We know that Mafia III has not received the most welcome reception as many expected it to. But there are many things the game gets right, and these are things that have made my time with the game a lot more enjoyable than it would have been otherwise. The game’s story, setting, characters and core gameplay all seem so well tailored for the time period it is set in. Even though the game has a massive open world setting, it is great to see equal importance given to the characters and story.
As much as I have enjoyed my time with GTA V, there are certain aspects where Mafia III clearly does way better than GTA V ever did. This is where I think Mafia III takes the lead. It boasts of a large open world but at the same time keeps your mission and side missions focused on an overall objective. But keep in mind, that is just something I like to have in my games, and this article is by no means intended to deride the enjoyment that GTA V get from that game.
The Time Period It Is Set In
The game is set in 1968 New Bordeaux, a modern day New Orleans. The developers do a lot to make sure you feel like you belong to that time in history. You are constantly hearing about the Vietnam war on the radio and even watch the assassination of Bobby Kennedy on television.
Then there is racial tension due to the civil rights movement along with a new wave of organized crime taking over the city. You get glimpses of city life in the late 60’s along with the sterile middle class suburban lifestyle. Even the music soundtrack that has been added to this game is fantastic. It’s quite amazing to find all these licensed tracks here in the game.
Racial Tension
The game does subtle things to remind you of who you are, where you are and what period you in. It really makes you experience what life would have been like back in the 1960’s when the civil rights movement was at it’s peak. Just imagine a GTA V where the cops are always on the lookout for you. Anytime you even go past a cop you will see sight line indicators.
You assume the character of Lincoln Clay, an orphan and a Vietnam War veteran, who is on a mission to build a new crime organization to confront the Italian mob. I really can’t think of a nice way of saying this without sounding like a racist, so I am just going to say it, you’re character is black and therefore has to constantly be on the lookout. Even while walking through lets say a slightly upper middle class white neighborhood and you will get derogatory comments thrown your way. Even small elements like if you’re caught fighting, civilians often run to the nearest phone booth and inform the authorities. Whereas if the same was done in a slightly shadier neighborhood, cops may or may not show up.
Mission Design or Layout
It is an open world game with a map full of things to do and keep yourself occupied with. But every single thing you do in the game, be it the main mission or even smaller side missions, is contributing to Clay’s main overall objective.
You don’t waste your time doing random activities like fishing, shopping or golfing. Most obstacles you tackle feel catered to Clay’s personal mission of becoming more powerful and taking out his rivals. This doesn’t stop you from going all GTA on the game and doing whatever you feel like at the time.
Story
With Mafia 3’s elaborate open world, it was great to see strong emphasis on the story. The intro takes times as it eases you into the feel of the game, story, setting and characters.
The story unfolds in a very dramatic manner, sort of like a really well done crime/drama documentary. The story bounces back and forth in time with characters talking about the events of the past. The transition between the events of the past and current game scenario happen quite smoothly. The game shows promise of some great action moments like it did in Mafia II.
How Territory Is Handled
You’re taking over the city with your three commanders in chief – Cassandra, Burke and Vito, who you might recall from Mafia II. During the course of the game, as you occupy more and more land, you will have to chose which one of these three will take charge of the newly occupied area. Each individual has unique bonuses that they offer for putting them in charge of that area.
If you take over a district, you have a sit down with the three commanders in chief where you decide who you allot that district to. While you may be tempted by let’s say Burke’s offer, you will have to be mindful of the other two. If you keep favoring just one commander, you run a very high risk of the others turning against you, resulting in a new enemy.
I love this dynamic that they’ve added to this game. It really makes you feel the weight of your decisions and makes you strike a balance between greed and loyalty.
We know that Mafia III is not without it’s faults, but there is something that is deeply enjoyable here as well. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
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