Mafia III (PS4)

In Mafia II we got to follow the story of Vito Scaletta, a war veteran from WWII who gets mixed up with the mafia in Empire Bay (New York). In the third game we have a new protagonist, a new war and a new location.

The year is 1968. The Vietnam War is still raging on when Lincoln Clay, our protagonist, comes home to New Bordeaux (New Orleans) after serving in the war for a few years. But for Lincoln the war is not over. At home, racial tensions are heating up and a war between the mobs is imminent.
Lincoln himself grew up as an orphan and came mixed up with the black mob at an early age. Back from the war he reunites with his old friends not suspecting what he has gotten himself into.

The game is like it's predecessor, an open-world game played from a third person perspective. There is an abundance of similar games like GTA, Watch Dogs, Saints Row, L.A. Noire etc. So how do Mafia III compare? Well, it's not as polished as GTA (obviously), it doesn't look as good as Watch Dogs 2 and it's more L.A. Noire than Saints Row. But is it any good?

The open world is quite large but not huge. It might feel a bit empty and there is not a lot of side-activities à la Watch Dogs. There's also A LOT of driving since there are no fast travel points. This can become tedious but at least it feels more authentic  Besides vehicle takedowns, stealth and gunplay are your options when taking down enemies. All of this is okay gameplay wise, though it doesn't break any new grounds.

For me the storyline and the time period was the most fascinating part of the game. I loved the music, the setting and the characters and even though it is an open world game you didn't lose focus on the main story which happens all too often in these kinds of games. In Mafia III you always new what you were doing and why. I didn't like that the middle part was dragged out. This was the part where you just have to take over different city parts in basically the same way one after an other after an other. It was a point when I was about to give up. If you manage your way through that (you can do anything) you're rewarded with pretty good ending.

To summarize. Great story, music and setting. Average gameplay, graphics and game world. Worth 20-30 euros.

7/10

Mardi Gras

You can customize Lincoln to your own liking. I liked this look.

Loyal allies will get you cash and other perks. Vito Scaletta also joins your crew.

Sleeping with the alligators

Mafia III has a political message but it doesn't shove it in your face

Sex, drugs and rock n' roll. In no particular order.