Game Description

Mafia takes place in the fictional 1930s city of Lost Heaven. The player takes the role of a relatively innocent cabdriver who becomes involved in the underworld of organized crime through a random accident. While between fares one night, the hero is suddenly approached by two shady characters in urgent need of a ride. Fearing a quick shot to the head if he refuses, he accepts the passengers and, thanks to his excellent driving abilities, is able to help them escape the rival gang members that had been chasing them. Quick thinking and good driving skills save the day for the thankful mobsters, who make it a point to remember the main character. When he finds himself out of work a short while later, the hero is graciously welcomed to "the Family."

The third-person adventure in Mafia has the player moving about a 12-square-mile city, designed from authentic photographs and architectural plans from the 1930s. The player will have almost complete freedom to move about the city, exploring and interacting as he sees fit. Each building is unique, providing a sense of location and allowing the players to learn landmarks as they travel through Lost Heaven. A wide variety of missions will have the protagonist racing cars, investigating seedy hangouts, and even executing hits (if his conscience will allow it). Mafia is designed to envelop players in the look and feel of the classic gangster movies that were its inspiration. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Review: Enjoyment

The game offers plenty of fun, despite having several bad driving missions hurt by their to-and-from nature. The included "freeride extreme" missions offer variety. ~ Mark Hoogland, All Game Guide

Review: Overall

If you're familiar with Grand Theft Auto III, it's impossible to play Mafia without comparing the two since Mafia also offers a city of islands connected by bridges, a story of a young man rising through the Casa Nostra ranks, and well designed missions with lots of driving. There are, of course, plenty of differences as well as similarities: Mafia is set in the 1930s, missions are scripted, weather and time of day are always fixed, and driving missions, though similar, are not the freeform action as in GTA 3. At times, this makes Mafia's missions more interesting since a scripted shootout, when properly planned (as is the case in Mafia), is a joy to gun through. Players will miss the random chaos and freedom of Liberty City, but the length, breadth and depth of Mafia's missions are impressive.

Mafia's story presents a twist on the premise of an average young man looking to move up in the world. Tommy is reluctant to join the mob, but the allure of money during the Great Depression overcomes his reservations -- after all, he has to provide for his family. A chance encounter with some mobsters who hijack his cab turns into steady employment with one of the Lost Heaven's prominent bosses, Salieri. The background information comes out years later, when Tommy is talking to a lawman.

While characters in GTA 3 are drawn out swiftly, Mafia's characters develop a real personality because of their longevity. The influence of classic gangster films like The Godfather and Goodfellas is obvious, but handled well. Ghosts of depression era gangsters like Al Capone and John Dillinger should roam the streets of Lost Heaven; these gangsters were a different breed and the Mafia's pioneers. Mafia explains some of the early history, such as the "protection" offered by the early wise guys, and hints at the fortune made during Prohibition ( Salieri and Morello both own bars). It's an interesting historical glimpse, something unique to the game.

The missions bristle with intricate action sequences. Though the objectives for each assignment direct gameplay, the options and possibilities make playing a fascinating experience. Up against seven of Morello's lackeys in a parking garage? You can rush them, try to gain position and snipe at them, or shoot the car they're hiding behind and take them out with the resulting explosion, or you can ruin a car's maneuverability by shooting out its tires. Ammunition is precious but Tommy can salvage ammo from dead opponents, so killing enemies before they squander their ammunition adds a critical strategic ploy.

Sadly, the driving sequences are generally disappointing, and gamers used to the arcade driving experience in GTA 3 will be disappointed. The realistic cars from the 1930s are fun to observe and initially drive, but they're slow and bulky, though it's not important since cops arrest anyone going over forty mph. Even the racecars, fast but with poor handling, are disappointing. The game's worst mission, a timed night mission with a fast racecar, is a real headache. Hijacking random cars and speeding home after a successful mission can be enjoyable, but few players will drive around Lost Heaven for fun.

Comparing Mafia to GTA 3 is high praise and Mafia deserves the accolade. Some aspects surpass GTA 3, but the final result is a different style of game. Mafia concentrates on scripted missions resulting in more enjoyable gameplay than found in GTA 3's missions. What the game doesn't have is the open-ended freedom or the endless possibilities of driving around Liberty City. Gamers shouldn't expect a GTA 3 knockoff, though, since Mafia offers a different experience. With better cut-scenes, more realistic driving physics, and a cinematic story, Mafia holds its own. While not as revolutionary as GTA 3, it's solid and oozes style. ~ Mark Hoogland, All Game Guide

Review: Graphics

Impressive, but a little blocky at times. Lost Heaven is huge and detailed, even though the buildings become repetitive in each neighborhood. ~ Mark Hoogland, All Game Guide

Review: Sound

Fantastic voice acting, weather effects, jazzy music, and gunfire. ~ Mark Hoogland, All Game Guide

Review: Replay Value

As in most mission-based games, there's not much left to do upon completion. The "freeride extreme" missions extend the enjoyment, but simply driving around Lost Heaven isn't enjoyable enough to sustain additional gameplay. ~ Mark Hoogland, All Game Guide

Review: Documentation

The manual provides good coverage of important information. The in-game tutorial covers most of the necessary commands, and a useful map is included. ~ Mark Hoogland, All Game Guide

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