Does one of the most highly anticipated games of the year bring honor to the family name, or will it be sleepin' with the fishies?
The original Mafia debuted in 2002 and immediately stunned the gaming community with its intense crime drama and thrilling gameplay. Five years later, a sequel was announced, and it would be an understatement to say that this news was well received. Unfortunately, a bumpy start with numerous delays and the reins being turned over to 2k Czech, a foreign company working on an American mobster tale, left us frustrated that we couldn't get our hands on the title soon enough and mildly worried that it wouldn't receive the same attention as 2k's other smash hits. And now 2010 has arrived with several unforgettable releases already and the holiday craze isn't even close. Mafia 2 pretty much stands alone in August, but it'll have to do more than beat out its few competitors to earn respect. So, is this tale worthy of the big screen or has it suffered the same fate as our good friend Luca? Read on to find out…
From the opening cutscene of Mafia 2, you are thrust into the 1940s world of underground crime. You take the role of Vito Scaletta, decorated war hero and Purple Heart Recipient whose prayers have come true when he returns to his home city of Empire Bay on temporary leave. It's back in the States that you reunite with Joe Barbaro, lifelong pal and the reason you were deployed to Europe in the first place. As becomes evident over the course of the ten or so hour campaign, Joe is truly the star of the show in Mafia 2. From his wisecracking jokes during long drives to his way with the ladies (despite the gut), he really adds a much-needed layer of depth to the story and is key in the development of the much more somber and levelheaded Vito.
From your train's arrival in Empire Bay, a city more stunning than even Rockstar's Liberty City unfolds before you in a photorealistic December winter. Men hunched over against the blowing sleet in their trenchcoats and bowler hats, steam pouring out of grates, and holiday traffic sliding down the ice-covered roads immediately bring the city to life, and set high expectations for an evolving game world throughout the game. You reunite with your mother and sister, and despite their warnings, Joe Barbaro's invitation to join in his success from less-than-legitimate business activities sends you spinning in a sinister plot where blood and the money it pays is the only way to stay afloat. The opening missions will have you exploring the city, understanding the layout, and completing a few odd jobs in the same fantastic setting. It's from this point, however, that things begin to turn for the worse, and a straight-forward almost-mechanical world becomes routine.
During a story that is too short and ends too abruptly in a genre that demands value, you will drive across the map to one location to pick up a crate of illegal smokes, drive to another place to sell said smokes, and drive home so you can go to sleep to end the mission. But, as you will come to find out, this is not some filler mission. Unfortunately, such monotonous and unfulfilling jobs make you wonder how short the game would have been if not for what feels like should have been "deleted scenes". This would be but a small gripe, however, if there were actually other things to do outside the story.
Or at least it feels that way. With other open world titles on the market like the Grand Theft Auto and Just Cause series, how could Mafia 2 hope to possibly be on par when there are absolutely zero side missions or even interesting locales in which to free roam? Thus, the developers claim that this is not an open-world title in the traditional sense. Instead they exquisitely designed a fully-realized city as a backdrop to a deeper tale. If that's the case, then why focus on loading crates and zooming across an empty world for entire missions? Their approach would be completely understandable and might actually carve out a genre of its own…if they had managed to at least give the plot-focused gameplay greater meaning or introduce more exhilarating action into the mix.
That's not to say that the action here is completely dull, nor does it entail repeatedly performing the same jobs. The developers do deserve some credit here, as they successfully make missions that would feel completely out of place in most games fit, and there are some areas with fantastic potential. Disguising oneself as a window washer to secretly plant a bomb on a mob boss's hotel floor is intense, and the chase scenes placing you behind the wheel with your buddy Joe hanging out the window blasting away are no different. Even still, these missions have some clunky components to them, but those complaints go under a different heading as the missions themselves are not to blame. And it is here that the core gameplay suffers from a lack of innovation.
Just as many of Mafia 2's missions feel awkward, so do some of the actual gameplay mechanics. Considering that you will spend a huge chunk of the game in a vehicle, this part of the game feels complete and delivers some of the best open-world driving in the industry. It's the on-foot action that could have used more polish. First off, there's nothing truly wrong with it; it simply feels like a bare-bones third-person shooter. Transitioning between weapons is easy enough and the borderline ridiculous number of Molotovs, Thompsons, and Pistolas you can carry makes one question how many pockets the standard mob coat had in the 40s. Guns pack a fair punch, and the aiming reticule works but isn't even close to the competency of other shooters. The auto-lock-on is hit-and-miss, there's no blind firing (even though your enemies can), and in general, the experience as a whole feels rough but still functional enough to mow down a warehouse full of enemies. The animations seem to be in the same position, with seemingly cardinal-direction- based movement and a sticky (but still functional) cover system. You can walk, jog, and (most-usefully) sprint as in any game, but the overall feeling of bodily control will leave you wanting. Something that should be duly noted is that an element that has become routine in the open-world games--dynamic weather--is absent and instead is controlled from chapter to chapter. This isn't necessarily a complaint, but it further drives home the point that this is not a traditional take on the genre.
