From the groundbreaking developers of the original title dubbed the same title Mafia, comes a long awaited sequel that is sure to please wanna be gangsters, fans of the original, and honestly - anyone in general who appreciates the higher side of narrative based games that are so soaked in quality and depth that is almost hard to explain where the goodness is exactly streaming from the game. Is it the eye of the beholder? The simple nature that such a title brings brings to gamers? Or is it a mix of both? Regardless of Mafia 2's method to madness, one thing is for sure and that is that a game with this caliber of detailed and attention labored by developer's based in Chez Republic - ironically too considering its a game oozing with American culture - it's almost impossible to predict that this game could become anything less than spectacular.

The game picks up in the middle of the 50's era of the 20th century in a crime laden city that goes by the name of Empire City, and Vito Scaletta is glad to be back home thanks to the end of the second world war. Upon re-entering the city you would guess that Vito would want to kick things back a little, relax and enjoy life without continuing to wage war and reload his guns with clips of ammo. Maybe he doesn't want to settle down yet, or maybe the blood pumping through his veins is as cold as the barrel of a gun. All we know this far in the narrative stories development though, is that Vito is trying as hard as he can to become anything but what his father was - which is, a "nobody" in Vito's eyes - so Vito quickly looks to childhood friend and small time hoodlum grown small time made-man, for a way to become dirty rich and far more successful than his nobody father was. 

The story is off to a solid start. It's what made the original such a classic. The developers reluctantly are tigh liped about the rest of the cast, as we know little much else about where the game starts off and where it will end. Mafia 1 was filled with betrayals. 

Money will play an important role in the game. As will drive bys, stealth missions, and of course Tommy guns. Players will be able to refuel their vehicles and have the option of taking them to the car wash, to either remove the dirt grime and blood that was on their front bender or simply to keep clean if they plan on making it on time to picking up their lady friend. Extensive car damage will also play a factor in technical design, as well as visual. It’s said to be more prettier and detailed than Burnout Paradise. Hopefully we won’t have the original games innovative but often annoying flaw of having the player instantly die when they flipped a car on its head. Cars back in the day weren’t built like they are today, and apparently the developers nailed it with authentic accuracy as the hood of a car wouldn’t support the weight, but come on boys…It easily became underplayed.

The fictional Empire City is said to mostly mimic a 1940’s San Fransisco. Twice the size of the original games city of Lost Haven, the space will measure around 10 square KM. As mentioned earlier the title isn’t a direct sequel to the first game, and you’ll take on the role of Mafioso Vito Scaletta who has just returned after World War II service. Vito is shaping up to be a visually believable aplyer that has it going. Son of a Sicilian immigrant, Vito was born into the bondage of poverty on the mean streets of Empire City, and trying to avoid the common flaw of men with fathers that don't mean anything to them, Vito is trying to avoid being a "nobody" like his father. He's determined. Seeing the mafia for what it is, he's determined that it will be the ways out of poverty and make him and those around him made men who have all they ever desired. So far we're immpressed that such an interesting character is taking the lead of the game as the main character. 

The other characters are equally interesting too. And rasised in similar cirumstances as Vito's, Joe Barbaro is a small-time hoodlum who befriended Vito when the two of the m were little children, and while Vito was off fighting nazi's in the war, Joe was back home in Empire City commiting petty crimes and passing the time being anything but the teachers pet. You can imagine what Vito saw in him, when wanting to avoid his father, and having just returned from killing dozens upon dozens of men, that Joe was his ticket to the crime underworld.

Throughout the game, Vito and Joe will be partners in crime, and their friendship is one of the most important elements of the game's story. Given the dramatic close of the original story, we've got our hopes up and fingers crossed this game has a similarily epic ending. We're also hoping that this sequel, once finished, will continue to allow players to use the city once the games story is over. Remaining open and free to explore and adventure through, once you complete the main missions in the story mode, would give the game all that more substance and value. Making it a worthy buy rather than a decent rental.

It’s a little more than just ironic that one of the best American gangster games, was developed by a Czech Republic team whom is now recognized by 2K Games. The original Mafia was close to flying under the radio for good, but a few months in the chatter got going, people started talking, and before you know it Mafia became a cult hit that is still regarded as the best game ever but many, including myself.

Daniel Vavra (Lead Designer) mentions the predictability of the story if the team decided to connect the screenplays, considering most of the original characters were dead by the end of the game. Team 2k Czeck decided to go in bold new directions with the sequel. Being set in a larger city, bearing the name Empire City, Mafia II features a deep mobster driven narrative packed with both behind-the-wheel and on-foot action and thankfully is being developed by the original creators Illusion Softworks, whom have crafted The Illusion engine specifically for Mafia II. According to a few details out there, the new engine will be top tier technology which will rival Cry Engine 2 (Crysis Warhead) and support only DirectX 10. As for the Playstation 3 version, it will undoubtedly become one of the best looking games in it’s library.

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