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Mafia PC
Metascore
88 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 27 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 27
  3. Negative: 0 out of 27
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  1. Four Fat Chicks
    100
    Yet Mafia oozes class, polish, and style like no other game so far this year. To not "experience" Mafia is a far greater crime than any in the Salieri family ever committed.
  2. GameSpot
    93
    Looks and sounds great, it's exciting, it's suitably bug-free, and, at a time when eight hours is becoming the standard length for single-player shooters, it's long. Quite simply, Mafia is one of the best games of the year.
  3. GameZone
    93
    The question here is: why don't you own this game already? This is an excellent game.
  4. Game Informer
    93
    From the living city in which you reside, to the incredibly realistic vehicles, this title has the heart and sould of a blockbuster. [Nov 2002, p.147]
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  5. PC Gameworld
    93
    The 30s era vehicles and weaponry are unique to the PC shooter market and provide a challenge to even the most seasoned gamers.
  6. IGN
    92
    Mafia is dripping with style and class and has certainly shoved itself into the ranks of the best games of this year.
  7. Gamers' Temple
    92
    Outside of my complaint with the racing level and a few very minor issues, Mafia is a really immersive game. The story is very good, and the cutscenes and voice acting are of the highest caliber.
  8. GamerWeb PC
    91
    It's not "GTA 3." It goes way above and beyond the arcadey style of GTA, and is just an overall satisfying game.
  9. PC Gamer
    91
    It's rare in this day and age to be truly impressed by a game's graphics, but a lot of your early game time will be spent just marveling at the scenery. [Dec 2002, p.90]
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  10. GameSpy
    91
    A game hasn't oozed this much style since the release of "Max Payne." The gameplay, the story, the graphics -- the entire presentation is topnotch.
  11. PGNx Media
    91
    The PC version is the best you can get. If you have a PC that meets the requirements below, you'll have a much better time than you would with either console version. Furthermore, GameStop.com is selling this game for a mere $10, several times less than the console versions.
  12. Game Revolution
    91
    Mafia takes the idea of the bustling city to a new, incredibly ambitious level with an awe-inspiring sense of detail and forethought. Without a doubt, the game is gorgeous.
  13. Total Video Games
    90
    For a superbly crafted single player experience you probably won't find many to touch it, everything combines to create such a cinematic experience that you can't help but find yourself completely encompassed into it.
  14. Game Over Online
    90
    The quintessential difference between other gangster games and this one is the fact that the story gives reason for the action to exist. It doesn't work the other way around.
  15. PC Format
    90
    As cinematic games go, Mafia is in a league of its own.
  16. Computer Games Online RO
    90
    The missions are very well linked between them and in the background you thought of a very interesting but somehow sad story.
  17. AtomicGamer
    90
    Even with its problems, Mafia was a joy to play, and I really hope we see more games that expand on the Grand Theft Auto formula. But if you are going to do a GTA3-alike game, a unique setting as well as a few major gameplay additions are absolute musts. Luckily, Mafia delivers in those areas.
  18. Yahoo! Games
    90
    Happens to have a fantastic storyline backing it up, mixed with what's proving to be some of the most enjoyable gameplay to be seen this year.
  19. Media and Games Online Network
    89
    The excellent storyline, huge environment, fantastic graphics and superb voice acting create an atmosphere which is unmatched in any PC game today.
  20. Gamer's Pulse
    88
    I really enjoyed the missions, and even though they could be tough, the movie-like atmosphere makes for a truly compelling gaming experience.
  21. netjak
    82
    An enjoyable romp while it lasts, I just wish driving wasn't such a big part of it all.
  22. Armchair Empire
    80
    While I didn't appreciate the sudden difficulty of the racing mission, it doesn't wreck the game as a whole.
  23. Adrenaline Vault
    80
    With gorgeous graphics, an enthralling story, nifty sound and music, and fun gameplay, it's a blast from beginning to end.
  24. G4 TV
    80
    A real treat... However, the occasional way-too-difficult mission leads to some frustrating repetition, and behaving while driving around so as not to blow the last leg of a driving mission can become slightly tedious.
  25. All Game Guide
    80
    With better cut-scenes, more realistic driving physics, and a cinematic story, Mafia holds its own. While not as revolutionary as "GTA 3," it's solid and oozes style.
  26. ActionTrip
    79
    This game looks and feels like "GTA3," only better looking and not as funny and 'open-ended.'
