Mafia (series)

Mafia
Series logo, used since Mafia III (2016)
Genres	Action-adventure, third-person shooter
Developers	2K Czech Hangar 13
Publishers	Gathering of Developers 2K Games
Platforms	Microsoft Windows OS X PlayStation 2 PlayStation 3 PlayStation 4 Mobile phone Xbox Xbox 360 Xbox One
Platform of origin	Microsoft Windows
First release	Mafia 28 August 2002
Latest release	Mafia III 7 October 2016

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.

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.

Games

Video games

The first game, Mafia was released on 28 August 2002 for Microsoft Windows. Ports of the game for the Xbox and PlayStation 2 were released in 2004. The second game, Mafia II was released on 23 August 2010 for Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The third game, Mafia III was released in 2016 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

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 is exclusive to PlayStation 3; the other two were released on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows.

Mobile phone version

A version of Mafia II was released in 2010 for mobile phones and smartphones by Connect2Media.^[1][2] to coincide with the personal computer and console versions, with a different storyline and characters in contrast to the original game.

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, Philadelphia and Chicago. Mafia II is set in Empire Bay in the 1940s and early 1950s, which is based on New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston and Detroit.^[4][5] Mafia III is set in 1968 in New Bordeaux, a fictionalised version of New Orleans.^[6]

Controversies

Mafia II

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.^[7] 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.^[8]

The game used to hold a record for the most profanity used in a video game, particularly the word "fuck", which is spoken over 200 times, beating previous record holder, The House of the Dead: Overkill,^[9] until it is beaten by Grand Theft Auto V, which the word "fuck" is spoken over 1000 times.^[10]

Reception

References