Reviewing: Mafia

Source of the image: Image used as thumbnail in this music video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVMyz1T295o - from YouTuber Kult Games

What sort of consequences can come for being part of Mafia? The thirst for power can sometimes turn you’re ally to your worst enemy. The price to pay can be very high and once you’re in, there is no turning back… Although as they say in this game, come join the big “Family” to have the full experience of working as a big criminal!

“I think it's important to keep a balance in things. Yeah, balance, that's the right word. Cause the guy who wants too much, risks losing absolutely everything. Of course, the one who wants too little from life might not get anything at all.” (Quote said by the main protagonist of the game, Tommy Angelo)

Source of the video: Uploaded by YouTuber The1andOnlyLkS

A very well made cinematic trailer of the game

Developer: Illusion Softworks (2K Czech)

Publisher: Gathering of Developers

Director: Daniel Vávra

Platform(s): Microsoft Windows, PS2, Xbox, GameCube (cancelled)

Release date: 27 August, 2002

Genre: Action-adventure

Mode: Single-player

Source of the image: https://eshop.keengamer.com/en/action/mafia-1

Tommy Angelo taking cover from the armed enemies

Synopsis (with no spoilers):

The game sets during the 30’s in the fictive, seaside, city of Lost Heaven. Thomas (“Tommy”) Angelo, a common citizen that works as taxi driver, one night, is caught off guard while doing a pause from his everyday job by two men working for mafia leader, Don Ennio Salieri. Threatened by them, Tommy helps the two criminals escape a dangerous chase planned by the Morello mafia (rivals of Salieri). When succeeding this, the two men seem impressed with his driving skills, offering a payment for the damages in the car and an agreement of protection whenever he needs it. In the next morning, Tommy returns to his normal routine and upon driving lots of clients to their destination, he decides to make a pause from his job and go to a coffee shop. When returning to his car and waiting for new clients, Tommy is attacked by two triggered gangsters that try to kill him. However, the taxi driver manages to make a run for it in the streets, remembering that Salieri’s bar is very close, he induces the bandits to there so that he could receive the promised safety. Salieri men than kill the bandits and explain to Tommy that the chasers were actually working for Morello’s family. Tommy is then provided a position in Salieri’s family, with no other option and his life in danger, he ends up accepting the opportunity, seeing it as more of an advantage than a disadvantage. Upon meeting the big boss and the rest of the crew, Tommy Angelo’s life was going to take on a big path that would change his life forever. There was no way of going back to his past again, in a new world made of money and blood, what sort of events would this young man face in this inevitable destiny?

Source of the video: Uploaded by YouTuber TheCityofLostHeaven

My favourite piece of audio from the soundtrack, this magnificent song is called “Lake of Fire” (“Gravesend”), performed by Lordz of Brooklyn. You can encounter it during the end credits of the game and please listen to it while reading this review, as it can put you in the mood for this gangster kind of thing!

Link for the Lordz of Brooklyn website: https://www.lordzofbrooklyn.com/

Review:

Gameplay - Mafia offers a third-person exploration of the city of Lost Heaven, this is can either be done by walking or, mostly, driving. In the game there is no doubt that you have to drive a lot, having the opportunity to change between various types of cars that appear along the storyline, some based in real 20’s models and others of the 30’s (there are a total of 70 different vehicles, 19 that are unlockable prior the ending and when starting a new game in another mode). The cars also have real-life reactive performances such as upon taking damage and in terms of durability, which is very rare to see in other similar games. Missions mainly consist on travelling and shooting, but there is also some that have races and enemy pursues. The game has lots of cinematic realistic cutscenes that link the main story continuously. While driving thought Lost Heaven with help of a map indicator, you can face minor loading screens that can be a bit annoying, but it’s definitely worth it and excusable, as, despite being an old game, the city is incredibly well made and realistic. The city can only be explored while doing the missions which can be a little frustrating, you can only explore it freely after completing the game, which unlocks the “Freeride Extreme”.

