This game is not GTA(which is a good IMHO). GTA/RDR/etc are completely different games. I liked both of those games, but I had a lot more fun playing Mafia 2. I'm going to compare it to GTA because that seems to be the popular counter example on the internet, and we all know the internets never lie. And someone needs to stand up for a good game where the moronicons come out of the wood work screaming "NO BLIND FIRE, NO EUPHORIA!!! NO 100 HOURS GAME SUCKS MY B's I GIVE IT A SCORE OF TOO!!" What Mafia 2 tries to do, is to put the player in an immersive, realistic environment + story/narative + fun gameplay = Great Game! The city, and the people in it, are a set piece more than anything else. It is highly detailed and visually/audibly rich. The voice acting is great, the story is great, and the movement feels real. As a result you care about your character and the people around him and the actions he takes. It's linear, but it's good(by the by GTA IV and RDR are linear, with passable story lines). The characters are rich and serious, which is refreshing after all the rockstar games were every character is a trite pulp fiction type who makes 1000 pop references a second. There's really no free roam or anything like that, although you can do whatever you want in on the way to missions/home. I just mean there's not a lot of side content, and consequently the game is shorter. However, that being said, since the story missions were so tight, I had a lot more fun playing this game then most. Less messenger boy, chores to do. I think why I like this game the most, is that it is a little more realistic. Gun fights are quick and deadly, car crashes are the same. And maybe it's just me, but in GTA IV, I wasn't even worried about cops until 4 stars, but in mafia 2, I find myself super tensed up when the cops get involved. It actually takes a level of skill to lose them. This is a really good game. I like the cinematic look and feel, I like the game play. GTA IV(and by extension all open world games) is a totally different animal. That being said. You get more for your money with GTA, but If I think back, I actually had more fun playing Mafia 2, and consequently, think it's a better game. Graphics, open world, linear/non linear, blind fire, etc doesn't matter. If you have fun playing a game, then it's a good game. I had more fun in Mafia 2 then GTA IV.… Expand

This is why I don't get most of the reviewers out there. Mafia 2 is an absolute blast to play IF you enjoy an amazing story with great characters. The gameplay works very well in every aspect of this game. The driving was the part I enjoyed the most. Different cars have different feels and the town is gorgeous. It took me around 14 hours to complete the game. Sure, I took my time, but it was worth it. I cannot wait for Mafia III.… Expand

This is a great game with a compelling story with entertaining missions. The graphics are great and even though there are no side quests the story and gun play will keep you busy.

Not sure where all these negative reviews are coming from, I'm having a great time with the game and looking forward to any DLC that they are going to do...great story and characters, I want more Mafia II

Never before in my life have I ever been so amazed at a games story but so horribly disappointed at the finished result. Let me first start with the great things this game contains : An amazing storyline; I was so compelled by the story. I couldn't wait to finish each mission so that I could start the next's cutscene. I swear this game's cutscenes are of the highest cinematic quality out of any game Ive ever played. The graphics look beautiful, even on the aging 360. Car handling is realistic and fun. Now onto the negative: Maybe this was just me, but when a game looks and feels like GTA i expect the same type of gameplay. Let me start off the negatives with a news flash to everyone - THE GAME HAS NO MULTIPLAYER, NO FREEROAM AFTER THE FINAL MISSION, THERE ARE NO CHEATS EVEN AFTER THE GAME IS OVER, AND THE QUALITIES THAT MAKE GTA GAMES FUN IS LACKING IN THIS ONE. Now that Ive gotten that off my chest I can continue and explain. What makes GTA fun? Is it the endless possibilities to do after (or during) the main story? Is is the fun car chases? The massive cop battles? If your answer was yes to any of these things youre going to be disappointed. The only extra things to do in Mafia II DURING missions are driving around exploring the landscape, robbing stores, and stealing cars. All three are useless during the story since you are given ample amount of money and ammo on your countless weapons. Being wanted by the police is fun untill you get in a car chance with you and are shooting you out of their car's window at 80 MPH with a shotgun and getting 1 or 2 hit kills on you, or when youre trying to get back to your house when wanted and there is a cop around every corner. Over all I think this game is very incomplete. Give it cheats, give me more to do and give me a god damned free roam mode in the DLC and all for under 10$ I refuse to spend 80$ on a game that should only cost 65$… Expand

Bad game and bad ali and way too short you are beter getting red dead........................................................................................................................................................................................................nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnnnnnn n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n nn n nn nnn nnn n n… Expand

This is quite possibly one of the games with the least amount of gameplay coming out in recent years. The bulk of the game consists of you driving from point A to point B (with cars which handle like bricks), and then watching a cutscene at the end. Oh, there are some missions in there too, in the form of wait-in-cover-until-enemies-get-out-of-cover. Rinse and repeat. The game lasts around 7 hours but the bulk of that encompasses you driving, and watching cutscenes. 2K Czech was so intent on "delivering a good story", in their own words, which they forgot to include a GAME in there.There's this beautifully rendered city with great graphics -- but there are no side missions and no freeroam. Actually, there are side missions -- they can be found in the game files. Wait for the NEW! EXCITING! DLC to come at a friendly price of $15 !!! What a deal, you pay $60 for the shell of the game, then $15 for the gameplay proper after it comes out! What's not to like? Oh, there's plenty not to like, for example the save system. Or should I say, lack of save, since you can't save your game. So, for example, if you got some weapons and a car, the game does not allow you to save that until you finish a mission. If you die before that, tough luck. Do it all again. And speaking of dying, the shootouts can be a tad random. Random as in, the enemy can get a headshot on you killing you instantly. Not to worry, the awesome save system will get you right back waaaaay at the beginning of the mission! So you can do it all again, hoping you won't get random headshots this time! When playing this game one has the impression the developers were new to the whole making games thing. Not 2K, but the development studio, 2K Czech. All the bad points I mentioned above (and the ones I didn't) should have been picked up and fixed if not at the design stage, at least at the testing stage. So the mind boggles as to why they released the game in this state. One thing's is for sure, though: this game is not worth its current retail price. If you really want it, rent it. Alternatively, if all you want to do is watch a mafia-themed movie, there are plenty you can get your hands on that are cheaper than $60. Buyer beware!… Expand

Immersion and story are big selling points here. However, that being said I found the gun-play extremely satisfying. Guns are punchy and their slight accuracy and recoil differences mean you'll be debating whether to use a zippy colt 1911 or a beefy magnum. The cover system works very well and does not make you invulnerable, enemies will take advantage if your arm is sticking around a corner and will tear your cover to shreds if they can thanks to the physics system, making fights intense. Critics are complaining that the open world aspect of Mafia 2 is empty and that there are no side missions, however this is meant to be a more linear story based than GTA, as was the original Mafia, and the city still feels alive with its impressive attention to detail. Whereas the original Mafia was a romantic crime epic, taking notes from films like the Godfather, Mafia 2 has a more gritty and streetwise style, heavily influenced by Scorsese's Goodfellas and to an extent The Sopranos. Mafia 2 is slowly unfolding and the high notes are therefore more significant. My only gripe is that I finished the game wanting more, but that could also be seen as a good thing. Not a game for everyone.… Expand

This game is great (I havent played the original Mafia so im not biased). The story is good from start to finish and it ends perfectly. The game looks great but does feature the occasional bug and glitch. The melee combat is a little poor but the gun play is great and fun to play. I enjoyed it a lot.

Mafia 2 is presentation is top notch! While it's overall gameplay and and controls, leave much to be desired. This game is very story driven and if you just want to dive into a great mob story, this is the game for you. If you are one of those people who really want to take in everything you can get out of your sandbox games, well... it isn't here! They story and acting in Mafia II is on par with about any mobster movie I can think of. Actually in some cases better! All the characters are interesting and all have a distinct persona to all of them. Also the fictional New York City is quite a beauty to behold at times. However, where the game falls is from a lot of bad gameplay choices. 1. There are NO SIDE MISSIONS IN THE GAME. 2. You will send about 65% of your time in this game just driving from point A to point B! Very annoying! 3. The controls could have been more modernized for today's cover to cover shooters. Instead they feel awkward, but you will grow used to them. Overall I had a lot of fun with Mafia II and I really enjoyed the story, I just wish I actually got to play more of it and have more stuff to do rather than just driving around all day! I can only recommend this game as a rental! And make sure you get it on the 360 if you can, the PS3 version doesn't have much blood and the graphics are toned down a little. Hope you enjoyed.… Expand

Just finished playing Mafia 2 for the first time and i am truely immersed into it, i am a big fan of gangster movies (casino, goodfellas, the sopranos etc) and after playing the original mafia i was hoping Mafias sequel would justify the franchise. Mafia 2 is a more story line based game it draws the gamer in and gets you eagerly awaiting the next cutscene the voice acting is Supoib! and it really gets you immersed into the story. The first few missions are set in a winter wonderland and visually its beautiful, also i liked the fact that your cars handling is greatly affected by the icy roads you gotta take care driving round empire city or you may catch attention of the fuzz! i also noticed how the pedestrians adjusted there clothes depending on the weather its little details like this that you have to appreciate they all create a truly immersive setting for the story to unfold, so far i am oving the game and i cant wait till i get myself higher up the crime ladder an start whacking some spaghetti eating fools!!… Expand

Mafia II is such an impressive package :) like one guy said here amazing story, and lots of things to do around the city. I am so addicted to this game and it seems to be very well thought out. This game is awesome.

