Brutality in the Bayou
It has been five years since Mafia 2, and to be honest even at the time I barely thought about the open-world, organized-crime franchise. Mafia 3 looks set to change that, with the initial trailer outlining an emotionally powerful story that rings true with the mob’s focus on family, while placing it in a setting rarely seen in games.
I’ll make you an offer you are interested in not refusing
Set to follow the story of Lincoln Clay, Mafia 3 does not place you in the titular Italian crime syndicate. Instead you are a Vietnam veteran who – after a hard upbringing as a mixed-raced orphan – found acceptance in the military. Returning to the States, he again struggled to find somewhere to belong, until he finds it in a gang – a choice that leads to him to abandon many of his beliefs.
And this is where the Mafia comes in, killing his adoptive family during a territory grab. It’s a wonderful foundation for a sordid tale of revenge. To succeed you will have to align yourself with other small criminal groups, building an empire to overthrow the Italian mob and reshape New Orleans.
You wanna play rough?
Mafia 3’s open-world design will allow you to freely explore the city, gathering intelligence to help you decide how to tackle situations before going to war against the Italians. While the core of the game will incorporate a lot of cover-based gun-play (expect the standard range of period appropriate shotguns and revolvers), there will also be melee and stealth options on offer.
It is a bold choice to move the game from the historic bastions of organized crime like 50’s New York and Chicago, but what has been shown of this 1968 New Orleans certainly looks distinct. With so much going on during this period of America’s history developer, Hanger 13, will certainly have enough source material to stretch its creative legs. Plus there is the iconic music, which should ensure that – if nothing else – the soundtrack will be fantastic.
Coming soon-ish
Set for release during 2K’s 2016 fiscal year, you can expect to see Mafia 3 on your PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4, sometime between April 1st and December 31st next year.
