Hello, gangster girls and boys. I assume that every gamer has a special place in their heart and strongly nostalgic feelings for this game. For me, it’s the first Mafia game from 2002, as it is the case with many Czech gamers, one of the first “adult” games I had the pleasure to play. And I tell you, it totally blew me away. I was stunned by how gorgeously it depicts the 1930’s and tells a gripping story in style of Godfather joined by an action-packed gameplay full of variety. This Czech critically acclaimed darling was made by the talented Illusion Softworks studio from my hometown. Actually, its main creator happens to be my neighbor.

Story

The game puts you in the shoes of a gangster called Thomas Angelo, who found himself in a rather pesky situation because of his previous involvement with one of the most powerful mafia families in the city of Lost Heaven; the Salieris who are trying their hardest to “take care” of him for his betrayal which, of course, means kill him. Tommy’s solution to this is to seek help at a police detective. They meet in a cozy café and he agrees to ensure Tommy, his wife and daughter a new home in another city, and witness protection. In return, he wants to know everything about their operations that our protagonist was involved in.

So he tells the detective the whole story.

Tommy’s previous job used to be a taxi driver. However, things took an interesting turn for him thanks to an encounter with two of the Salieri’s guys, that fateful evening after his shift. He was given an offer that cannot be refused; to give them a ride away from the Morello’s (the other family’s goons) who were chasing them. Tommy had no other choice than to cooperate.

For his valuable service, Don Salieri gives him some cash for the taxi repairs and some extra. He also offers to help him whenever he finds himself in the need.

One day, during his break, Tommy gets ambushed by another group of Morello’s goons who have the intention of “taking care” of him. Naturally, he tries to run away and just as he notices there is Salieri’s bar in the place he is just about to run past it, Tommy goes inside of the bar and with the very convenient help of Salieri’s men, manages to get rid of this threat.

Then, Tommy was offered to do a couple of jobs for Salieri and after he proves his qualities, he becomes a valuable member of his family. Tommy’s life becomes much more exciting, richer but also bloodier. His best friends and work buddies become Paulie and Sam he saved that fateful night.

This game introduces you to numerous characters, all of whom are very memorable, deep and you’ll be able to remember their names and recognize them quickly.

Presentation

Although it may not look as shiny now, at the time of its release Mafia’s graphics were something more than just standard. Thanks to its attention to detail and use of motion-capture, the character models used to look highly realistic (actually they still do). Another outstanding thing about the characters, at least in the Czech localized version, is their top-notch voice acting done by one of the best-known actors our country has to offer. The city, that’s modeled after 30’s versions of Chicago and New York, doesn’t lack behind either at all at its awesomeness. The huge map of Lost Heaven is filled with varied and gorgeous locations. The streets are alive and populated with quite a number of civilian character models, for the time. Every district has a distinctive look and each has its unique feel to it and a piece of licensed jazz music from the period playing when you wonder around there. Talking about music, the original orchestrated score composed by Vladimír Šimůnek is just perfect bringing a nostalgic tear to my eye every time I hear it.

Simply put, its high production values are bloody marvelous!

How does it play?

The core gameplay could be summarized by just saying it consists of 3rd person shooting and driving. However, it’s much more than that. The mechanics are functional and work rather well in their own right, but Mafia isn’t just another GTA clone.  Its missions are extremely varied, my favorite being the one called Happy Birthday (or at least I hope they translated it so into English) where your mission is to get on a steamboat in a staff uniform and assassinate an important city councilor who’s hosting his birthday party there. This mission shows how densely packed with detail the locations can be and that it also has elements of adventure games. Every civilian has something to say (if they are not throwing up from the boat at the moment because of their seasickness). You can listen to their dialogue or even interact with them yourself.

In other missions, you do stuff like blowing up a brothel, circuit racing, taking revenge on people who betrayed your family, trying to kill Morello, sneaking into a rich guy’s mansion full of guards, robbing a bank and much more. Thanks to this incredible variety you never encounter a dull moment, which is what every game should be like.

The only troubling thing can be a weak AI of both your enemies and companions (because if they die too, it’s Game Over) and some occasional bugs. For instance, when I once hit a hydrant on a street with a baseball bat while still having a major part of my health points, I died instantly. On the other hand, the fact the policemen are no geniuses adds even more to the realism.

Summary

Overall, Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven is a masterpiece in my eyes, whose graphics might not have aged very well, but its narrative, soundtrack, and atmosphere are unforgettable and timeless. It is an essential for every gamer who loves well-told stories in his or her games and something our nation can be proud of.