Why Mafia 3 Should Have Stayed in the Archives

With 2K’s new sequel coming to us in December 2016, we will be seeing yet another foray into the Mafia franchise and a look at 1960’s New Orleans.

Readers will know my thoughts on the original and by far the best of the now three game series. Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven was like being in a film, one in which you were sucked into the dark and forbidding world of organised crime. You were dragged into a world where money, greed and violence were about as second nature as breathing and rain in British summer time.

Mafia was and always will be the finest organised crime related game that has ever been released, although honourable mention should probably go to Yakuza, Gangsters: Organised Crime and, of course, both Saints Row and Grand Theft Auto. Yet, after a few years in the wilderness, we were given Mafia 2, a tale of 1940s/1950s mob activity in Empire Bay, a fictional bigger brother to Lost Heaven.

Whilst there was an improvement in the physics and gaming engine, we seemed to be let down by the fact that you literally had to drive to work. Missions started by you driving through morning traffic to a meet and then driving home once whatever task you were given to do was completed. The improvement in location, map size, activities and indeed storyline to a lesser extent all helped to drive the overarching themes of loyalty, family, greed, violence and betrayal.

But, and I’m sure I’m not alone here, all these storytelling vehicles were somewhat shattered by the morning commute or the drive after completing a mission. I’m all for having a large map to explore but give us something to do whilst exploring. Robbing shops and taking cars on the long ride to the port to sell them off didn’t really have the same appeal as going to see Luca Bertone to go and steal a certain type of car. At least that benefitted you in both the game later on and in the freeride extreme mode, in which Mafia 2 was distinctly lacking.

At least in GTA or Saints Row you have things to occupy you should you choose to complete a mission. Even in the original Mafia game it took you straight home after many missions or at least gave you an opportunity to go somewhere else to do something else.

After watching the gameplay of Mafia 3 I found myself thinking how they should have stopped after the first Mafia game. We always hear it from our elders, ‘quit while you’re ahead’ although in the realms of video gaming that’s not always the case. GTA, Call of Duty, Battlefield: I’m looking at you.

But certainly when it comes to this series, one is enough.

I’m just not inspired to get involved in the world of Lincoln Clay, an African-American Vietnam war veteran who comes home to join the ‘Black Mob’ and subsequently starts his own trail of vengeance against the Italian mob. Whilst the story in itself sounds interesting, one thing that struck me about the gameplay aspect was that it was another cover based shooter, one in which the player can also perform executing moves. It seems as if we may be dragged down into a world of quick time events and shuffling round bits of conveniently placed concrete to strike your enemies.

Frankly, after watching the gameplay I’m not convinced and whilst these types of games should at least be given a chance due to the games that 2K have published before now, efforts like the Bioshock series, Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven, Borderlands and Evolve amongst others. I am not totally convinced that this game will do the two previous Mafia games any justice. This game may be the next best thing and indeed with the introduction of an African-American lead character, at least it is a change from the norm.