The game is good! let that be made clear, BUT... i think the reason why i enjoyed it so much is because i am a sucker for a good story and convincing story. the graphics are also great, while the depth of the city is no where near lets say GtA, it really doesnt need to be. It does lack on the gameplay side, it isnt broken or anything, its just pretty flat. So if u are one of those guys who plays a game for gameplay and gameplay only and who skips the cutscenes, i woundn't waste the $60 on it. But be sure to pick it up somtime.… Expand

Mafia 2 has without a doubt one of the best attentions to story I've seen in games this year, similar to Mass Effect 2 or Red Dead Redemption but this time you're not controlling a blank space commander or a grizzly cow-person you can make do stupidly incongruous things that are contraposed their character, you're an angry young Sicilian in the 40's and 50's and this is HIS story, not yours. Everything is tailored to this story and yes the gameplay falters and seems hollow for doing so, but the end result is such an immersive tale of the American dream gone wrong that not only puts GTA4 to shame, it kicks it into the sun for it's crimes against consistency (not to say Mafia 2 isn't inconsistent, just GTA4 is moreso...in my opinion at least....which this is....I think....). Russ Pitts of The Escapist called Mafia 2 "Interactive Theatre" threatening it with overt similarities to powerful, mature, and importantly fantastic television shows, and this is exactly what it is, even with episodes being dubbed "chapters". Understandably many people would not approve of this, saying games need to be games and fun and flashy and bright and make noises that put grins on your face, and if that is the case then all the best to you, go buy Halo: Reach. This is a game for people who want to be immersed in a time where the characters depicted could exist, and the relations of those characters can be explored the way only video games can explore. Simply put, if you love good, hard-hitting films, and the likes of Mad Men or The Wire and want to experience that actively, get Mafia 2. And if it sounds like it'll be a lot of plodding conversations and tedious driving, then the new DLC has you constantly blowing half of the city to pieces in the role of what looks like Bruce Willis. Like 1950s Die Hard.… Expand

Highly anticipated, massively hyped game and turns out to be another flop. Where is multiplayer (a must for games like this nowardays). Poor physics and just comes across as a poor mans GTA with a mafia veneer over the top of it. Very disappointed

Mafia 2 is really great for its level of detail. something which sadly is only truly uncoved when collecting all of the collectible items in the game. The story is fantastic, and I genuinely felt some attatchment to the characters which I NEVER get. The story is maybe a little short and only the DLC can fix that. The graphics are fine and the music fits the game perfectly. If you are sensitive to strong language then you may be a little turned off by the diaglogue as it is the main reason for the 18 or M rating. The only thing which lets this game down is the small scope for customisation and the lack of exploration involved in the story. Still a fantastic story with a couple of moments where I genuinely got lost in what I was doing.… Expand

This is a great game. The combat and driving are both extremely satisfying, and the story isnt bad either. But the game is not big or long enough to justify a $60 purchase. It will probably take you about 10-12 hours to play through the story, and after you beat it there isnt much that is going to make you want to return to the game,except maybe to find the playboy picture collectibles. With that said the story is mostly cut and dry mafia cliches but it is really fun,except for a few pointless but small sections, and you will most likely be sucked in. The gun play is great and has a nice amount of gore and really does well making the weapons feel authentic. The hand to hand combat is nicely handled too, you have to counter an use strategy to come out on top of fights. There is also a cover system that works well most of the time but can be off. Driving in the game is fun and made to be more realistic than arcadey, there is an option in the game to make the driving more or less realistic though, and the game world that you drive through is colorful and interesting, but small in comparision to other open world offerings. The graphics are great as well, the cars and city look amazing and the charater models arent bad either. This game is a great game to rent but i dont reccomend dropping $60 into it.… Expand

Excellent story mode, and anticipated and it well deserves it. I would give this game a solid 8.5 if this website had that rating type. People think this game is a GTA in older times, but they are completely wrong. I enjoyed this much more then GTA then GTA IV was kind of a let down compared to games with classic gameplay like San Andreas, but this game has somewhat nudity (playboy magazines) which really shouldn't be implemented since some people can't get the game with that rating. Overall, great game, good vehicles controls, and great missions. It could get repetitive but I couldn't stop playing.… Expand

The Mafia 2 is way better then Mafia one. I know many people won't agree. Mafia one was unique, but it's hard to be unique in mafia world if there is first game. M2 has great graphic and animation and the feeling you get from the game is amazing. And for those who compare with GTA... please, stop doing that.

2K Czech did a fantastic job on this one. Mafia 2 is by far my favourite third person open world game to date. It is perhaps the perfect blend of linear game play, an open world, intriguing story, and characters that feel human. To describe the game play, the best way it can be described would be to say its an open world similar to a game such most Rockstar titles, but without an abundance of side content, creating linear game play. Some would view this as a negative to the game, but doing this serves to bring more attention to detail, far less loading scenes, and when there are they're shorter the in GTA, and it pushes the expectation to make a quality game father then filler. There are between 30-40 different vehicles in the game as well (depending on if DLC is purchased, which actually brings it to a total of 45), and a multitude of period appropriate weaponry, including many Mob classics as the original Tommy Gun, and also many World War Two weapons such as the M1 Garand, MP-40, esc... Without a doubt the best part of the game play is that the driving mechanics are stable, and surpass the driving of GTA, and that the character himself DOESN'T CONTROL LIKE A CAR!!! Unlike in any Rockstar game, the characters to not control like a vehicle when you are not in a vehicle, and running around the city. The story of Mafia 2 is similar to that of many crime movies, mafia movies which is to say a "rags to riches" story focusing on the exploits of the protagonist Vito Scaletta, and his childhood friend Joe Barbaro. One of the great things about the story of Mafia 2 is that both these characters, and other supporting characters, feel human, which many games try to do but fail because of the circumstances of the games. The story is exceptionally good, paralleling the father of modern mafia stories the Godfather movies in my opinion. The game boasts a fantastic soundtrack of many time period music from Chuck Berry, The Everly Brothers, Dean Martin, Little Richard, Muddy Waters, Buddy Holly & The Crickets, Bing Crosby, Bill Haley & His Comets, The Chordettes, Bo Diddley, Rick Nelson, Eddie Cochran, The Champs, The Drifters, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, The Andrews Sisters, and many more. The music not only fits well with the game play, but also many of these songs showcase "the good life" making mafia 2 feel every bit more authentic, and grand. While on the subject on the sound and audio of the game it should be noted quite humorously that Mafia 2, while not actually being noted for it, has beat the current world record for most F-Bombs in a game which was previously set at 189, and I stopped counting after 200. Some would view that as "overkill" but because of the setting of the game, and the context of the characters its only appropriate to the game. Food for thought. The game is also quite good looking. It's definitely not outstanding or ground breaking, but it should be noted that not once did I notice any texture popping, or visual bugs. The game however has very good snow, and rain effects which really come into play during certain levels of the game. Character design is pinpointed to each character's personality precisely as well. An example being the character Joe Barbaro who's body, and appearance mimics his appeal to "the good life." As well as that there are 50 collectable playboy magazines in the game, and each one rewards you with actual images from old playboy magazines (appropriate to the mafia, and thank you 2K for realizing most actual gamers need that stuff). Now while I spoke only of the good, there is some bad. The checkpoint system for most levels is non-existent, as dying puts you a fair distance back in progress. As well as that there are a few minor glitches that I encountered but for the most part are unnoticeable unless your paying very close attention, or play through the game several times. So sum it all up, the game has very little problems, with entertaining game play, a great soundtrack, great controls, and a captivating story. I was able to pick up the game new for $30 in late 2010, so the game is definitely worth the price one would pay today. A must play for anyone interested in a good mafia story.… Expand

