Hands-On: Mafia II
One major and delightful change to the series is the addition of a cover system, and the absolute necessity of using it. Combat in Mafia II is absolutely brutal. A couple of gunshots can be fatal, which makes shootouts much more of a tactical exercise and a bit more engaging than the "run and gun" of the first game.
During the demo we had the chance to use the .357 magnum, the Tommy Gun, the M1 Garand and the molotov cocktail, each with unique charactersistics (the .357 is a one-shot kill, for example). Although the combat is difficult (I had to restart the combat section of the demo three times), it's enjoyable and has a definite movie shootout feel to it, with enemies seeking cover of their own, gas tanks of cars exploding and raging gun battles spreading across large areas.
Pretty much the only problem area I experienced in playing the demo was a frustrating contextual action system that required the character to be standing in a ridiculously precise spot and facing in the exact right direction in order to activate an item. This made what should have been a fun, little mission in which Vito is selling stolen cigarettes out of the back of a truck into a nightmare of trying to figure out how to pick the damn things up. With a few more months of active development yet to go, it's entirely possible this will be refined before the game ships, but if not it could lead to some extremely aggravating play sessions.
The core of Mafia II, however, will be in how well all of these elements are stitched together, and how well they complement the story. The story of the original game was filled with all of the heartbreak, honor, betrayal and revenge one would expect form a great mob tale, and Mafia II looks to continue the tradition in great style.
Of all of the elements on display in the demo, the story, characters and voice acting were easily the most impressive. Combined with the game's refined and excellent art direction, Mafia II made a strong showing, and promises to be a must-have for fans of immersive gaming.
Mafia II is set to be released sometime "between August and October" of this year, with a simultaneous release on the Xbox 360, Ps3 and PC.
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During the demo we had the chance to use the .357 magnum, the Tommy Gun, the M1 Garand and the molotov cocktail, each with unique charactersistics (the .357 is a one-shot kill, for example). Although the combat is difficult (I had to restart the combat section of the demo three times), it's enjoyable and has a definite movie shootout feel to it, with enemies seeking cover of their own, gas tanks of cars exploding and raging gun battles spreading across large areas.
Pretty much the only problem area I experienced in playing the demo was a frustrating contextual action system that required the character to be standing in a ridiculously precise spot and facing in the exact right direction in order to activate an item. This made what should have been a fun, little mission in which Vito is selling stolen cigarettes out of the back of a truck into a nightmare of trying to figure out how to pick the damn things up. With a few more months of active development yet to go, it's entirely possible this will be refined before the game ships, but if not it could lead to some extremely aggravating play sessions.
The core of Mafia II, however, will be in how well all of these elements are stitched together, and how well they complement the story. The story of the original game was filled with all of the heartbreak, honor, betrayal and revenge one would expect form a great mob tale, and Mafia II looks to continue the tradition in great style.
Of all of the elements on display in the demo, the story, characters and voice acting were easily the most impressive. Combined with the game's refined and excellent art direction, Mafia II made a strong showing, and promises to be a must-have for fans of immersive gaming.
Mafia II is set to be released sometime "between August and October" of this year, with a simultaneous release on the Xbox 360, Ps3 and PC.
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