Mafia (series)

Mafia is a series of action-adventure video games developed by 2K Czech (formerly Illusion Softworks) with the third installment by Hangar 13, and published by 2K Games.

Mafia
Series logo, used since Mafia III (2016)
Genre(s)Action-adventure, third-person shooter
Developer(s)2K Czech (1998–2017)
Hangar 13 (2014–present)
Publisher(s)Gathering of Developers (2002–2004)
2K (2007–present)
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
OS X
PlayStation 2
PlayStation 3
PlayStation 4
Xbox
Xbox 360
Xbox One
First releaseMafia
27 August 2002
Latest releaseMafia: Definitive Edition
25 September 2020

Games in the Mafia series are set in fictional locales modeled after American cities, and usually take place in a historical setting, from Great Depression-era Lost Heaven in the original game, to 1960s New Bordeaux in Mafia III. Gameplay focuses on an open world environment where the player can choose missions to progress an overall story, as well as engaging in side activities, albeit in a more linear manner. The Freeride Extreme game mode in The City of Lost Heaven and expansion packs for Mafia II, however, allow players to trigger missions from the open world.

The three games in the Mafia series focus around different protagonists who attempt to rise (and subsequently fall out of favour or are disillusioned with the illicit lifestyle) through the ranks of the criminal underworld, although their motives for doing so vary in each game. The antagonists are commonly characters who have betrayed the protagonist or his organisation, or characters who have the most impact impeding the protagonist's progress.

On May 14, 2020, publisher 2K Games announced the Mafia: Trilogy, containing a remaster of the second game, an extended edition of the third one, and a remake of the original one, all three developed by Hangar 13.[1]

Games
Year Title Developer Home release
Console Computer Mobile
Main series
2002 Mafia Illusion Softworks PS2, Xbox
2010 Mafia II 2K Czech PS3, Xbox 360 Windows, OS X
2016 Mafia III Hangar 13 PS4, Xbox One
2020 Mafia: Definitive Edition Windows
Story expansion packs
2010 Mafia II: The Betrayal of Jimmy 2K Czech PS3, Xbox 360 Windows
2010 Mafia II: Jimmy's Vendetta
2010 Mafia II: Joe's Adventures
2017 Mafia III: Faster, Baby! Hangar 13 PS4, Xbox One Windows, OS X
2017 Mafia III: Stones Unturned
2017 Mafia III: Sign of the Times
Remastered editions
2020 Mafia II: Definitive Edition D3T Ltd PS4, Xbox One Windows
Mobile spin-offs
2010 Mafia II Mobile Twistbox Games Mobile phone
2016 Mafia III: Rivals Cat Daddy Games iOS, Android

Video games

The first game, Mafia was released on 27 August 2002 for Microsoft Windows. Ports of the game for the Xbox and PlayStation 2 were released in April and January 2004 respectively. The second game, Mafia II was released on 24 August 2010 for Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The third game, Mafia III was released on October 7, 2016 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. On 13 May 2020, a teaser trailer for an upcoming collection of all three installments titled Mafia: Trilogy was released with an official announcement revealed on 19 May 2020. On that day, a remaster of Mafia II and a version of Mafia III comprised with its expansion story packs were released. The remake of the first Mafia title was released on 25 September 2020.[2]

Downloadable content

Throughout 2010, The Betrayal of Jimmy, Jimmy's Vendetta and Joe's Adventures were released as downloadable content (DLC) expansion packs to Mafia II. The Betrayal of Jimmy was exclusive to PlayStation 3; the other two were released on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. The Betrayal of Jimmy was later released on Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. Downloadable content (DLC) expansion packs, Faster, Baby!, Stones Unturned and Sign of the Times were released for Mafia III throughout 2017, all 3 are available on Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Common elements

Gameplay

Each game in the Mafia series allows the player to take on the role of a criminal in a large city, typically an individual who plans to rise through the ranks of organised crime. The player character is given various missions by friends and mafia figures in the city underworld which must be completed to progress through the storyline.

The use of vehicles in an explorable urban environment provides a basic simulation of a working city, complete with pedestrians who generally obey traffic signals. Further details are used to flesh out an open-ended atmosphere that has been used in several other games. Traffic rules and regulations are stringently and realistically enforced in the games; failure to obey them through speeding or reckless driving are usually met with penalties such as citations, with further violations resulting in efforts by law enforcement to retaliate more aggressively and thus incapacitate the player.[3]

Setting

Games in the Mafia series are set in fictional locales through different time periods.

