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[GAME] Mafia 2 – Playstation 3
With my LoveFilm list running low and the slight game draught that has hit before the final quarter of the year rush, i thought i would give Mafia 2 a look to see if i could find a game that would get me hooked with some Italian American gang action.
You play as Vito, a young man from Sicily who has come to America as a young boy with his family, hoping to live the American dream. Your father soon gets a job at the docks working for minor money, but with a big drinking problem, it is not long before he borrows money from loan sharks and gets into some serious debt. While Vito befriends a man named Joey and ends up getting involved in some street crime and gets busted robbing a jewellery store and sent to jail for a while, Vito then enrols into the army and is sent out to Sicily to help with the fight, after getting wounded in the heat of the battle you are sent back to America for a few weeks to see your family and heal up. While being away for a while, not much has changed but you soon meet up with your old friend Joey who seems to be doing well for himself and has gained some useful “contacts”, using these he is able to get you out of the army with some fake paperwork and asks you to help him out with some jobs. When back in America you find that your father who has died, had borrowed £2000 from a loan shark and due to his death, been unable to pay it. Leaving your mum and sister in serious trouble, so working for Joey should get you some big cash quick, desperate to see you not follow down the Mafia path, your mum wants you to join the workers at the docks and get an honest job. Getting paid small amounts for hard labour will not pay back the £2000 any time soon, so Vito joins Joey and gets involved with his associates to get his family out of trouble......
The plot is nothing new, but is a proven plot that has worked well in this style of game for a long time. Having never played the original i don’t know if it varies much but i can only assume it follows a similar line. The story is told well and there are a lot of cut scenes early on to move the action along. The characters you meet all have their own styles and characteristics and the voice acting is well done. While introductions normally involve you doing some sort of job to prove your worth like most 3rd person action games, things do move along swiftly and keep going at a good pace so it does not get stale.
The graphics are nice and the scenary is well presented and detailed. The area is covered in snow and even minor details down to the steam from vents create a cold atmosphere to play in. From what i recall Mafia 2 looks more polished than GTA IV, and with a fairly large environment to play in it does the job well. There are around 36 old school cars to drive around in (including vans etc) and they all look the part, with the ability to make minor changes like changing rims and spraying different colours.
While a steady plot and nice graphics are always a nice touch, when it comes to 3rd person action games, for me it comes down to the gameplay and the controls. So i am pleased to say that both are pretty good. The controls are simple and easy to learn, with a camera that can easily be moved around and reset to prevent you getting lost in corners or not being able to see what you need to. Even the basic cover system works well, allowing you to take much needed shelter while under fire. There is a hand to hand fighting system in place, and again it is basic but works fine, circle for a light punch, X to dodge and triangle for heavy hits. Making your back alley brawls an enjoyable experience. Driving around is slow due to the cars, and this can be frustrating when having to go a long distance, but with the camera and simple controls it is not too bad. The shooting aspect to the game has also been done well, from being half way into the game i have never had to do too much shooting, in large scales. The guns i have used have all been done well and have various attributes that make them better in certain aspects, but there is no ability to shoot while in cover and moving and shooting i think can sometimes be a tad difficult, but overall the controls and gameplay work very well in conjunction with the story and other attributes in the game.
Having never played the original it is hard to see any improvements or advances but the second instalment is a very enjoyable game, it seems to be on the short side. While you can purchase new clothes, have a drink and do a couple bits here and there, i have yet to run into any side missions or mini games that may prolong the life of the game, and i can see that once completed it is not something you will go back to. But still if you are a fan of 3rd person action games such as GTA, then Mafia 2 is worth a look. It is one that may slip through the net for many but i can imagine it will soon drop and in price and is worth picking up when it hits the £25 region.
Overall, an enjoyable game, a tad short and the slow cards can be frustrating, but with smooth graphics and fluid gameplay, it is one of the better games i have experienced of late. I can’t see anything on the replay side of things and no multiplayer is a let down, but still worth a respectable;
7.5
With my LoveFilm list running low and the slight game draught that has hit before the final quarter of the year rush, i thought i would give Mafia 2 a look to see if i could find a game that would get me hooked with some Italian American gang action.
