Mafia II

Mafia II doesn't just tell a great story then, but it's also a damn fine game to boot. While it can't strictly be defined as an open-world game due to the dearth of side-missions and distractions on offer, there's still enough here to warrant losing yourself in Mafia II's world of slick cars, sharp suits, money, power and women. And if all that doesn't sound like enough for you, then fuggedaboudit, ya mook!

Om jag ville skulle jag kunna straffa Mafia II för en del mindre roliga svagheter. Ja, det är för kort, och ja, det innehåller ett får snålt omspelningsvärde och ja, ibland blir transportsträckorna lite väl långa. Samtidigt är det fantastiskt skickligt berättat, spännande, fascinerande, varierande, beroendeframkallande, hutlöst snyggt och snudd på osannolikt atmosfäriskt. Äger du en kvick speldator är detta sensommarens mest självskrivna köp.

Mafia II is indeed a wonderful product of history and creativity on the part of 2K Czech and 2K Games. The game provides a riveting narrative that will keep you entertained from beginning to end. Though there are a few issues with this title as no game is perfect, the overall experience and 2K Games’ dedication to releasing dlc content to expand the universe within Mafia II will keep players immersed in this world of deceit, tragedy, redemption as they try to achieve the “American Dream”.

Yes, there could be more to do outside the main story, but you’ll appreciate the attention paid to the heft of a shotgun blast, or the fun to be had in a good old fistfight, elements that might have gone half-baked had the developers focused more on subsidiary activities. Ultimately thought it’s really Vito’s story that sticks with you most. Everything about Mafia II seems geared towards telling a strong tale. In the main menu, you begin the game by selecting “The Story” and each new mission is entitled as a new “chapter”. There are strong literary sentiments at work here and 2K Czech proves that strong characterisation, brilliant dialogue and slick cutscenes are just the ingredients needed for a thrilling plot. This medium is still in narrative infancy, but Mafia II goes a long to proving that it’s not merely literature and film that can tell a tale, but videogames too. Along with it, you get a damn fine game to boot.

In an era when video games are moving away from relying on cinematics for storytelling, Mafia II draws on the rich mobster film history to weave a gripping drama about family, friendship, loyalty, betrayal, and pragmatism. If you’re fond of quoting Don Corleone and Tony Soprano, don’t miss this game.

Mafia II is exactly the sequel Mafia fans have been waiting all these years for. It's a brutal tale of underworld family business and killing without a second thought that will have you hooked all the way. You'd do well to grab yourself a copy. Capeesh?

Mafia 2 ist ein epochales Actionspiel geworden, das die meisten Stärken des Vorgängers übernommen und teilweise ausgebaut hat. Die Story ist ebenso spannend wie packend inszenziert, allein mit der Menge und Länge seiner Cutscenes schlägt Mafia 2 die meisten Konkurrenten in die Flucht. Zudem sieht es auf allen Plattformen sehr gut aus, wobei ein gut ausgestatteter PC mit Geforce-Grafikkarte die Spitze einnimmt. Dennoch trüben einige Detailmängel den fantastischen Eindruck -- etwas mehr "Open World" hätte sein dürfen, die Kämpfe gegen die Polizei dürften noch etwas schwieriger sein. Alles in allem ein Musstitel für Actionfreunde, der sich selbst und seine Spieler erfreulich ernst nimmt.

Mafia 2 ist ein epochales Actionspiel geworden, das die meisten Stärken des Vorgängers übernommen und teilweise ausgebaut hat. Die Story ist ebenso spannend wie packend inszenziert, allein mit der Menge und Länge seiner Cutscenes schlägt Mafia 2 die meisten Konkurrenten in die Flucht. Zudem sieht es auf allen Plattformen sehr gut aus, wobei ein gut ausgestatteter PC mit Geforce-Grafikkarte die Spitze einnimmt. Dennoch trüben einige Detailmängel den fantastischen Eindruck -- etwas mehr "Open World" hätte sein dürfen, die Kämpfe gegen die Polizei dürften noch etwas schwieriger sein. Alles in allem ein Musstitel für Actionfreunde, der sich selbst und seine Spieler erfreulich ernst nimmt.