  27. Computer Gaming World
    70
    The pacing seems a little off in this game, and to compound the issue, there's no in-mission save. [Dec 2002, p.120]
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User Reviews

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User Score
8.8 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 191 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 51 out of 63
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 63
  3. Negative: 9 out of 63
  1. ChrisP.
    10
    Probably one of the best games I have played. I don't know why everyone is complaining with XP. I have Windows XP Service Pack 2 and it works fine. Even though its been out for a long time, still worth getting it and playing it. Even after you beat the main game, there is still other parts of the game to finish before truly "beating" it. Definately a great game.… Full Review »
  2. BernhardF
    10
    My all-time favourite game! Honest! Okay, so yes, its a bit like GTA. Or rather, GTA is a bit like Mafia... This is MILES more fun. Everything about this game is fantastic. It has an excellent storyline, there are miles of roads and alleys to explore, and the music gives it a fantastic atmosphere. Then there's the cars. These are fantastic look-alikes of real 1930s cars with small changes. All (with the exception of the Ulver Airstream) have that coolness present in the real thing. This game gets even more fun if you add a steering wheel! Yay! Drifting in a Ford Model T (or Bolt Ace in-game)! Okay, so first, the things I really loved: The cars- the great majority of the cars are fantastic computer realisations of the real thing. The physics (both with the driving and the crashing) and damage systems are impressive for a 2002 game- one of my friends actually refused to believe a game this old could be this detailed. There are really cool little features as well, such as working mile counters. I'm sure that the car becomes more sluggish the more miles it has done... Also, there are some really cool cars to collect in the subquests and Freeride Extreme. 2) The music- the inclusion of 30s music rounds off the feel of the game. 3) The weaponry- a nice selection of period weapons with acceptable performance. Also, it's nice to see that the AI weapons have the same performance as your own. There are also some random "special" weapons that can be found. !!SPOILER WARNING!! My favourite has got to be in the mission "Better Get Used to It"- if you stop by the crashed truck in the car chase and attack the guy there, he picks up a plank. Kill him and you can pick it up and use it. /SPOILER 4) The scenery- some lovely buildings and items from the 1930s. 5)The racing level- honestly, this thing should be more exploited by the game developers- you know, add more tracks, a choice of any of the ai cars, and a decent 30s racing game is done... 6) The voice acting- this is of great quality, and expressive. Lipsynching is good as well for a 2002 game. Now the things I didn't like: 1) The driving everywhere- after a while, driving gets boring. You go to see Lucas, and then you are told by your friend "I'm beat, drop me off at the bar first". so you drive to the bar, then back. "Hi Lucas..." "Oh, hey Tommy, go to the street by the bar and pick up my friend will you, then drive him to the hospital up the road from here...". Erm, hello designers, maybe by changing the order of these kind of things the game would be, I don't know, less tedious? 2) The Ulver Airstream- somehow, with all the fantastic looking cars in the game, it appears the graphics designers took a day off for this one. The fantastic Chrysler Airflow, a beautiful car, and a design icon, has been totally ruined in its conversion to Mafia. Moving the lights to the wings, removing the big radiator, and making the car available in only the colours "No-detail Blue" and "Vomit Green" has made such a great car ugly. 3) The autosave feature- okay, this has some good points, such as the fact that it makes the game challenging, but sometimes, it becomes annoying. For instance, in one mission, I spent 15 minutes driving to the location of the next objective, then just after the cutscene my friend Paulie gets out of the car, runs in front of a tram, gets flattened and dies... result? I have to do all the driving again. 4) The bugs. This game has a great many bugs for some unknown reason. These include: lorry driver AI - for some reason, lorries will just randomly stop on places such as bridges, and the driver will just walk off. And not come back. Ever. Then there's the wierd one with the cops. If one of the cop car's doors is blocked, the cops will throw each other out of the car repeatedly, until it drives you insane and you walk over and tommygun them. Then there are the invisible walls that occasionally appear if you do something that the designers didnt want you to do, like drive over a hill into the air at 150MPH and go flying, then crash into a big wall of nothing... And the cops sometimes seem a little overenthusiastic. They will chase you for going 0.000000001 MPH over the speed limit, and they will go crazy if you are on a junction as the light changes. 5) My last complaint- there is no draw distance option without modding. So really big buildings that should be visible for miles just "appear", as do cars and people that should be visible. Overall however, I loved this game for its immersive feel, fantastic storyline, and overall great quality.… Full Review »
  3. J.R.
    10
    Great game. I just wish it was longer.
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