Wow that building is tall:

Graphically 2K Czech went for a 40s and 50s vibe, and from what I have seen in game, they succeeded. From the streets to the stores, the apartments to the homes and the cars to the pedestrians, it is simply stunning. You cannot help but be impressed by the lighting in the game; distinguishing between high noon and sunset was a breeze. What I really like is when you are driving during the winter and you have a sparkling 'new' car, and by 'new' I mean the one you just stole, the snow and grime will begin to build up. Another win was in how the characters in the game are able to communicate by only using their facial expressions. Rarely do we see that in games and I am glad Mafia II was able to pull this off.

Yeah, well Vito...:

The audio in the game was really well done - whether it's the music track you listen to while you are driving around to the radio jockey you hear after the song ends. I love the catalog of songs included into the game for when you are listening to the radio. With three different stations to tune into for your listening pleasure, I find myself sitting in the car to let the song finished before I get out. Empire Bay feels alive even when you are walking the streets. You cannot help but hear the urban din with the occasional police siren off in the distance.

Rick Pasqualone should get an award for his work in voicing Vito. I think this is one of the few times I actually cared about a character, not because of the actions, but through the acting itself. I believe that Sonny Marinelli and Robert Constanza - who voiced Henry Tomasino and Joe Barbaro, respectively - should also be recognized. The acting and dialog in the game are simply one of the best I have found.

Make sure you bring a piece with you:

If you have ever played any sandbox game or any game that resembles Mafia II, you will mostly become acclimated to the controls immediately. It can't get any more simple then what the game offers you. The gun battles are incredible at times, but can also be very frustrating.

I do love the variety of weapons you are able to pick up or purchase - such as the Thompson submachine gun, the Colt 1911 or a pump-action shotgun. My personal favorite was the Thompson submachine gun, mainly because it made me feel manly using it. In a heated gun battle, taking cover is your best friend in the game, but you also need to pick your cover wisely because nearly everything is destructible.

Most of the time the AI in the game can be incredibly smart. Other times you will find yourself saying, “what the...” with some of the actions they attempt. While you may question some of their movements, do not doubt their ability to pick you out and then pick you off. Their aim is impeccable, especially if you are standing in the opening and not taking cover. There will be a few times where you will pop your head out and BAM you are down. I normally have a lot of patience in these matters, but when that happens, I just wanted to break the controller.

The melee system is really, really simple. It is not hard to win the majority of your fights in the game. Of course, this is assuming you are blocking and know when to throw your punches, and not just throwing punches like a moron.

Hey, you just passed a red light:

In Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven, there were tons of side missions for you to complete. In Mafia II, there really aren't any reasons for you to do any of the “side quests.” These “side quests” basically boil down to either rob a store or steal a car. The story in the game is so linear that it seems like you are playing a single player game in a sandbox world. Don't get me wrong, that's what I like about the game, but at times I wish there was a bit more I could do in the world. The missions that you do receive happen so early in the morning as you are woken up by a phone call and you are instantly need to go to a certain place to start the day and as soon as the mission is over it is nearly night fall and you can do some of the side quests if you want to earn more money. Thing is, you make more than enough money from the normal missions that you don't really need to do them.

As much as I love the cars in the game and how they feel when you are driving them, they can be a bit difficult to handle at times. You will often find yourself running into another car, light pole or person. I found myself using the speed limiter a lot in the game simply for better handling. The police in the game are about as useless as any NPC walking down the street - even if you so happen to be spotted stealing a car. The police officer is designed to ram right into you in order to stop you, but the majority of the time they miss you completely and you are able to escape. Even when your car is wanted and you are spotted by the cops, by the time they get moving to pursue you, you will be so far away that the blue warning meter won't even matter. Though, for the most part, I still followed the rules of the road in Mafia II. The exception is when it comes to red lights. You can run a red light anytime in the game and the cops will not care at all.

My Take:

It is certainly not your typical, cookie-cutter sandbox game, but at times, it falls a little short on achieving that sandbox game feel. As much as I love the linear story in this world, they could have added more things for you to do in the city besides robbing and stealing stuff. Perhaps more interactions with NPCs around town or actually go inside some of the other locations - instead of only the ones that are specially marked for you. Overall, fans of mobster movies, the Mafia series or sandbox games in general will not regret picking this up. If you find yourself still on the fence, it is a very good rental. The DLC for the game will have you coming back to Mafia II for a while, especially if you picked it up for the PS3, where it comes with a free DLC call “Betrayal of Jimmy” and soon “Jimmy's Vendetta” for the PlayStation 3, XBox 360 and PC.

Mafia II was developed by 2K Czech and published by 2K Games on August 24^th, 2010 for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. Retailing for $59.99. A copy of the game was provided by the publisher for review purposes. I have beaten the game on normal and recently just started playing the "Betrayal of Jimmy" on the PlayStation 3.