You play as Vito, a young man from Sicily who has come to America as a young boy with his family, hoping to live the American dream. Your father soon gets a job at the docks working for minor money, but with a big drinking problem, it is not long before he borrows money from loan sharks and gets into some serious debt. While Vito befriends a man named Joey and ends up getting involved in some street crime and gets busted robbing a jewellery store and sent to jail for a while, Vito then enrols into the army and is sent out to Sicily to help with the fight, after getting wounded in the heat of the battle you are sent back to America for a few weeks to see your family and heal up. While being away for a while, not much has changed but you soon meet up with your old friend Joey who seems to be doing well for himself and has gained some useful “contacts”, using these he is able to get you out of the army with some fake paperwork and asks you to help him out with some jobs. When back in America you find that your father who has died, had borrowed £2000 from a loan shark and due to his death, been unable to pay it. Leaving your mum and sister in serious trouble, so working for Joey should get you some big cash quick, desperate to see you not follow down the Mafia path, your mum wants you to join the workers at the docks and get an honest job. Getting paid small amounts for hard labour will not pay back the £2000 any time soon, so Vito joins Joey and gets involved with his associates to get his family out of trouble......
The plot is nothing new, but is a proven plot that has worked well in this style of game for a long time. Having never played the original i don’t know if it varies much but i can only assume it follows a similar line. The story is told well and there are a lot of cut scenes early on to move the action along. The characters you meet all have their own styles and characteristics and the voice acting is well done. While introductions normally involve you doing some sort of job to prove your worth like most 3rd person action games, things do move along swiftly and keep going at a good pace so it does not get stale.
The graphics are nice and the scenary is well presented and detailed. The area is covered in snow and even minor details down to the steam from vents create a cold atmosphere to play in. From what i recall Mafia 2 looks more polished than GTA IV, and with a fairly large environment to play in it does the job well. There are around 36 old school cars to drive around in (including vans etc) and they all look the part, with the ability to make minor changes like changing rims and spraying different colours.
While a steady plot and nice graphics are always a nice touch, when it comes to 3rd person action games, for me it comes down to the gameplay and the controls. So i am pleased to say that both are pretty good. The controls are simple and easy to learn, with a camera that can easily be moved around and reset to prevent you getting lost in corners or not being able to see what you need to. Even the basic cover system works well, allowing you to take much needed shelter while under fire. There is a hand to hand fighting system in place, and again it is basic but works fine, circle for a light punch, X to dodge and triangle for heavy hits. Making your back alley brawls an enjoyable experience. Driving around is slow due to the cars, and this can be frustrating when having to go a long distance, but with the camera and simple controls it is not too bad. The shooting aspect to the game has also been done well, from being half way into the game i have never had to do too much shooting, in large scales. The guns i have used have all been done well and have various attributes that make them better in certain aspects, but there is no ability to shoot while in cover and moving and shooting i think can sometimes be a tad difficult, but overall the controls and gameplay work very well in conjunction with the story and other attributes in the game.
Having never played the original it is hard to see any improvements or advances but the second instalment is a very enjoyable game, it seems to be on the short side. While you can purchase new clothes, have a drink and do a couple bits here and there, i have yet to run into any side missions or mini games that may prolong the life of the game, and i can see that once completed it is not something you will go back to. But still if you are a fan of 3rd person action games such as GTA, then Mafia 2 is worth a look. It is one that may slip through the net for many but i can imagine it will soon drop and in price and is worth picking up when it hits the £25 region.
Overall, an enjoyable game, a tad short and the slow cards can be frustrating, but with smooth graphics and fluid gameplay, it is one of the better games i have experienced of late. I can’t see anything on the replay side of things and no multiplayer is a let down, but still worth a respectable;
7.5
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[GAME] Mafia 2 – Playstation 3
With my LoveFilm list running low and the slight game draught that has hit before the final quarter of the year rush, i thought i would give Mafia 2 a look to see if i could find a game that would get me hooked with some Italian American gang action.
