Analysis: Mafia 2 for Xbox 360

Before talking about the game at hand, let him make a brief review of what it meant the first part of Mafia for many of us. In 2002, the Czech company Illusion Softwork surprised everyone with a game that a priori, and without playing, it was just a stale version of GTA 3 so fashionable. "The same, but set in the world of the Mafia," we thought that we have not tested and we had hardly seen any image of the game.

The play proved several things: For one thing had nothing to do with the GTA series, and secondly that the title excelling a great atmosphere and a carefully prepared history as rarely seen in the genre of video games.

MAFIA in time became a landmark, a jewel of gaming.

Years ago people began to talk that the company was preparing what would be the second part of the game. Little is know about the title then and doubted whether he could reach the level of the first, as was to be overcome a difficult challenge.

Was this second part as carefully as the first? Be able to make a script and a story even better?

The answer to all these questions is YES. A resounding YES, almost as big as the game.

What is Mafia II?

Or rather we should say that Mafia II is NOT. Many people expect this to be a sandbox game like GTA or Red Dead Redemption. Those who are waiting can forget it. MAFIA II, despite being set in a big city and have some "freedom"
movement is not a sandbox, any more than was his predecessor.

The confusion is understandable since, as in those games we loose in a city, except that here, instead of leaving us on our own, tell a story very carefully where you are the protagonist.
That's important to have it very clear from the beginning if you want to take a wrong impression of the game.

Vitto Scaletta: Our new friend.

The game begins with a cinematic where we will introduce the history and present us to the protagonist of the game: Vitto Scaletta. This video tells the boy's life, or rather, as you gain life, that is not otherwise than committing crimes. In one of these offenses are caught by the police and offered a deal that can not refuse: Participation in the Second World War in exchange for the sentence.
And that's how the game starts, plunged deep in a U.S. attack against the troops of Mussolini in the heart of Sicily.

The first chapters will be making contact with the character and movements. An interactive tutorial, frenetic action where we will learn the possibilities of Scaletta for the difficult times that will come later.

Welcome to Empire Bay.

Forget Lost Heaven. This game is set in a new city called Empire Bay. This city, Lost Heaven largest completely open from the start, enjoy a nice design and is repletísima of life.

In the streets we will see pedestrians go from side to side, moving cars and even have accidents between them. People talk, argue, fight it. We'll see crazy beggars who tell us and hear strange things out of a window screaming partner discussions. As if it were real life.

Security is big is Empire Bay. We often see police cars and policemen walking the streets of the city. The police will not bother you unless incumplas laws, and this means that if you fight with someone, you have a traffic accident and run away or even if you skip a traffic light in front of the police, will have problems.

Within the city there are several points of interest such as clothing stores, where we dress up our players with a few clothes (somewhat limited), where gas stations refuel our vehicle if we are short of petrol and bars, an ideal to eat, drink and energy recovery. All these facilities can be docked if desired, bear away a generous sum of money.
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The plot: the best gangster movies turned into video games.

Once you are accustomed to your role in the war, return to your beloved city and that's when the game really begins. You are with your childhood friend, Joe (a character must and will accompany us throughout the adventure), and together you begin a race to the deepest heart of the city mob, through all kinds of situations to along the way.

The game is divided into 15 chapters, each a different mission. The early chapters develop in winter and the rest in spring.

History is maintained to very high levels, this being a strong point. We will meet several characters from the city, some of them very influential and see firsthand what it means to get into the Family and all that that entails.

The writers of the game have known, and rightly take the best of every movie genre and bring it to our screen. Even some films will recognize a few winks, as one that is on the movie "Goodfellas" at some point in the game, making it appear that we are actually starring in one of those movies.

The main plot is accompanied by an equally interesting subplot that directly affects our hero and his family, and that will close shortly before finishing the game, understanding some of the motivations of Scaletta.

The characters are very well kept, and each and every one of them shows personality in spades. Joe's friend Vito, for example, is a huge and endearing character, and is the protagonist of one of the most striking scenes and fun game.

The story has moments that will be burned into the retina of the players because they are tremendous. Some of his sense of humor and irony and other violence by distilled, but it certainly will not go unnoticed by anyone.

The game goes through two decades, beginning in the 40's and ending with 50. This will be reflected both in the city and in other aspects, such as the music played.

A story that contains everything you need to succeed: Drama, violence, humor, sex and action. Any higher?

It is absolutely necessary to have played the first part to understand and enjoy this second installment, but it is highly recommendable, since there are several references to the first title, one of which is a huge surprise that he played the first game we enjoy lot. I was assured that this particular part you will leave with their mouths open.

The game lacks side quests themselves. This a priori is a limitation, but remember that the game is not a sandbox, but it is linear, but if you are missing the odd side quest.

The estimated duration according to the developers is about 15 hours. I have taken 12 hours and 49 minutes to complete the game, completing 70%. To finish my collectibles are divided into Playboy magazines and posters of "wanted" scattered throughout the city and buildings.

Graphics.

The game has beautiful graphics more than acceptable, but certainly going to be the most criticized, without being bad at all. The city as a whole is well modeled, and in its final version and does not happen that buildings are suddenly appearing as if it happened in the demo.
Special mention is the game's artistic direction, perfectly recreating the historical moment in the clothes of the characters, buildings, posters etc. ..

The characters are worked both in modeling and in the animation, even when compared with some current games or even somewhat earlier, stay a little below.
Anyway, I repeat that the graphic level of the whole is more than acceptable, and although not a great over-compensates with its mission, moving fluidly around the environment and what he inhabits.

Gameplay.

Vitto's movements are fluid, making it nice and easy control. Vitto can walk, brisk walking, running and jumping obstacles, as we did in the first part, being in this highly improved.

Another major asset of the game is driving. In this respect the control is very similar to each car MAFIAy react differently, and there is a significant variety of vehicles. If you do not want to draw the attention of the police should drive carefully and observe traffic signals, so as to control the fuel tank so you do not leave us lying on the wrong moment. We can choose between two driving modes. In one go without speed limit and we can give you all the cane that can, and otherwise we will automatically limit the maximum speed to be allowed to circulate in each zone. This is great for police and avoid damage to the vehicle.

The modified cars will be tuning the engine, changing the wheels, painting or personalizing the car registration.
The game has 47 achievements, but most of them automatically getting the go as we move forward in history.

There are 3 levels of difficulty. I've played in middle and I must say that in many cases the difficulty is low, however it changes in some situations where action follows more closely. Anyway if you think the difficulty MEDIA too easy and too complicated HARD, you can always remove the auto-aim, since this option almost always give the head of the enemy, making it relatively easy to combat.

About the fight, watch the game uses a fairly successful cover-shot and somewhat similar to the much acclaimed GoW.

The variety of weapons is fair, but quite successful, with revolvers, pistols, shotguns and machine guns, grenades outside and Molotov cocktails.

Sound.

This aspect is extremely careful. Dubbing is great, quality sound effects are well made and the soundtrack is sublime. In part that is developed in the 40 radio stations issued jazz and blues, while in 50 they added rock, sounding GONE pieces that we will soon recognize as mythical.
In some scenes the music is adapted to the action of the game, putting us more, if possible in the whole plot.

As an example, I will comment that one of the sublime moments is when you get to the city after the war, and go strolling through the streets as you head, suitcase in hand, your mother. While spending all this plays in the background a song by Sinatra and the time is almost wonderful.

In summary:

A title that every lover of video games has to have or at least play it once in your life. If you love also the mafia genre you'll love.

Will certainly leave a mark and will become a benchmark. Game for PC of the Year insured.