E3 09: Mafia II
While visiting Take 2, I was ushered into a dark room lit only by a couple of antique street lamps, and in the corner was the back end of a sedan with the trunk popped open so you could clearly see the body bag and shovels. Luckily, while I was the intended victim, it wasn't a hit, it was just to screen some gameplay footage of the upcoming Mafia II. Due out in early 2010 for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, we saw the game demoed on a 360. Set in the late '40s and early '50s, Mafia II chronicles ten years in the life of Vito, the extremely hot main character who goes from low-level thug to don of his own criminal empire. While it is set in the same universe, Mafia II takes place in a new city, Empire Bay. The developers promise 10 square miles to explore 20 districts, each with their own character. They also say you can expect 15-20 hours of gameplay, although that's if you don't explore any of the numberous subplots. There will also be four different endings to the game. And because the game is focused on telling the epic single-player story, naturally there will be no multiplayer.
From what I saw, the period flavor is captured brilliantly. While still a sandbox criminal empire game, there's just something extremely appealing about hopping into a 1940's-era sedan and hearing period music playing as you drive around. The mission that they demoed was from early in the game, and takes place during the winter, so the snow and ice does affect the driving conditions. The mission began with a botched hit that turned into an assault on a warehouse, working your way through waves of enemies to reach the guy you're after. Although I didn't get any hands-on experience with the game, combat looked tight, with accurate targeting, and good use of cover in the environment. Of course, by the end of the hit, things go even further awry, necessitating a run from the law, with one of your wingmen's life in danger, and ending in a cliffhanger cutscene. There was no HUD during the demo, but I was told that this was because it hadn't yet been finalized, and wasn't ready to be shown. However, they did promise that it would remain minimal so as not to detract from the immersion they're shooting for, and in fact, if you want, you can turn the HUD off completely in the options. While it does still look like another GTA clone, I have to say that the period flavor of Mafia II does give it a certain charm and makes it stand out from all the rest.
Wootini
Posted to E3, Hot Stuff, Video Games on 5 June 2009
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