Mafia is set in Lost Heaven in the 1930s. Lost Heaven is loosely based on New York City, Chicago and San Francisco.[4][5] Mafia II is set in Empire Bay in the 1940s and early 1950s, which is based on New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston and Detroit.[6][7][8] Mafia III is set in the late 1960s in New Bordeaux, a fictionalised version of New Orleans.[9]

Characters
Character Mafia Mafia II Mafia III
2002 2020 2010 2016
Vittorio Antonio "Vito" Scaletta Bill BuellUC Rick Pasqualone
Thomas "Tommy" Angelo Michael Sorvino Andrew Bongiorno Michael SorvinoC
Joseph "Joe" Barbaro Character is Silent Bobby Costanzo
Don Salieri George DiCenzo Glenn Taranto Mentioned
Leonardo "Leo" Galante Frank Ashmore
Lincoln Clay Alex Hernandez
John Donovan Lane Compton
Paulie Lombardo William DeMeo Jeremy Luke
Sergio Morello Jr. Renaud Sebbane Matt Borlenghi
Detective Norman David O'Brien Dameon Clarke
Vincenzo Ricci John Tormey Paul Tassone
Salvatore Jordi Caballero
Johnny Jason Kyle
Joey Cracker Guy Nardulli
Francis "Frank" Colletti Dan Grimaldi Steven J. Oliver
Sam Trapani Matt Servitto Don DiPetta
Don Morello John Doman Saul Stein
Ralphy Jeff Gurner Ward Roberts
Sarah Angelo Cara Bouno Bella Popa
Lucas Bertone Jeff Gurner Tommy Beck
Luigi Marino Paul Scannapieco Robert Catrini
Carlo Joe Chambrello
William Gates Myko Olivier
Billy Jarrett Sleeper
Lou Kenny Lorenzetti
Dino Anthony Bonaventura
Councilor Ghilotti Paul Ghiringhelli
Michelle Laura Maxwell Maggie McGovern
Derek Papalardo Bobby Costanzo
Eric Riley Brian Bloom
Maria Agnello Carol Ann Susi
Mike Bruski John Mariano
Brian O'Neill Liam O'Brien
Luca Gurino André Sogliuzzo
Carlo Falcone
Alberto Clemente Nolan North
The Fat Man John Capodice
Marty Jason Spisak
Frank Vinci Larry Kenney
Mickey Desmond Joe Barrett
Mr. Wong James Sie
Frankie Pots Jason J. Lewis
Harry Joe Sabatino
Eddie Scarpa Joe Hanna
Harvey Beans Jerry Sroka
Tony Balls Phil Idrissi
Bruno Michael H. Ingram
Pietro DiMarco Nicolas Roye
Father James Gordon Greene
Cassandra Erica Tazel
Thomas Burke Barry O'Rourke
Sal Marcano Jay Acovone
Lou Marcano Brad Leland
Tommy Marcano Christopher Corey Smith
Jonathan Maguire Cully Fredricksen
Alma Diaz Danay Garcia
Emmanuel Lazare Lyriq Bent
Roman "The Butcher" Barbieri Joey Diaz
Remy Duvall Nolan North
Ritchie Doucet Matt Lowe
Frank Pagani Jack Conley
Nino Santangelo Jordi Caballero
Charles Laveau Dave Fennoy
Jesse Jonathan Murphy
Jonathan Cormur
Judge Cornelius Holden Richard Epcar
Police Chief Wilson Glenn Taranto
Alvarez Alex Ruiz
Debra Lancaster Tara Platt
Hollis Dupree Casey Sander
Dicky Green Arif S. Kinchen
Anna McGee Sofia Vassilieva
Nicki Burke Dana Blasingame
Danny Burke Jeff Schine
Sammy Robinson Leith M. Burke
Ellis Robinson Justice Nnanna
Giorgi Marcano Mercer Boffey
Olivia Marcano Erin Matthews
Enzo Conti Matt Gottlieb
Tony Derazio Gibson Frazier
Michael Grecco Marrick Smith
State Senator Walter Jacobs Cris D'Annunzio
Joe Anthony Michael Jones
Baka Asante Jones
Alex Ribaldi Chris Tardio
Stephen Degarmo Matlock Zumsteg
U.S. Senator Richard Blake Gene Scandur
Roxy Laveau Kalilah Harris
Sheriff Slim Beaumont John Edward Lee
Mitch "M.J." Decosta Thomas Gorrebeeck
Ezekiel Mahmoud Osman
Connor Aldridge Andy Davoli
Robert Marshall Cayleb Long
Phillipp Baltus
Bonnie Blue Janna Bossier
Chuckie Frank Diaz
Note: A gray cell indicates character did not appear in that medium.

