Mafia III builds on the fundamentals of the previous games in the Mafia franchise and once again offers players the opportunity to rise through the criminal ranks in a fictional but realistic setting. Released in 2016 Mafia III explores a darker storyline than the franchise to date with players embarking on various quests across the fictional New Bordeaux as you play Vietnam War veteran Lincoln Clay across both console and PC.
Set in 1968 the story revolves around the orphan and veteran of the Vietnam War Lincoln Clay which results in a dark past for players to tackle through the main story line. Combined with a history of working for mobsters and special forces training you’ve got a deadly mix that puts you in the unique position of being perfectly suited to the criminal underworld. When you return to your fictional home town which is based on the real world New Orleans players find themselves caught up with the wrong crowd with you left for dead after taking a bullet to the head.
This starts your own story for revenge after being nursed back to health where you’ll destroy your attackers while also taking control of the city for yourself. In order to do so you’ll recruit three underbosses who will hold the areas that you seize but require careful management to stay loyal at the same time. Just like its predecessors that explore early time periods players will find a diverse city of apartment blocks, office buildings, suburban housing estates, slums and ports that each have their own designs, activities and missions for players to uncover.
Actual gameplay in Mafia III combines the likes of open world, action-adventure and third person perspective as you move around the fictional game world completing various missions and advancing your control over the city one block at a time. For those familiar with the past Mafia titles you’ll find the world split into ten districts this time around which total more space than the previous games combined for a new scale of crime playground.
These districts are Bayou Fantom, Delray Hollow, Barclay Mills, Frisco Fields, Pointe Verdun, Tickfaw Harbor, Southdowns, River Row, Downtown, and the French Ward that each capture a diverse range of real world cultures in their fictional design. Whether you take the direct approach to conflict or instead opt for a stealth playstyle you’ll get to explore the corners and streets of each district on foot and by era accurate cars.
While stealth is an option Mafia III is designed with chaos in mind with a wealth of melee and traditional firearm weapons that can be used alongside a cover system which is particularly useful on the console variants. Other mechanics of Mafia III include a large selection of time appropriate sound tracks, interrogation of non-player characters and side missions that improve the chance of success in your main objective.
Summary:
- Continues the Mafia legacy with a third game in the video game crime franchise.
- Captures realism of the time with accurate cars, soundtrack and fictional world design.
- Improve your chance of success by completing side missions to weaken your main objective.
- Experience a story of revenge that changes based on the order of your actions.
- Released in 2016 for Windows, Mac, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
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Review Platform: PC