Close Menu
GamerBolt – The Home of GamingGamerBolt – The Home of Gaming
    What's Hot

    Block Drop Game – The Modern Tetris Alternative You Need to Try

    May 21, 2025

    Jungle Bounce – Bounce Your Way Through the Jungle!?

    May 19, 2025

    This Week in Gaming News: May 12th – May 18th, 2025

    May 19, 2025
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    GamerBolt – The Home of GamingGamerBolt – The Home of Gaming
    Facebook X (Twitter)
    • Game News
    • Trivia
    • Gamertag Generator
    • Discover
        1. Best Games
        2. Past & Retro
        3. VR
        4. Next-Gen
        5. PC
        6. Tech
        7. PlayStation
        8. Xbox
        9. Nintendo
        10. Mac
        11. Cross Platform
        12. Live Streaming
        13. eSports
        14. View All

        The Best Games for May 2025

        April 28, 2025

        The Best Games for April 2025

        March 31, 2025

        The Best Games for March 2025

        March 2, 2025

        The Best Games for February 2025

        January 28, 2025

        The 10 Best Rockstar Games of All Time [2024]

        January 14, 2024

        25 Worst PS2 Games Of All Time

        December 1, 2023

        Top 10 Batman Games

        November 26, 2023

        Top 10 Video Game Remakes/Remasters

        November 25, 2023

        Future Gaming Trends To Keep An Eye On

        December 16, 2023

        The 20 Best Games To Play On Meta Quest 3

        November 23, 2023

        Meta Quest 3 VR Headset: Release Date, Price, And Impressive Specs Revealed

        November 8, 2023

        The Best VR Games For Kids

        November 2, 2023

        Silent Hill 2 Remake Is Coming Sooner Than You Think

        January 16, 2024

        The 20 Best Games To Play On Meta Quest 3

        November 23, 2023

        Next-Gen: 12 Things We Want To See From GTA 6

        October 20, 2023

        15 Things You Should Know About Next-Gen Gaming

        October 13, 2023

        Zula Casino: A Comprehensive Review of Games and Services

        October 27, 2024

        Call of Duty Ray Gun: Evolution and Impact on Zombie Mode Gameplay

        October 27, 2024

        Will GTA 6 Be on PC? Exploring Release Possibilities and Expectations

        October 23, 2024

        The 50 Best Games of 2023

        March 1, 2024

        +”:8080″ +”:3128″ +”:80″ – Common Proxy Server Ports Explained

        October 23, 2024

        iStorage diskAshur Pro 3: Introduction, Specs, Features, and More!

        October 21, 2024

        Nacon RIG 600 Pro HS Headset – Release Date, Price, Features, And More

        January 3, 2024

        Future Gaming Trends To Keep An Eye On

        December 16, 2023

        The 50 Best Games of 2023

        March 1, 2024

        Alien: Isolation – A Gem Worth Revisiting

        February 14, 2024

        Son and Bone – A New Dinosaur Themed IP Coming To PS5

        February 1, 2024

        Silent Hill 2 Remake Is Coming Sooner Than You Think

        January 16, 2024

        How to Change Xbox Gamertag: Quick and Easy Steps for 2025

        December 28, 2024

        Is Helldivers 2 on Xbox? PlayStation Exclusive Status Explained

        December 28, 2024

        How to Cancel Xbox Game Pass: A Quick Guide

        October 13, 2024

        The 50 Best Games of 2023

        March 1, 2024

        The Top 30 Wii Games

        March 11, 2024

        This Week in Gaming News – February 26th – March 3rd

        March 4, 2024

        The 50 Best Games of 2023

        March 1, 2024

        Pokémon Scarlet & Violet: Ultimate Mystery Gift Codes Guide

        February 1, 2024

        Best Tycoon Games for Mac 2023

        October 20, 2023

        Parallels: A Comprehensive Overview

        October 6, 2023

        Nintendo Switch 2: Release Date, Features, Rumours, And More

        October 3, 2023

        The Best Xbox Series X/S Games For October 2023

        October 3, 2023

        Alien: Isolation – A Gem Worth Revisiting

        February 14, 2024

        Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed- DLC Rumors for 2024

        January 13, 2024

        The Finals – Tips On How to Win a Match

        January 11, 2024

        Is Overwatch 2 Cross Platform?

