Mafia II

News of a delayed release is rarely a cause for celebration, but Mafia II might just be the exception. We’ve been watching the progress of 2K Czech’s sequel to its own minor classic with great interest, and the level of ambition evident in its latest demonstration makes us only too happy to see it pushed back until next year. Sometimes, the best things really do come to those who wait.

You play as Vito, an Italian soldier who left his home country to seek a better life in America, the land of opportunity. As a basic context, it’s rather clichéd, but 2K Czech is determined to make this a more human story than typical rags-to-ill-gotten-riches narratives.

The demonstration we saw showcased a remarkable level of detail in the Empire City environment, with the Forties setting wonderfully evoked by wartime advertising and well-chosen licensed music. Admittedly, the action looked somewhat generic, but the dramatic and rather brilliant cut-scenes suggest there will be more to Mafia II than just guns and bullets.