When the original "Mafia" came out 2002, it set new standards for storytelling in games. It told the complex, tragic story of Tommy Angelo, a taxi driver turned mafia capo who rose to power in the 1930s. Convincing voice acting, a Hollywood-level script and memorable missions set "Mafia" apart from the crowd and made it one of the best PC games ever made. It makes sense that 2K Games would take its time with the sequel, and after eight years (and a few mediocre console ports), "Mafia 2" is finally here. And while it does match some of the high standards set by the first game, it never manages to achieve greatness.

The Basics

"Mafia 2" starts with a blank slate, in a new city (the New York-inspired Empire Bay) and a new time period (the 1940s and '50s). Players take on the role of Vito Scaletta, a Sicilian immigrant who has been running afoul of the law since birth. After a brief stint in the military, Scaletta returns to his old habits in Empire Bay, slowly working his way up the ranks of organized crime.

The gameplay is a mix of two styles. There's driving, which you'll be doing a lot of as you traverse the city, and there's 3rd-person shooting which cover mechanics. The game basically alternates between these two styles throughout its 12 hour campaign.

The Highs

The Living Streets Of Empire Bay

The obvious star of "Mafia 2" is the city itself. Driving around the streets you get the distinct impression that this is a city bustling with life. Whether you're cruising through the winter slush in 1946 or enjoying the spring breeze of 1951, Empire Bay looks 100% believable. The amount of detail placed on the shop fronts and period clothing really go a long way to sell the city as a place someone could actually live. Only "Grand Theft Auto 4" has offered up a more convincing-looking city.

The Importance of a Good Voice Acting

I'm pleased to report that the high quality voice acting standards from the first game return in "Mafia 2." The cast does an excellent job selling the dialog, which is also spot on and could very easy be taken from deleted scenes of "Goodfellas."

Certain Moments

There are moments from the first "Mafia" that remain clear in my mind, even eight years after the game's release: The funeral shootout, the airport ambush, the rooftop chase, to name a few. "Mafia 2" doesn't have as many of these memorable moments, but there are definitely a handful of scenes that stick out in my mind as things I've never seen in this sort of game before. It'd be a spoiler to discuss them, but the developers should be applauded for having a few curve balls thrown into the mix.

The Lows

The Gameplay: Driving

The sad fact of the matter is that the gameplay of "Mafia 2" is just not that interesting. It's not bad, but it's never extremely engaging or interesting. The driving mechanics in the game are fine, but, more often than not, you're just driving mindlessly through town to get from point A to point B. Frankly, it's boring. Of the game's 12 hours, I'd say about 8 of those are just spent driving around the city. Not chasing guys or having intense gun battles from car to car (although there are a couple of those). Just driving. It's a snore, and with no option for fast travel, you've got no choice but to slog through it.

The Gameplay: Shooting

When you do finally arrive at a location, chances are you're going to be shooting some guys. The shooting mechanics are heavily cover-based, which is fine when it actually works. Unfortunately being in cover doesn't mean you're safe. More than once I was killed with nearly full health, while in cover, with a single shotgun blast. And not because someone flanked me. The enemy was on the other side of my cover and still managed to kill me. The shooting mechanics are filled with frustrating moments like that, and the stilted movement controls only make the experience feel more uneven. Toss in an unforgiving check point system and there will definitely be moments where you want to toss your controller out the window.

The Story Never Really Goes Anywhere

The pacing of the first "Mafia" was a slow build filled will unexpected twists and double-crosses. The story in "Mafia 2" never manages to match the same level of intrigue. The characters in the game, and even the game's protagonist, are unsympathetic and seem to have no motivation beyond making a lot of money. While I appreciate that these sorts of people exist in the world of organized crime, it makes them nearly impossible to relate to. And when you have characters you can't relate to, it means there are no stakes. If they die, so what?

The story doesn't help matters. The vast majority of the game feels more like a hodgepodge of unrelated missions. Only in the last couple missions do events relate to one another, and by then it's too late to feel any connection to the characters dealing with these events. The final battle is a total anticlimax as you simply have no connection to the person you're fighting, as you've only really interacted with him once or twice. The whole thing just feels typical.

The City Is Actually Dead

Despite the fact that the city looks incredible and appears to be full of life, there's really nothing of interest to do in it. You can buy clothing or weapons or food or gas, but that's about it. There are no side missions (unless you count crushing cars for mostly-worthless cash), no hidden weapons, no incentive to go exploring. It's an empty husk. The first "Mafia" made better use of the city in a bonus mode called "Free Ride" which unlocked at the end of the game, and added new missions and unlockable cars. There's no such mode to speak of in "Mafia 2."

The Verdict

In the end, "Mafia 2" appears to be half-baked. While it does manage to do a few things well, it never reaches much higher than that. Uninspired gameplay and a non-interactive world are tough trade-offs for well-acted cutscenes and pretty scenery. If you're a fan of mafia movies, the cutscenes might be enough to get you through. If you're looking for a compelling action game, though, "Mafia 2" is simply adequate.