Mafia 3 is a wonderful storytelling experience that steeps the player into the culture of the 1960s and 1970s. From start to finish the story remains engaging and complelling with event beats that create a wonderful pace based on the player's own behavior as they proceed through quests and story events. Every character that you meet going through this world is as interesting and diverse as the setting. So much I believe that the supporting character of Jack Donovan was a scene stealer with every interaction that the story brought him into. And for those interested in how Mafia 2's story plays out for its own protagonist will find some great answers here.

The biggest help for this immersion is the music of the era. Everywhere you go there are radios, jukeboxes, and even car radios that can be listened to that provide music from known artists from that era. One moment you could be mixing it up with Creedence Clearwater's Bad Moon Rising then kicking a station over to Aretha Franklin's Rrespect. All interweaved with talk radio and advertisements representative of the game's local color.

The gameplay for Mafia 3 is similar to other entries into the franchise, in that it too fits the semi-open world over the shoulder third person view of other games like Grand Theft Auto and Assassin's Creed. This can make gun combat difficult at times since a lot of the game uses a cover/stealth mechanic and the use of pseudo-aim down the barrel method that can make lining up shots difficult. Otherwise this means combat is succinct and brutal on the hard settings for those who love a good challenge.

Graphically the game shows its age as it seems to rely upon the same technology used to make Mafia 2. The cutscenes were detailed but in some cases were overshadowed by the lack of good texturing or just bad resolution. And this came through in many of the game models out in the world. There also seemed to be a few persistent bugs that required a full reboot of the game - such as the furniture in diners being relocated completely outside the store as if the models were incorrectly placed, or the minimap and ability to interface with objects and people disappearing. This could become quite frustrating when trying to complete mission objectives or interact with vital NPCs to forward the story along.

In the end I recommend Mafia 3 for the great soundtrack and storytelling experience. Fans of Mafia 2 will enjoy Mafia 3 because it continues the quality they've come to expect and new entries will be introduced to the best story in the franchise so far.

Mafia 3 is a wonderful storytelling experience that steeps the player into the culture of the 1960s and 1970s. From start to finish the story remains engaging and complelling with event beats that create a wonderful pace based on the player's own behavior as they proceed through quests and story events. Every character that you meet going through this world is as interesting and diverse as the setting. So much I believe that the supporting character of Jack Donovan was a scene stealer with every interaction that the story brought him into. And for those interested in how Mafia 2's story plays out for its own protagonist will find some great answers here. The biggest help for this immersion is the music of the era. Everywhere you go there are radios, jukeboxes, and even car radios that can be listened to that provide music from known artists from that era. One moment you could be mixing it up with Creedence Clearwater's Bad Moon Rising then kicking a station over to Aretha Franklin's Rrespect. All interweaved with talk radio and advertisements representative of the game's local color. The gameplay for Mafia 3 is similar to other entries into the franchise, in that it too fits the semi-open world over the shoulder third person view of other games like Grand Theft Auto and Assassin's Creed. This can make gun combat difficult at times since a lot of the game uses a cover/stealth mechanic and the use of pseudo-aim down the barrel method that can make lining up shots difficult. Otherwise this means combat is succinct and brutal on the hard settings for those who love a good challenge. Graphically the game shows its age as it seems to rely upon the same technology used to make Mafia 2. The cutscenes were detailed but in some cases were overshadowed by the lack of good texturing or just bad resolution. And this came through in many of the game models out in the world. There also seemed to be a few persistent bugs that required a full reboot of the game - such as the furniture in diners being relocated completely outside the store as if the models were incorrectly placed, or the minimap and ability to interface with objects and people disappearing. This could become quite frustrating when trying to complete mission objectives or interact with vital NPCs to forward the story along. In the end I recommend Mafia 3 for the great soundtrack and storytelling experience. Fans of Mafia 2 will enjoy Mafia 3 because it continues the quality they've come to expect and new entries will be introduced to the best story in the franchise so far.