Recent reviews by SABYA

Story

The game is set during the late 40s and early 50s.You play as Vito Scaletta a young and ambitious man who was born to a poor family in Sicily,Italy and later moves to Empire Bay(the game's version of New York).Vito and his best chump Joe carry out petty crimes in the streets of Empire Bay until a theft gone wrong results in Vito getting arrested. Vito is later offered to fight for US army during World War II and later is discharged with Joe's help.On learning that Vito's father died with a debt of 2000$,he turns to Joe for help and together they get back to their crime life,joining the Mafia and what ensues is a life of violence,greed,betrayal and tragedy.
The story of Mafia is very well told.You easily become engaged in the game's cinematic Hollywood movie like experience with strong, believable characters in a living, breathing city.There is not a single dull moment in the entire game with some very well done voice acting by everyone in the story that make the story so much more interesting.Some lines are delivered really very well.The character of Joe is really funny and hilarious.

Henry Tomasino: If I don't make it...
Joe Barbaro: Hey, hey, don't go saying that, pal. It's just a scratch. The doc will give you a few stitches and then we'll all go out and celebrate.
Henry Tomasino: No, really...
Joe Barbaro: Shhh... you shouldn't talk right now. Helps conserve your strength. I saw that in a movie once.
Henry Tomasino: Yeah? And what happened to the guy in the movie?
Joe Barbaro: He died.

The story has makes you laugh,it makes you sad and keeps you at the edge of the seat.The best thing is that the game keeps the story good till the end,which a lot of games can't by messing up the ending.Although the ending was really sad :(.

The characters,as i mentioned are believable,very well done and memorable. You actually feel and care for the characters be it the protagonist joining the mafia due to compulsion(very much in line with Tommy Angelo's quote in the first game-"I became a criminal because i did not want to become a victim") or anybody else.Mafia 2's story is definitely good and one of the best stories told in a videogame.

SCORE - 9/10

Gameplay

Mafia 2 is an open world game set in the fictional city of Empire Bay.It's gameplay ranges from driving to melee fight to gun fights.
The city itself is very well rendered to look like the New York of 1940s and 50s.The city is divided into many sections(Little Italy,China-Town,Dock,Hillside,etc).Each section of the city feels different, China-town feels different than Little Italy.A lot of attention has been given to details in the game which makes the environment really nice. At first the game begins during a cold winter and most of the city is whitish but later on after the weather becomes better and you can see the actual beauty of the environment.It's always a delight to drive through the streets of Empire Bay.It's different from GTA, and that in my opinion is a good thing.You will find food stores,bars,clothes shop,car mechanics but unlike GTA there will be no salon,strip clubs,night clubs,gyms(I mean they are there but you can't access them unless the main mission has you do it),but still it's good.
Since the game is set in the old times,you won't find modern sports cars in it. the cars feel like real cars would from the 40s that is spongey suspension and sluggish acceleration, this is not bad design, it's how the actual cars behaved back then(as i told you attention has been given to details).Driving at times might get challenging due to a few factors such as the car skids when there is winter as the roads are icy and even during rainfall.Moreover if the cops see you stealing a car or entering a car when they are on your tail losing them off won't be helpful as the cops keep a note of your car's license number which you will have to change at a car mechanics's,and trust me getting away from cops in this game isn't that easy,Although at first it may seem tough but these challenges add to the game's fun.Moreover listening to real 40s and 5os music in your car radio adds to the atmosphere.
The game has you do a lot of stuffs such as do robberies,steal cars,chasing and tailing,shooting a person or taking down a group of your foes. Gun play is a lot of fun here consisting of a variety of guns(1911 semi automatic,Magnum,Tommy gun,Thompson,etc) and also Moltovs and Grenades.However, the pistols seem to have the same power and the grenades and moltovs do not have a wide range,but it's still a delight to pop a bullet in somebody's head.The shooting and cover system has been done well in this game unlike some games like Just Cause(but who needs shooting in that game when you can just blow things up!).Other likeable details about the shooting is that you can pick up ammo as you walk over them and reload your gun while running and also shoot while running or walking,a feature not available in many games.If cops see you shooting at someone(or do any stuff you should not do)then you need to change your dress to get them off your tail.The side missions are a little monotonous and people have criticised it for having too much driving that was not a problem for me as i love driving.There are collectables to be found in the game such as wanted posters and Playboy magazines(with actual pictures of nude and semi-nude models,so be sure to collect them when nobody who would take offence is around!).