Mafia 2 is a great, but imperfect game. On the plus side, this game has an amazing story of friendship and crime. On the negative side, the game is full of bugs and the gameplay is pretty generic, but not bad. There are points in this game that are frustrating as hell but that is because of the broken checkpoint system that will make you loose 20 minutes of game time because you get killed by the imperfect cover system. The games characters are pretty much ripped off of the film "Goodfellas" which is not a bad thing at all. Your character Vito is Ray Liotta, Joey is Joe Pesci, and Henry gets killed by a pack of angry asians. In the end it comes to the fact that the game is good, really good at points. But that doesnt make up for the lackluster cover system, myraid of glitches and generic gameplay. All in all, give this game a rent because without the amazing story, this game would suck.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. OK, let me start out by saying, this is not the worst 2K game ever made, nor the best. In my opinion, BioShock is first on the list. But, according to all past mafia/ gangster video games, (Godfather, The Getaway, Saints Row, True Crime, Trigger Man) this could be one of the very best, great graphics, awesome storyline, hilarious humor, historic facts, and such true things that you've seen in Goodfellas, The Godfather, etc. The Bad Side; Some of the emotions in the characters (graphics) do not relate to how they are saying some things, like when (SPOILER, BEWARE) Joe gets drunk after Marty is shot to death, and shoots the bartender. Vito starts to curse and yell at Joe for his mistake, his emotions are only slightly changed while doing so.The characters are also very predictable. Vito- veteran; How is it so familiar? GTA IV? Remember? Niko Bellic was also a veteran. Joe- jackass friend; Just like in any other Mafia- involved movie/ book/ TV show/ video game. Proof? Leaves Vito to be arrested, has all the really bad pick- up lines, has all the sex, has the house by himself first, has all the money, and many more reasons. I did like this game, and still do. (Didn't finish story) I would recommend this game to anyone who enjoys staying back, and shooting guys who won't pay back loans.… Expand

Mafia II is the best game of it's kind. It's visceral, fierce and down right brutal, but alot of fun. With one of the best narratives that has graced the genre, rivalling that of films such as GoodFellas and The Godfather you'll feel like your a character in a film, rather than that in a video game. The basic story is that Vito Scaletta, a wounded soldier of WW2, returns to America to find is family in a financial crisis. What happens along the way, and after though is alot more deep and interesting, as Vito and his buddy Joe Barbaro descend into the dark world of the Mafia. There are times where it seems like all will be well, but then, as we all know, the Mafia never forgets. The story is strong all the way through, taking twists and turns, and subjecting it's audience to some of the most brutal cutscenes in recent times. You'll feel for the characters, mainly due to their excellent voice acting. They all have great attributes, and feel like real gangsters right out of The Sopranos. Missions will vary, from Car stealing to whack jobs, Mafia II has it all. There are some truly harrowing moments, whilst others are extremely satisfying. There are also alot of references to pop culture movies and shows, most notable is the scene with Vito and Joe burying a deceased mobster, remember GoodFellas? The graphics are also a major part of the game, creating the fictional city of 'Empire Bay' that is loosely based on New York City. Everything from the diners to the shoe shiners breathes atmosphere, great authentic music from the likes of The Cadillacs and Dean Martin (just to name a few) also contribute to the 40's/50's feel. However, make no mistake, this is not an open world game. Waypoints constantly point you to your next objective and the game is chapter is split into chapters, giving you no time in between missions. Sure, you can rob clothes stores, gun shops and diners but what 2K Czech is trying to do here, is give the best experience possible. The story is the main selling point, and giving the players an open world would just be a mistake. However, it would have been nice to see an option to free-roam after the credits roll, rumours have already started circulating the internet, suggesting that 2K may be bringing this in an upcoming DLC. Overall then, Mafia II is a very good game. Sure, there are some draw backs, glitches that forced me to reload and not much to do after the credits roll, but they aren't game breakers. Taking just over 15 hours on the 'hard' difficulty setting, it won't take you long to complete, but whilst you are playing, it's a thrill ride that transports you back to the era of organised crime, cathouses and rocking tunes. This is definitely not one to miss.… Expand

Brilliant,brilliant,brilliant.I only have two beefs with this game.One is that the driving in this game gets annoying and could of been a better experience.Two is that the replay value isn't very good.Yes I will play this game in 5 years but most gamer's will not.The world is so big it could of easily been opened up more to add more replay value- and that's it.Everything else is A+!The game play,graphics,world of Mafia 2,emotional connection.While Heavy Rain on the PS3 is a movie like game and while different, this is the definition of controlling a movie gaming experience.While I said different the emotional factor is pure cinematic genius.It is very linear but that's what makes it such a WOW experience.I would rather have a solid 10 hour main game then 30 hours of crapola.I give this game a 9.5 rounded to a ten.I counted only 10 reviewers that gave this game 90% or higher well I guess only 10 reviewers really invested quality time in this game for a real,complete review.… Expand

It's not game of the year(Mass Effect 2 is) but Mafia II has a great story and has a cinematic style. The fighting mechanics are simple and it is fun to play. The cops are easy to get rid of which is ok with me because I hated the cops in the first game. Even though the story was short, it was very "cinematic-al". I don't care how long it is, it just has to have a great story. Which Mafia II delivers. Mafia II is a good game but not nearly as good as GTA IV but way better than The Godfather II.… Expand

On a personal note THIS is my most anticipated game of recent times, and now I have finally had a chance to play it I am pleased to say I am not disappointed. Graphically it is awesome, and you find yourself drawn into the atmosphere and the storyline of the game and the era very easily. It is fairly brutal, but this does add to the sinister /dark feel of the game. I disagree with the negative comments made in another review in respect of driving from A to B during the game. I feel the drives are an integral part of the build of the game. One thing I must add as a positive comment is in respect of the the Soundtrack., which is excellent, and certainly compliments the whole gaming experience. Excellent game 2K!… Expand

Mafia 2 is what it's all about! Fantastic graphics, story line and game play/controls is excellent. It's a story based game so you really get in to it and I found it very hard to stop once I got going. Always wanting to know what's going to happen next! I think all the negative comments come from people who just want to run around freely blowing stuff up with no direction or plot to follow (see Halo). This is a wicked game that will entertain for a long time!!… Expand

I've been so hooked on this game I've totally neglected my niche hobby of putting cats in wheelie bins; thankfully I got a discount so I was able to pay a middle aged woman to do it for me. The shooting mechanics are well designed, precise and lots of fun; you and your on-screen buddies exercising your second amendment rights like they're going out of fashion. Thankfully there's no bloody liberals on hand to protest as that's what the TERRORISTS WOULD WANT YOU TO DO. It's a linear, story driven game with intelligent writing and high production values. As an experience it's ambitious in narrative scope, with consistently entertaining gameplay and set pieces to hook you in. I won't go into detail as some of the other reviewers have already done so, but I also don't really agree with some of the criticisms here, despite being well expressed by their authors. Do you know who else didn't like this game? Hitler. Yes, HITLER. And he was EVIL remember? You wouldn't want to align yourself with HITLER would you?… Expand

Mafia 2 is the kind of game that you play for the story. Before picking this game up I had it in my head that it was an open world game. This initial thought was wrong and instead I was presented with an experience. This experience consisted of a great story that not many games can hold today. The amount of twists and turns throughout the game is truly a breath of fresh air. Not only does it throw you from place to place but the game manages to make you care (or hate) these characters. From a visual standpoint this is an incredibly good effort. Each part of the world looks and feels realistic with props set out all over to make the world as believable as possible. As long as you go into this game not expecting a GTA kind of game then you are going to love the way this game plays out (very unique). However, if you are here to play a GTA game set in the 1940's with a Mafia sensibility then you should look elsewhere.… Expand

I love this game. Fun gameplay, amazing story, and lots of things to do around the city. I am so addicted to this game and it seems to be very well thought out. This game is awesome.

mafia 2 is a great game so far. i've been playing it for about 4 hrs and it really immerses you in the 1940-50's. The graphics are great and the story can be compared to a best-seller. From my personal point of view, i'm glad that mafia 2 doesn't look like gta or red dead(these are great but way too long) so i can finish it in the days to come. A definite buy for me. well done 2kgames

Very addictive game with some super character voices and superb city scenery, giving a great gaming atmosphere to go with the compelling story. Loving it so far, no complaints.