Mafia 2 ist ein epochales Actionspiel geworden, das die meisten Stärken des Vorgängers übernommen und teilweise ausgebaut hat. Die Story ist ebenso spannend wie packend inszenziert, allein mit der Menge und Länge seiner Cutscenes schlägt Mafia 2 die meisten Konkurrenten in die Flucht. Zudem sieht es auf allen Plattformen sehr gut aus, wobei ein gut ausgestatteter PC mit Geforce-Grafikkarte die Spitze einnimmt. Dennoch trüben einige Detailmängel den fantastischen Eindruck -- etwas mehr "Open World" hätte sein dürfen, die Kämpfe gegen die Polizei dürften noch etwas schwieriger sein. Alles in allem ein Musstitel für Actionfreunde, der sich selbst und seine Spieler erfreulich ernst nimmt.

Mafia II is a beautiful game, but one that takes things easy-going. Everything is worked out tightly but there's no typical open-world action where you determine things for yourself. In exchange you get a cinematic storyline, varying missions and an adult tempo and setting that reflect a filosophy that's rather interested in creating an atmosphere than giving you sweaty hands and an adrenaline rush. But what it is as well is an absolute must have for those that like linear games that immerse you and leave you with a feeling of fulfilment.

Mafia II is a very enjoyable experience for different reasons than most games, which should be a warning to those of you who don't really dig story in games, or lengthy narrative, or act as an invitation for gamers craving something more to bite their teeth into. It does a great job of recreating its source material in interactive form, and is not afraid to deliver it with the kind of mature punch it needs - polished, well executed and thoroughly respectful of its overall direction.

Mafia II is tightly story-driven, extremely linear in execution, and designed to drive the player through a cinematic experience that is the very essence of the game. The world compliments the story, it's not designed offer much beyond the fifteen or so hours of gameplay inherent in the plot.

Mafia II is a superbly told, mature and adult game that will entertain, shock and blow you away time and time again.

Ich habe es schon bei GTA 4 gesagt: Ich brauche keine Open-World-Elemente wie Sprungschanzen oder Rennen, ich brauche eine fesselnde Story. Und die kriege ich bei Mafia 2. Im Laufe des Spiels gibt es immer wieder tolle erzählerische Höhepunkte. Umso bedauerlicher ist es da, dass das Ende für meinen Geschmack dann doch nicht abgeschlossen genug ist. Dennoch: Schon lange keine so gute Geschichte mehr gespielt!

Mafia II is an excellent return of a franchise with great promise. Vito and his associates are memorable characters in a city bursting with subtle visual details and violent undertones. The story pulls no punches, neither glorifying nor demeaning the difficult lives its protagonists lead--just presenting them with brutal honesty and letting you reach your own conclusions. After the 15-or-so hours it might take you to gun through Vito's story, it's hard not to come away with the sense that there should have been more to do in this beautiful city. Yet while you might be disappointed with what Mafia II doesn't do, it's hard to be disappointed by what this excellent game does do: deliver fun shoot-outs and pockets of shocking brutality in a world you're delighted to be a part of.

Mafia II is an excellent return of a franchise with great promise. Vito and his associates are memorable characters in a city bursting with subtle visual details and violent undertones. The story pulls no punches, neither glorifying nor demeaning the difficult lives its protagonists lead--just presenting them with brutal honesty and letting you reach your own conclusions. After the 15-or-so hours it might take you to gun through Vito's story, it's hard not to come away with the sense that there should have been more to do in this beautiful city. Yet while you might be disappointed with what Mafia II doesn't do, it's hard to be disappointed by what this excellent game does do: deliver fun shoot-outs and pockets of shocking brutality in a world you're delighted to be a part of.

Mafia II is an excellent return of a franchise with great promise. Vito and his associates are memorable characters in a city bursting with subtle visual details and violent undertones. The story pulls no punches, neither glorifying nor demeaning the difficult lives its protagonists lead--just presenting them with brutal honesty and letting you reach your own conclusions. After the 15-or-so hours it might take you to gun through Vito's story, it's hard not to come away with the sense that there should have been more to do in this beautiful city.

