#Mafia 3 ps3 review series#

But this GTA clone is certainly nipping at the heels of the giants in the genre. Unfortunately, there are a few missteps along the way that will stop Mafia 3 from being a long term classic. It has some of the best characters, themes and music I have experience this console generation. In fact it is literally defined by its 1960s New Orleansesque setting.

#Mafia 3 ps3 review series#

The Mafia series of games have always had a strong sense of time and place and Mafia 3 is no different. Also, objects like bushes or certain light posts were impossible to pass through and would feel like running into a brick wall, something even games from the previous generation found a way to fix.Firstly, click here and have this YouTube music running quietly in the background….to set the mood. The lighting attempted to convey the realism of sun effects, but they were often entirely aggravating as the sun would become blinding right as I was trying to get a headshot, or the darkness would make it extraordinarily difficult to find my way out of the Bayou. In numerous areas, I found myself warping into objects like cars or walls, or had bodies glitching around the floor. The biggest downfall is a large number of technical issues across the game. In larger numbers, they can be a little dangerous, but perks gained by completing story missions allow you to call in backup at very little cost, taking away any remaining difficulty. The enemies metaphorically walk into your knife and tend to be pretty forgiving even when you get caught. Most of the game can be completed by using stealth since it can be exploited pretty easily. The combat is functional to an extent but becomes incredibly repetitive over time. Cassandra, the leader of the Haitians, aims to settle the race score that has hurt her people Thomas Burke, head of the Irish mob, seeks to gain revenge for his son, who also died by Marcano’s hand Vito Scaletta, the main character from Mafia II, returns to gain prominence in the city Father James wants to make sure Clay doesn’t become everything he’s trying to put an end to and Donavan simply wants to watch him take down as many racists and hypocrites in the mob he can. Using his contact from the CIA named Donavan, the continued help of Father James, the tactics he learned from Vietnam, and the assistance of underbosses from the first three districts he takes over, he manages to not only climb the chain of the Marcano family but also expose the corruption of the city’s most prominent officials in the process.Įach of these characters has their own unique personality and intentions, and the superb acting and mocap make them feel as though they are real plausible characters. By not shying away from the realities of the time period the game was set in, the game allows a profoundly possible story to be told.Ĭlay’s journey to enact revenge upon the mob is a fairly remarkable one.

This sets up a setting of realism towards racism that few other games have ever managed to achieve.

The racism is depicted through the conversations between enemy NPCs, random acts of violence on the street against African Americans, and perhaps most notably the difference in police response times to different parts of the city depending on race and wealth. This sets the tone for the world in which Lincoln Clay finds himself, and adds to the true realism of the situations he encounters.

Set in the 1960s, Mafia III begins the game with a disclaimer explaining that the depictions of racism against both African Americans and Irish Americans would not be censored.

The game’s strength comes in the telling of this tale of revenge.