt compelled to make a thread about it.

Stop trying to make meaningless assumptions to take the easy way out of this one. You can convince yourself that I'm doing this just to get back because my feelings were hurt due to people saying mean things about "my beloved videogame series" or you can grow up and come up with a constructive response.

BTW, what videogame series are you talking about anyway? Halo? If you'll notice, I only praised Halo: CE, I could care less about Halo 2 and 3. Even then, it's not like I think it's the greatest game ever, heck I even said there are several shooters that I think are better. Sorry, but your "lol butthurt halo fanboi detected" comeback fails.

PS. A question to the mods. I got a warning saying that the action taken was to close the topic. I'm guessing it was referring to this one, seeing as how this is the only thread I made in recent times. But it still seems to be here, so changed the decision or what? Also, this thread wasn't "Intending solely to annoy and/or offend other users". :roll:

In oppose to Vice, Mafia lets you rotate the camera using the mouse while driving, manual aiming with the mouse while doing drivebys. Also in oppose to Vice you can use the analogue stick for acceleration which grants you cruise control.

Kaelken

You can turn the camera with the mouse in Vice City.

What analog stick? this is on keyboard. A gamepad isn't a necessity for GTA.

The rest I agree.

Maybe you should have played the game 6 years ago...

Gog

I did actually play it several years ago (not 6 years ago though), so my memory is still a bit hazy about all the details. I don't remember the voice acting and writing being particularly awful, but when I think about it, I don't remember being blown away by it or anything either.

*shrug* I'll probably have to take another look at it.

Your opinion is true? So that must mean people who like it have false opinions? How can an opinion be true or false?

Oh, and I actually had more fun with Mercenaries and Just Cause than GTA or Mafia.

Skeptomania

Yes, that was a very enlightening and productive post. :roll:

How about actually commenting on any of the issues I had with the game?

What? Mafia is the best game ever. The on-foot action is intense and great, what are you talking about? The camera angle is fine. The story is also one of the very best (got second in votes I think, first was Splinter Cell for the year). And what do you expect? Do you expect to just suddenly be at Salieri's bar then a second later be where you are supposed to be? Of course you have to drive. bedram793

If that's the case, then they should somehow make the driving portion of the game interesting.

Besides, I don't see what the issue is with skipping the driving part and just taking us to our target location...atleast towards the latter portion of the game, by which time you're probably gonna be sick of going on a boring ride for the one billionth time. After all, the game is clearly going for a very movie-like style, and it's not like they don't skip useless details in movies.

Mafia received a 9.3 here at GS and has an overall 90% score on gamerankings.com

Creating a topic saying the game is trash is equivalent to trolling, a concept you should be familiar with, considering your moderation history _Memento_.