Mafia II delivers on several aspects that made the first game a classic, but it feels like it is missing something
Mafia II is definitely worth playing. However, there are some issues with the game that may throw off some folks. A lot of talk about GTA sandbox features missing from Mafia. Not sure where all this is coming from. I did not consider Mafia I to be a GTA clone. Sure there are some very basic similarities, but Mafia I was no sandbox game. Story and combat have always been the main features, making it an Action Adventure game. Still there seemed to be a bit more content in the first game. More side missions and sub-stories to give the game a deeper feel. Mafia II is missing this and it does detract from the game. It is more of an interactive movie with some epic combat mixed in here and there. Yet it is a very good interactive movie and the combat is superb.
I just wish there was more opportunity to make use of tools Vito is given in areas outside the linear story. Things like stealing cars for money, finding romance, helping family (real and mob) are not fully realized in this game. The combat system is so good - even down to the "feel" of shooting a weapon - that one wishes there was a whole lot more of it. Of note is a rather unique health system that I feel is more realistic. To describe, you can not just go running around shooting like a wild man. Cover is very important as just a couple of hits can put you down. However, after a little rest behind cover your health bar does recover to a certain point with an incremental decrease based on the hits you just received. This feature is pretty innovative in my book and makes the combat more serious and tactical.
Mafia II is still a very enjoyable and satisfying game on its own. If the game as a whole was a bit more fleshed out then Mafia II would be just the classic as its predecessor. The ending certainly gives rise to what I hope is future installments (DLC) that will continue the story and give players more opportunity to raise hell in Empire City.