Mafia II controversy
Main article: Mafia II § Controversies

Sonia Alfano, a member of the European Parliament and president of Italy's association for the families of mafia victims and whose father was murdered by the mafia, called for the game to be banned.[10] Take-Two Interactive responded to the issue, stating that the game's depiction of the American Mafia was no different from organized crime films such as The Godfather.

They responded to allegations of racism from Unico National, who claimed that the game portrayed Italian-Americans unfairly and "indoctrinating" youth into violent stereotypes.[11]

Mafia II used to hold the record for most profanity used in a video game, particularly with regards to the word fuck, which appears more than 200 times, beating out previous record holder The House of the Dead: Overkill.[12] However, a new crown was awarded for most f-bombs dropped in a video frame as it was beaten by Grand Theft Auto V, in which the word fuck is either spoken or read in excess of 1,000 times.[13]

Reception
Sales and aggregate review scores
As of 24 September 2020.
Game Year Units sold Metacritic
Mafia 2002 3 million (PC) 88/100[14]
(PS2) 65/100[15]
(XBOX) 66/100[16]
Mafia II 2010 5 million (PC) 77/100[17]
(PS3) 75/100[18]
(X360) 74/100[19]
Mafia III 2016 7 million (PC) 62/100[20]
(PS4) 68/100[21]
(XONE) 67/100[22]
Mafia: Definitive Edition 2020 TBA (PC) 78/100[23]
(PS4) 77/100[24]
(XONE) 82/100[25]

The first two games in the franchise have received generally positive reviews while the third game received mixed reviews, while the first remake received favorable reviews. All four installments have been praised for their narratives, with the first installment particularly praised for its realism in its gameplay. However, Mafia II was criticized for its linear open-world design, and Mafia III was criticized for its repetitive gameplay and technical issues.

References
  1. Bonifacic, Igor. "Publisher 2K Games announced the Mafia: Trilogy". engadget. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  2. Winslow, Jeremy (19 May 2020). "Mafia: Definitive Edition Remake's Release Date Confirmed For August". Gamespot. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  3. Kasavin, Greg (27 January 2004). "Mafia Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  4. Mafia - Amazon.com
  5. Smith, Edward. 10 Years On: Interview With Mafia Director Daniel Vavra, ibtimes.co.uk 29 November 2012. Retrieved on 5 October 2015.
  6. Interview: 2K Czech discusses 'Mafia II'
  7. Ivan, Tom (19 October 2008). "First Mafia 2 details roll in". Computer and Video Games. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  8. "GC09: Mafia II interview". Gamereactor Deutschland. 25 August 2009. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  9. "Mafia 3 Hands On".
  10. "Mob violence victim calls for Mafia II ban News • News • Eurogamer.net". Eurogamer. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  11. "Take-Two rubbishes Mafia II racism claims News • News • Eurogamer.net". Eurogamer. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  12. "Guinness Gives Mafia II The F-Bomb Record". Kotaku.com. 16 September 2010. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  13. "Every Swear Counted in GTA V's NSFW Supercut". Kotaku.com. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  14. "Mafia for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  15. "Mafia for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  16. "Mafia for Xbox Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  17. "Mafia II for PC". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  18. "Mafia II for PlayStation 3". Metacritic. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  19. "Mafia II for Xbox 360". Metacritic. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  20. "Mafia III for PC". Metacritic. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
  21. "Mafia III for PS4". Metacritic. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
  22. "Mafia III for XONE". Metacritic. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
  23. "Mafia: Definitive Edition for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  24. "Mafia: Definitive Edition for PS4". Metacritic. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  25. "Mafia: Definitive Edition for XONE". Metacritic. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
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