        October 12, 2023

        NickMercs’ Net Worth

        February 29, 2024

        Sodapoppin’s Net Worth

        February 22, 2024

        TheGrefg’s Net Worth

        February 16, 2024

        AuronPlay Net Worth

        February 14, 2024

        Why More and More Brands Are Attracted to Sponsoring Esports?

        November 17, 2023

        How do eSports Teams Make Money – The World of Competitive Gaming

        November 3, 2023

        The Best Games for May 2025

        April 28, 2025

        The Best Games for April 2025

        March 31, 2025

        The Best Games for March 2025

        March 2, 2025

        The Best Games for February 2025

        January 28, 2025
    GamerBolt – The Home of GamingGamerBolt – The Home of Gaming
    Editorials

    Overlooked Gem: Mafia II

    Alex De-GruchyBy Alex De-GruchyOctober 19, 2016Updated:December 20, 2016No Comments7 Mins Read
    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

    Although I’ve been a fan of the Grand Theft Auto series since playing the original game on PlayStation, open-world crime title Mafia II wasn’t on my radar until the PlayStation 3 version appeared as a free title on Sony’s PlayStation Plus service. With no expectations, I downloaded the game and tried it, and ended up being hugely impressed with what I played, enough to delete the digital version and buy my own physical copy – because I prefer things you can see and fondle, dammit! Anyway, I was surprised that the game didn’t seem to have received much attention, hence to me its status as an overlooked gem.

    mafia-ii-1

    Developed by 2K Czech and published by 2K Games, Mafia II was released in 2010 and is the sequel to 2002’s Mafia. Taking place initially in the 1940s and then later the 1950s, the game is set in the fictional US city of Empire Bay and casts the player as Vito Scaletta, a young Italian-American and World War II veteran who ends up becoming a member of the Mafia. Unsurprisingly, Vito’s rise through the ranks ends up being a dangerous and turbulent one, making for an enjoyable and sometimes ambitious narrative that spans several years.

    The game utilises a third-person camera and sees you controlling Vito both on-foot and behind the steering wheels of Empire Bay’s many automobiles. There is a melee combat system as well as plenty of cover-orientated gunplay – the weapons including semi-automatic pistols, submachine guns and shotguns – and everything works smoothly enough, the combat and general control of Vito feeling responsive. And while the driving feels a little heavier, getting around in vehicles is never a chore, and their generally slower pace compared to more modern vehicles makes sense given the time periods represented in the game.

    mafia-ii-2

    In fact, the attention to detail which has gone into bringing the game-world to life is one of my favourite things about Mafia II. The architecture, the clothing, the music – the soundtrack featuring licensed songs from Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Muddy Waters, Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, and plenty more – the vehicles: all of it helps to immerse you in Vito’s world.

    What’s even more impressive is how the Empire Bay you experience during the early part of the game isn’t quite the same one you experience later on, after the story has skipped ahead a number of years: parts of the city have changed, as have fashion, music, the vehicles on the road, etc. A huge amount of work must have gone into this element of the game, and the developers should be applauded for it. They even went so far as to put a lot of effort into the playable scenes which take place between the game’s two main time periods – although this portion of the game is quite linear and not particularly long, the care which went into the rest of the game remains present throughout.

    At the same time, however, although the quality of the finished game’s content is high, there are clear signs that Mafia II was unfinished to a degree, perhaps the most blatant being the fact that on the map included with the game, an icon representing side-missions is shown, but these side-missions don’t actually appear in the finished game.

    mafia-ii-3

    Another point which might hint at unfinished content is an element of the game which I’ve seen receive criticism from a number of critics and players: the fact that, side-missions or otherwise, Mafia II offers little to do in its open-world apart from the missions which propel the story forward.

    While I understand this complaint, it’s not one that bothers me personally, as the fact is that the optional side-content provided by many open-world games is often basic and repetitive, acting as little more than filler. While I’m happy enough to experience such content if I’m having a really good time with an open-world game and simply want more of it, for me the game-world itself and how immersed I become in it play huge roles in how much I enjoy an open-world game. And Mafia II nailed this for me, so the fact that there weren’t many activities available in Empire Bay didn’t bother me: I was happy just exploring and spending time in that world, and moving the story forward when I felt like it.

