There are two main game modes in Mafia: Story mode, and Free ride. In story mode players assume the role of Tommy Angelo, a cab driver turned Mafia enforcer. The game continues in a linear mission based format. In Free-ride, the game plays more like Grand Theft Auto; the idea being to get as much money as possible without getting killed by the police or other gangsters that roam the city.
"Eh F*%k You Tony!"
In the story mode, the player is expected to drive around the fictional city of Lost Heaven, travelling to various locations and dispensing the Don’s justice. Missions range from simple picking up and dropping off’s, to full blown assassinations. The game eases the player into things, and it’s not long before you find yourself thrust into a gunfight with rival hoods. This is where the game really differs from GTA3. You see unlike GTA where the emphasis is really on avoiding combat with other people (generally by driving over their heads in a sports car), Mafia takes a far more interesting approach. Gun fights between rival gangs feel like a cross between Max Payne and Counter strike. Simply running headlong will more than likely see you writhing on the floor, blood everywhere crying for your sweet-faced Italian Momma (as opposed to your evil faced Welsh one).
Using cover is your best bet, and there is lots of types of cover to choose from. Cars, crates, barrels and open doors can all be used to save your nice suit from getting all bloody. A nice touch is the fact that all the rules that apply to you also apply to your enemies. If they fire off too many rounds with the Thompson, they’ll eventually run out of ammo and resort to small arms and eventually fisticuffs. Ok so it’s not the most amazing games development ever, but it is nice. You never feel that the game isn’t playing fair, and that you’re just going through the motions. A.I. is also well handled, and on several missions you’ll bring your Mafia mates along for the ride. They tend to be very good at what they do, neither biting off more than they can chew or remaining so far behind as to render them useless.
"Fuggedaboudit!"
Driving around the streets of Lost Heaven is a rather different affair than it is in GTA’s Liberty City. For one thing police are far less stupid, get caught speeding and you’ll get a fine, smash into another car and you’ll be a wanted man. Should you break too many traffic laws, all the cops in the city come after you, fire off a weapon in a crowded street and they’ll bring the heat too. Even walking down the street with a weapon drawn is an arrest able offence. Although they might seem like superficial changes I really cannot stress how much this affects the game play.
Mafia and GTA share many similarities, but they are also so different from each other as to be almost utterly different Genres. In Mafia you are expected to do a job, efficiently cleanly and with as little fuss as possible. The less the police notice you the better, hey you’ve got an image to protect remember? In GTA you’re a raving loony, gunning down people in the street holding insane car chases with the police and generally causing as much havoc a possible.
However there’s also an unforgivable lack of freedom in Mafia. Rather than being allowed to start a mission anytime you wish, you are forced onto a linear ‘finish one mission start the next’ ladder of progression, not too bad in itself but it can feel immensely restricting especially when all you want to do is explore. Vice-versa in free-ride mode as it allows you to explore to your hearts content, but without any objectives or missions you just feel like you’re wasting your time.
“Organised crime? That’s a myth…”
And finally (to end on a sore note unfortunately) where the hell is the multiplayer? I remember reading an article of this game a long time ago that promised multiplayer support, but where in the name of Momma Celeste (“You touch-a me I cut you!”) is it? Answers on a postcard…