Fine story-driven game about mafia and a life of crime that stumbles on lack of content - there just isn't much to do in Empire City and the story is over before you know it. Should have really included the first DLC as bundled with the main game - now you have to pay $10 extra for those missing side missions.

Mafia II could have been much more, even it is pretty atmospheric. The AI could have been more polished and I wouldn’t have said no to more side missions. The story manages to capture the 40s and 50s atmosphere, if not the aura of the activities of the Mafia in all its glory. But there’s enough content on narrative skeleton, as all the ingredients are there. Only their proportion is sometimes wrong, but that’s for the players to decide if the effort is worth it or not. Personally, I felt immersed in the story and the atmosphere, others thought it was flat. Yes, it’s full of clichés, I saw them coming from a mile away, but it’s exactly what you need to create that feeling of respect and even appreciation for what really were (and still are) cruel murders, blood baths, territorial fights, extortions or drug traffic. But all of it elegantly done, in a tie and suit, in fancy restaurants and (stolen) luxury cars.

Despite its limitations and dated looks, Mafia 2 presents a surprisingly concise campaign. At around twelve hours with no multiplayer options replay value is relatively low but 2K have a generous range of DLC on offer for those craving more after Vito’s story is over. If you’ve ever found yourself paralyzed by the choices in other open world games, Mafia 2 is a wonderfully condensed alternative.

I slutändan är Mafia II till Xbox 360 och Playstation 3 ett riktigt bra actionspel som man absolut bör uppleva om man gillar hårdkokta eldstrider och brylecreme. Det är dock inte briljant, som PC-upplagan, och det börjar nu märkas riktigt tydligt att våra kära konsoler börjar bli till åren.

Esta es la principal pega de 'Mafia II': lo que hace, lo hace muy bien... pero para lo que son los juegos hoy en día, hace muy poco y deja cualquier otro modo de juego como extra para pagar aparte.

For fans of mobster movies, Mafia II is the ultimate toybox. It has period clothes, music, and architecture that perfectly evoke pre and post-war Americana, and a gritty script to boot. It’s loaded with colorful characters, and it has a few genuinely shocking moments; still, for people who don’t care as much about atmosphere and just want a long list of features, the game is going to come up short. It’s rich and full of detail, but players will have to go looking for it - otherwise, it’s just another action game.

2K Czech kan de hype niet helemaal waarmaken maar levert desalniettemin een goede third person shooter af.

While that may be one thousand words of criticism, overall I would recommend Mafia II. It’s hard to deeply explain the positives because I’d hate to give away some of the more jaw-dropping ain’t-that-cool aspects to the game. It is fun. It is beautiful. It runs well. It’s very immersive. Just be aware of what you’re getting into and the flaws that may well bug you. If you like the genre, want to play a shooter that doesn’t denigrate into a horror-show gross-out (Crysis, F.E.A.R., Doom 3, I’m looking at you) and want to see a state-of-the-art immersive storyline, this game is a solid buy. If you want a fairly addictive twelve hours of gameplay, give Mafia II a shot. There might not be much replay value beyond downloadable content from Steam (along with a price tag) but for a game that gives no room for improvisation, it can be damned fun to work some Artistry with the Thompson.

In ten hours of criminality, 2K Czech have made the perfect elegy to the mafia movie. Could have been more of a game, though.

Flaws and linear nature taken into account, Mafia II is a beautiful, gripping, engaging game—and where it doesn't allow you to go is more than made up for by where it does. This is a game where I considered the toughest, most frustrating battle but due penance, for the privilege of seeing what would happen next to these characters I had come to know, occasionally fear—and yes, even Respect. What more does a made man want from life.

For all of the hard work that has obviously gone into Mafia II, I really wanted more than what it finally delivered. I enjoyed the story, characters, and setting, and I learned to overlook the narrative problems so I could sit back and enjoy the ride. But once it was over, it was over; the lack of additional content for every platform right out of the box is unfortunate. When the strength of the game lies solely on the shoulders of an inconsistent narrative in a limited yet gorgeous environment, I can't help but feel robbed of an experience that should be greater than the sum of its parts.

