The following is a video game review for Illusion Softworks’ Mafia. It is an action epic set in the roaring ’30s, based in and around 12 square miles of a working metropolis. She’s powered by one of the most impressive engines I have seen on a PC to date, leading to the kind of doll you’d murder for. In fact, some control issues and relative lack of replay ability are the only major problems for this hoodlum. Actually, that’s a bit premature. You’re no hoodlum just yet. The game opens with unsuspecting, law-abiding cabbie Tommy Angelo (that’s you) being convinced (at gun point) to drive two wounded hoods on the run. Where? You don’t know. All they say is “Lose the tail!” – which is tougher than it sounds. Imagine twelve miles of open city with two armed hot-heads in the back and four more hot-on-your-heels. Your cab goes a blinding 60 mph.
The story is strong, interesting and well-paced with impressive voice talent. While the game’s 20 missions are vigorously linear, there is little limit to how you can complete them thanks to the working cityscape. The missions are varied and integrate perfectly with the plot, from walking home the daughter of a friend and protecting her from switch-blade wielding riff-raff to sabotaging a race car and then being forced to race against said car and many others on the open circuit. There’s also plenty of shooting and car-jacking ala Grand Theft Auto 3. Boredom is not an issue here, folks.
The game play is equal parts driving and gun slinging action. You will receive a mission, pick a car from your ever-growing garage, drive to the mission and shoot, destroy, extract and/or escort individuals or items to various locations around the sprawling Lost Heaven.
Just make sure you check the system requirements; this is a high maintenance mistress. Running Mafia on lower end systems will be a tough one, but if you have a smokin’ machine, you’re in for a treat. With so much to do it’s really no wonder why the control would be off-putting to some gamers. The driving elements, including physics and handling, are truly commendable achievements, but require some serious control not found on a keyboard. If you have a good control pad, then you’re fine. But even a sweet racing wheel would require you to switch from wheel to keyboard and back often, which is a pain.
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