Good points-Incredibly well articulated world Engrossing storyline and characters Shocking attention to detail in game's presentation Bad points-Minimal reasons to deviate from main story and explore Empire Bay Stop-and-pop combat grows tiresome Some character rendering poorly done, pulls you out of the experience

Simply Amazing, right from start to finish. Amazing graphics with a brilliant story line. Been Waiting for this game for ages and when i finally got it today, it blew my mind. One of the best games I've ever played. beats GTA 4 by a mile and SaintsRow By Lightyears, hands down. However there are a few flaws with the movement and crouching isn't actually crouching. . . Despite all that, an amazing game and A must get for all you mafia fans out there. This is a game like no other, Made to perfection.... Almost.… Expand

Just finished playing the game on the PS3. A series of things are striking in this game: - the attention to details in reproducing a 50s era atmosphere. The city looks amazing and is filled with period details. The sound track is amazing, you will drive your way through town listening to Dean Martin or Louis Prima's standarts. It makes for a trully immersive experience - story and characters are great. Story is mature and gritty but some of the dialogue is hilarious. My favorite character is definitively Joe, the main character's buddy, whose witty on liners are worth Joe Pesci in movies like Casino or Goodfellas - gameplay mechanics are very well rounded, driving and shooting are very satisfying. Period inspired cars look great and you car customise and upgrade them in garages throughout town. That is for the main story mode. I am now about to start the Jimmy's betrayal dlc, looks like a couple dozen smaller GTA like missions. Review to come later Have fun - Josh… Expand

Storyline Great storyline, maybe even better than MAFIA. Once the game is over you will find yourself thinking about it, how well explained it was, and what an amazing ride you had. Graphics Pretty awesome graphics dispite the fact that consoles (PS3 and specially XBOX 360) are breaking the advancement that actual PC graphic cards can achieve. For PC users is also a shame that ATI users don't get PhysX effects. All in all, the graphics look terrific and the game plays softly with everything at maximum detail. I think it is better optimized than GTA IV but GTA IV also have a powerful game engine that lets you see distance much farther. You can also fly around the city in GTA IV. In Mafia 2 you can only drive motor vehicles. Gameplay A.I is not bad but not extraordinary. I wonder how an XBOX 360 can be able to aim correctly playing this game. Playing with mouse and keyboard is pretty easy to end the game in easy level due to the fact that you are more precise. The most bothering thing is when police is behind you. Depending of the car you are driving is pretty difficult to avoid police arrestment. Also driving from point A to B so many times can result in a very frustrating experience that also gets enhanced due to the lame, buggy and tedious checkpoint system. If a situation like this happens (having to repeat 20 minutes or more of a played experience) I recommend quiting the game and start again a few hours later. Also the fighting system is enhanced. If you enjoyed boxing with people in MAFIA 1, you won't get dissapointed. Sound The voice acting is brilliant although in some moments police voices are louder than the dialog that is taken place at the moment. Would be much better to include 7.1 audio support or EAX effects. The game has a very "console" feeling in this aspect. Presentation Having played MAFIA 1 I feel that MAFIA 2 had redeemed itself to console standars. That beautiful animated game menu of MAFIA 1 has been ripped of by a dull almost static game menu presentation. Music Outstanding music selection that fits perfectly with the gameplay at that particular mood of the character. Thanks to the music hits of 40's and 50's you will get the feeling that you are right there, living that period of time. The original soundtrack of MAFIA 1 deserved an OSCAR in my humble opinion. This time original main theme track is also magnificent but not achieve the perfection of the first MAFIA. Animation Facial animation is much better than MAFIA 1 which at that period of time was the best facial animation I ever experienced playing a PC game. This time characters achieve even more realism due to the eye animation. The animation of the eyes is simply amazing and is what makes that characters so believable. Amazing work in that aspect. But main character (Vito) animation while walking, crouching, running could have been done much better. In that aspect I think that animation of GTA IV character is much better foremost while running. Conclusion All in all this game is a must play game although I don't consider it a must have inmediately due to the fact of lack of multiplayer, the PC version has been ripped to adapt console standards (remember that you can load game from wherever you wanted in the past, well now that was ripped apart, you have to deal with a frustrating checkpoint loading consolized system, even if you spent thousands of dollars on a PC). Also I think it is a shame that no crossfire or sli support is contemplated here either, nor even a multi cpu support... in this aspect PC potential is wasted so bad...what a shame ! But this is old news lately, PC games advancement is being braked by consoles. This is my biggest criticism of the game. The positive aspects : the story, it's fun to play, you get hooked by it until you end it, and the music are sufficient valors to give a notable high note to MAFIA 2.… Expand

Mafia II is a flawed masterpiece, meaning it's not without its fair share of problems. Most notable is the combat mechanic, firing a shot that hits its target is a struggle and lock-on targeting isn't the most responsive at times. While the hand-to-hand combat doesn't have much depth it is solid. Character animations are an eyesore at first with everyone looking like their made out of plastic and movements seem stiff. All of this becomes easily forgettable once you become immersed in the remarkably detailed world of Empire City and a deep storyline with plenty of twists. Gameplay is varied between missions keeping is from being repetitive. The whole game lasts about 14 hours with some replay for collectibles and achievements.… Expand

Mafia II refuses to follow the crowd of open-world games by putting authenticity at the head of its agenda instead of sheer scale and off-the-hook action. Empire Bay is a fantastic embodiment of the 1940s/'50s; really sharp cinematography and mostly solid voice acting; well-built experience with a handful of notable moments. Most exciting moments in game are seen and not played; superficial narrative fails to explore briefly mentioned themes; streamlined campaign lacks side missions or exploration. Game duration 8 -10 hours depending how slow/fast you play… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Mafia had been in the development for what, 3-4 years, i think. and after 4 years you hope that the game will deliver. you hope that it will be a fantastic game. well, mafia 2 is and in the other hand it isnt. first the good things: story (one of the best stories) graphics are very good. the number of cars and how each car feels different. gunplay and hand to hand combat, characters are very well written. the soundtrack-oh my god. the bad: not much to do in a big open world. NO SIDE MISSIONS if there had been side missions and the world was filled with places of intereset where you could go after a tireing mission and play darts or smth, it would have been the best game that had come out this year. but... my point of view-- if you want a game with a very good story mafia 2 is a must buy. but you would be better of renting one. 8 out of 10.… Expand

Like all the other reviews state, this is NOT a GTA clone. It is less of a sandbox game, and more of a third person shooter with an open world. You will not want to explore the world, because there is nothing to be found. Anything of interest can be found on your minimap. That being said, Mafia 2 is a really fun game, with a great story. You will have a great time playing through the missions, although some do get repetitive. You might find yourself bored after a while if you have a short attention span, but for the most part, the missions are fun. The main complaint I have against this game is the length and replay value. This game will take you roughly 12 hours to complete, but after you beat the game, there is really no reason to restart. I would HIGHLY recommend renting Mafia 2 for its great story, and fairly fun gameplay, but I would NOT buy it, simply for the fact that is short, and has very little replay value.… Expand

This game has an excellent story and decent graphics. It does well making you care about the characters involved. However like other reviewers have commented, there is not much to do when you are playing. Once the story is over, there is not world to play around and do things in. It doesn't have a high replay value but it is worth it to play through. At the very least rent this and play through the story. You won't regret it.… Expand

At first I found this game even better then GTA 4. Better PC optimisation, very smooth graphic, nice characters animation. Comparison of GTA 4 and Mafia 2 as compared to those of your children better looking, terribly hard to say this.

