I feel the need to say that Mafia 3 is different. When I say different, I mean if you had an expectation based off previous games or what's on the market, then you will be disappointed. In Mafia 3, developers did not shy away from controversy of Post Vietnam 1968 such as resentment for war veterans, communism, and racism.
Story
The story centers around Lincoln Clay a former decorated black ops soldier. The story isn't full of revenge like some game reviewers mentioned. Mafia 3's story is more about social commentary that you can see in the main campaign or overhear from NPCs roaming the streets and forest of New Bordeaux. One thing I like about each mission is before you wack a captain, Capo or General, you can overhear conversations about world events such as Dr. Martin Luther King or President Kennedy's assassination, slice of life events NPC share with their gang, or even stories about your reputation among the syndicates and crime lords. There is a sense of connection and how everyone or thing has a place in this world.
Family
Make no mistake this is not a kids game! Mafia 3 earned its Mature 18 rating. There are graphic sex scenes, prostitution, racketeering, drug use, human trafficking, collectible playboys and nude paintings that capture all that we image on what being part of a crime family is like. Playing off how everything is connected, I wanted to touch base with how you build a crime family in the game. There is a familiar open-world free roaming and consequence of choices gameplay that Grand Thief Auto fans will appreciate.
Once the act of betrayal was committed in the first mission of the game, Lincoln Clay is hell bent on revenge and taking over the southern Mafia of Louisiana. In Lincoln's quest to make a wrong a right, he has an ally in a high place known as John Donovan. John is CIA agent that worked with the J. Edgar Hoover administration to create a lot of chaos domestic and internationally. John helps Lincoln by supplying him with information on who is on the hit list as well as allies that are needed to maintain control of New Bordeaux.
As Lincoln dives into the crime world, he makes a three powerful friends, Cassandra, Burke, and Vito that will aid him. His 3 friends later become his lieutenants that help Lincoln run the territory he seizes as he takes over the city. Each lieutenant has a perk that you can use to help in your journey to take over the family.
Calling in favors
As you build your crime empire, you can gain perks from each Capo you are on good terms with known as calling in favors. Favors vary from:
Tapping phones lines to know who rats on you
Backup in a gunfight
Deliver and deposit cash
Refills or order new weapons
Reduce police rating/heat
Don't Betray Your Allies
Some sub-bosses perks/favors are better than others such as calling off the heat or calling for a crew to help you in a fight, so stacking those perks will be beneficial but have the cost of losing allies. There is a way to keep everyone happy and territory assigned fairly, but when you get greedy or snub your nose at one sub-boss problems will happen. If you streamline your workflow with perks and territory assignments to one lieutenants, then your other two sub-bosses/lieutenants will get mad and try to put a hit out on you. Once you go to war with a sub-boss you lose all the perks you had and you're on your own with who you picked.
Graphics
Developers really checked all the boxes that GTA created with an open world infrastructure. Driving around and exploring New Bourdeaux took me to places I never seen in video games such as diverse downtown bathing houses, swamps filled with gators and river boat casinos. Being from that areas myself, I thought developers were spot on with the local color.
Combat
If you're a high volume gun battle Call of Duty player, then Mafia 3 is not the game for you. There is a standard array weapons such as high powered rifles and ammo, but the most useful strategy is drawing from Lincoln's black ops background and being stealthy. Sometimes you can save yourself a long battle by scouting the area, whistling when enemies are close and stabbing them. The cover system is familiar but functional. When the cover system doesn't glitch out it is perfect for achieving objectives. That being said, sometimes you will experience oops moments that will you exposed and vulnerable. Luckily, the AI in the game lack a sense of self preservation or team work, so you can think on your feet and get the job done.
Overall
Like I said early, Mafia 3 is its own game and it's not like anything else on the market. I will give the game some props for addressing social injustice issues from 1968 that were left unresolved and escalated into 2016. The game went there, and it made you look at America for the first time as a developing nation that gets more done when we diversify and work together. I give Mafia 3 a 9/10. It's not perfect, but I feel it is a step in the right direction for story, combat, and graphics.
