One of the more slept on open-world franchises in gaming has to be the Mafia series. This GTA-like series lets you participate in the many illegal activities revolving around the Italian Mob. The 2nd entry ended on quite the cliffhanger and, since 2010, many fans have been left wondering if they’d get some answers to their lingering questions.
Well, some of those inquiries will be given closure and a bunch of new questions will come into play. You won’t be stepping into the classy shoes of an Italian anti-hero this time; instead, you’ll take on the role of a grizzled Vietnam War veteran named Lincoln Clay. As Clay, you’ll be setting out on a path of revenge and redemption in an environment inspired by 1968 New Orleans. Not only will this entry tackle some touchy themes that were present in its time period, it will also feature stronger gameplay elements and a plot worth seeing unfold.
Here’s everything you need to know about 2K Games and Hangar 13’s Mafia III.
1. You’ll Take the Role of a New Character Named Lincoln Clay
Lincoln Clay, a biracial orphan adopted and raised by black mobsters, returns to New Bordeaux after serving in the Vietnam War. Upon his arrival, Clay is brought right into the criminal empire that raised him. His first major job puts him alongside Giorgi Marcano, who just so happens to be heir to the Marcano crime family. Both men successfully rob the Federal Reserve and plans are made to divide the money evenly between both of the mobs who participated in the heist.
However, Giorgi and his father decide to turn on Clay and his crime family. An ambush goes down at a bar, leaving all of the black mob leaders dead and Clay hanging on for his life after being shot in the head. A priest named Father James manages to help aid Clay in his time of need. Now, Clay sets out to take down the Marcano family and their associates while constructing his own criminal empire along the way.
2. The Game Takes Place in its Own Reimagined Take on 1968 New Orleans
This 3rd-person open world title places you in New Bordeaux, a location that’s clearly inspired by 1968 New Orleans. Everything including the songs you’ll hear, the cars you’ll drive, the clothes you wear, the weapons you’ll wield and the people you’ll see reflect the era Clay’s placed within. Mafia III will tackle elements of racism, which was quite prevalent during that time period in America. For example, Clay may raise the ire of the police in certain areas as he walks around and cause them to become suspicious even though you may be driving around safely. Of course, if you end up breaking the speed limit the police will have enough reason to chase you down.
3. Building Your Own Criminal Empire Means You’ll Gain Allies and Capture Mob Hideouts
Clay is a military veteran, which means he’s quite lethal in his approach to combat and stealth. You can choose to head into missions guns blazing or take down each threat with a more stalk-and-kill approach. Clay can pull off some particularly brutal finishing moves on unlucky enemies, plus he can choose to interrogate special NPC’s after beating them up to gather new intel. Taking down special locations run by the Italian Mob challenges you to take it for your own empire; you can call on the aid of your mob lieutenants and rely on their skill set to make tasks easier to handle.
Speaking of the mob lieutenants you’ll partner up with, that group of criminal associates includes Cassandra, Thomas Burke and Vito Scaletta. As you attain new mob locations, it’s up to you to choose which lieutenant you think is capable of properly running its operation. Defending these hideouts is a task that you constantly have to be aware of. Your decisions can affect the overall relationships with each character, so you have to do your best to stay cool with them and not cause too much dissension amongst your crew.
4. The Soundtrack Features Hundreds of Classic Tunes That Fits the Game’s Time Period
Mafia III’s soundtrack has been carefully curated to make sure it stays loyal to the time period it’s reflective of. It mixes in tunes from a number of genres, such as soul, country, rhythm & blues, classic rock and traditional Louisiana Zydeco music. All of this music can be heard throughout the game as you ride around in cars, visit bars/nightclubs and listen to random radios. The main composers of the soundtrack, Jesse Harlin and Jim Bonney, chose to select artists such as The Beach Boys, James Brown, Johnny Cash, Same Cooke and plenty of other world renowned musicians. There’s literally hundreds of songs to listen to within the game. Feel free to sample a few of them in the video playlist posted above.
5. Mafia 3 Comes in Three Variations; Tons of Free and Paid DLC are on the Horizon
For a major Fall gaming release such as Mafia III, it certainly deserves the grand multiple editions treatment. Luckily for us, that’s definitely the case. You can choose to obtain this game in three different ways: Regular, Deluxe or Collector’s. Pre-ordering any of these three variations will gift you with the “Family Kick-Back” DLC pack, which adds in three exclusive vehicles and three custom-themed guns. The Deluxe Edition happens to come with the Season Pass and a physical map of New Bordeaux.
And finally, the Collector’s Edition packages up the following physical/digital items:
– a physical copy of the game
– all the bonus digital content gifted with the Deluxe Edition
– The Art of Mafia III Collectible Art Book
– Lincoln Clay’s physical Replica Dog Tags
– Faux Leather Establishment Drink Coasters
– collectible Art Prints
– Mafia III: Original Game Score vinyl soundtrack
– Mafia III: Official Soundtrack of New Bordeaux vinyl
Buy the Deluxe Edition of Mafia III here.
Buy the Collector’s Edition of Mafia III here.
Mafia III’s a huge game unto itself, but developer Hangar 13 will be doing its best to keep owners of it satisfied with post-launch DLC. A mix of free and paid DLC is on the way. The free DLC will arrive in the form of a new weapons pack, vehicle customization selections, new main character costumes and a wholly separate racing series that offers even more gameplay and rewards. The premium DLC that you can get if you have the Season Pass offers up three future expansions.
Check out the DLC expansion descriptions provided by the game’s official website below:
– “Faster, Baby!”: Fast cars, dramatic chases, and stunt driving take center stage as Lincoln joins forces with his former flame, Roxy Laveau, to take down a corrupt Sheriff terrorizing Civil Rights activists on the outskirts of New Bordeaux.
– “Sign of the Times”: A string of ritualistic killings has New Bordeaux on the edge of terror. At Father James’ request, Lincoln agrees to hunt down the cult responsible, a quest that will take him from the dark heart of the old bayou to the drug-ridden counterculture of the inner city.
– “Stones Unturned”: When a merciless rival resurfaces in New Bordeaux, Lincoln must join forces with CIA agent John Donovan to settle a blood feud that began in the war-torn jungles of Vietnam.