You play as Vito, a young man from Sicily who has come to America as a young boy with his family, hoping to live the American dream. Your father soon gets a job at the docks working for minor money, but with a big drinking problem, it is not long before he borrows money from loan sharks and gets into some serious debt. While Vito befriends a man named Joey and ends up getting involved in some street crime and gets busted robbing a jewellery store and sent to jail for a while, Vito then enrols into the army and is sent out to Sicily to help with the fight, after getting wounded in the heat of the battle you are sent back to America for a few weeks to see your family and heal up. While being away for a while, not much has changed but you soon meet up with your old friend Joey who seems to be doing well for himself and has gained some useful “contacts”, using these he is able to get you out of the army with some fake paperwork and asks you to help him out with some jobs. When back in America you find that your father who has died, had borrowed £2000 from a loan shark and due to his death, been unable to pay it. Leaving your mum and sister in serious trouble, so working for Joey should get you some big cash quick, desperate to see you not follow down the Mafia path, your mum wants you to join the workers at the docks and get an honest job. Getting paid small amounts for hard labour will not pay back the £2000 any time soon, so Vito joins Joey and gets involved with his associates to get his family out of trouble......
The plot is nothing new, but is a proven plot that has worked well in this style of game for a long time. Having never played the original i don’t know if it varies much but i can only assume it follows a similar line. The story is told well and there are a lot of cut scenes early on to move the action along. The characters you meet all have their own styles and characteristics and the voice acting is well done. While introductions normally involve you doing some sort of job to prove your worth like most 3rd person action games, things do move along swiftly and keep going at a good pace so it does not get stale.
The graphics are nice and the scenary is well presented and detailed. The area is covered in snow and even minor details down to the steam from vents create a cold atmosphere to play in. From what i recall Mafia 2 looks more polished than GTA IV, and with a fairly large environment to play in it does the job well. There are around 36 old school cars to drive around in (including vans etc) and they all look the part, with the ability to make minor changes like changing rims and spraying different colours.
While a steady plot and nice graphics are always a nice touch, when it comes to 3rd person action games, for me it comes down to the gameplay and the controls. So i am pleased to say that both are pretty good. The controls are simple and easy to learn, with a camera that can easily be moved around and reset to prevent you getting lost in corners or not being able to see what you need to. Even the basic cover system works well, allowing you to take much needed shelter while under fire. There is a hand to hand fighting system in place, and again it is basic but works fine, circle for a light punch, X to dodge and triangle for heavy hits. Making your back alley brawls an enjoyable experience. Driving around is slow due to the cars, and this can be frustrating when having to go a long distance, but with the camera and simple controls it is not too bad. The shooting aspect to the game has also been done well, from being half way into the game i have never had to do too much shooting, in large scales. The guns i have used have all been done well and have various attributes that make them better in certain aspects, but there is no ability to shoot while in cover and moving and shooting i think can sometimes be a tad difficult, but overall the controls and gameplay work very well in conjunction with the story and other attributes in the game.
Having never played the original it is hard to see any improvements or advances but the second instalment is a very enjoyable game, it seems to be on the short side. While you can purchase new clothes, have a drink and do a couple bits here and there, i have yet to run into any side missions or mini games that may prolong the life of the game, and i can see that once completed it is not something you will go back to. But still if you are a fan of 3rd person action games such as GTA, then Mafia 2 is worth a look. It is one that may slip through the net for many but i can imagine it will soon drop and in price and is worth picking up when it hits the £25 region.
Overall, an enjoyable game, a tad short and the slow cards can be frustrating, but with smooth graphics and fluid gameplay, it is one of the better games i have experienced of late. I can’t see anything on the replay side of things and no multiplayer is a let down, but still worth a respectable;
7.5
With my LoveFilm list running low and the slight game draught that has hit before the final quarter of the year rush, i thought i would give Mafia 2 a look to see if i could find a game that would get me hooked with some Italian American gang action.
