Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

20 to 40 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Just plain fun"

Mafia 2 does a great job immersing you into an era where America undergoes a huge change, between and after WWII. you start of in war time America, where there is heavy rationing and lots of propaganda, and end in a America that is more "free" and "wild". Cars and clothes become more colorful, radio stations and taste in music moves from classic to rock and roll, but one thing that hasn't really changed much is how Empire City is run by three families.

Along with the amazing setting are the characters. You see how Vito and Joe transform from small time foot soldiers for the mob to becoming well-known and "trusted" within their families. One thing the game does great is how it leads you through a decade of Vito's life, while also making you, or at least me, care for the characters. Not to spoil anything, but towards the end I felt saddened when it didn't have a happy ending.

Setting and characters aren't the only major things that make up the game, but also the game-play. Taking cover and shooting down rival gang members or greasers is incredibly fun, especially when you're dressed in an expensive tuxedo and emptying rounds from a Tommy gun. although there have been a few times where the AI seem a bit derpy, the gun fights are overall solid and satisfying.

The game also features irresistible collectibles, the playmates, but also the wanted posters. Even after having finished the game, I continued to rack up a few hours driving around the city, while listening to the radio, to find the wanted posters of the game developers.

TL;DR-

Pros:
-Great visuals and amazing setting
-Immersive story and characters
-Fun game-play
-Tons of collectibles to look out for
-Worth the money, especially now during sales
-Choice of cars to drive around
-All cut scenes can be skipped when replaying chapters

Cons:
-Cars are made out of paper... If you hit a trash can at 2 mph, a large dent will appear on your car...
-While driving around the city can be fun, the AI drivers are ready and willing to ram into your car, without any warnings
-Ending is a bit unsatisfying
-Checkpoints have odd spacing in some missions, so if you die you may have to start again from the beginning of the mission until the end
-Not a lot of events outside of missions, other than collectibles

Overall this game is a great buy, and would give you hours of enjoyment.