Zero Punctuation: Mafia II

[TraumaHound]

Extra props to Yahtzee this week for referencing "Bugsy Malone". I watched it as a kid and thought it pretty cool what with the mobster-setting being played out by kids (one of whom was Scott "Chachi" Baio!)


I played through the demo a couple of times and rather liked how it felt, that you weren't the super-soldier type (despite coming from a soldier background, if I recall correctly) so you couldn't just stand there taking bullets in the face all day. Cover-fire seemed decently done and, again, since I didn't want to be killed outright seeking refuge behind chest-high walls & pillars seemed the smart thing to do. I'll wait to pick this one up, though, as it didn't grab me enough to pay full-ticket for the ride (and I did find the hidden Playboys a bit senseless, do we get to see any nude characters in the game or just the Playboy bits?)

 

[antipunt]

Haha, interesting.

The problem /w Mafia 2 for me was also the random ending. Didn't like it at all.

That said, my brother liked the game as a whole

 

[Atmos Duality]

Nice "Return to Blue". I didn't even notice the transition until I looked at the ZP Videos list directly.

A criminally-centric sandbox game...hmm. I think I've seen this before!

Methinks the only reason we see so many criminal-centric sandbox games is to remove most ethical/moral consequence as a result of the player going on a rampage.

"License to kill" = "License to Lunacy"?

 

[Naturality]

Does anyone else find it ironic that Yahtzee's complaining about cover up systems has become as boring and repetitive as the systems themselves?

 

[chaos order]

It seems that Yahtzee has run afoul of Candleja

i just wanna point out that you have to say candlejack before he gets

 

[Vohn_exel]

Haha, I love the way you ended it I found the last review funnier but it was still pretty hilarious.

 

[SelectivelyEvil13]

Funny video! Count me as one of those who like to witness Yahtzee give a game he dislikes the boot.

I have only played through all of the original Mafia on the Xbox but lost interest in this sequel. Mafia II seems to follow its predecessor in never actualizing a full sandbox game which I thought was one area that could have made the game much better, even if it simply meant the "free roam" mode was improved beyond killing gangsters. While I'm glad that they seem to have kept with having the focus on narrative, I found that the first game suffered because a mission was a mission, but there was no "down time." It would be great to have the opportunity to explore and interact more with the game world, but I do not think just driving home to fall asleep for the next progression in plot hits the mark.

I will just content myself with my experience with the first game because I am one to have a very limited interest in the vast amount of Mafia gangster stories. Avoiding the "Crime doesn't pay!" lesson is also something that I approach games for in the first place.

 

[Varun Garuda Maharaj]

Interesting as always....

 

[rated pg]

Surprised you didn't mention Nolan North.

 

[Tador]

Don't know if this has been said before, I'm too lazy to read 160+ replys... But i am surprised Yahtzee hasn't reviewed Amnesia: The Dark Descent this week o_o

 

[WiDEEyeDSmILes]

This was my reaction from beginning to end.


LOLOLOLOLLOLOLO FUCK OFF!

What the hell about the newish combat mechanic. Yes we know about the gunplay and the cars, that's to be expected from any shooter these days not to mention Mafia, which never seemed to stray far from it's shiny cars. But what about the one button dodge, the next swing thing! What the hell man? Yathzee! You're getting lazy!

I remember vids when you'd pay more attention to the mechanics of the game then just repeatedly highlighting the obvious stuff.

I know I'm just a random comment from some person you'll never meet and I have about as much say in the order of things as a dust mite, but I expected a bit more. REMEMBER YATHZEE, you have power in the world of the gaming industry, you could be working to move it in a better direction. Don't be shy to use that power.

 

[Celtic Predator]

Les Miserables reference ftw! Jean Valjean is the deepest character EVAR.

 

[DamienHell]

I liked how mafia 2 ended, it was perfect because if it had kept going I would have been yelling at the cutscene to end to I could shoot everyone and SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER. Ending it there was the ultimate sign of powerlessness, you CAN'T do anything.

 

[teknoarcanist]

I agreed with most of this review, although I have to say I was surprised not hear him mention

SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER

the mission where the house and cars and clothes you've spent the whole game accruing gets taken away from you -- leaving you and Vito both running around in slack-jawed rage, going "MOTHER-FUCK, my STUFF!"

I thought that was an incredibly effective story-based manipulation of my emotions, and I really applaud the Mafia II team for the idea. Sure, it's been done in RPGs and things before, but you always get your things back. Here, it came pretty late in the game, and because of how it coincided with the 'things can't make you happy' theme of that area in the plot, it was very effective.

SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER


And I absolutely LOVED hearing Vito so frankly go, "Yeah, you know why I did all this shit? MONEY! You know why I wanted all that money? TO BUY CLOTHES AND CARS AND A BIG HOUSE TO FUCK HOT WOMEN IN!!!" I thought that was very ballsy, unique, and kind of hilarious to have a blatantly materialistic main character, and to connect me with the drudging, hoarding, senselessly violent grind of his life.

But overall, still a pretty poorly-thought-out game . . .

 

[daxterx2005]

blue thumb nail huh?

Thats a first, I'm used to yellow!

Great review as always

 

[rddj623]

Ironically this review actually gave me more interest in the game then I had before. The fun bits do actually sound like a lot of fun.

 

[Squilookle]

Not a fan of the linear narrative then. Oh well, each to his own I suppose. It's better than a corridor game though, you have to admit.

Bonus points for the Bugsy Malone reference, btw...

 

[KreacherOfbloodandRank]

Yes, the standard Crime game formula: If it aint broke why fix it?

So when are you reviewing Starcraft 2?

 

[vxicepickxv]

Well, I'm not hearing him blasting about horrible controls, responses that seem random each time the same button gets hit, or anything like that, so the game can't be all bad.

 

[mythicdawn12]

It seems that Yahtzee has run afoul of Candleja

You're doing it wrong!

You have to completely utter Candlejack before you can cut out adru

Does it really matte

Christ, you really showed how much you don't know about Candlejack when you did that. You have to say Candlejack before you can get kidna