Mafia
Domain Name Com's - : Mafia
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First off, unlike some reviews state, this game's controls are not as bad as they seem. I actually have not had any issues with controlling the player nor the cars.
True, the cars seem to handle poorly and they take awhile to get moving and to stop, but that's how they worked back then. The cars were heavy and this adds more realism to the game itself. They didn't have Porsche's and other sports cars that handled turns effectively. Cars were made of heavy-duty materials, not fiberglass and such. I think it compliments the era that you are playing in, which is the 1930's gangster era.
The graphics are not top-notch, but they are better than the GTA series. The acting is not bad and the story unfolds in a connected, linear fashion, but it's an engaging story.
Basically, you are Tommy Angelo, taxi cab driver who gets pulled into the seedy underground of the mob. The story itself is told from Tommy's perspective as he reports his history with the Salieri family to a policeman. I haven't completed the game yet, but I'm interested in seeing how it all plays out.
The first couple of missions will get you introduced to driving around the city. Here is where the game might stick in some peoples craw because there is a lot of driving from one mission to the next and the driving can be somewhat slow at times due to the era the game takes place in. The cars, as I stated, cannot go from zero to sixty in 6 seconds. But, that adds to the realism. Also, when you switch from one section of the city to the next, the game pauses for about 5 seconds as it loads. It's not bad and I hear it's worse on a competing console. On PCs, it's non-existent, but I've never played the PC game so I cannot say for sure. The driving is more of a "cut scene" to the actual mission. Luckily, from what I've read, the XBox version has made this go faster than the PC version, so you spend less time driving in the XBox version so you can get to the actual mission itself.
Once you make it to the destination, the real mission begins and so does the fun. There are different missions to do: drive people to where they need to be to make a pickup, shootouts and even a car chase. I've only just joined the family, and already, that is what I've experienced.
Overall, the gameplay itself, along with the story, definitely overshadow any graphical shortcomings in this game. Of course, with the Godfather already out on the market and Scarface on the horizon, Mafia might be something you would never decide to pickup. However, with current bargain-bin prices this game is worth getting, especially if you love games that allow you to play as a mafia member.
My only other gripe with the game is how linear it is. It's not free-form like GTA. When you finish one mission, you immediately move onto the next. There are areas where you can choose to roam free if you wish, but there aren't any hidden "packages" to find, so in many respects, it's not really worth it unless you just want to take break and sight see.
There is a free driving game that you can play outside of the actual story from the main menu. I haven't played it yet, but from what I hear, it's not that exciting and isn't really worth playing.
One thing I do like is when you reload your clips. In Mafia, unlike other games, if you throw a clip away with some rounds remaining in it, you will NOT get those carried over to your new clip. Just as in real life, throwing away a half-spent ammo clip results in those rounds being lost! So, you better be sure whether it's worth reloading now and throwing away some rounds, or emptying the clip completely and then reloading. MUCH more realistic and forces you to strategize how you spend your rounds in a gun fight.
Overall, the story is what engages you with this game. The GTA series had a story as well, but it felt disconnected at times and didn't flow completely due to the free-form nature of the game. With Mafia, the story continues to unfold uninterrupted and makes for a compelling story to watch.
Rating: -
I just finished this game yesterday and I loved it. It took me about a week off and on to beat it so it's not too bad. Getting to play a gangster and driving the old timey cars and hearing the 30s music and seeing 30s settings was definitely a nice change from the everyday game. The cinematic cutscenes were wonderful and the facial animations and graphics were very welld one. The rest of the graphics in the game could have been better though so I was slightly disappointed in that area. But the sheer fun of the game more than makes up for it. This was my first gangster game to play and needless to say I will be looking for more of that type in the future with Godfather out now and Scarface coming in the future towards the end of the year. This game is pretty violent and the language is pretty bad though...but after all, this IS a MAFIA game. There was only one real letdown in the game though, but I will let you find that out for yourself. Those things aside, I highly recommend this game to those of a mature audience. You will definitely enjoy it. Before I forget, there is an added plus to the game. There is a race mode where you can race old timey cars! Coolness indeed! There is also a free roam mode too. Neat! Go out, buy it, enjoy!
Rating:  -
There was never a game included they only sent me a box.
Rating: -
dont buy it. the cops are crazy and you cant even hold a gun without the cops shooting you. you easily die, if you crash and live the cops arrest you. you loose life if you crash. its extreemly hard and if you shoot the cars they bleed and you shoot the people they sit down and cry and say go away. the game should be rated E. overall it suxxx.
Rating:  -
I have not played this game on PC2 but it sounds like what I am about to say for Xbox is even worse in PlayStation2 mode. Mafia The Game for PC is my favorite game of all time. I spent a year of my life all day and night playing this game. I was going through a divorce and this was a GREAT escape and I loved it. I spent 6 months just on Free Ride and never got tired of it. Then the missions, the shootouts, the wild chases, criminals and police all coming after me, not even GTA could match this. Then my new computer had some sort of video glitch and even after trying 2 video cards, my processor kept burning up (so no matter games on the PC. I recently got an XBox and thought I would take my favorite game for a spin. I would have to say honestly this isnt even the same game. The graphics are not good, very fuzzy and not clear looking at all. Worse, on Free Ride, suddenly all the police have vanished from the streets. The police were an intregate part of the game before and made things exciting. You didnt just have to worry about speeding, or the criminals, but the police were always watching you and on your tail. Part of the fun was trying to get away with 4-5 cars full of police and 4-5 Mafia cars chasing you, in and when you get out of the car and try to run, shoot, hide, etc. Also, I noticed it was very easy to run over the bad guys dressed in black. They seem to go down like a sitting duck. And to shoot them was the same, even a bullet somewhat close they were dead. Also the pedestrians act differently, and whole groups of them get into same positions (almost overlapping one another) and you cannot accuratly fight with them, shoot them, or whatever. The accuracy of the game is not even close to the original Mafia PC game. I also noticed as I started some missions, the police are barely noticable even if you speed around the whole city at 100 mph. The game has to reset EVERYTIME you go over the bridge and if you finally did get the police to chase you, the XBox will crash right at that moment. Also, the characters repeat the same lines over and over again endlessly. There are a few new lines they read, but they repeat the same ones sometimes 3,4,5, times in a row. The accuracy, innovation, realism, and precision of the PC game is not evident here. I can understand now why this company decided not to make a Mafia 2 and decided to shelf the whole Mafia francise plans. You have to make a great game GREAT on all flatforms. The other games I have tried on XBox are awesome (even better then the PC) because my screen is bigger, on a grander scale, and better looking then when you view it on a 15 or 17 inch monitor. But with Mafia, this game looks like a copy of the original. Even their new RACE mode has spectators clapping that look phony as a $3 bill. That sums it all up, I doubt the same people who made the PC game were even involved with this project. if you have ever played Mafia on the console and wondered what all the hype was about, you are right. But get a PC version and play it on a good computer with a good graphics card and you will see why this game ranks RIGHT UP THEIR with GTA and actually as far as accuracy, animations, action, and AI it can't be beat. Again that goes for the PC version, XBox, dont waste your money.
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