Image credit: Poster/art offered by My Hot Posters.
Source: My Hot Posters
Summary
- Name of the game: Mafia: Definitive Edition
- Launch date: September 25, 2020.
- Developer: Hangar 13
- Publisher: 2K Games
- Available platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
- Game genre: Third-person action adventure, semi-open world
- Context of the game: Set in the fictional city of Lost Heaven During the 1930s, this adaptation revives one of the most iconic crime games with modern graphics and deep storytelling, in the midst of the Prohibition era and classic-style mobsters.
History and narrative
In the story you take on the role of Tommy Angelo, a cab driver who, by chance, becomes involved in the world of organized crime. Over the years, he rises through the ranks of the Salieri family, facing loyalties, betrayals and moral dilemmas.
This is, without a doubt, the game's strong point and the main reason why it's worth playing: its narrative is outstanding. It has a solid script and I didn't notice any plot holes during the whole plot. Perhaps there are parts that make you question certain things, but that is also part of the game's intention: to generate drama and uncertainty around the situation of our protagonist.
Being a remake, this version goes deeper and more cinematic than the original, although some players may still prefer certain events from the first game.
Each cinematic captures your attention, and there are moments of tension where you even get to think, as a player, what you would do if you were in Tommy Angelo's place. The setting is incredible, although at times it feels like you're watching a movie from The Godfather.
I loved the characters. The whole Salieri family, despite their actions, has their spark and personality well marked. Without a doubt, my favorite was Paulie: sometimes humorous, but always determined in his work. The story revolves mainly around three characters who make up a quintessential trio of friends: Tommy, Paulie and Sam. I simply loved this group and each one has his or her own charm which makes you interested in learning more about them.
The end of the game is also very memorable. Personally, it left me so satisfied with everything that happens in the last mission that I felt like I closed a loop with the game, which is why I didn't play it again. It leaves an important message about family and how your actions, lifestyle and decisions can affect everything you value most. At least, that was one of my interpretations.
Gameplay
Within its main mechanics, combat focuses on firearms and melee weapons, although shooting predominates. The game tries to be realistic without overwhelming the player, and although the effort is noticeable, in practice it does not quite achieve it. The artificial intelligence of the enemies is not always the best, and they can even look like “bullet sponges”. In general, the combat is simple and does not represent a great challenge, so it is enjoyable and fun to enter a place, eliminate everyone and continue.
The interface is good and does not interfere during combat. It doesn't have a progression system or anything related, which isn't a problem, since the focus is on enjoying a linear adventure centered on the missions.
The controls are well polished, although the handling of the cars can feel heavy or clunky, something that was possibly intentional to give realism to the era. This is accentuated if you use a motorcycle. Driving is not a notable aspect of the game.
It is an accessible title for all types of players. It has adjustable difficulty modes, including a realistic one with manual reloading. As for replayability, I would say it is practically nonexistent. Once you finish the campaign, which is excellent, you feel like you closed a cycle. At least in my case, I didn't feel like playing it again. The only thing it offers is to repeat it in another difficulty, which I didn't find attractive. It's a linear experience that can be enjoyed only once.
The game has highlights, such as the race mission, which is very memorable. However, as I mentioned before, the driving isn't the best, so on higher difficulties it can get quite tricky. The rides through Lost Heaven are very immersive and enjoyable, as long as you have a clear objective.
Something I didn't like was the cops: they are really annoying, more than in any other game of this style I've played. They're on practically every corner, and considering it's a time almost 100 years ago, I find the amount of patrols exaggerated. Also, if you have a quest level, whether low or high, evading them is not easy. Even worse if you get to 5-star level, where losing them is practically impossible. There is a mission where this happens, and it was a headache to overcome it.
For the era in which it is set, it is very difficult to escape from the police, whose coordination seems even better than in more modern games. And since the map is not very large, escape options are limited, so running away is not always feasible.
Although it is a semi-open world, it is quite linear and focused on a few activities. Because of this, gameplay is largely limited to the campaign, and the rest is easily forgettable. Don't expect much exploration or variety beyond what the main story offers.
Graphics and visual design
Its graphic quality is excellent. The remake was built from scratch with a modern engine and managed to adapt very well to the competition of the year of its release.
One of the aspects I value most about the game is its setting. It transports you to the 1930s and really feels like it. It has a realistic art style, with great attention to detail in clothing, architecture and period vehicles. Touring the city visually is a pleasant experience.
Sound and music
The soundtrack is composed of jazz, swing and instrumental themes of the time, which I loved. At times, listening to that music made me imagine what it would be like to live in those times and how the music has changed over the years, even in the lyrics. This brings total immersion.
It may not be the best soundtrack in absolute terms, but it delivers very well at key moments.
The sound effects are very well done, from the screeching of tires to the gunfire. I especially liked the sound of the weapons of the time and the sound of driving. The English voice actors are excellent. From my perspective, the Latin Spanish dubbing loses emotional impact, so I recommend playing it with English voices.
Difficulty and accessibility
The difficulty is varied. You can choose from a more cinematic experience to a realistic one. It's a game that can get complicated at higher levels, but it also allows you to simply enjoy it.
In terms of accessibility, I would say that it offers standard options. It does not have many advanced features and this section could be improved with more alternatives for different types of players.
Additional content
The length of the game is about 10 to 12 hours if you focus only on the main campaign, which I think is decent considering it's a remake of an old title.
As for secondary activities, the only thing it offers is a free driving mode to explore the city. However, once I finished the campaign, I felt that the game had nothing more to offer. Exploring the city and doing other activities did not appeal to me. So, basically, it's the campaign or nothing. It has no DLCs or expansions.
Technical Aspects
I played it on PS5 and the performance was very stable. It has a few bugs, but none that ruin the experience or force you to restart a mission. The bugs usually occur during driving or combat, such as enemies not moving or colliding with objects. Even so, its optimization is very good, even on mid-range PCs.
Value for money
At the time it cost around $39.99 USD. I got it through PS Plus month, and it was an excellent purchase. Is it worth that price today? No. Despite its visual quality, good story and other positive elements, it's a game you can get on sale for much less.
I wouldn't pay more than $20 USD for it. Although it has very good aspects, it is still a remake of a story already told with a few changes. You can even find it at a lower price, and believe me, it's worth it.
Trophies / Achievements
- Platinum obtained: No
- Percentage of trophies: 49%.
- Estimated time: 30 to 40 hours
- Platinum difficulty: A 6, the classic mode can be complex, the number of hours you have to invest, basically just the trophy of winning the game in classic mode already makes the difficulty of the platinum higher and mainly the race mission that will take many attempts.
Conclusion
Mafia: Definitive Edition is a narrative gem that manages to revive a gaming classic with its remake. It is ideal for those who value a well-told story, memorable characters and an impeccable historical setting. It is not a GTA-style open world as it seems or as some people expect, but a more focused, intimate and cinematic experience. A game that grabs you like a good gangster movie.
My final rating for Mafia: Definitive Edition is:
3.9/5
