Mafia III is a disappointment to the franchise. I didn't think it was possible, but it’s actually worse than Mafia II. While there are some pros—such as the visually stunning world, improved gunplay, nice cinematics, enhanced graphics and sound—the positives end there.

The story feels lackluster compared to the previous installments. There’s no garage to store vehicles, and fewer vehicles you can "own." Car customization is minimal, with many options locked behind tedious, repetitive tasks. The game forces you to grind through these tasks just to unlock certain upgrades for vehicles, guns, etc.

Additionally, there are no stores where you can buy items. In Mafia II, which came out in 2011, you could buy a freaking hotdog. You could also customize cars better in the previous game. Instead of building on the cool features from Mafia II, they decided to remove or lock them behind a grindy gameplay loop.

Overall this game doesn't feel like mafia.

While Mafia 3 does not feature as strong and compelling a story as its predecessors, and keeping in mind the game is structured in a way that the majority of your activities will feel very repetitive, it is still a fun experience. The gunplay is solid and improves massively once you start unlocking combat perks, the driving features heavy physics and just makes sense, and the worldbuilding and atmosphere are top-notch.

Also, the cinematics feature some of the most memorable performances I can recall in a long time, as far as story-driven action games are concerned.

A respectable 7.5/10 game that does not scream about being the best, but is worth a shot. New Bordeaux awaits!

2/10 trash