Mafia 3 - gaming review

So, with all this in mind, Hanger 13 were going to have their hands full after announcing this would be the same era they would be using for the setting of their latest game - Mafia 3. Now, before I get started, considering the reluctant risk of triple A video games, it appears pretty outrageous that a big-budget open-world title conveys possibly the most moving and distressing commentary on race the industry has ever seen. Mafia III makes you feel as though you're exploring and inviting something you really shouldn't. The way it illustrates the American South that is in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement is so incredibly accurate that it will cause white players to feel truly ashamed at their race's past.

Those who are familiar with the Mafia series will know that its biggest attraction has always been its deep narrative, and the third instalment to this epic franchise has elevated the same formula to new heights. You will take control of the unforgiving Lincoln Clay, his cold-blooded story of discrimination, animosity and revenge makes for one of the most engrossing video game stories of the year.

The protagonist you will become acquainted with is Lincoln Clay, a bi-racial war veteran and an orphan fresh from Vietnam. He returns from fighting for his country and is dragged in to the fight for the right to exist in his own home of New Bordeaux (a fictional take on 1960s New Orleans). Following a joyous reunion with a few old friends, who it seems are now a part of the infamous black mob and tied to the Italian mafia, it appears as though things are looking up for everyone involved - that is until betrayal sets in, leading to the demise of the black mob.

This is where our quest for revenge across a vast and lively city begins, but there's a price to pay. Although Clay served his country, he isn't necessarily seen as a courageous person or someone you would consider a hero. He is instead scrutinised and perceived as distrustful and approached with caution (if approached at all); the majority of the women in New Bordeaux will clutch their purses as they walk near him or just tell him to walk on the other side of the street. Lincoln is also subject to the n-word repeatedly. As you stand in a world where the majority of its population despise your existence, it can at times feel very unnerving, and Hanger 13 have created those issues from the 60s without leaving any detail behind.

The map is fairly large and objectives dotted in and around the city are always open to be actioned in any way you please. Between the ever-present variety of potential entrances, clever cover placement, an extensive, ever-growing array of weaponry and diversion equipment, and special abilities that can be unlocked as you complete certain missions for your underbosses, which include hired hit-squads, the disabling of local phones to stop sentries calling for back-up, Lincoln is pretty much equipped to take down an entire city.

After a very brutal and enthralling introduction you're quickly introduced into the core gameplay, which involves reclaiming the many diverse districts from the Italian Mob. Each district has two criminal activities tied to it, which will see you destroying various rackets and diminishing the money counter until you have successfully acquired them. Whether it's killing an underboss or taking a match to certain mob assets and watching them quickly burn to the ground - they all slowly count the value of that individual racket down.

In between these are some of the most captivating, enjoyable and intense missions found in any Mafia game to date. The main story missions are incredibly well-written and impressively well acted too. Hanger 13 really do show off their creativity here; this is where we see Lincoln in a more direct and usually more violent approach that is certainly varied from the way in which you would take down crime rackets.

Assigning districts to your three underbosses (Mafia II's Vito, the drunken Irishman Burke and the mysterious Haitian Cassandra) will unlock a plethora of new weapons and perks to play around with. However, outside of extra ammo and being able to carry a few additional adrenaline boosts, the way I played the game never really changed. I seemed to enjoy Mafia III's combat more while sneaking around, getting in the right positions for stealth executions, or distracting my enemy by whistling so I could plan my next move - this all made for some very memorable moments.

The world itself is vividly realised, and fun to take in - whether it's the gator-infested swamps, or streets filled with drunkards during a Mardi Gras celebration, the setting at times can feel alive. Witnesses to street crimes will often run to the nearest payphone and call the cops, which can lead to the dilemma of chasing them and knocking them unconscious before they make the call, or attempting to ride it out. But police response times are so slow that simply driving away will see you get away 90 per cent of the time.

From a visual perspective, Mafia III has moments of pure breathtaking beauty and other moments that feel as if it's a direct port from our last generation of consoles. Still, this isn't to say Mafia III is a bad-looking game by any means; the flawless facial animation and stunning character models that could rival the likes of L.A. Noire is certainly an impressive achievement from Hanger 13. New Bordeaux looks and feels exactly like you would picture a 1960s New Orleans, which is possibly the highest compliment I can offer.

The majority of the open world seems wasted. The driving mechanics, though heavy, feel real and true to the setting where cars were tough to drive. Rather than exploring you find yourself driving just so you can shuttle Clay from one location to another (thanks to the game not having fast travel). The only time I would find myself taking a detour would be to break into people's homes to steal an album from the 60s, or an issue of Playboy, Hot Rod, or Repent Magazine. The Playboy issues are actual copies from the 1960s, and feature short samples of the original content. Of course this mostly means nude pictures, but you also get articles, such as a 14-page interview with Eldridge Cleaver, the leader of the Black Panthers. I found myself becoming more educated the more I collected.

The Verdict -

Mafia 3 is one of the most ambitious games within the last three years, accompanied with one of the strongest narratives in the history of video games, Hanger 13 have been pretty ballsy with what they have tried to accomplish here. The 1960s was largely a rough time in America and this has been captured in truly breathtaking fashion. Lincoln Clay is a ruthless killer who takes no prisoners, his associates and underbosses aid in very callous story of revenge and the attempt to bring down Sal Marcano's empire.

Visually it's stunning, despite its frame rate issues and the occasional bug, the facial animations are incredible, and there's the licensed music from the 1960s - hearing Jimi Hendrix - All Along The Watchtower would give me goosebumps, and that was before I had even launched myself on to the streets of New Bordeaux, walking past a bar to hear Rolling Stones - Paint It Black in the distance as you watch a police cruiser speed in pursuit of a criminal - these are the memories that Mafia 3 creates, and more than 100 songs across several radio stations make the experience all the more remarkable.

The journey can be a bumpy one in places, but who said taking down an entire city of organised crime was going to be easy.

By Simon Hill - @SimonHOfficial