When Mafia 1 came the free-roaming concept wasn't that wide spread was it? Nowadays pretty much all games feature some sort of free-roaming. Mafia 2 didn't have much of that. But as a game and story wise it's awesome. I finished Mafia 1 and Mafia 2, I really liked how the two stories meshed. I hadn't read much about the game, just watched screenshots and trailers. With all the free-roaming games around nowadays I figured Mafia 2 would be the same and despite the fact I like free-roaming (I still run around fully upgraded and no missions just killing things in Prototype) I still got the "just one more mission" feeling in Mafia 2. There is also a mission pack out now which I haven't tried out, promises hours of extra missions.
Well those are my thoughts, if you don't care just don't read it. If you liked Mafia 1 you will like Mafia 2, if you're a die hard GTA fan, you might want to look elsewhere. I hope that sheds some light on it, it's not a bad game but many reviewers (NOT all) lower the score because of the linear story driven game and doesn't give the game a fair chance.

I don't know what it's with me and this John Walker fellow, but I don't think there are any people in the games press that I disagree more often with than him.
Unsurprisingly, I disagree about Mafia 2 as well. It's a great game in my opinion. True, the story doesn't work so well, and there's too much driving, but I love the missions. Even the "mundane" tasks. Oh, and the mission John Walker complains about (the part with the vomit) is hilarious.

He's a good writer, but he disappointed me with that review in several places. He knocks the fist-fighting, but then he didn't even know you hold the block button rather than press it when attacked. He attacks the vulgarity but it's no more juvenile than other mob stories, and more importantly it's not as common as he pretends it is. I also disagree on the story, I thought it was quite good... not amazing, maybe not as good as the original, but good. Amazing by video game standards.
At least he didn't bash it for having no mini-games though like everyone else did.

A neat game, but surely, not a game of 2010. I'm amazed that the Czech pulled off a game that eats GTA4 for breakfast, yet sadly lacks some of GTA's high points. The story was quite effing good, and even though blood and gore doesn't impact me when i see some gruesome vids from accidents, the Exit The Dragon intro really put my peptic ulcer to a test.
I was a bit disappointed with the lack of any side missions, variety and stuff at the beginning, but then i've learned to appreciate what i've received. I won't agree with 2K's reasoning, that side missions distract You from the main storyline, but it's not really that painful. The bad thing is that the game hints for those side jobs in many places, the phone, Derrick, and most painfully Mike, who greeted me with a line "are you looking for some work?". Ok, i get it, a DLC will give us those missions, i can live with that, as long as there's a bunch of them.
At this point i must point one little thing that i miss since.... GTA 2. And both Mafia 2 and the GTA series lack that thing since that game [i can't say much for Saints Row, because i'm a PC gamer]. That thing would be, multiple 'powers' in the city, which are affected by the missions the character undertakes. I know Mafia 2 tries to focus on the plot of the illusion of money and power one can gain quickly, but it would be nice to do even some dirty work for all the families, for example in the 50s. I really hope the DLCs will give us an opportunity to juggle on the scales there. Attempting to make a living in the mob world, while trying not to get yourself on the black list of one family, would be awesome.
The other thing that i miss since the short and small, but neat expansion to GTA3, called Vice City [i refuse to call it a separate game], are the businesses the player can run, Imagine getting some extra wealth and rep, buy dealing in stolen cars, prostitution, owning restaurants, etc.
Those two things wouldn't really ruin the story, they would enrich it, giving more sense to the fact of being accepted into the family, and owning cars, or buying stuff. When i played the game, i've felt no need to own more cars, or buy guns, and since the game offers that, i think it should be able to use it's potential.
So, when it comes to my humble opinion, i'd give the game a neat mark of SOLID and WORTH PLAYING. Nothing extraordinary though.

Learning that they are saving the side missions for DLC is insulting. While there was no guarantee of something as solid as the car theft missions of the first game (each with its own voice acting, mission scripting, etc.), I expected a GTA-style "gotta steal 'em all" task at the very least (deliver one of every vehicle on the list to get a unique car or whatever). Having to pay extra money to get such a feature is ridiculous. Splitting off this game's equivalent of freeride as DLC--due next week, to make matters worse--is just as bad.
Saints Row 2 has a PC version. :)

Saint's Row 2 is the more manic and insanely over the top missions of GTA: San Andreas made into an entire game. The storyline is terrible from start to finish. The PC port is utter trash that runs terribly on high-end systems and, last I checked, ran in Windows 7 at 150% speed with no fix.
So no, not worth it.

So it's all about what i hated about SanAn? Jump a sh@tty car to sh@tty music mandatory missions? Eff that! ;P
I'll wait and see what gets added to Mafia 2, though the Aug 31st DLC doesn't sound fantastic.

Oh thank God, I'm not alone.
Haven't played a GTA game ever, nor a Mafia title. Mafia II looks interesting though.

Ah yes, sweet ignorance. And I love how these are the same people who get angry when the news media plays on the stereotypes associated with GTA with regard to violence.
Outside of San Andreas and GTA4 (to a lesser extent), GTA has largely been about the mafia. When there have been "gangstas", it has almost always been done in an intentionally over the top manner that pokes fun at things.
As for Mafia 2: I played the demo, wasn't impressed. Combat felt like just another third-person shooter. And, in general, I agree with the RPS guys and John Walker, so I will take their review at its worth.
Not saying it is a bad game. Just saying that I tend to agree with the RPS guys on games (have been a few cases where I strongly disagreed, but not many), so unless one of them feels strongly enough to offer a counter-opinion, I'll pass on this until it is dirt cheap.

From what I've read, the attitude in Mafia II is essentially the same as that in the GTA games, but about a half a decade older. The game has racism, sexism, and most certainly people being gangsters (although, admittedly, not "ganstas"), but the tides of time have caused many people to romanticize these behaviors and view them as better, although they are effectively the same.
YMMV though.

I personally don't bother with reviews when there's a demo available. All reviews ever tell me is that the reviewer either didn't like the game, wasn't paid enough to review the game, wasn't given enough of an incentive to review the game honestly, and so forth. Reviews never tell me whether I'm personally going to like and enjoy playing a game.
As it is, I guess this *is* another case of Valve fucking over Japan by not releasing the game correctly. Which means yet another drawn out battle with support and the BBB. (Can't even just get the game gifted if it's not been unlocked for Japan as even gifts won't unlock for the region. Fucking Steamworks. =(

Yes, I've actually watched the GTA games being played by others many times, so I know all about that. It is indeed crime/mafia oriented, but I still find the gangsta thing annoying. Wasn't implying that they're the embodiment of the series. They're certainly not the reason I haven't played them.
PoSSeSSeDCoW's answer was helpful. Thanks for the info Cowman.

Who the hell mentioned the media, violence or whatever?
I simply stated that I don't like that setting.

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Prison scene in Mafia 2 is exactly the same as Shawshank Redemption. I watched the movie 7 times now.
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