Mafia II
Preview
Join the criminal underworld
by Robert Zak
previewed on X360
True-to-life (cntd)
So in the early game, the bleakness of the immediate post-war years will be reflected by things such as the wintry weather, glum faces, and war propaganda posters still hanging in the streets. As the game progresses into the 50s new buildings will rise, hairstyles and clothing will change, and the weather will reflect the national sense of optimism as America enters a period of prosperity.
The soundtrack also changes with the times, evolving from jazz and blues in the 40s to rock-and-roll in the 50s. The decision to change the world over time is an innovative move. It is nice to see developers incorporating this kind of historical context into the plot of a game as it not only will enhance the authenticity that 2K Czech is striving for, but also show a level of sophistication in games that will hopefully be taken onboard by future developers.
Gameplay
In terms of gameplay, there seems to be an unspoken rule that sandbox games sacrifice a solid control system in their quest to create an open-ended environment. Compare the automated head-body targeting system in Grand Theft Auto IV or the arcadey combat in Infamous with the more refined mechanics of Uncharted 2 or Gears of War 2. 2K Czech have shown that they are aware of this trend and have even stated that Mafia II's combat system will be inspired by that of Uncharted and God of War 2.
As well as that, there will be plenty of environment interactivity. For instance, if you are brawling in a restaurant you will be able to attack your enemies with chairs, plates, and whatever else is at hand in the given moment (though being able to dual-wield a knife and fork looks unlikely). As mentioned earlier, 2K Czech have placed heavy emphasis on making the action sequences as satisfying as possible. Footage of an early mission showcases this nicely, as we see Vito ducking between bits of cover, jumping over boxes and blind-firing in a well-detailed indoor environment; shelves are toppling, crates are breaking and bullets chip concrete off stone pillars leaving dusty clouds of debris in the air. The impressive footage suggests that 2K Czech is on track in their mission to bring the close-quarters intensity of a 3rd-person action game into a sandbox game world.
Rather than just focusing on how 'sandboxy' the game is, and how you can 'go anywhere/do anything', the developers are more interested in how they can best fill out this dynamic game space with action sequences and storytelling that match those of Hollywood. The quality of voice-acting and scripting in the cut-scenes is a testament to this. In one such scene, Joey and Vito are simply lounging around their flat with a couple of hookers. The way in which they are just bantering, cracking wise guy jokes and sitting around in their vests with a fag or bottle of beer in their hands, is done in a way that is not at all overblown. It creates a kind of understated stylishness that distinguishes Mafia II from other games.
Most anticipated
Considering how good Mafia II looks and sounds, the seemingly infinite amount of time this game has been in development suddenly seems justifiable. The footage and information on the game suggests that 2K Czech isn't shy about showing off just what they have been working on all this time. And with good reason as it has helped make this game one of the most hotly anticipated titles of 2010. Thankfully, the wait is nearly over as Mafia II is set to be released on PC, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 in May 2010.
