Mafia II is awesome.

[Raduque]

I went ahead and bought Mafia II on Steam.

It both runs, and looks, better than GTA4. Funny, that. Anybody buy the DLC? How is it?

 

[NYHoustonman]

DLC is pretty terrible. It allowed the freedom to do some of the things you didn't have time to do in the game itself, but ultimately it was a collection of side missions... No real connecting story.

I agree on the original game though. I went ahead and fired GTA4 back up, and the difference is night and day graphically. I understand that the game doesn't include much actual gameplay, but you can't help but feel that some reviewers were needlessly biased.

 

[BD231]

Fun game, GTA should take some tips.

 

[Darklife]

Seriously? The game is two times shorter than GTA IV and it would probably be a lot worse were you to remove all the useless chauffer missions. I don't even know why they bothered to make a full city, a couple of streets would have sufficed.

 

[motsm]

Hated the health regeneration and whack a moll combat, so I passed on buying it rather quickly.

I'm sure the story is great, but I'd rather spend my time replaying Mafia.

 

[BD231]

Seriously? The game is two times shorter than GTA IV and it would probably be a lot worse were you to remove all the useless chauffer missions. I don't even know why they bothered to make a full city, a couple of streets would have sufficed.

True they could have expanded on the story or overall involvement of the main character but the feel is just different. Less sandbox and more to the point IMO, better for someone like me who doesn't really enjoy blasting the same people over and over again.

Neither game has me coming back for more.

 

[hellotyler]

I played it over at a friends house and had fun blasting through the storyline. Once it was over though, what is left ? Replay the same story ? This game really needed to be more of a sandbox.

 

[motsm]

I played it over at a friends house and had fun blasting through the storyline. Once it was over though, what is left ? Replay the same story ? This game really needed to be more of a sandbox.

I don't understand this complaint, yet run into it constantly. I don't see people say this kind of thing about completely linear story driven games, but when it's a story driven game that offers freedom, expectations change completely.

 

[Tristicus]

I don't understand this complaint, yet run into it constantly. I don't see people say this kind of thing about completely linear story driven games, but when it's a story driven game that offers freedom, expectations change completely.

You create a great city like Empire Bay and expect us not to want to explore it? Mafia had free roam. Mafia II didn't. That enough should be reason for the disappointment.

Fun game, GTA should take some tips.

Completely different games, and GTA > Mafia IMO. Yes, Mafia is based around story, but GTA seems like it has more work put into it.

 

[Raduque]

I played it over at a friends house and had fun blasting through the storyline. Once it was over though, what is left ? Replay the same story ? This game really needed to be more of a sandbox.

IIRC, the first one was the same way. You played it, and before you beat it you could do extra stuff, but once you beat it you're done. The only thing I'd want a sandbox mode for is to run around looking for the magazines, posters and other extras, and collecting 10 of the nicest/coolest cars in the gameworld after I beat it.

Completely different games, and GTA > Mafia IMO. Yes, Mafia is based around story, but GTA seems like it has more work put into it.

Honestly, I completely disagree. GTA4 is a great game, certainly, and it definitely has more content, no disputing that.

But I think a lot more work went into Mafia II. Not only does it run and look better (especially on my less-than-mediocre PC), but the game feels more real. Every car reacts differently (have you tried barely tapping the gas while on an incline in some cars? The car rolls backwards because Vito is slipping the clutch), the police chase you for speeding/hitting other cars, and you get a ticket. In GTA4, the police ignore you careening around the city like a drunken madman until you kill somebody or hit a cop car. Then they arrest or kill you.

The point is, GTA4 feels like a game. Mafia II feels like a world.

 

[bamacre]

I actually haven't snagged a copy of Mafia II yet. Will do though. Loved the first one. What are the AA options for the retail version? IIRC the demo only offered an on/off option.

I also loved all the GTA3 and up games. GTA IV was good, IMO, but the lack of AA still disappoints me. Ironically, it reminds me a bit of GTA3, a good game but didn't run as well as most other popular games. To those who say Mafia is a different game, I agree. As a fan of both games, it's pretty easy to see they both have different strengths and weaknesses. I can only conclude that someone who likes one series and doesn't the other, just prefers a different genre of game. Nothing wrong with that. Games are like any other form of entertainment, books, movies, everyone has different tastes.

The point is, GTA4 feels like a game. Mafia II feels like a world.

If what you say is true, then Mafia II must be pretty damn good.

I do doubt it being true, at least IMO.

 

[Tristicus]

IIRC, the first one was the same way. You played it, and before you beat it you could do extra stuff, but once you beat it you're done. The only thing I'd want a sandbox mode for is to run around looking for the magazines, posters and other extras, and collecting 10 of the nicest/coolest cars in the gameworld after I beat it.


Honestly, I completely disagree. GTA4 is a great game, certainly, and it definitely has more content, no disputing that.