You play as Vito, a young man from Sicily who has come to America as a young boy with his family, hoping to live the American dream. Your father soon gets a job at the docks working for minor money, but with a big drinking problem, it is not long before he borrows money from loan sharks and gets into some serious debt. While Vito befriends a man named Joey and ends up getting involved in some street crime and gets busted robbing a jewellery store and sent to jail for a while, Vito then enrols into the army and is sent out to Sicily to help with the fight, after getting wounded in the heat of the battle you are sent back to America for a few weeks to see your family and heal up. While being away for a while, not much has changed but you soon meet up with your old friend Joey who seems to be doing well for himself and has gained some useful “contacts”, using these he is able to get you out of the army with some fake paperwork and asks you to help him out with some jobs. When back in America you find that your father who has died, had borrowed £2000 from a loan shark and due to his death, been unable to pay it. Leaving your mum and sister in serious trouble, so working for Joey should get you some big cash quick, desperate to see you not follow down the Mafia path, your mum wants you to join the workers at the docks and get an honest job. Getting paid small amounts for hard labour will not pay back the £2000 any time soon, so Vito joins Joey and gets involved with his associates to get his family out of trouble......
The plot is nothing new, but is a proven plot that has worked well in this style of game for a long time. Having never played the original i don’t know if it varies much but i can only assume it follows a similar line. The story is told well and there are a lot of cut scenes early on to move the action along. The characters you meet all have their own styles and characteristics and the voice acting is well done. While introductions normally involve you doing some sort of job to prove your worth like most 3rd person action games, things do move along swiftly and keep going at a good pace so it does not get stale.
The graphics are nice and the scenary is well presented and detailed. The area is covered in snow and even minor details down to the steam from vents create a cold atmosphere to play in. From what i recall Mafia 2 looks more polished than GTA IV, and with a fairly large environment to play in it does the job well. There are around 36 old school cars to drive around in (including vans etc) and they all look the part, with the ability to make minor changes like changing rims and spraying different colours.
While a steady plot and nice graphics are always a nice touch, when it comes to 3rd person action games, for me it comes down to the gameplay and the controls. So i am pleased to say that both are pretty good. The controls are simple and easy to learn, with a camera that can easily be moved around and reset to prevent you getting lost in corners or not being able to see what you need to. Even the basic cover system works well, allowing you to take much needed shelter while under fire. There is a hand to hand fighting system in place, and again it is basic but works fine, circle for a light punch, X to dodge and triangle for heavy hits. Making your back alley brawls an enjoyable experience. Driving around is slow due to the cars, and this can be frustrating when having to go a long distance, but with the camera and simple controls it is not too bad. The shooting aspect to the game has also been done well, from being half way into the game i have never had to do too much shooting, in large scales. The guns i have used have all been done well and have various attributes that make them better in certain aspects, but there is no ability to shoot while in cover and moving and shooting i think can sometimes be a tad difficult, but overall the controls and gameplay work very well in conjunction with the story and other attributes in the game.
Having never played the original it is hard to see any improvements or advances but the second instalment is a very enjoyable game, it seems to be on the short side. While you can purchase new clothes, have a drink and do a couple bits here and there, i have yet to run into any side missions or mini games that may prolong the life of the game, and i can see that once completed it is not something you will go back to. But still if you are a fan of 3rd person action games such as GTA, then Mafia 2 is worth a look. It is one that may slip through the net for many but i can imagine it will soon drop and in price and is worth picking up when it hits the £25 region.
Overall, an enjoyable game, a tad short and the slow cards can be frustrating, but with smooth graphics and fluid gameplay, it is one of the better games i have experienced of late. I can’t see anything on the replay side of things and no multiplayer is a let down, but still worth a respectable;
7.5