This game is like a very... very good book, can't stop reading...
Ever felt a need for a game that is beautiful, action packed and delivers a story like no other? Don't look any longer, it's there...
The game starts you out as an average taxi-driver waiting for his next customer, just as you are minding your own business - a car smashes into a building and two guys wearing a tuxedo stumble out and ask for your help as they are being tailed by a bunch of gunners... this is where the story starts. By helping them out, you almost unwillingly join their mafia gang... just because I don't feel like spoiling you the game(if you haven't played yet), I am going to stop right there.
First of all, ever since the game starts, everything is incredibly believable. Mafia starts out as a cut-scene with a bit of dialogue that is incredibly believable due to the real good voice acting. As I mentioned before, this game has an incredibly story line... so good voice acting is a must in all solid story based games. I haven't played Godfather, but I think that's it's score mostly depended on it's story. Gangster games must have a good story and good action since it may make or break the experience. Mafia has alot, I mean alot, of twists in the story that makes it interesting, I like twists. There are no 'bads' about the storyline of the game... everything that happens in there would follow the gangster way of living.
Gameplay is very impressive. Mafia has alot of gunfire and slaughter going around and it is all very entertaining. Some stealth aspects included(Like hitting someone with a bat in a back of a head), the AI of the enemies fought is very good due to the fact that they hide behind objects and get closer whenever you don't shoot. Mafia includes some close range combat with usual town thugs. It even includes that some sports-car racing! Overall, you can never get bored because the gameplay is never repetitive and always has a new sound to it. The game itself lasts for roughly 12-16 hours so you will be having fun a lot! Also, when you're finished with the game - you may play some Freeride Extreme with missions that don't follow the story and not nearly as serious but you can get a tank car to ride around in normal Freeride and make fun of cops, will keep you busy for another 5 hours or so.
The Bads - Some people that like to have a continuing shoot outs may not like the bit where you have to race in sports-cars. You may have to download a patch from the web that will decrease the difficulty of racing because it took me almost forever to finish it, it is pretty hard. No multiplayer.
Graphics are superb for a game of 2002. The engine of the game is real good and if you look at the trailers of upcoming Mafia 2(can't wait), they look like a movie! I liked the very distinct shadows and the detail of the characters are great. There are no graphic glitches in the game.
The Bads - Some people may not like(I didn't) that when you're in the open town, you can see everything that is frankly 10 yards or closer to you - everything over 10 yards will probably disappear unless you get closer to it. I am sure the developers had done it for the sake of our PCs, but they could've put an option in setting that will put everything back on.
Overall, the problems listed above are pretty minor and will not be noticed by most people playing. Game's story is the best I have seen yet and it is probably as good or better than Half-life's. Gameplay and Graphics are superb. Overall, this game is so great I was no satisfied by it's pretty long gameplay because it was so good, I wanted more!(Which I will get next fall) I would recommend it to anyone.
Graphics - 9
Gameplay - 10
Story - 10+