It was eight years ago since the first mafia game, Mafia: the City of Lost Heaven, graced us with an insight into the criminal underworld. A further five years after we got our first glimpse of 2K Czech's Mafia II. Three years later and it’s finally here but, was it worth the wait? The game takes place between 1943 and 1951 in the fictitious Empire Bay which takes influences from New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Detroit. You play as Vito Scalleta, a Sicilian immigrant who arrives at Empire City as a boy with his parents and Sister. After a brief stint in the army, Vito and Joe, his childhood friend, work themselves up the Mafia ladder by stealing, killing and roughing up certain individuals. Although you’ve probably seen the rags to riches story done to death, Mafia II still manages to be very compelling thanks to the great voice acting, dialogue and varied cast of individuals Vito converses with. Gameplay is broken up into three main sections; driving, shooting and bare knuckle brawling. Driving takes up a large bulk of the game and there are some issues present. While climbing to higher speeds is laborious in most vehicles, once you are travelling at a high speed it’s hard to keep control unless you are travelling in a straight line and even then a slight bump can be very hazardous or, in some cases, deadly. This can all be chalked up as authenticity as these aren’t your modern day super cars. The "simulation" setting is hard to recommend as it feels like you are controlling Bambi on ice as each turn you take seems to turn into a wild, smoke riddled drift. There isn’t any apparent advantage over the normal setting. A nice feature is the speed limiter. When turned on your car won’t travel over the speed the limit meaning the cops will leave you alone as long as you are not bumping into any other cars or people. It’s a shame the driving wasn’t more polished considering the long wait. It also would not have been such an issue if driving wasn’t such a big section of the game but, the truth is you will be spending more time behind the wheel than you will with a piece in your hand. When it comes to the gun fights, Mafia II uses the ever popular cover system. With a simple button press, Vito will latch onto a wall or anything else sturdy enough to resist a hailstorm of bullets. It’s been done countless times and it’s been done better. Running and gunning isn’t a viable option as all it takes is one lucky, or unlucky depending on your outlook on life, shot to take Vito down. In contrast, enemies seem to soak up quite a few bullets and your best bet is, as usual, going for headshots. There is a nice range of guns to use from pistols to shotguns but, you will most likely find yourself favouring the Tommy gun because it’s one of the better guns and you feel badass wielding it. The only gripe with the shooting is not the shooting mechanics itself but the way checkpoints are spread throughout gun fighting sections. You may kill many enemies and progress through a new area only to get killed and sent back to the start of the mission. This teaches you to be careful but it can get very annoying when it happens multiple times on a mission and especially when you die even though you were behind cover. There are moments in the game when you are forced to fight with your fists and these pugilistic bouts are very entertaining even if it does get repetitive after you have seen all the possibilities. You have a weak and strong attack button along with a dodge button which you simply hold down to avoid incoming blows and, if timed right, you counterattack with a punch of your own. On very rare occasions you are tasked with a stealth mission. These feel very underwhelming and, in most cases, it is more fun to go in guns blazing. You will be pleased that there aren’t many of these tip toe missions but you will also wonder why these were thrown in at all. Although you have the whole of Empire Bay to explore, Mafia II is not a sandbox game. Mafia II is split into 15 completely linear missions and outside of these missions there isn’t much else to do. You can rob stores and crush cars for some extra cash which comes across pointless as you can not do anything with it save buying some threads. Speaking of clothes, there is a very lacklustre collection with most simply being palette swaps. The game won’t take you long to get through and once it is ended there is little reason to play again. You could try a higher difficulty or forage around for all the collectible playboy magazines. In the end the story is the main strength of Mafia II. This isn’t to say the game play is awful but many games have provided a more polished experience. Mafia II will make for a good rental. Buying it, on the other hand, is an offer you can refuse.… Expand

Absolutely stunning engine, and gun mechanics. Great atmosphere. Ruined by terrible gameplay and boring plot with missions design that is severly limiting. I don't know what happened with this game, but it had the potential to be amazing and it fell flat on its face with bad level design, bad characters, bad plotline, bad missions, and relentless linearity and tunnelling when it came to execution that screamed "I am a video game and thou shall play me exactly as I say, press A to win, don't press B else I'll tell you off". Yet the original Mafia 1 was a much freer experience and was all the more better for it. If Mafia 1 was set in Mafia 2's engine with Mafia 2's gun mechanics it would be an 11. Sadly it wasn't to be.… Expand

AI is very bad, drivers don't care for WEAPONS AND GUNS, and there are some bugs on Xbox 360. But, I want to know, why we must take 20 min to do a mission ? Because you can't use the taxi, and... OMG, around the city and do everything ... And then : Mission Failed ... This game is so crazy and waste of time.

The game has its fair amount of technical flaws, like the annoying screen tearing that occurs a bit too often and the occasional framedrops during intence action. Other than those unfortunate flaws, the game is pure awesomeness. The story is great and it is related to historical events and I, being an italian person, appreciated it. Some people complain because of the missions you're given to do, like go from point A to point B, but I don't get why it is a bad thing; you can free-roam, too, when you don't want to do missions. My other complaint lies in the character models, often they're just copied and pasted people, it's like you live in a world full of twins. The combat system is okay and the AI decent. There's nothing to wow about those aspects, but you won't be disappointed. The most fun I had was stealing the cars and let the police run after me, it's a real satisfaction when you leve them behind! The night effects are fantastic, you should definitely get this game!… Expand

la verdad este e e un juego al que yo admiro por su graficas tan realistas ,las bandas sonoras son espectaculares .lo efectos de sonido son de lo mejor , la inteligencia artificial muy buena. las cosas malas que se sacan de este juego son pocas como las fallas que no tuvieron respecto al movimiento de los ciudadano ,a que es un mapa muy pequeño , no tiene misiones en linea ni interconexion pero vale la pena el jugar este gran titulo y no defrauda y que buena historia a la que jugaron.… Expand

People who purchase this game or compare it to GTA are unfortunately uninformed. The game is not a sandbox based game. It is a linear story with player interaction between cut scenes. Almost like a movie where the player gets to interact. It is a nice change from the typical FPS or sandbox. If you want a good story with 1 or 2 missions in between the scenes this game is for you. If you want to run around sandbox style and kill anything walking or have dozens of side missions this game is not for you. IT IS NOT A GTA STYLE GAME!… Expand

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Mafia was a revolutionary, beautiful and epic adventure in Lost Heaven, and is clearly one of the best games ever made for any platform. It had everything that makes a game something, that's more than a GAME. I've played through the main storyline so many times, that even today I know every mission in the game. When Mafia II was announced I thought that 'Yes, we will have a game, that's better than GTA IV, a true mob story on the PC, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3'. I've completed Mafia II, and the only thing I can say: 'I don't want to ever see this game again'. The game has no (alright I don't want to spoiler: only a very small) connection to the first game in terms of story. You are Vito Scaletta, a small time gangster, who has to fight in WWII. The first Chapter of the game is TOTALLY pointless, I don't know why is it even playable, when you will see parts of the game that you want to play, and they're just videos. It's the proof of **** and lazy game design, that's true for the whole game. The game's artificial intelligence is also a dumb **** The cops are stupid like hell. If you go above 40 mph, and you slow down just before them they won't care, you run on red lights they don't care. Even if you steal a car, they won't care in a specific situation: if they see you that you break the glass of the car, sit in and start messing with the startup they will just go away. So to steal a car without being arrested, just simply wait for the cop to come by you, then press Q, and they will go away without ****ing with you. But if they see, that you start the engine (!!) they will want to arrest you. Alright I have one question: is this reality? They wanted to make the game so real, they even programmed, that your gas can run out from the car, and they made this enormous bug with the artificial intelligence?? If in real life you try to steal a car, and you smash it's ****ing window the cops will simply say 'Alright, he hasn't start the engine yet, just go on'. Shame. Your companions artificial intelligence is also a pile of dog **** In the end of the game they won't even open the door for themselves, they will just walk into the door, and walk in place until you open the door for them. I don't even mention that they know 'We're invincible, just go and shoot. Oh **** it's about 645 bullets in my head, who cares, we can't die'. So in other words the AI is broken. So as the story and nearly the whole game. The story is uninspired, and very bad. First of all it's short, and lacks any good moments, except for Chapter 14. It full of clichés, for example you sell cigarettes, and beat up your sister's off-****ing husband. Even the cutscenes and dialogues are mediocre because of the lame animation. And the game is easy like hell, because of the bad AI. I played it on hard, and on first (and surely last) playthrough it took me about 10 hours to get through the game, without dying more than 10 times. Shame. The good points in this game are only the graphics, the cars and shooting despite of easy is fun. The graphics look absolutely fantastic, and it's optimized very well. I played it on my Acer 7745G (Core i7 720QM, 4 GB DDR3 RAM, ATi Mobility Radeon 5850), and I was able to play it smoothly with everything turned to maximum, only APEX PhysX turned OFF. But even if I turn it to HIGH it's quite playable. So it looks great and optimized very well. Driving the cars is also great and you can switch whether you want to play it on normal or simulation, which makes driving a lot harder. The shooting is... just shooting from covers, with guns. But that's always fun. To sum up my review, Mafia II is a bad and disappointing game. It's playable, and maybe deserves one playthrough because it's Mafia, but be prepared that it's buggy and the biggest disappointment I've ever played. Mafia deserves a sequel, that's worthy of it's name. And this is not. This is an offer, you can and maybe you want to refuse.… Expand

