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Mafia II

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Mafia II
File:Mafia2-game-logo.png
Developer(s)2K Czech
Publisher(s)2K Games
Designer(s)Lead Designer

Daniel Vávra

Pavel Brzák
Artist(s)Roman Hladík (Lead Artist)
Writer(s)Daniel Vávra [2]
EngineThe Illusion Engine
PhysX (physics engine)[3]
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
ReleaseJanuary-June 2010[1]
Genre(s)Sandbox, third-person shooter
Mode(s)Single-player

Mafia II is an upcoming 2010 sandbox-style third-person shooter video game which is the sequel to Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven. It is being developed by 2K Czech, previously known as Illusion Softworks,[4] and will be published by 2K Games.

Mafia 2 was announced in August 2007 at the Leipzig Games Convention.[5] and will be available for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It is currently due to be released some time in January[6] 2010.[1]

Gameplay

The game will be set from 1945 and 1955 in Empire Bay (originally called Empire City earlier in the game's development), a fictional city based on San Francisco and New York City.[7] The name is a reference to New York's state nickname "The Empire State".[8] The game will feature a completely open-ended game map of 10 square miles. No restrictions are included from the start of the game.[2] There will also be around 50 vehicles in the game, as well as licensed music from the era. [9]

Many small arms from the previous game will make a return, for example the Thompson M1928, the Colt 1911 and a pump action shotgun. As seen in screenshots, new WWII-era weapons like the MP40 and the M3 Grease Gun will make an appearance in the game as well as the MG42.

Interacting with objects in the environment involves two action buttons- a standard action and a "violent" action, used in context-sensitive situations. A map will be included as in the original Mafia game. The checkpoint system has been completely overhauled.[citation needed] New controls allow the player to hide behind objects (such as generators, walls and large crates) to shoot enemies, rather than just using a crouch while behind an object.

It has been stated by 2K Czech that the game's cutscenes are created by the game engine, in real time, rather than pre-rendered cutscenes.[10]

Synopsis

Mafia 2 is a gritty drama which chronicles the rise of Vito Scaletta, the son of Sicilian immigrants. As the game progresses, Vito will join a crime family and become "a made man." The game will include multiple situations where the player can decide the outcome and their choice will lead to one of several different endings.

The story begins with the player character Vito returning home on leave from World War II. Vito had joined the U.S. military as a way of avoiding jail time for a botched robbery. Vito reunites with his old friend, Joe Barbaro, and the two quickly embark upon a life of crime. Their criminal ascension starts with Mikey, a car mechanic who gets in a conflict with Joe. Mikey also needs a certain type of car to chop for parts, and will pay $400 for one that the police are not tailing. Soon enough, Vito, Joe, and Henry Tomasino (already a made man in the Clemente family) find themselves battling with, for, against, and around three crime factions: the Falconi, Vinci and Clemente families. The player is later introduced to Eddie Scarpa (a capo in one of the three crime families)[11]. Another character is Marty, a young, novice getaway driver who takes Vito and Joe to the Empire Arms hotel in the mission "Room Service" involving the assassination of the Clemente family's don.

The game will contain two hours of in-game cutscenes. The original game, Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven, had a screenplay of 400 pages, opposed to the 700 pages of the sequel. Daniel Vávra, the writer and director of the original and the sequel, discussed the new angle of the game stating: "The old game was a tribute to gangster movies, a romantic vision. Mafia 2 is grittier, real, a darker world, and the effects are based in reality." The Official Playstation Magazine states: "A high body count is still promised in this tale set in a fictional city 'inspired by' New York of the 1940s and '50s, but those casualties will come the hard way -- through small-scale operations rather than mass firefights."

Marketing and release

A promotional trailer was released for the game in August 2007. The first scene occurs in a low-key restaurant where a Mafia boss (or Don), DeLuca, is having dinner with Henry Tomasina, Joe Barbaro and Vito Scaletta, the main character. After some small talk, DeLuca asks Vito if he is against killing "human animals." Then follows a montage of clips from the game's cutscenes and gameplay. The next scene takes place in a warehouse. A man is crawling on the floor, begging for his life. Henry fires his gun at the man and the scene ends. The last scene is an obvious reference to the film Goodfellas; the three gangsters (Joe, Vito and Eddie) are in a car, driving to a suitable place to dispose of a body. The song "Oh Marie" by Louis Prima is featured in the trailer.

A second trailer was released on the Spike VGA show on the 14 December 2008.[12] The first part of the trailer occurs in one of Empire Bay's churches and features Vito with his mother. It is followed by a montage of gameplay and cutscenes that feature scenes of Vito being welcomed by Joe and parts of several shoot-outs and pursuits. The song "Long Tall Sally" by Little Richard is featured in the trailer. An extended version of the trailer was released on 15 January with an extra 30 seconds of cutscene footage. Vito is shown leaving the church alongside his mother; who he drops off in a taxi. Then, a car carrying Henry, Joe, and Eddie pick up Vito and they drive off, laughing.[13]

The first gameplay footage to be publicly aired was debuted on the Gamespot website on the 17th of April 2009[14] as part of an interview with Mafia II's producer, Denby Grace. The video shows driving and gunplay aspects to gameplay as well as portraying the physics engine. The interview was later removed.

A third trailer was uploaded to the website on May 28, 2009. It shows Vito, Joe and Henry discussing a hit contract and the mission following. This trailer is darker and more gritty than the previous videos. It is meant to portray the darker side of Mafia life. At the end of the trailer, the target of the contract is shown begging for his life with a gun pointed to his head, his fate is left unknown.

From June 1, 2009, four short videos are to be added to the Mafia II website. The first of these is called "The Art Of Persuasion" and features the song "Mercy, Mr Percy" by the female singer Varetta Dillard.

Another video was released featuring footage from the mission "The Buzzsaw". The video shows the fate of "The Fat Man" who appeared in the earlier trailers.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/take-two-lines-up-heavyweights-for-early-2010
  2. ^ a b Reparaz, Mikel (April 23, 2008). "Mafia II: The Interview". GamesRadar. p. 3. Retrieved 2008-10-12.
  3. ^ "Mafia II game engine". Worth Playing. December 7, 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-07.
  4. ^ Robinson, Martin (January 8, 2008). "Take-Two Takes Mafia Dev". IGN. Retrieved 2008-09-27.
  5. ^ "2K Games Announces Mafia 2". 2K Games. August 21, 2007. Retrieved 2008-09-27.
  6. ^ http://www.gamestop.com/browse/search.aspx?N=0&Ntk=TitleKeyword&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntt=Mafia%20II
  7. ^ Ivan, Tom (October 19, 2008). "First Mafia 2 details roll in". Computer and Video Games. Retrieved 2008-11-04.
  8. ^ "Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Acquires Illusion Softworks". Take 2 Games. January 8, 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-27.
  9. ^ "Mafia II GamesCom 2009 Preview". Gaming Union. August 27, 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-27.
  10. ^ Hrebicek, Tomas (January 15, 2009). "Mafia II Holiday Confessions interview". IGN. Retrieved 2009-01-15.
  11. ^ Playstation: The Official Magazine, May '08 edition
  12. ^ New Mafia II Trailer Debuting On The Spike VGAs December 14th
  13. ^ Extended trailer
  14. ^ Park, Andrew (April 16, 2009). "Mafia II Impressions - Exclusive First Preview". GameSpot. Retrieved 2009-04-27.
  15. ^ Mafia II Walk-Through Video 1

External links