PC games have never shied away from controversy. Just think back to the furore caused by titles such as Doom, Carmageddon and Grand Theft Auto when they were released. It seems there has been a constant battle between developers and "concerned citizens" about the effects these games have on the psyche of gamers (or should that be mass-murderers in the making?).
While some of these titles went out of their way to break certain societal norms (in retrospect, perhaps awarding style points for causing horrific accidents was not such a good idea), others merely created the potential for the gamer to do what he/she wants. Take Grand Theft Auto 3 for example. Sure, it allows you to beat a granny senseless with your bare hands, but then the game never tells you to do so. It merely acts as a mirror to real life and follows the same rules of cause and effect (mostly) by which we live.
This brings me to Take 2`s new 3D action game, Mafia. It takes place in the city of Lost Heaven, a typical American city modelled on the Chicago and New York of the 1930s. You take on the role of successful gangster Tommy Angelo. The subject matter saw some groups in Italy calling for the game to be banned there because it glorifies violence and the mafia (unlike movies like the Godfather and Goodfellas).
The game opens with Tommy about to meet detective Norman to provide him with information that will assure a long stay in prison for the head of the family Tommy is working for, Don Salieri. The player then enters the game as part of Tommy`s narrative that starts with the former taxi driver`s introduction to the gangster business almost 10 years earlier.
What makes Mafia so interesting is the way it combines the game play with the narrative. The player experiences the struggle Tommy is faced with between working as a highly paid gangster and the life he had as an honest taxi driver. Through the first couple of missions, Tommy is thrilled by his new life, but as the game progresses and the missions become more violent, he becomes disillusioned with the family business and is looking for a way out.
The diversity of the 20 missions will see the game appeal to new gamers and hardened old pros alike. Generally, there are two parts to each mission. Firstly, the player needs to drive to where his mission requires him to be. This is done in the form of a first-person driving simulator. The player needs to obey the traffic regulations and must try to avoid conflict situations with the police.
Mafia features a speed restriction key that ensures Tommy does not exceed the speed limit. However, the key is off by default, giving you ample opportunity to collect traffic fines you have to pay with your hard-earned cash.
Since the majority of your time is spent driving, the developers wanted the experience to be as realistic as possible. There are dozens of different makes and types of vehicles in the game. Initially you will not be able to drive (or steal) all of them, but more vehicles are "unlocked" as the game progresses. While the actual driving is as realistic as can be, it does take quite a while to get from one end of the city to the other while cruising at the legal speed of 40mph. This is if you do not come across a steep hill in which case your speed will drop to well below 30mph.
The rest of the game takes place from a third-person perspective. The missions range from the classic car chases and assassinations to driving around and collecting protection money.
They all flow into each other by way of beautifully crafted cut-scenes. You even replace an injured racing driver in one of the missions. Unfortunately, this turned out to be one of the most annoying missions since you have to win the five-lap race that seems to drag on forever. It is also quite difficult and can lead to some hair-pulling situations (anyone looking for a cheat can e-mail me). Mafia also features a built-in auto-save feature that, thankfully, saves often enough since some of the missions are quite big.
The scope of Mafia is huge. The city is an organic entity in its own right. Accidents occur, there is a functioning public transport system (which you can use), people go to the theatre and, like any other city, Lost Heaven has a slum, a middle-class and an upmarket area with corresponding architectural styles.
If you do not want to play the full game, there is also a cruise option. This allows you to pick a car and just drive around the city. It is a good way to get to know the city and some of its many shortcuts that will stand you in good stead during the full game.
Unfortunately, the game is let down by some ordinary artificial intelligence and path-finding on the side of your colleagues. I had to restart a mission on more than one occasion due to the insistence of my partner to move in front of me every time I fire my pistol. Luckily this doesn`t happen that often but it is still an annoying bug.
Overall, Mafia is an excellent game. The atmosphere successfully conveys the time period while the in-game music and voice acting draws the player into the game. A must-have for any fan of the era, Mafia is set to be one of the year`s most popular releases.
Additional screenshots
Here are some more screenshots.
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