Mafia II parvient sans mal à nous immerger dans les années 40 et 50 grâce à une totale maîtrise de l'époque. Beau, fin, soigné, celui qui se rapproche en réalité plus du jeu d'action que du GTA-like réussit techniquement quelque chose d'impressionnant. Malheureusement, il n'est pas l'expérience inoubliable que nous attendions tous, la faute à une histoire un peu expédiée et à un gameplay convenu. Des 10 heures de jeu, on retiendra cependant cette volonté de 2K Czech de tout miser sur l'ambiance et sur la narration que l'on ne peut que saluer.

To me, the importance of a good story is paramount to the experience when analyzing a game like this. Yeah, the graphics aren’t the best you’ll see and it’s unfortunate the console versions have to take a back seat to the PC version (again), but the atmosphere works. And while I still question that frustrating taking-damage-when-in-cover thing, and while I still say the cover mechanic isn’t quite right, the gameplay doesn’t necessarily suffer from poor controls. You can progress without much in the way of irritation provided you have the requisite patience, the story is deep and nicely produced, the voices and music are a big help, and really, you do feel like a mobster.

Mafia II is a fun game, with great story that will keep you plugging away till the end. With no side missions, or really anything else to do in Empire Bay, make no mistake, the story is the star of this game. It’s a unique approach for what is billed as an open world, but it really drives things forward on the first playthrough. Where it is going to hurt the game is on replay value. I’m afraid finding nudey pictures of playmates past and wanted Posters is not enough to bring most gamers back for a replay of the game. The story however may bring you back for a second go round. The game is engaging, and very well acted, that is the bread and butter here.

Mafia II’s strengths lie in its high production values and the cinematic experience it offers. Not very often will a developer capture the ambience and mood of a period like 2K Czech have done here. The emphasis on story seems to have been made at the detriment to the rest of the game. The mission structure is mundane and repetitive, the scarcity of set-pieces is perplexing and the lack of interaction and ability to explore the rest of the world seems like an odd fit. If you’re looking for a great story – with an odd ending admittedly – and a perfectly recreated 1950s America, then Mafia II is for you. Just don’t expect much in the terms of actually emphatic gameplay.

Mafia 2 is a game that is driven almost entirely by its strong narrative, but is held back by a lack of variety and an apparent removal of features. That is not to say that it is a bad game, far from it, but I cannot shake the feeling that it has not lived up to its potential. It could could have been a contender instead of a bum, to paraphrase the man whose face the protagonist has borrowed.

Mafia 2 is a game that is driven almost entirely by its strong narrative, but is held back by a lack of variety and an apparent removal of features. That is not to say that it is a bad game, far from it, but I cannot shake the feeling that it has not lived up to its potential. It could could have been a contender instead of a bum, to paraphrase the man whose face the protagonist has borrowed.

Mafia 2 is a game that is driven almost entirely by its strong narrative, but is held back by a lack of variety and an apparent removal of features. That is not to say that it is a bad game, far from it, but I cannot shake the feeling that it has not lived up to its potential. It could could have been a contender instead of a bum, to paraphrase the man whose face the protagonist has borrowed.

Mafia 2 est le digne descendant de Mafia premier du nom, avec tout ce que ça implique : Mafia proposait une histoire bien mise en scène et une ambiance de feu, accompagnant un gameplay solide mais moins ouvert qu'il ne voulait s'en donner l'air. On retrouve absolument tous ces éléments dans Mafia 2, certes remis au goût du jour, mais rien de plus. Ceux qui souhaitent se faire porter par une bonne histoire durant une grosse dizaine d'heures, prendre part à des fusillades explosives et se balader dans une ville des années 50 seront comblés, même si le rapport shoot/conduite reste malheureusement à l'avantage de la seconde. Ceux qui ont oublié que Mafia n'était en rien un véritable GTA-like et qui s'imaginaient donc trouver dans Mafia 2 un jeu sandbox resteront forcément sur leur faim.