Good control of the cars, the shooting parts are good, maybe a little dull plot. The graphics are spectacular, and the audio is done very well. I was tuned into the game until the end. But the problem is that: the end comes too soon. It's not worth the price.

what a beautiful period piece, everything looks and feels so right in this game. the only thing that bothered me was how sad the ending made me, almost broke my controller XD

Mafia II is the gem that could have been but wasn't. The visuals are outstanding. The application of the Havok physics engine seemed like it was on the right track, but halted at some point and never completed. The storyline and environment quite clearly could have been very immersing. However this is all taken away by some very shotty gameplay mechanics, a lack of creativity in how the game proceeds, and some very obvious features/missions missing only to be released as payable DLC. My biggest grip with Mafia II has to be the collision detection. It is the worst I've seen in any Xbox360 game I own. You can physically shoot through people without them even reacting to the sound of the gun let alone the bullet. This is most obvious when you initially shoot someone in the leg or stomach. The will stumble, you'll spray the hell out of them, only for them to pop up randomly and be perfectly shooting at your head. Now you might think the worst part about this is all those bullets that went THROUGH the AI. It's a bad part but not the worst. To me the worst part is that you can put a shotgun through someone's back, only for them to get up from the ground, aim at you, crouch, and start firing in a matter of 0.5 seconds. It just makes absolutely no sense, and forces you to hide behind objects all game even when you know you have your opponents lined up. GTA IV captured this much better. You could shoot someone twice in the leg and take your time lining them up for the head shot. Even in COD MW2 the AI is like this, and those are trained soldiers with a buttload of armour! I guess the saving grace for Mafia II's gameplay then would have to be the driving system. Heh. Reminds me of Crazy Taxi to be honest. Not to mention that you if you drive 1cm from a pole, your car will not only many times hit it magically, but also come to a complete stop. To conclude the application of the Havok physics engine is so poorly implemented that they game-play in all manners is broken and unplayable,and completely unenjoyable. Next we move on to the fighting system. This might be the biggest joke of the game. You press B or Y and do the same two moves, that's it. On occassion you get the chance to press BBB, then Y, which gives you 1 of 3 preset canned animations. That is it. Remember that Power Rangers game on Sega Saturn where all you had to do was press buttons that correspond to what is on screen? Yep, even that was more exciting than this fighting system, released a whole 15 year later. Now let's consider that some missions are 15 minutes of nothing but fighting, and you can see why this game is the laughing stock of the gaming world right now. Now don't be fooled to think by two buttons, I mean it's like GTA's fighting system. In GTA those 2 buttons give you 3 different moves each, you can kick with a 3rd button, you can attack people on the ground, and you can use an assortment of melee weapons. Not to mention all your attacks are based on the physics engine. None of this is present in Mafia II. Not even the physics engine. So while in GTA4 doing the same punch in two different locations will deem a seperate result, in Mafia II: you either punch and engage the canned animation, or miss the animation and punch through the opponent or through the air with nothing happening. It truly is pathetic . Lastly we move on to missing features. Remember how in GTA IV you could do side missions past the real missions? Like Stevie's car thefts, or the assassin missions? Well these are clearly all present in Mafia II... however sometime in the month leading to the game's release, 2K decided to take ALL (every one) of these side missions, order them in a manner that attempts to make sense but still does not, and call it it's own game as DLC. Truly the nail in the coffin for this awful experience. Overall Mafia II is without a doubt the biggest waste of money out there. I'm having more fun playing Home Alone 2 on SNES right now.… Expand

1. This game is not GTA(which is a good IMHO). GTA/RDR/etc are completely different games. I liked both of those games, but I had a lot more fun playing Mafia 2. I'm going to compare it to GTA because that seems to be the popular counter example on the internet, and we all know the internets never lie. And someone needs to stand up for a good game where the moronicons come out of the wood work screaming "NO BLIND FIRE, NO EUPHORIA!!! NO 100 HOURS GAME SUCKS MY B's I GIVE IT A SCORE OF TOO!!" What Mafia 2 tries to do, is to put the player in an immersive, realistic environment + story/narative + fun gameplay = Great Game! The city, and the people in it, are a set piece more than anything else. It is highly detailed and visually/audibly rich. The voice acting is great, the story is great, and the movement feels real. As a result you care about your character and the people around him and the actions he takes. It's linear, but it's good(by the by GTA IV and RDR are linear, with passable story lines). The characters are rich and serious, which is refreshing after all the rockstar games were every character is a trite pulp fiction type who makes 1000 pop references a second. There's really no free roam or anything like that, although you can do whatever you want in on the way to missions/home. I just mean there's not a lot of side content, and consequently the game is shorter. However, that being said, since the story missions were so tight, I had a lot more fun playing this game then most. Less messenger boy, chores to do. I think why I like this game the most, is that it is a little more realistic. Gun fights are quick and deadly, car crashes are the same. And maybe it's just me, but in GTA IV, I wasn't even worried about cops until 4 stars, but in mafia 2, I find myself super tensed up when the cops get involved. It actually takes a level of skill to lose them. This is a really good game. I like the cinematic look and feel, I like the game play. GTA IV(and by extension all open world games) is a totally different animal. That being said. You get more for your money with GTA, but If I think back, I actually had more fun playing Mafia 2, and consequently, think it's a better game. Graphics, open world, linear/non linear, blind fire, etc doesn't matter. If you have fun playing a game, then it's a good game. I had more fun in Mafia 2 then GTA IV… Expand

Loved it Mafia 2 deserves so much more than 74. Almost everything about it is superb. The compelling storyline, the awesome characters. Gameplays great it suits the style Mafia 2 offers. The cusomisation of cars is great, something you don't get often in games. Empire Bay is a beautiful city despite being a bit empty. The ending is something different that gives it a fine edge over other games. I hope they make a Mafia 3. They better...… Expand

When i played mafia 2 i thought... What the hell is the G-physics doing here? The game made me feel like playing GTA4 more than ever, because it felt like a watered down version of it. I went and got GTA4 after this because this was simply not passable. The car driving, the voices while driving, and the movement all felt like copy and paste action from 2k from GTA4. This is GTA4 without everything good such as the Euphoria engine or the open world. Yes, this is a mission based game, not open world... Definitely not worth even yellow rating.… Expand

How in the world did this game get rated so low by fans and critics? Its awesome. Great story that ends perfectly, Very likeable characters, Lengthy campaign, No replay value sadly. Still great though.

Mafia2 is a great disaster for the all fans. Bad graphic, stupid main character, very short story. This is not what we are waiting for. Vito is the worst character ever. He is dum he is non profitable. He want only money, he doest **** girls, stupid and boring mafiosi. Remember first game. Tomy Angelo is alive, not this chipollino Vito, In this game only final is good, so if want cry play this game So 6.0 no more. Just gta clon… Expand

This game is good. However there are some problems that really bring the game down. The major one, for me, was the fact that the save points are so far apart that you sometimes are basically half way through the mission and you get sent back to the start. But overall, I had fun playing through the main quest, but once your done that don't expect much else after...unless you want to collect all the playboy centrefolds ;)… Expand

decently long game especially if you put it on hard, a little too much driving but I do like the driving, fun combat with a great story and characters, I love the story and it would drive me to keep playing even though I should have gone to sleep. Fun achievements integrated into the story and some doing certain chapter very well and other in different ways. You can also go back to specific chapters to replay them in order to do them different ways. Very good game.… Expand

The game offers a terrific, interesting, touching and an incredible story. You get that cool feeling of pretending in the mafia world in the 1940-50's. It's like if you were watching a movie while playing a game. The story also shows you how family value is important. As the story goes, you get more absorb and interested. The problem is the gameplay. That means that this game may not be for everybody. Personally, I enjoyed it. But sometimes there was too much driving and talking. If I wanted to see a movie, I would have bought a movie. If I wanted to play a video game, I would have bought a video game. In this case, is like buying a video game, and watching a movie. Of course, there were gun fights and one on one fights. But you still don’t feel like playing a game. Anyway, it's really realistic. You got the cars, the radio, the music, everything like in the real world (in the 1940-50's of course). I liked some situations in the game, like for example, when you must drive your buddy Joe because he’s drunk. I liked that touch of humour. You know when you watch a movie, and you see that scene where the main character is beating the other guy for what he did, like cheating on is wife. In this game, you got the chance to do this, which I’m glad. In '' Mafia II '', ’I really hated the cops, they were so annoying. Another thing that I don’t like is the saving system. It only saves when it wants to. If you got passed a lot of enemies and you get killed, you have to restart all over again. The driving is fun, but in some missions, it’s just horribly long. The graphics are great. I liked the fact that you can collect '' Playboy magazines ''. Normally I don’t collect stuff in games, but this motivated me. That’s a bonus ! It has some cool dialogue, and humorous as well. It seems like the more bad guys there are (in gun fights), the more enjoyable it gets, because like I wrote earlier, there were a few gun fights. But when the action starts, it’s really fun. At least it was worth it. In general, I liked the game, I would prefer a little bit more action, and the story was great.… Expand

