Mafia II moving in on retail turf August 24

The original Mafia has gone seven years without having seen a sequel hit shelves, but it won't go eight. Take-Two Interactive today announced that Mafia II will arrive in North American stores on August 24 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. The original Mafia was released by future Take-Two acquisition The Gathering on August 28, 2002.

Set in the '40s and '50s, Mafia II follows would-be wise guy Vito, a first-generation Italian-American trying to escape a life of poverty. Desperate for something better, Vito joins his paisano Joe in la famiglia with the hopes of rising through the ranks and becoming a made man. Take-Two is touting the game's attention to period detail, going so far as to strike a deal with Playboy to include era-appropriate magazines in the game.

Mafia II is just one part of what's shaping up to be a very busy quarter for Take-Two. Between August and October, the publisher has also scheduled launches for Civilization V, Max Payne 3, and L.A. Noire. Not all of those titles are guaranteed to hit that soon, however. The publisher told investors earlier this month that its financial projections allow for one of those games to slip beyond October.

For more on Mafia II, including a look at its driving and cover-based shooting mechanics, check out GameSpot's latest preview.