Mafia II: Definitive Edition Reviews
Hangar 13 releases Mafia 2: Definitive Edition, collecting all the game's DLC and improving the graphics, but some aspects haven't aged well.
Mafia 2: Definitive Edition is Mafia 2 in its purest form, for better or worse, which means that we continue to have an incredible city like Empire Bay... certainly wasted. Thanks to the graphic tweaks, it still holds the type 10 years later, although some improvements in the control in the shootings would not have been left over either.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Mafia 2 is still a game that’s worth playing, but if you own the original for PC, you’re better off just modding it. If you don’t own it, the Definitive Edition is only $20, and you get Mafia 2 Classic with it, so you don’t have anything to lose.
A welcome tonic to overly large open worlds, Mafia 2's story and missions remain worth experiencing if you haven't already, but its age and intrinsic flaws are still obvious.
A remastered old, single mission driven open world, with hi-res lights and textures on a basic fighting mechanic, helped by a well written mob story.
Review in Italian | Read full review
There's so much about Mafia II that feels like a relic of a bygone era.
Mafia II: Definitive Edition may have definitive in its name, but the numerous glitches that plague it really hold back what is still a good game at its core from truly earning that title.
Console players wanted to get a graphically updated game with PC version features added. Instead, they received a product full of bugs and technical flaws, and PC version turned out inferior to the original in may ways. It's possible that some of the remaster's problems will be resolved in the future with patches, but it's too early to recommend Mafia 2: Definitive Edition, so it's better to wait for the sale.
Review in Russian | Read full review
But there’s still a question of why. Why remake these games? Why put a fresh coat of paint on this weird little action shooter that is not so fondly remembered? I’m sure there are compelling business reasons, but nothing that makes sense to me as a gamer. Mafia II is an imperfect fix to a game that was already pretty flawed. Now it’s just as flawed, but in a way that can be appreciated by modern audiences.
What should have been a great return for the ten year old classic ends up being one of the worst remaster I've ever played, with almost no graphical updates and staggering framerate issues. A remaster should fix the issues of the original not make them worse.
Mafia II: Definitive Edition could have been a welcome distraction during the quieter summer months, but in its current state, it must be avoided at all costs. While its narrative and writing may still hold up 10 years later, the long, long list of technical flaws and glitches overshadows its few accomplishments. And that's all it deserves because this is the worst remaster of the PS4 generation.
On the one hand, we have a nostalgic title that, despite not brilliant gameplay, we could still recommend it today. On the other hand, however, it is a version that would have really benefited from some even more significant changes.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Mafia II: Definitive Edition is anything but definitive. With its bugs, audio mishaps, and technical flaws, you could make a case for the 2010 original being superior.
Mafia II: Definitive Edition is a remaster especially designed for nostalgic players fans of the original game. It is nice, pleasant visually speaking, the atmosphere is still efficient, until you see some textures are poor the animations are still stuck in 2010.
Review in French | Read full review
Just as Mafia 2's riveting story was let down by an uninspired game around it in 2010, it's once again let down by a lazy remaster in 2020.
Though it pulls a lot of the punches today’s open-world games freely throw, Mafia II is a time capsule in a lot of ways. Not only because its post-World War II Empire Bay lives and breathes only to have its face driven into the dirt by enterprising individuals fixated on the American dream, but because it’s a testament to the timeless, story-driven crime drama. The kind that became extinct once substance was forced to make way for Rockstar’s frenzied brand of mania.
A slight update to models and textures doesn't solve Mafia 2's myriad problems from a decade ago, nor justify a purchase if you don't own it yet.
If you are looking for a crime caper worthy of Scorsese, this is it.
With a full remake of the original game in development sharing the whole ‘Definitive Edition' title is, at least initially, a little confusing.
"A remastered and complete version of a divisive franchise entry that won't change anyone's mind but is well worth a replay for die-hard fans or anyone keen for a more considered crime sim"