    So much of Mafia II acts in service to the game’s narrative that it would certainly be a shame if said narrative turned out to be a disappointment, but thankfully this isn’t the case. While Vito Scaletta’s tale isn’t some groundbreaking achievement in storytelling, it’s an entertaining – and occasionally ambitious, given the considerations which Mafia II must take into account as a videogame – mobster story which any fan of the genre should find some enjoyment in. The central plot features numerous twists and turns, with only a couple veering into melodrama, and the story moves at a good pace, although I thought the final act felt a little rushed.

    mafia-ii-4

    Alongside the blood, bullets and treachery which you’d expect from this kind of gangster story, there are plenty of little moments which help to lift the writing and overall experience. A couple of highlights for me include the moment when you first take control of Vito in Empire Bay, a Christmas scene which sees you walking streets of snow and colourful lights with “Let It Snow” playing in the background; and a darkly amusing scene in which you have to drive two friends home as they drunkenly sing together, stopping to take care of some Mafia-related business along the way.

    Also, although I wasn’t aware of the significance of the scene until after I’d completed the game and then did some research on Mafia, there’s a vital way in which Mafia II directly ties into the characters and events of its predecessor, and this connection is brilliantly executed.

    For such a narrative-driven game, Mafia II’s downloadable content is disappointingly light on the enjoyable writing and attention to detail present in the main game. The Betrayal of Jimmy and Jimmy’s Vendetta star a hitman named Jimmy, while Joe’s Adventures focuses on the life of Vito’s best friend during a time when Vito is absent from Empire Bay. While Joe’s Adventures offers more in the way of story and characterisation than the Jimmy content, all three pieces feel a little shallow and unsatisfying compared to the main game.

    mafia-ii-5

    For me, Mafia II is a game whose minor flaws – the pretty bad screen-tearing which occurs in certain locations, for example – are absolutely outnumbered by its strengths from large to small, with more examples of nice touches including the way in which you can bribe cops to let you off minor offences, and how you can steal a car either by breaking the window or picking the lock.

    It’s a game into which a great deal of work has clearly gone, coming across as an experience created by people who really cared about bringing to life these characters and, even more so, the world they inhabit. While some high-budget, open-world videogames end up being bloated yet vacuous experiences packed with shallow content, Mafia II is a more focused title that does what it does very well, and it’s no worse off because of it, quality being far important than quantity.

    Mafia II made me an offer I couldn’t refuse, one which led to me having a great time with the game, and one I’d like to see more people take it up on.

    featured popular
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleHow to Conventions! The Steps You Should Take on Attending Conventions
    Next Article Nintendo Switch – The Excitement a Switch Can Bring
    Alex De-Gruchy

    Alex De-Gruchy is a writer and editor of fiction and non-fiction whose work covers videogames, comic books and prose. His upcoming comic book work includes two graphic novels from Markosia Enterprises. In terms of videogames, he has worked as a writer on iOS action / strategy title Crystal Arena while his upcoming videogame projects include a shoot-‘em-up, an action-RPG, an interactive novel, and action-adventure Edelin Tales: Portals of Doom. Marvel at more wordy outpourings from his brain-meats on Twitter: @AlexDeGruchy.

    Related Posts

    This Week in Gaming News: May 12th – May 18th, 2025

    May 19, 2025

    This Week in Gaming News: May 5th – May 11th, 2025

    May 12, 2025

    This Week in Gaming News: April 28th – May 4th, 2025

    May 5, 2025

    The Best Games for May 2025

    April 28, 2025

    This Week in Gaming News: April 21st – April 27th, 2025

    April 28, 2025

    This Week in Gaming News: April 14th – April 20th, 2025

    April 22, 2025
    Subscribe
    Connect with
    I allow to create an account
    When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
    DisagreeAgree
    Notify of
    Connect with
    I allow to create an account
    When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
    DisagreeAgree
    Please login to comment
    0 Comments
    Inline Feedbacks
    View all comments
    Don't Miss
    1 Min ReadUpdated:May 21, 2025

    Block Drop Game – The Modern Tetris Alternative You Need to Try

    By Jessica ThompsonMay 21, 20251 Min Read

    Jungle Bounce – Bounce Your Way Through the Jungle!?

    May 19, 2025

    This Week in Gaming News: May 12th – May 18th, 2025

    May 19, 2025

    This Week in Gaming News: May 5th – May 11th, 2025

    May 12, 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from SmartMag about art & design.

    GamerBolt – The Home of Gaming
    Facebook X (Twitter)
    • Home
    • About
    • Advertising
    • Our Authors
    © 2025 GamerBolt.com by iNet Ventures LTD.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    wpDiscuz