Developer(s): 2K Czech
Massive Bear Studios (PS3)
Publisher(s): 2K Games 1C
Designer(s): Lead Designer
Daniel Vávra
Pavel Brzák
Writer(s): Daniel Vávra
Platform(s): Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, OnLive
Release date(s): NA 24 August 2010
AUS 26 August 2010
EU 27 August 2010
Genre(s): Third-person shooter, action-adventure
Mode(s): Single-player
Rating(s): BBFC: 18
ESRB: M
OFLC: MA15+
Media: Blu-ray Disc, DVD, download
Mafia II is a third-person action-adventure video game, the sequel to Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven. It is developed by 2K Czech, previously known as Illusion Softworks, and is published by 2K Games. Originally announced in August 2007 at the Leipzig Games Convention, it was released on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows in August 2010.
Gameplay
The game is set from 1943 to 1951 in Empire Bay (the name is a reference to New York's state nickname "The Empire State"), a fictional city based on San Francisco and New York City, with influences from Chicago and Detroit. The game features a completely open-ended game map of 10 square miles. No restrictions are included from the start of the game. There are around 50 vehicles in the game, as well as licensed music from the era.
Many firearms from the previous return, such as the Thompson submachine gun, the Colt 1911 and a pump-action shotgun. As seen in screenshots, new WWII-era weapons like the MP 40, the M3 submachine gun, and the Beretta Model 38 also appearance in the game as well as the MG 42.
Interacting with objects in the environment involves two action buttons- a standard action and a "violent" action (for example, when stealing a car, the player may choose to either pick its lock or break the window glass), used in context-sensitive situations. A map is included as in the original Mafia game. The checkpoint system has been completely overhauled. New controls include a cover system that allows the player to hide behind objects (such as generators, walls and large crates) to shoot enemies, rather than just using a crouch while behind an object.
It has been stated by 2K Czech that the game's cutscenes are created by the game engine, in real-time, rather than pre-rendered cutscenes.
Synopsis
Mafia II is a gritty drama which chronicles the rise of World War II veteran Vito Scaletta, the son of Sicilian immigrants. As the game progresses, Vito will join the Falcone Crime Family and become a made man. There are 15 chapters in the game, connected into one storyline.
PlayStation 3 version controversy
The PlayStation 3 version became subject to controversy on 2K's Mafia II forums when 2K's interactive marketing manager Elizabeth Tobey stated that the PlayStation 3 version would be missing certain features that were present in the PC and Xbox 360 versions including three dimensional grass, pools of blood forming under dead bodies and realistic cloth physics. These features were said to be present in earlier builds of the game, but had to be removed to increase the game's frame rate.
Upon release the PS3 version received the same or higher review scores than the Xbox version from Destructoid and Nowgamer (sites that review the game on multiple platforms rather than the normal practice of reviewing a single platform). and also the Metacritic rating places both version on the same score of 74/100. although the GameRankings review aggregator has the Xbox version 4 points ahead of the PS3 version.
Reference to Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven
In the original game the main protagonist Thomas Angelo is shown to be gunned down at the end of the game in front of his house. It is revealed in Chapter 14: Stairway to Heaven in Mafia 2 that Vito and Joe are the two who "whack" him. This is further proven by the use of the exact same red car in both cases and nearly identical cut scenes.
Minimum system requirements
Operating System: Windows XP SP2/Vista/7
CPU: Intel Pentium D 3 GHz or AMD Athlon 64 X2 3600+ (Dual Core) or higher
Memory: 1.5 GB
Hard Drive Space: 8 GB of free space
Graphics Hardware: Nvidia 8600 / ATI Radeon HD 2600
Sound Hardware: DirectX 9.0c
Recommended system requirements
Operating System: Windows XP SP2/Vista/7
CPU: Intel Quad Core 2 Quad 2.4 GHz
Memory: 2.0 GB
Hard Drive Space: 10 GB of free space
Graphics Hardware: Nvidia GeForce 9800 GTX / ATI 3870
Sound Hardware: DirectX 9.0c
Network: Internet connection required for online activation
Gameplay
The game is set from 1943 to 1951 in Empire Bay (the name is a reference to New York's state nickname "The Empire State"), a fictional city based on San Francisco and New York City, with influences from Chicago and Detroit. The game features a completely open-ended game map of 10 square miles. No restrictions are included from the start of the game. There are around 50 vehicles in the game, as well as licensed music from the era.
Many firearms from the previous return, such as the Thompson submachine gun, the Colt 1911 and a pump-action shotgun. As seen in screenshots, new WWII-era weapons like the MP 40, the M3 submachine gun, and the Beretta Model 38 also appearance in the game as well as the MG 42.
Interacting with objects in the environment involves two action buttons- a standard action and a "violent" action (for example, when stealing a car, the player may choose to either pick its lock or break the window glass), used in context-sensitive situations. A map is included as in the original Mafia game. The checkpoint system has been completely overhauled. New controls include a cover system that allows the player to hide behind objects (such as generators, walls and large crates) to shoot enemies, rather than just using a crouch while behind an object.
It has been stated by 2K Czech that the game's cutscenes are created by the game engine, in real-time, rather than pre-rendered cutscenes.
Synopsis
Mafia II is a gritty drama which chronicles the rise of World War II veteran Vito Scaletta, the son of Sicilian immigrants. As the game progresses, Vito will join the Falcone Crime Family and become a made man. There are 15 chapters in the game, connected into one storyline.
PlayStation 3 version controversy
The PlayStation 3 version became subject to controversy on 2K's Mafia II forums when 2K's interactive marketing manager Elizabeth Tobey stated that the PlayStation 3 version would be missing certain features that were present in the PC and Xbox 360 versions including three dimensional grass, pools of blood forming under dead bodies and realistic cloth physics. These features were said to be present in earlier builds of the game, but had to be removed to increase the game's frame rate.
Upon release the PS3 version received the same or higher review scores than the Xbox version from Destructoid and Nowgamer (sites that review the game on multiple platforms rather than the normal practice of reviewing a single platform). and also the Metacritic rating places both version on the same score of 74/100. although the GameRankings review aggregator has the Xbox version 4 points ahead of the PS3 version.
Reference to Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven
In the original game the main protagonist Thomas Angelo is shown to be gunned down at the end of the game in front of his house. It is revealed in Chapter 14: Stairway to Heaven in Mafia 2 that Vito and Joe are the two who "whack" him. This is further proven by the use of the exact same red car in both cases and nearly identical cut scenes.
Minimum system requirements
Operating System: Windows XP SP2/Vista/7
CPU: Intel Pentium D 3 GHz or AMD Athlon 64 X2 3600+ (Dual Core) or higher
Memory: 1.5 GB
Hard Drive Space: 8 GB of free space
Graphics Hardware: Nvidia 8600 / ATI Radeon HD 2600
Sound Hardware: DirectX 9.0c
Recommended system requirements
Operating System: Windows XP SP2/Vista/7
CPU: Intel Quad Core 2 Quad 2.4 GHz
Memory: 2.0 GB
Hard Drive Space: 10 GB of free space
Graphics Hardware: Nvidia GeForce 9800 GTX / ATI 3870
Sound Hardware: DirectX 9.0c
Network: Internet connection required for online activation
