Mafia 3 Reviews
With its rich characterisation, documentary style focus and its unrelenting scrutiny of the darkness within American culture, Mafia 3 provides a thoughtful and at times confrontational experience which since now has been missing from the open world genre.
A feast for the eyes, ears and emotions, Mafia III lives in a vibrant, but brutal and blood-soaked world
Mafia 3 will divide the audience; it's forced to live halfway between the technical problems and the excellence of a truly overwhelming narrative.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Mafia 3 bietet eine der besten Geschichten eines Open World Games der letzten Jahre und liefert zusätzlich einen passenden Schauplatz der eigentlich nur durch starke technische Probleme heruntergespielt wird. Fans von einer gut durchdachten Story und gelungenen Haupt-Quests, werden mit Mafia 3 auf jeden Fall ihren Spaß haben.
Review in German | Read full review
Overall I did really enjoy the game bugs aside, it won't happen to everyone. The game has some beautiful cut-scenes, dialog from the time, and a great voice over cast. I really enjoyed characters Lincoln and Donovan, the way they set this up will leave you wondering why one guy would help a man go on such a crazy killing spree, against the mob no less. The ending connects all the dots and leaves you happy with the time you invested. There are several different endings depending on who you kill and who you don't as well as how you dish out the territory. Mafia 3 blends this with a killer soundtrack and replayability. The game isn't perfect but it's fun, and I can totally recommend you play it.
Ever listen to a hip-hop album that is laced with incredible production, but the MC's lyrics and delivery are hit and miss? Mafia III is the video game equivalent to that analogy. The folks in charge of the presentation, script and story have done a bang-up job. Clay's quest for revenge is enough to keep your attention throughout. If you approach Mafia III as an interactive journey, then you probably won't have any issue with it overall. If you're looking for a fully fleshed out title akin to GTA, then Mafia III could come off as a shallow release.
Mafia III is a smartly written and enthralling open-world action game bogged down by technical issues and a repetitive structure.
In the end, my vengeance did little more than beget more pain in the city I made mine. Mafia III took me through a grand tale of loss and, in the end, after all of my macho escapades, I was left more empty, realizing no amount of killing could change what was done. For that reason, Mafia III is not a game to be missed by anyone.
Mafia 3 is a title that should be tried to the end to be appreciated. The story of Lincoln Clay is worth to be played, because too often the narrative plot is put aside in favor of high resolution textures and stunning special effects.
Review in Italian | Read full review
It wouldn't be surprising for Mafia III to emerge as the AAA game with the best story of 2016 as Lincoln Clay's revenge tale, and its wonderful documentary-style presentation, are engrossing from beginning to end, with a host of unique characters that make New Bordeaux feel unlike anywhere else in video games.
While it could have used some better side quests and maybe a bit more graphical polish, Mafia III's narratives is one of my favorites in 2016 so far.
A smart, focused game that merges story and action
It's a diamond in the rough, though, and this jankiness is a mild distraction at worst. The appeal of Mafia III is the stories it tells – both the textual narrative, and the multitude of emergent ones that come from simply existing in a place as rich and complex as New Bordeaux. It certainly has its flaws, but in balancing the over-the-top action of a crime game with a pointed look at real-life racism, and in its fantastic re-creation of the '60s American South, Mafia III has achieved something special.
In spite of its low visual fidelity and creaky performance, Mafia 3 is a competent game. It may not have the scope and scale of its contemporaries, but it bests them where it counts, with solid gameplay mechanics and a fantastic story. Well worth a purchase if you're hankering for a film noir-inspired romp in 1960s America.
In the end, it's the story and the world that help separate Mafia III from other open world titles.
The game won't appeal to everyone, particularly those without the patience to slog through its repetitive missions. But a fantastic story, and a refreshingly unique approach to telling that tale, ensure Mafia 3 will have imitators for years to come.
Mafia 3 is all about Lincoln Clay's rise from the bottom. It's a good old fashioned single player experience that wants you to be suckered in. And you know what? The writers, developers, and actors all deserve your undivided attention whenever a character opens their mouth. Invest in Mafia 3's narrative and you'll be rewarded with a payoff that'll have you begging for more. Gameplay is strong, even if it is a little bit on the samey side of things after a while, but with such a large map to explore and side missions and meaningful collectibles to, er, collect, there's no chance you're getting out of New Bordeaux in under 20 hour
Mafia III provides an adequate excuse to reenact the chaos found in your standard sandbox game, but with purpose.
Mafia III hat es nicht leicht. Es muss sich nicht nur mit dem durchschnittlichen, aber unglaublich umfangreichen Mafia II vergleichen lassen, sondern vor allem auch mit dem Platzhirsch urbaner Open-World-Spiele - GTA V - und gerade wenn es um Abwechslung geht, verliert der dritte Teil der Mafia-Reihe beide Duelle. Während GTA V eine riesige Vielfalt an Missionen bietet, erwartet euch bei Mafia III immer wieder dasselbe Muster. Auch was Komplexität der Spielwelt und die Liebe zum Detail betrifft, hatte sogar der direkte Vorgänger die Nase meilenweit vorne. Betankung des Autos und Reparatur des Motors gibt es nicht mehr, ebenso wenig Polizeiermittlungen an einem Tatort. Oft wirkt die Spielwelt wie eine Fassade oder ein Bühnenbild. Dafür macht der Trip nach New Bordeaux andere Dinge richtig, allen voran das Storytelling. Selten hat mich ein Spiel so sehr gefesselt und selten war ich so sehr betroffen und wurde an Missstände erinnert, die leider noch bis heute existent sind. Wer also ein solides Spiel mit Tiefgang sucht, eine gewisse Resistenz gegenüber Monotonie besitzt und darauf verzichten kann, dass sich Charakter und Auto nicht nach Belieben anpassen lassen, der kann mit dem Erwerb von Mafia III nicht viel falsch machen. Andernfalls empfiehlt es sich, ein paar Monate zu warten - denn Hangar 13 hat bereits versprochen, die fehlenden Inhalte nachzureichen und als Teil der drei im Season Pass enthaltenen Episoden die Stadt New Bordeaux und ihre Möglichkeiten weiter auszubauen.
Review in German | Read full review
Mafia III radiates an attention to detail and love for the work; even the game's mission variety void feels intentionally designed to channel Lincoln's singular goal of vengeance. This can have a damaging effect on pacing in the long run, yet Mafia III's setting remains an exquisite piece of open world design.