The tragedy of Mafia II is we are given a beautifully detailed world that we never get to truly appreciate. It’s almost heartbreaking to know a team of individuals spent all that time building such a rich, immersive environment that players would rush through to get to the next chapter. While I could certainly appreciate the elaborate intricacy of the city, I found myself far more impressed by the cinematic value of the visually stunning cutscenes and voice talent, simply because it seemed that’s what 2K Czech intended. The story kept me interested, but once that was over with, there was nothing left for me in Empire Bay, and sadly, despite the superb quality of the production itself, with zero replayability, the bottom line is this game is absolutely not worth the hefty $50-60 pricetag, unless you’re a die-hard fan of the franchise, or just have money to burn. Personally, I’d rather put my money toward something that’ll last me longer than a few hours at best.

Det känns helt enkelt som om vi har sett det här förr. Och trots att Mafia II innehåller nästan två timmar av snyggt regisserade mellansekvenser och mängder av prydligt skriven dialog blir helheten därför också mindre än summan av sina delar. Det är ett dussin underhållande speltimmar som jag kommer att glömma ganska lätt.

Mafia II is een sfeervolle game die het vooral moet hebben van zijn sterke verhaal en geloofwaardige spelwereld. Het spel neemt echter te weinig risico om opnieuw net zo’n impact te maken als het eerste deel. Het houdt de touwtjes te strak in handen wat betreft de vrijheid van de speler en biedt te weinig interessante missies tegenover de vele opvulling.

Mafia II is een sfeervolle game die het vooral moet hebben van zijn sterke verhaal en geloofwaardige spelwereld. Het spel neemt echter te weinig risico om opnieuw net zo’n impact te maken als het eerste deel. Het houdt de touwtjes te strak in handen wat betreft de vrijheid van de speler en biedt te weinig interessante missies tegenover de vele opvulling.

Mafia II is een sfeervolle game die het vooral moet hebben van zijn sterke verhaal en geloofwaardige spelwereld. Het spel neemt echter te weinig risico om opnieuw net zo’n impact te maken als het eerste deel. Het houdt de touwtjes te strak in handen wat betreft de vrijheid van de speler en biedt te weinig interessante missies tegenover de vele opvulling.

Mafia 2 feels like a game that could have been great. Clunky controls are hardly game-breaking, and some might argue part and parcel with the open-world genre, but without the features associated with open-world games Mafia 2 is more easily compared to Uncharted and Gears of War - and in that circle it's simply not action-packed enough. Vito's rise might not be as littered with flashy set-pieces as I'd have liked, but by the end it's a journey most people won't begrudge making.

For such an intricate setup, Mafia II doesn't quite deliver on the promise of making you feel like a gangster until the last few chapters. You spend a lot of the game watching things develop slowly from behind the glass, as Vito makes a name for himself in action sequences separated by a little too much downtime. It's not a bad 12-hour romp by any means, but with such a rich atmosphere, it leaves the distinct feeling of money having been left on the table.

Mafia II is an interesting mobster tale with some great voice acting and cool cutscenes; if you have a “made man” itch, feel free to scratch it here, but be prepared for a pretty standard third-person shooter in the gameplay department. The “take cover, kill everyone, do it again” mechanic didn’t wow me, but it didn’t let me down either. Mafia II is a solid little game that’ll give you a fun ride – just don’t expect the world.

Mafia II is an interesting mobster tale with some great voice acting and cool cutscenes; if you have a “made man” itch, feel free to scratch it here, but be prepared for a pretty standard third-person shooter in the gameplay department. The “take cover, kill everyone, do it again” mechanic didn’t wow me, but it didn’t let me down either.

Mafia II parvient sans mal à nous immerger dans les années 40 et 50 grâce à une totale maîtrise de l'époque. Beau, fin, soigné, celui qui se rapproche en réalité plus du jeu d'action que du GTA-like réussit techniquement quelque chose d'impressionnant malgré une performance inférieure à la version PC. Malheureusement, il n'est pas l'expérience inoubliable que nous attendions tous, la faute à une histoire un peu expédiée et à un gameplay convenu. Des 10 heures de jeu, on retiendra cependant cette volonté de 2K Czech de tout miser sur l'ambiance et sur la narration que l'on ne peut que saluer.