But I think a lot more work went into Mafia II. Not only does it run and look better (especially on my less-than-mediocre PC), but the game feels more real. Every car reacts differently (have you tried barely tapping the gas while on an incline in some cars? The car rolls backwards because Vito is slipping the clutch), the police chase you for speeding/hitting other cars, and you get a ticket. In GTA4, the police ignore you careening around the city like a drunken madman until you kill somebody or hit a cop car. Then they arrest or kill you.

The point is, GTA4 feels like a game. Mafia II feels like a world.

Actually, you make a very good point (I pointed it out, just not in that fashion). Mafia II has a great story, and a great atmosphere. The characters are well done and relate-able, and the dialogue and everything is great. However, what I didn't like was 2k (publisher, not the developer, 2k Czech) taking out everything that should have been in the game from the start (DLC packs and side missions, etc.) Oddly enough, I've noticed small things like that, but that is interesting about the clutch part. I like the fact that in GTA games the cops pay you no mind. It makes the game more fun to me, and is probably why GTA IV has that completely open world design. But you have to understand that GTA is also not meant to be real at all. What struck me as awesome was that the story in GTA IV was one of my favorites from a videogame. I loved Niko as a character, and overall, the game was just great. Mafia II has a great story, and a bustling city. I just don't like not being able to explore it by myself. I also hate how they limited the winter level to 2-4 or so, because that showed off a hell of a lot of detail IMO.

If what you say is true, then Mafia II must be pretty damn good.

I do doubt it being true, at least IMO.

It is a good game. It is true, in a sense. But you also have to be in that mindset...where most are like "driving is boring I want to rape people" and such. Lots came in with the GTA mindset.

 

[ZimZum]

Mafia II is nowhere near as good as the original but I still think its better than GTA4.

 

[Raduque]

Actually, you make a very good point (I pointed it out, just not in that fashion). Mafia II has a great story, and a great atmosphere. The characters are well done and relate-able, and the dialogue and everything is great. However, what I didn't like was 2k (publisher, not the developer, 2k Czech) taking out everything that should have been in the game from the start (DLC packs and side missions, etc.) Oddly enough, I've noticed small things like that, but that is interesting about the clutch part. I like the fact that in GTA games the cops pay you no mind. It makes the game more fun to me, and is probably why GTA IV has that completely open world design. But you have to understand that GTA is also not meant to be real at all. What struck me as awesome was that the story in GTA IV was one of my favorites from a videogame. I loved Niko as a character, and overall, the game was just great. Mafia II has a great story, and a bustling city. I just don't like not being able to explore it by myself. I also hate how they limited the winter level to 2-4 or so, because that showed off a hell of a lot of detail IMO.

The bolded is something that always bothered me about GTA games. The story in GTA4 was very good, as was the characters. I don't care for the character development though, all the "niko lets hang out" BS wore on me. The game also runs like crap, and doesn't even look good enough to justify the performance penalty.

The MII winter levels were great. Beautiful scenery, and driving the cars around was fun as hell.

 

[videopho]

Awesome?
you ain't seen nothing yet 'til you play it in 3d.

 

[Nik]

The only thing I don't like about the game so far is the driving. God, cars handle like shit!

 

[bamacre]

The only thing I don't like about the game so far is the driving. God, cars handle like shit!

Did you play the first one?

 

[Nik]

Nope.

 

[BHetrick]

This was the only game I've played so far that I couldn't play in 3d. I kept suffering from a black shadow effect. Googling and browsing the Nvidia forums didn't turn up any help.

Other than that, I agree this was a great story and BEAUTIFUL game. I was able to run all high settings AND have PhysX on high.

One of the biggest things that stood out for me is while driving around through some of the areas, I had "hey, I've been here before" flashbacks. It's been awhile since I played them, but the neighborhoods were recognizable from either GTA4 or Saints Row; I'm thinking probably GTA.

I also liked how in one particular scene they tied it to the original Mafia. I haven't played it since it first launched, but right away recognized it. I won't say anymore so as to not spoil it for those who haven't played M2 yet.

But alas, I agree with the others. There could have been just so much more to do. The dlc does add gameplay, but it's REALLY generic feeling.

*edit
Well, after posting this I felt like firing up M2 and playing more of Vendetta. The 3d is working fine now. Before I was on 258 drivers, now I'm using 260.

 

[coldmeat]

I thought the cars handled fine. At least they were 100x better than the cars in the demo.

 

[Raduque]

Awesome?
you ain't seen nothing yet 'til you play it in 3d.

:thumbsdown:

3D gives me a headache. I have very poor depth perception.

 

[mafiaboy22]

car handling sucks but I think they don't drive like us back in the days. There's a free ride mod where you can just drive around the city and explore right? I hope more players upload their own mods.

 

[calyco]

Short and sweet, nothing to do after finishing it though. I just reinstalled the original and played a bit for the past few weeks and it still feels like a more complete game. Cinematic like II but the missions are more fun.

 

[Lonbjerg]

Mafia 2 suck gameplaywise compared to Mafia.
Way to consolized and short.

 

[brownstone]

For some reason I remember the original being much better. Overall however, I thought Mafia II was decent right up until the end. That ending left something to be desired.