Variety is the spice of life, or so they say. This means that you can quickly have a pile of eight or nine enemies, all lured out the same way, and all not even reacting to the dead body pile they are walking up to in broad daylight. Even if your whistle is within the severely limited earshot of the enemies, only one of them will investigate at a time. Holding left on the directional pad causes you to whistle, which can draw out a single enemy. Lincoln has an Assassin’s Creed-like ability to see enemies through walls, outlined in red, without ever actually seeing them. Enemies are hilariously predictable, which makes most missions a yawn-fest in terms of challenge. I knew from the early hours spent with this game that this would be an issue. Cars feel like they vary more with the simulation mode turned on, with sports cars handling much tighter than the cruiser automobiles.Ī major flaw in Mafia III is in its AI implementation. Speaking of driving, it is actually rather pleasant once you turn on the game’s simulation handling model, as opposed to the more arcade-type controls which are on by default. It sure beats attempting to manually aim while driving at the same time. You simply press L1 to select a target, and then press R1 when a reticle turns green on the target, which does so when you are close enough to the target and have a clean shot. I do commend Hangar 13 for coming up with a control scheme that works for combat while driving. Instead, on certain objects, you can climb by moving towards the object and pressing Triangle. Oddly, you cannot jump, which limits your mobility on occasion. The control scheme is a little different than other third-person games of this nature, and takes a little bit of getting used to. More than anything else, it’s the music that gets you to believe that this game takes place in the late ‘60s. Just a small sampling of the stations reveals songs from Elvis Presley, Etta James, Jimi Hendrix, Marvin Gaye, the Ramones, and so much more. There are several radio stations featuring all the music you could ask for from the time period. On the other hand, the audio in Mafia III is impressive.

Furthermore, lighting is also occasionally an issue, where, depending on the time of day, the sun will completely block out your view. Most things in the distance are blurry, and there is a very weird effect constantly in the distance, which makes the road appear reflective when it should not. While character models are crisp, and emotions are easily displayed during cutscenes, the rest of the game is disappointing. The city certainly feels alive, even if it doesn’t really look all that good.

The bayou area even features alligators in the swamps, which is something to consider if you decide to go for a swim. Between the classic American muscle cars cruising the city, diners, and large industrial lots, there is no mistake that you are in a quintessential American city. The game begins (though not chronologically) around Mardi Gras, when the city does really feel alive. New Orleans is spiritually re-created as New Bordeaux in Mafia III, and those who love this portion of the American South will really enjoy the setting. Lincoln’s melee kills are also particularly brutal, though you do have the option of performing non-lethal takedowns instead. There’s “good ol’ boys” calling Lincoln and other racial minorities all the popular slurs of the times, and Playboy magazines to collect, nude spreads and all. This is a game that very much earns its M rating. Lincoln is an African American, in a setting that reminds him of that fact nearly anywhere he goes. The twist is that these events take place in 1968, a very tumultuous time in America’s history. When you get back home, things are turned upside-down once again, and you are determined to have your revenge. Without giving much away, you play as Lincoln Clay, a Vietnam war veteran whose life has been tough from the word go.

Mafia 3 non lethal