It’s been more than 10 years since this gem came out.
Even now I can feel what I felt that many years ago when I started it for the first time and saw the great floating menu. Mafia is great example how gangster games should be made: mainly focusing on story, with a lot of twists, killing, smuggling and stealing.
Good features for it’s time
This game has some good features that were unusual at the time, like:
- Real time deformations
- Detailed face textures
- Expression animations
It’s hard to criticize this game, especially when it is one of my favorite games of all time. Yes – there are bugs and poor AI and strict police but these type of things are meaningless compared to great story and gameplay.
Story is easy to understand but solid
- You are tasked with visiting something new in every mission while driving old cars that barely move.
- Confronted with moral choices as the main character that really make you think.
- Meeting new characters and loosing another. The game makes you hate and love them at the same time.
Why don’t we have more games like this?
Games that have more than one strong part? Games that grab you and then spit you out after more than 10 hours leaving you with no breath and opened mouth. Games that make you play it over and over again? I beat it more than 10 times and I know I will play it again.
What changed? Me or the developers? Maybe something else? Maybe everything. If you really love games with strong story you probably played it. For those of you who haven’t played it yet go and buy it.
Is it worth it?
Answer – Yes.