But let's face it: the developers obviously didn't take a deep interest in design outside of the story, and it is precisely that story that will need to inspire you to play through from start to finish. Fortunately here, it delivers for the most part, forming a tale that actually manages to rival the masterpieces of mob fiction. As touched on earlier, the foundation for this great storytelling is a cast of truly believable characters with their own flaws and attributes that progress the story in their own, unique ways. This component separates what would otherwise be a rather cliché tale that derives heavily from popular novels and movies of the same genre. Cutscenes play a major role in delivering the story in its fifteen episodic chapters. You'll come across a few per chapter, and they're all worthwhile and engaging to watch, even if the lip-synching is subpar despite excellently voiced characters across the board. To set their formula apart from most other games today, however, the developers went to great lengths to incorporate character and plot development into the actual gameplay.
During combat, Joe and your buddies will throw out a witty comment here and there and communicate similar to that of Uncharted 2's system. More importantly, the frequent driving sequences provide fantastic dialogue, making them feel like an interactive cutscene, which, in turn, rids the player of what would otherwise be sheer boredom. In the end, it's really owed to the top-notch characters that yield a wonderful plot that will have you going for just one more chapter. Scenes ranging from the trials of prison life to a night out at the local cathouse incorporate and add to the story nicely, and it all feels pretty fluid for the most part despite some missed opportunities including a less-than-satisfying conclusion. Sure, the pacing gets sketchy at times, but that's mainly due to some dull missions. Regardless, this is a story that you'll want to see through to the end, whether or not you have a deep interest in the genre.
Other than story, Mafia 2 has one superb thing going for it, and that's sound design. The graphics end of it doesn't live up to expectations with frequently reused character models, poor lip-synching, screen tearing, huge cutscene framerate dips, and a host of other ugly issues. The in-game city looks gorgeous, especially during weather effects, and the main character models are solid, but these various other nuisances drag down the believability of the world, forcing the game to rely on the audio presentation that is one of the year's best. The Prague Filmharmonic Orchestra has really created something special in the game's original score. Just insert the game disc, wait for the menu screen to appear, and you'll understand. Powerful instrumental sequences so far surpass today's standard that it's hard to believe it wasn't composed for a summer blockbuster. These pieces are perfectly incorporated into the game's sequences and, with the equally-spectacular voice cast and authentic, albeit limited, radio songs of their respective time periods, form a major part of delivering an exciting experience.
It's truly too bad that the rest of Mafia 2 doesn't live up to the same standards, ultimately delivering a fun but shallow experience. Despite its host of quirks, though, this mafia title holds an undeniable charm. Perhaps this is its predecessor's spirit leaking through with all that it actually does right, but nevertheless, charm will only keep you coming back for so long, and with a limited single player experience that relies on pricy DLCs to attempt to provide the "missing content" and no multiplayer or co-operative play to speak of, it just doesn't make the cut. What it boils down to is this: Mafia 2 is the definition of unused potential, one that doesn't shoot itself in the foot by doing a bunch of things wrong, but by failing to do more of what it did right. Friends, this is an offer that you CAN refuse.
SUKHAREVSKAYA'S SCORE:
6.5/10 [DECENT]
------Component breakdown------
(does not reflect average score)
GAMEPLAY: 6.0 This is hands down the weakest part of Mafia 2. While there some cool setspieces, great driving, and decent gunplay mechanics, the monotony of performing boring, lengthy tasks repeatedly dumbs down an otherwise fun and engaging experience.
STORY: 9.0 It's true better stories have been told, but you wouldn't think so until the final "climax" that misses the mark. Other than this, you will find yourself pushing on just to reach the next bit of storytelling that is expertly woven throughout. The story's focus on the two families in Vito's life--his own and the one he's bought into--is sure to hold your interest until the final shot is fired.
GRAPHICS: 7.5 The open-world is gorgeous to look at, but there aren't many things to interact with. When it comes to the technical aspect, framerate dips, gritty textures, and some other issues keep Empire Bay from showing off its complete potential.
SOUND: 9.5 The sound design balances music of the times and powerful
instrumental overtures while boasting a fantastic voice cast, resulting in one of the best audio presentations in a game to date.
Value: 6.0 Games in general demand replay value, much less value period.
Open-world titles demand even more. With no multiplayer or co-op and a very linear and relatively short single player mode, there won't be much reason to return to Mafia 2 other than a few collectibles thrown in for good measure.
CLOSING STATEMENT
Mafia 2 had a lot going for it, but it falls into that category of "what could have been". Most people will be disappointed by the overall experience, but as long as they take it for what it is, there are some gems to be found throughout. This is definitely an over-the-weekend rental.
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