I have to admit these sand-box 'errand boy' go here do this games are getting tired. In my opinion the only people who do it right are Rockstar. But, this isn't that bad. Mafia 2 has a good story, it's Goodfellas meets The Godfather. It takes a historical point of view, from 1940s America during World War 2 through to the 50s and in explosion of Rock and Roll, Fast Cars and drugs. The characters were interesting enough to develop a bit of sympathy for them and the situations they get themselves in. Some of the missions are questionable and rather pointless, for example, driving the with of the map with a dead body, burying it, mission is over. The physics are very frustrating at times. The aiming can be shoddy and apparent invulnerability of enemies at times can wear away at the pleasure of the game. The driving mechanics is shocking. I know that 2K went for realism due to the game being a period piece, but sometimes making something too real takes the fund out of it. What I'm trying to say is that the cars handle like sacks of S*** with flat tyres. Graphically is pretty good, I was impressed by the city itself most of the character models where above par. The sound is really good, gunshots and V8 engines etc however the radio stations replay over and over and over, there's only so many times I can listen to 50s rock songs... Mafia 2's DLC is not really worth the download, Joe's Adventures and Jimmy's Vendetta are both more of the same, and they know it. I kinda felt they should've been included in the game especially the latter as Jimmy has got no relation to the story itself, he just some peeved off serial killer. The additional content you can download which includes cars and out fits is exactly what you'd expect, not with the MS points. Over all, if you've got a jonesing for a non-Rockstar period piece third person shooter this is one of the better ones however, sometimes too much reality is not a good thing… Expand

All i can say is OUTSTANDING GAME, but when you complete it SH*T GAME. All there is to do is drive around and get a fine or buy a new suit WOW thanks 2k for the long wait but i would have rather have waited longer for it to be worth buying at full price. Maybe a plane/ car showroom to buy cars/ own business's/ build a family/ take down other mobs so on so forth, now im not even on the payroll but my 1 min ideas could have trippled sales. FACT… Expand

Mafia II really surprised me with how good it actually is, while it borrows elements from GTA 4, from what I've played of GTA 4 (a little over an hour) this is a lot better, while it is an open world game, it ditches things like side quests, for a more story based approach, which in my opinion made all of the difference, the story is fantastic, do to enjoyable characters, and fantastic voice acting, and while the graphics aren't the best some times, it can still have moments where it looks great, ,y only complaints are that the camera can give you trouble in small areas, some timed missions (which aren't that bad I just don't like being timed), and the annoying cops, this is a fantastic game and one I highly recommend, one of the best games of 2010 for sure.… Expand

'm a big fan of what Mafia 2 does. I really am. The game provides an excellent story with solid graphics and gameplay, but it doesn't provide a bang for your buck at all, in fact it feels unfinished, and for this I wouldn't recommend a full purchase. Let's start with the good points, of which there are many of. The main draw of the game is the plot, which, while being the standard 8-10 hours, is one of the better of 2010. You play as Vito Scaletta, who came to America with his family when he was a child, and soon fell into small time crime with school buddy Joe. Until, that is, when Mafia 2 takes an unexpected twist, before you've performed any actual gameplay. They show you being arrested and, as the year was 1943, put into the army, to fight with the army in Italy. It's here where you have the tutorial level, in what's a surreal experience, a third-person World War 2 level. After you finish, Vito explains that he got shot a couple of years later, and comes home to Empire Bay for a month's leave, where he meets with Joe and his mother and sister. Joe throws you a solid and orders a forged doctor's note explaining you can't fight anymore, through his connections with the mafia. It's here you begin doing a few errands for the family he's with. After a few levels doing this, Mafia 2 throws unexpected twist number two: you get thrown in the big house. A federal big house, to that. And you actually play some of this time, to which I laughed and made a joke about a mission involving you trying to not drop the soap, something which almost came terrifyingly true. Anyway, you get out 6 years later, meet up with Joe again, and work from there, not giving anything away. Safe to say, the ride you do take is a great one. As mentioned in the intro, both gameplay and graphics are stellar. The shooting controls are mainly Grand Theft Auto style, except with no auto aim, which isn't all too bad. However, sprinting is performed by L1/LT, which has no stamina limit. For actions such as opening a door or jacking a car, there are two options; a quiet option where you either open or pick the lock (a cool new feature) and don't gain attention easily, or a fast, loud option, where you smash everything, which will gain attention. Driving is also GTA-esque, with heavy mid-century cars handling pretty well (and reach impressive 125 mph+ speeds) , although there is no option to perform a drive-by, which is sorely missed. The graphics are very good, with faces looking realistic, but there isn't much chance to appreciate it in the open world. There is, however, one draw back, which drags it down severely: the lack of extra things to do and re- playability. The game is a linear game, i.e. not open world like GTA, which isn't bad by any means, but limits your wondering around. Also, there isn't a "free-roam" option at the end of the game. This makes it quite hard to gauge when to do things in Empire Bay. There are 2 collectibles during the game; wanted posters, which you don't know when to go finding, and there is no incentive to do so. There also isn't a gameplay incentive to collect the Playboy magazines, but you will. You can also buy various clothes, which add to the feel of the game, and some of the suits are pretty sweet. To gain money to do this you can crush or sell cars, apart from completing missions. And that's about it. No multiplayer, which is fine, in fact I prefer single player-orientated games. But there aren't any side missions either, which isn't fine. Why? Because this is an unfinished game. Two contacts appear early in the game; Mike and Derek, and they appear in Level 2. After this, their icons appear on the map, and you can go talk to them, to which they say something on the lines of "Sorry kid, there's nothing for you today." There never is. Ever. Why would they put this in if there aren't any? Because they planned on having some, but then took them out, probably because they ran out of time, for a game they spent a long time working on. And on the internet, I've watched an entire, working level, which didn't appear in the game. Why? Because of creative purposes, I hear you say Take 2? Of course not, because you ran out of time to integrate it , or you couldn't be bothered. And that's what's annoying. Overall, rating wise: Gameplay: 8.5 Graphics: 8.5 Story: 9 Lasting Appeal: 5… Expand

This is a great game Since I can't make this comment short I'll just extend a word... It's PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Yeah, pro!

I just finished the game, took me a week of casual playing, although I am sure a hardcore gamer can finish it within 24h. I really did enjoyed the story, when it ended I wanted more, I had the feeling the game was short. What disappointed me mostly is that there was no Free-play option after I finished the game, thus making this game's life span, quite short.

If you value story and visuals over fun or engaging gameplay, this is for you. The cars handle about as well as you'd expect something without power steering, the police are overly agressive but idiots (once I murdered a gun store owner and hid behind the counter, a cop came by, stood next to me, looked around, and left), and the shooting is bland. Add in the fact that the game discourages you from fooling around by making you restart from a save point half an hour back whenever you die, and this is looking more like a bland 3rd person shooter than a fantastic open world game.… Expand

I gonna be fast and simple with my review: Story: Awesome, I really like the characters and how the story evolved. Game-play: The guns fight are fun but gets a little bit annoying when u die and u have to see a cut scene again and again. The driving its kind of too much. I don't get why the didn't use the taxi system that GTA IV had. Sand-box: Well its a pretty linear story so not much to do in the city, for me thats not a problem because I was not expecting that in the game. I like this kind of fast game (8-10 hours) Overall: I think is sad that people trash the game because the story its pretty good and not many games these days have a solid story. The game is fun and you do a lot of different stuff and I as I said the only really boring part is the (TOO MUCH) driving. Buy it if you can its totally worth it! /pablosu… Expand