Mafia II parvient sans mal à nous immerger dans les années 40 et 50 grâce à une totale maîtrise de l'époque. Beau, fin, soigné, celui qui se rapproche en réalité plus du jeu d'action que du GTA-like réussit techniquement quelque chose d'impressionnant malgré une performance inférieure à la version PC. Malheureusement, il n'est pas l'expérience inoubliable que nous attendions tous, la faute à une histoire un peu expédiée et à un gameplay convenu. Des 10 heures de jeu, on retiendra cependant cette volonté de 2K Czech de tout miser sur l'ambiance et sur la narration que l'on ne peut que saluer.

Mafia II is a lot like empty carbs…it won’t keep you filled for long but it does taste good.

If you're a fan of mobster movies, then you're probably going to love Mafia II, mostly because it does its best job trying to replicate the most memorable scenes from them. It's when you dive deeper into Mafia II that you notice just how thin the package truly is. Mafia II isn't a bad game, it just doesn't try very hard to be a good one.

Avec le premier épisode de Mafia, 2K Czech avait déjà livré un produit dont on a finalement davantage retenu l'atmosphère unique que le gameplay. C'est une fois de plus le cas en 2010, mais la pilule passe aujourd'hui moins bien. Que l'on ne s'y trompe pas, Mafia II est un jeu efficace qui réussit plutôt bien ce qu'il entreprend, mais c'est le manque d'ambition global de ce nouvel opus qui pourra décevoir. Huit longues années plus tard, les standards ont évolué, et la concurrence a su amener le genre vers d'autres hauteurs. Des sommets que Mafia II ne côtoiera pas avec un contenu aussi limité. En l'état, le jeu reste agréable et soigné, surtout sur PC, mais on pouvait légitimement en attendre beaucoup plus.

Playing Mafia II gives you the feeling that the developers put more emphasis on telling a great mob story than designing a great video game, but had to split their attention too much to effectively do either one. That story would have probably been better served if the game had shed its superfluous open-world trappings and focused on quicker pacing and greater diversity in the mission design. There are a lot of great mob stories out there already, and this one needed more focus to stand out next to all the memorable tales that came before.

Playing Mafia II gives you the feeling that the developers put more emphasis on telling a great mob story than designing a great video game, but had to split their attention too much to effectively do either one. That story would have probably been better served if the game had shed its superfluous open-world trappings and focused on quicker pacing and greater diversity in the mission design. There are a lot of great mob stories out there already, and this one needed more focus to stand out next to all the memorable tales that came before.

Playing Mafia II gives you the feeling that the developers put more emphasis on telling a great mob story than designing a great video game, but had to split their attention too much to effectively do either one. That story would have probably been better served if the game had shed its superfluous open-world trappings and focused on quicker pacing and greater diversity in the mission design. There are a lot of great mob stories out there already, and this one needed more focus to stand out next to all the memorable tales that came before.

Трудно назвать главную причину провала, поскольку Mafia 2 трещит по всем швам. Эмпайр-Бей, срисованный с Нью-Йорка и Сан-Франциско, привлекателен на скриншотах и эфемерен на ощупь. Армия прохожих-клонов спешит в никуда, по-московски плотный трафик толпится у светофоров, копы высматривают хулиганов и лихачей, имитируя кипучую жизнь. Снег падает на припаркованные авто, отражаясь в лучах фар; интерьеры обставлены с маниакальной любовью к деталям; вывески, фотографии из тогдашних журналов Playboy, музыка 1950-х и новостные радиопередачи вот-вот окунут с головой в атмосферу послевоенной Америки… Но, процарапав тонкое дно, вы обнаружите вакуум.

Mafia II gets the last word by destroying the myth that the mafia is interesting at all. It contends that the mob world is a hell of boredom populated by aggressively stupid automatons. These drones wake up each morning, carry out a series of repetitious tasks, and return home. The message: thug life is nothing more than it appears. And Mafia II is even less.