REVIEW : Mafia: Definitive Edition (PC)
The following “confession” is not exclusively my privilege, but the original Mafia of Illusion Softworks is one of my favourite games. Released at a time when the Rockstar GTA series had just moved into 3D, it was sweeping all the awards and was unfortunately compared to it, as it was a completely different experience. More linear, as the open-world element mainly replaced the cut-scenes and had no special content, while the whole setting was much more cinematic, in the standards of the relevant films of Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Copolla.
Unfortunately, the two sequels that followed did not receive similar treatment. Mafia 2 was remarkable, without reaching the masterpiece levels of the original, while Mafia 3, a product of the Hangar 13 development team, ran in very shallow water. Therefore, the choice of Hangar 13 to fully undertake the remake of such a classic game was a risk. Risk because on the one hand Hangar 13 has not submitted its credentials as a worthy successor to Illusion Softworks (for the time being at least) on the other hand because a possible “alteration” of the character of the original game would raise a storm of reactions from its numerous fans.
Gameplay
Hangar 13, therefore, preferred not to “spoil” the recipe of the original Mafia, overloading the remake with parallel activities and unnecessary “trinkets” that we see in modern open-world games. Instead, he maintained a completely linear and cinematic style, wearing a 2020 costume, which, however, is, in fact, impossible to radiate the same brilliance and glamour as in the past. If we take into account some flaws that are observed in the field of gameplay, surely Mafia: Definitive Edition is not going to cause the same feeling that the game of 2002 did. This goes without saying, other times, other habits.
The new Mafia tells the same story that those of you who played the original know, starring the former taxi driver, Tommy Angelo, who from a devilish game of chance, enters the world of the Mafia during the period of the prohibition. The story practically begins at the end, where Tommy tries to make a deal to protect himself and his family with the police, in exchange for the head of Don Salieri, the mobster who owns virtually the entire city of Lost Heaven (a fantastic city, a mix of Chicago and New York). The narration of Tommy’s mafia life in policeman Norman takes on flesh and blood in 20 chapters which have the game, where you are invited to experience first hand the rise of the antihero in the ranks of the “family” of Salieri, in the company of Sam and Paulie.
You will not find anything you have not experienced in an open-world game, but for the time it was released, these sequences were unprecedented and one of the reasons that the game entered the hearts of many gamers, along with its excellent finale. What do I mean by that? That for someone who was not lucky enough to play the original Mafia, then it is possible to wonder what all this fuss is about. A view that is reinforced by the other areas of the game, such as shooting, brawling and the sense of movement in space in general.
But things are better when they decide to talk about ironwork. Without being too scary, the cover – shooter system is decent, functional and does not cause problems. The medkits system is maintained, with Tommy replenishing only a small part of his health every time he is injured, so you have to be very careful about your placement in the space, but also when you have to get out of your cover and press the trigger. However, as it is understood, not everything is implemented to perfection here either. The main reason is the hostile AI, which proves to be annoyingly apt even with firearms (such as the shotgun), while we would not say that it tries to dismantle you in, particularly imaginative ways, beyond the “Yuria”.
What’s worse is that many times the snipers did not say to fall to the ground even on request and continue to shoot fearlessly, even though they have received about a dozen bullets in their body from Tommy guns. The only guaranteed solution is the headshot, but this “bullet-sponge” logic is outdated and deprives it of several points at whatever levels of realism exist. Therefore, there is no real reason to engage in the game at higher levels of difficulty, unless you want to break your nerves from the constant reloads you will make, since Tommy will fall dead with two or three balls from 50 meters far away.
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