SCORE - 8/10

Graphics

Mafia 2 has got a really good graphics quality and the game really looks good.The shadow quality and the lightings just add to the environment of this game.The water effects are pretty too.As told before the city has been redered well and the overall atmosphere in Mafia 2 is really good.The places,music,street signs,cars,buildings and ideas of that time are authentic and add to the atmosphere.

SCORE - 9/10

Story

In LAN you play as an LAPD cop and later detective named Cole Phelps a former war hero in WW II. LAN is set in the Los Angeles of 1947 which has been created beautifully.In the game you start up as a cop and later get promoted due to your notable breakthroughs.At first it seem LAN has no story and it's just random cases which you have solve but later on as you proceed you unravel a story of army surplus Morphine racketeering and land bussiness scam which has Cole personally involved as his former army freinds are being murdered.It also features many sub-plots and also shows past incidents of Cole's life in the army which forms a major part of the plot. The game's story is very well told,the way each case in the later part of the game coincides with the plot revolving around the protagonist is wonderful.The cases which are not related to the main plot are very well told as well and most of them are inspired from real life crimes which kinda gives you creeps when you play the missions featuring gruesome murders.
The voice acting and facial acting is very well done as well. Yes i said facial acting. Team Bondi has used some technology using multiple cameras and used the real expressions of the actors in the game which along with good voice acting adds to the atmosphere. When the characters talk you feel like they are real people.It is one great feature of L.A Noire.

SCORE: 9/10

Gameplay

The gameplay of LAN is simply unique.The gamplay ranges from gun fights,melee fights,foot chase,car chase,tailing missions(both in car and foot),driving cars,puzzle solving(riddles and stuff)investigating clues,interrogation.You play the game as a cop and paly through various departments. You start the game as a patrol man then get promoted to be a detective at the traffic department,then to homicide then vice and finally arson.The best missions are the one in homicide and vice.

The game's uniqueness lies in it's clue finding and interrogation.In the interrogation you question your witness and when you are answered by the suspect, you must determine wether he/she is telling the truth or lying. You are given three options in this mater, 1st option is truth which you select if you think the suspect is telling the truth,2nd option is doubt which you choose when you think your suspect is lying but don't have any proof and the 3rd is lying when you think your suspect is lying and you have proof to back up your charge.You may wonder how to determine wether your suspect is lying or not well it's by studying the expression of the suspect.As I told you earlier the technology used in this game is unique and the real expression of the actors are used. When people lie they make all sorts of silly expression(susupicious) and when telling the truth they look straight faced.If you accuse a person the of lying make sure you have got proof and from the clues listed in your notebook you have to choose the correct ones as selecting the wrong one will get that question wrong.Though making mistakes won't totally fail the case but getting less than half the questions on the case right fails the mission.Passing the missions is not the only aim,you are even rated from between 1-5 stars,the more stars you get the more salary you earn.Detucting these truth-lie mechanisms are sometimes easy and sometimes hard.You have to stay attentive in order to get the correct clues to branch to the questions. Wether they ae lying or not is mostly easy as while lying the actors make silly suspicious faces,selecting the real clue is a challenge.
As this is a cop game you cannot always carry around your gun on the streets and use it,they can only be used during gun fights.
Driving mechs are simillar to that of the GTA games and you can take any car on the street and drive it,only this time you don't punch people on the face but show off your batch take the car saying you need it for upholding justice.Driving is pretty easy but don't expect to see Lambourghinis as this is set in the 40's.
The game has side missions in the form of street crimes that is crimes that have sprung up immediately and the crime is still in the act where you have to respond quick,it can be chasing the criminals or fighting them.
The puzzles and riddles are very well done as well, most of them really challenge your brain while some are very easy.
Open world is not directly in the main game(as u r actually solving a case at the beginning of all cases) but from the menu you can select the free world mode and play it but there is nothing of much interest.

Crashing cars and damaging properties will affect you rating and minus your salary(though they are of no use in the game).Killing people while driving be penalised as you fail the mission in doing so.

Though it has got some unique feature palying LAN at a stretch might get boring.

SCORE: 9/10

Graphics

The graphics of LAN are mordern considering the date of release of the game(2011) and are sweet to the eyes even now(2015).This graphics quality along with the facial feature technology used in this game for the first time in video gaming history is awesome. The city of Los Angeles of 1940's looks beautiful and is realistic(even features racialy biased cops),It really feels like your are in the LA of 1947.

SCORE: 9/10