Mafia 2 is a very fun game, but it had a couple problems that were very hard to overlook.. Two big problems I have with this game are the glitches (played on a 360) after 3 or 4 missions towards the end of the story. It got so bad I had to Google what I needed to do just to override the glitch, so I could at least reach the end of the game. The solution was a huge bummer; don't commit any crimes & play exactly this way or else the game freezes. The only other problem I had was that the game didn't come off like a free-roam type of game. GTA and Red Dead have a huge replay value because of this awesome free-roam feature. Mafia 2 will let you roam, but you can only do it between certain missions and not everything on the map can be explored. Basically, what i want to see in the next Mafia game that this one had: More bad ass Mafioso clothes or disguises, variety in the crimes you commit for respect or money, elaborate on the gas station robberies by adding a hostage to the mix or the gas station attendant has to be roughed up before you can get the money, and finally a lot more missions & buildings in the game that can be explored. Mafia 2 has a great foundation that Mafia 3 can build on, but if the developer doesn't put the time or money into it then it will probably be riddled with problems like this one. Even with the problems though, Mafia 2 is taking the Gangster genre into the right direction even if its side-stepping a bit here and there.… Expand

Mafia II, more than anything else, is an excellent period-piece drama composed of set-piece stories over a span covering Vito's experiences with the mob. Whether you're driving to the diner, or spraying gangsters with a tommy-gun, you'll feel a keen sense of time and place, which immerses the player in gratifying ways, and gives you the momentum to see the story-rich game through. All of that is to say that, if you buy the game used (say for $10 or so) you'll get your money's worth.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game play and graphics are awesome but the glitches are frustrating and the ending is very disappointing and the game should have been alot longer… Expand

Melhor visualizado em: criticalplayer.com.br Jogo de 2010, produzido e distribuído pela 2K, Mafia II é um "SandBox" que proporciona uma verdadeira imersão no submundo do crime organizado. Retrata fielmente cenários, hábitos, objetos, músicas, armas, enfim todos os elementos que compuseram o ambiente da máfia nas décadas de 40 e 50 nos Estados Unidos. O enredo é o ponto forte do jogo, apesar de no início parecer ser simples demais, ao logo da trama a vida de Vito Scaletta sofre uma série de reviravoltas, dando assim um alto toque de dramaticidade e consequentemente atratividade ao longo da história. Vito Scaletta, filho de imigrantes italianos, resolve abandonar a pobreza de sua família que é honesta e trabalhadora para abraçar a vida fácil do crime. Juntamente com seu melhor amigo Joe Barbaro, Vito começa a assaltar pequenas lojas na cidade de Empire Bay (fictícia, porém com elementos de outras grandes cidades americanas como Nova York, Chicago, Detroit.) até ser pego pela polícia e ter de escolher entre a cadeia ou a Segunda Guerra Mundial. O jogo inicia com uma missão na Itália, onde Vito é ferido e mandado de volta para casa de modo a se recuperar. Com a ajuda de Joe, Vito consegue se livrar das obrigações militares e assim inicia seus trabalhos para a máfia. (parei com o spoiler!) A jogabilidade é bem simples e apresenta poucos problemas, o que por si só, já é um ponto positivo. Os gráficos são o ponto fraco, colisões de polígonos, texturas horríveis, um jogo lançado em 2010, não pode se apresentar desta maneira (beleza é quase fundamental!). Pode-se ouvir as músicas reais da época nas estações de rádio dos veículos, o que é bem legal. (só se você avaliar isso como um acerto dos desenvolvedores com relação à época, porque pessoalmente, coloquei o volume das músicas no 0, muito irritantes. Mas é claro que não se deve colocar Heavy Metal em um jogo que se passa na década de 40!) Uma interessante característica do jogo, é a de poder colecionar revistas Playboy da época, que podem ser encontradas em diferentes pontos da cidade, o que eleva bastante o fator replay. O tempo de jogo ficou bom, você não chega a enjoar e chegar ao ponto de pegar outro jogo para se entreter. A história ajuda bastante nesse ponto.… Expand

Amazing game,i waited for this game for a long time since Mafia 1,the strong point of Mafia 2 is its story,its drags you in,dont expect many side missions.The game has great graphics,nice atmosphere in the city,great music.The driving is pretty nice,shooting is simple and the cover up system is easy to learn..The City is not very interactive as Liberty City in GTA IV,of course you can buy clothes,food,guns,tune cars etc..the city is like museum with a little interaction..but its not very negative for me,neither mafia 1 when it came up had the GTA 3 style or side missions,its strong point was the plot,the story,the cinematics,and some game mechanisms.So to sum up,if you loved Mafia you will love Mafia 2,but if you play Mafia 2 to compare it with games like GTA,RDR you will be a little disappointed..but surely the game is 8/10 for me and more,i just had seen 5 or 6 from users..and i dont understand it..… Expand

This game is great in every way. Underrated to say the least and it's a shame it didn't get a nomination for game of the year. Great graphics, great game play, and even a decent story. Thought it was a great game and am looking forward to Mafia III.

Wow! This game sucks. Just got killed by a cop and had to go back like 10 minutes and do it all over again. Game appears to be a sandbox style game but offers not real interaction with the world around you. Shooting controls are awful and sluggish, and the car handle like crap, expect for just a few of them. This game is a bastardization of GTA. Its like they hired all the programmers under-qualified to work at Rockstar. The story is actually decent, but the sluggish controls and few and far between save points really ruin the enjoyment of the game.… Expand

I couldn't finish it, it was too much like a linear GTA4 that had a crap story. Sorry but I am slightly biased against beating a dead horse with a story that has been done to death. Nothing new here, but some of the cut-scenes and happenings are hilarious. Aside from that, move along. I commend the developers, but this game needs a major overhaul if the mafia story is to continue.

A fun shoot'em up romp with a classy feel and a great story! And I don't usually care but OMFG THE GRAPHICS, THE GRAPHICS!!!!! I never knew how fun it would be to drive a hot rod through a department store while running from the cops until I played this! It's a 7/10 FPS, a 10/10 driving game (better level of car detail, customizing, and damage than I have ever seen, and I don't even usually like racing games!), and a 8/10 movie combined into an amazing gaming experience. Buy it, and if you just want to play a mindless shooter, buy the Jimmy's Vendetta DLC too.… Expand

The graphics on this game is just horrible. Being a huge fan of Mafia 1 I thought this game would be awesome but it does't, especially on 360. Constant popping, screen tearing, man oh man do not buy this on 360. Your better off on PS3, or PC(def PC)

Fantastic story. Great voice acting, awesome cars. This is one of the best games ever created. I couldn't think of a better way to make a game. I can safely say that this will please alot of people.

Screen tearing on the xbox 360 is absolutely horrible, it ruined the whole game. Stopped after 30mins and got rid of it. The developers should take the time to at least make sure the game runs fine before releasing this junk.

Before I say anything let me just say that Mafia 2 is not like GTA. I personally am not a fan of single player, campaign only games but this game I picked up for 50 bucks at its release and then played the first level and decided it was bad and returned it. NOW STOP! PLAY THE FIRST LEVEL and you will see how amazing the game is. I dont even know how to describe the game, it was honestly the funnest game I've ever played and now its only like 15$ so it is definitely worth getting. I would recommend it to pretty much everyone. solid 10/10 for sure… Expand

Before i got into the mass effect series, mafia 2 was my favorite game. The amazing cinematic quality of the cut scenes to the gripping well put together story. I found my self flying through levels fully enjoying myself. Their were countless parts where i was laughing out loud, nervous, pissed as hell, and sad. I played and beat the game numerous times. Its no RPG different things don't happen every time that's just how good it was. I was attached to the characters and very involved with the story. It's well worth the money and i pray their is another one coming out. I give Mafia 2 a 9/10… Expand

This game is highly underrated. You got beautiful graphic ( physics ), amazing sound ( atmosphere ), one of the best 3rd person shooters I played, typical mafia story and very realistic car driving. I really enjoyed this game in every aspect and simply cannot understand that someone thinks it is a big disappointment. The only problem I see is game length.. Main story should be longer and there is a lack of side missions, but that upgraded with DLC mission. So, all in one, Mafia 2 is very quality game with unique soul inside.… Expand

Mafia 2 in my opinion is such a great game with a great story, great characters (voice acting), and great mechanics. You play as Vito a boy who arrived in Empire Bay when you were very little. You learn early on that your dad didn't support the family very well, as he used most of his earnings from the shipping docks on booze. Vito has a friend named Joe. I won't get into Joe as a person to much other then he is Vito's best friend. This is a great first time play through however there is not much replay value after that. The VERDICT: Mafia 2 has a great story if I could forget a story and be able to play through it again while having no memory that I have played it before it would be Mafia 2. A great story with twists and turns through the entire game. You just never know what will happen next. - Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.… Expand