Mafia: Trilogy

Mafia: Trilogy — a re-release of the three parts of the popular Mafia series, which includes improved versions of the original games: Mafia: Definitive Edition, Mafia 2: Definitive Edition , and Mafia 3: Definitive Edition.

Each game in the Mafia Trilogy collection is a story-driven single-player crime action game in an open world, a third-person shooter with elements of arcade racing. It uses an updated version of the Illusion engine from the time of Mafia 3 , further enhanced with graphical improvements.

The games offer a set of extensive linear missions, in which in-engine cutscenes featuring constantly chatting characters are mixed with regular shootouts with other mafiosi and frequent chases by and from bandits or the police. In free-play mode, you can explore the open world and complete various tasks, but the content is not extensive — the main focus is on high-quality story presentation.

The Mafia Trilogy collection takes place in one universe, but its games are not globally connected: they are scattered across different eras and locations, with various main characters, antagonists, and secondary characters. However, you can sometimes find small references between the games.

The series is set in America, in the 20th century, in fictional cities modeled after real American metropolises. For example, Lost Heaven from the first part is a collective image of New York, Chicago, and San Francisco of the 1930s. Empire Bay — from the second part — is a mix of New York and San Francisco in the post-World War II period. The New Bordeaux region is modeled after the state of Louisiana, and its center strongly resembles New Orleans during the Vietnam War period.

The series' hallmark has always been immersing the player in the historical era, for which the developers make maximum use of archival materials. Building architecture, interior decorations, car designs, even clothing, furniture, and character dialects — everything is from the required time period.

In their narrative, the Mafia games are quite similar. The main character is an ordinary guy who, due to fate or low social status, encounters the criminal world. He is brought into the mafia by an influential patron or an old friend, after which he quickly becomes a hardened thug: beatings, racketeering, kidnappings, and murders are just a small part of the atrocities committed. The antagonists are stereotypical: they hinder the main character's plans and advancement, compete for power in the criminal world, or turn out to be ancient traitors.

Eighteen years after the original release, a full-fledged remake developed by Hangar 13 from scratch saw the light of day. The developers replaced and improved a number of aspects but carefully preserved the most important — the story.

Thus, the remake retained the original's composition, where the story is presented in chapters, with the open world serving as a large non-linear level but having no active influence, and secondary quests are hidden. After completing one chapter, the player can immediately start the next.

The classic story remained unchanged, Hangar 13 faithfully transferred the key missions and important moments of the original, such as fashion, music, and the atmosphere of the Great Depression era. However, the staging of almost all scenes in the game has changed: they are much more cinematic and action-packed than before, and closer to reality.

For example, Morello at some point kills one of the characters with a wrench, whereas in the original he smashes his head on the car hood. In another scene, the player's truck is chased by a dozen police cars, not just 3 policemen and a dog.

The characters seem… a bit alien. Hangar 13 brought in new actors for motion capture, so the characters move differently, speak in new ways, and look different thanks to improved appearances and new facial animations. The game has Russian voice acting and the ability to mix and match voice acting and subtitles.

As for the open world, after completing the first chapter of the story, the "City Walk" option appears in the game menu. Entering this mode, you can freely move on foot or by vehicle, collect collectibles, Playboy magazines, or complete side missions. All events formally develop up to the epilogue.

Additional activities in the spirit of GTA are not provided, but players are offered many secondary tasks, some of which have a slight connection to the story, while others are completely side quests. The developers had free rein here.

The game world has been reworked to modern standards; it is now a seamless location, significantly better developed and filled with diverse content. Familiar areas from the original feel wider. Authentic building facades and 1930s cars have been recreated, the range of vehicles has been expanded, and motorcycles have been added.

However, the game remains without an advanced life simulation system, the city feels static, with nothing happening except NPCs wandering the sidewalks and cars passing by.

Since the Definitive Edition uses a new engine, most of the old gameplay mechanics have been replaced with new ones, similar to those in Mafia 3. For example, there are few differences in shooting — in the remake, Hangar 13 made a classic shooter with cover and rolls, as there are now more enemies and a lot of shooting will be required.

An arcade driving mode was added to the game, and the use of a modern physics engine solved any problems with the car's incorrect behavior on the road.

The Definitive Edition received modern 2020 graphics, with realistic shadows and lighting, dynamic day and night cycles, and beautiful effects like wet surfaces during rain or juicy, colorful explosions. At the same time, the game is well optimized for PC.

The original game's plot is fully transferred, with minor changes in the staging of some scenes. All additional content, previously sold separately, is immediately available. The game world and gameplay have not received any improvements compared to the original, you can still find Playboy magazines. The car physics have not changed.

The main improvements have affected the visual part: high-resolution textures and modern effects have been added, lighting has been reworked towards realistic light and shadow play. Character models received new textures and an improved animation system (not for melee combat). Due to the removal of PhysX, there is no longer realistic clothing physics in the game.

Сюжет оригинальной игры перенесен без изменений, но интегрирован весь дополнительный контент, ранее продававшийся отдельно. При наличии переиздания Mafia 2 можно примерить кожаную куртку и спортивный автомобиль Вито. В концовке не появилось никаких намеков о перезапуске или четвертой части.

Проведенные графические изменения особо в глаза не бросаются, однако позволили поднять производительность (FPS не падает ниже 60), дальность прорисовки и убрать надоедливый фильтр размытия вблизи. Улучшили качество эффектов, а цвета сделали насыщенней. Физика автомобилей не изменилась, геймплейных улучшений нет. Были добавлены новые песни.