Environment - For one thing that the game definitely stood out by the time it was released, was because of its accurate graphics and amazing lifelike scenery. As I said before, Mafia takes set in 1930’s, and, due to that, the city closely follows the visual aspects and patterns of that time, mainly in architecture; public transportation (that can be used through the game) and popular buildings that were inspired in real life, well known, structures from the same historical time. Besides this, the player can go inside various buildings that have fully detailed interiors such as the airport, a church, a hotel, a museum and a prison. The weather is always set to change at the specific time of the gameplay, being it during the day time or night time, this can make the almost “realistic” world of Lost Heaven decay a little bit, but compared to the rest of the game, this is just an insignificant minor aspect. Surrounding Lost Heaven there is also a big countryside area, which can easily be explored and admired by its beautiful imagery.

Source of the image: https://steemit.com/gaming/@mrrobert96/mafia-the-city-of-lost-heaven-the-forgotten-masterpiece

Contemplating the city of Lost Heaven

Combat - Mafia uses third person shooter combat and the player can choose from a big stock of classical weapons, of those decades, to hold during missions. This weapons include one-handed models (S&W Model 10 M&P, Colt Detective Special, S&W Model 27 Magnum and Colt 1911); two-handed (Thompson 1928, Sawed-off Shotgun, Pump-action Shotgun, Mosin-Nagant 1891/30 and US Rifle M1903 Springfield); melee (Baseball Bat, Knife, Crowbar, Knuckle-duster, Steel Bar and Wooden Plank) and thrown explosives (such as Grenades and Molotov Cocktails). During combat you can also use a little bit of stealth to plan strategically on how to attack your enemies in closer positions and take cover from them. It is also important to say that Tommy’s remaining health, as well of many characters in the game, is demonstrated in the left below red rectangle in the screen, and that upon taking damage (from either in combat or driving), can drop significantly fast. Next to the health bar, there is another rectangle (with the blue colour) that shows the total number of bullets of the weapon in use.

Characters - While playing Mafia, there many characters that are important to the development of the story, as Tommy Angelo (protagonist of the game, a former taxi driver that, due to an unfortunate series of events, sees himself obligated to join Salieri’s Mafia family); Don Salieri (the chief of his Mafia family and the one that leads Tommy into this criminal way of life); Don Morello (the chief of Morello’s Mafia and Salieri’s main rival); Sergio Morello Jr. (younger brother of Don Morello and Morello’s family underboss, he is also a big Salieri’s rival); Paulie (a soldato of Salieri Mafia, Tommy’s partner and best friend); Frank Colletti (the Consigliere of Salieri’s family and Salieri’s best friend); Sam (another of Tommy’s partners that seems to get injured a lot during the missions...); Ralph (a stuttering and talented car mechanic of Salieri); Vincenzo (Salieri’s respected and experienced weapon dealer); Norman (a detective who, later, Tommy tells the whole story of how he become part of the Mafia).

Source of the image: Image used as thumbnail in this gameplay test video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgbWO6rm_ro – from YouTuber ModernConsumer

Tommy defending himself from a Police shootout  

Offenses, Crimes and Police - Police officers of Lost Heaven have incredible restricted laws that quite resemble real life, when those are disrespected, they can book the player with minor offenses (driving too fast or running a red light) that can be paid using fines. The Police can also book serious offenses (acts of violence or visible usage of weapon) that lead to the main character being arrested or confronted with the enforcements. When a series of crime events are accumulated, even if they are minor, they can became a very serious offense and make the Police force increase against the player. Of course, the Police AI is not perfect and sometimes it can’t recognize some common violations, as driving in the sidewalk or going in the opposite direction of the road. The Police also blames the player for everything that is a crime, even if there are other characters or NPC’s doing those criminal acts, the Police will only persecute the player.

Freeride Extreme - Upon finishing the main story of the game, “Freeride Extreme” is unlocked, where the player can explore freely the Lost Heaven city with lack of police patrols to give limitations, there is also lots of fun and unique side quests to do, and stunt jumps to accomplish.

Final analyses in one line: “Despite being an old classical, this game is very realistic and full of entertainment, showing us how the world of Mafia can operate and what sort of outcomes it can bring. In Mafia, freedom is taken away; your enemies can be everywhere and anyone, even the people you thrust the most; and, as they say, once you sell your soul to the “Devil” and walk its dark paths there is no going back … in the end, deaths will be unavoidable and the “Mafia leader” will always send his regards”.

My Final Score: 9/10

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mafia_(video_game)

https://www.imdb.com

http://mafiagame.wikia.com

My Gaming Experience

A.K.