Mafia II Message Board older than one year ago

For gangsters, it's not all slick suits and waiting around to scoop up whatever has fallen off the back of the truck. Sometimes, you have to roll up the sleeves of that expensive suit you can't explain how you have come to possess and put in some work -- some dirty work. And that's the focal point of this Mafia II developer diary.

Protagonist Vito Scaletta shows he's just as good at slinging lead as he is throwing his fists around. But, he's also not afraid to do more damage by setting cars on fire and leading the coppers on a chase around the city. Our personal favorite, however, has to be his proficiency at rolling grenades beneath cars. We like to call that move "The Lebowski."

Anyway, hit the play button on the player above and enjoy. Consider it an offer you can't refuse.

We kind of like this trend of free Internet-based games made just to promote their big-release cousins. Dragon Age Journeys is the standout so far, but Mafia II is entering the ring with a free point-and-click game called The Story of Frankie Potts, playable right now on the game's website. There's not much to see yet (just a few clickable scraps of paper and a darkroom where you can develops a new screenshot), but the timeline feature hints that there will be new content every day to check out. And not only will you get to learn about Mafia II, but eventually there will be "four challenge games" in which you can compete with other players around the world for "limited edition swag," and even a copy of the game along with a PS3 and 60" TV with surround sound system to play it on.

Yes, it's "promogaming" -- the goal is to sell you on the game. But especially if these free experiences are intriguing, we'll welcome a little extra gameplay for no extra charge. It's better than just reading a press release, right?

I think the headline says it all.

A bunch of IGN bloggers took 2K's title for a test drive, and these are their thoughts.

#paxeast 2K Games nails down a (hopefully) concrete release date for Mafia II, with fans getting their first taste of the 1940's sandbox-stylings of the sequel this weekend at PAX East in Boston. More »

Game will be playable for public at PAX East this weekend.

Take-Two announced today that Mafia II is ready to offer North American retail an August 27, 2010, release date -- we doubt they'll refuse. We guess that leaves LA Noire or Max Payne 3 (we'll be shocked if it's Civilization V) as the game that could potentially be delayed by the publisher.

The game will also be playable by the public for the first time at PAX East, which starts tomorrow in Boston.

#gdc10 What differentiates Mafia II from other open world gangster games, especially Take-Two's other popular driving and delinquency-filled Grand Theft Auto series? For one, Mafia II runs things at a slower, simpler place. It also has Playboy Playmates. More »

Earlier this month, Take-Two announced the potential movement of one of the titles planned for release in its fiscal fourth quarter, extending from August to October. The choices were: LA Noire, Mafia 2, Max Payne 3, or Civilization V. During our demo of Mafia 2 on Wednesday, we were told the game would make its Q4 release, removing it from the list of potentially delayed titles. If we were the betting type, we'd be looking at one of those two Rockstar titles; after all, we've seen Civilization V at this point while LA Noire and Max Payne 3 remain shrouded in mystery.

Loads of awesome gameplay action straight from GDC.

It seems like almost a year ago that I first saw Mafia II. That's probably because it was almost a year ago that 2K Czech (formerly Illusion Softworks) demoed live gameplay from the title (which had been announced nearly a year and a half before that.) Today, it was time to finally get my hands dirty as a virtual wiseguy, but first I had to put some clothes on.

In all seriousness, protagonist (I guess he's that, right?) Vito Scaletta had just woken up after a pretty wild night (judging by the various undergarments strewn around his bachelor pad) when my demo kicked off, so I of course jogged around turning on faucets and flicking light switches before actually doing what the game was instructing me to do: Get dressed. Leaving Vito's apartment, I stepped out into a world as pitch-perfect in its depiction of the 1950s -- the cars, the clothing, the architecture, the music -- as I can imagine. So what if the car that I hopped into and the place I was driving around -- Empire City -- never existed in any real era?

I spent the first few minutes of the demo causing all sorts of mayhem. Heck, the very first thing I did was get into a fender bender (putting it mildly) from which I fled, only to learn that the punishment for a hit-and-run in the '50s was, evidently, only a few dollar fine. But my trouble with the fuzz didn't end there.

Three delays later, Mafia II looks like it's finally (finally!) getting ready to launch. It's been a long journey, and we spoke with 2K senior producer Denby Grace during GDC about the development time and what we can expect from the ambitious crime saga:

We've been waiting a very long time for this game haven't we?

Denby Grace, senior producer: The reason for the delay is polish. You'll see the game looks great as you play today. It's just not quite perfect, which is what we at 2K generally strive for. It's what we want to be known for, the quality of our games. Just having come so long, it would be foolish to release it too early.

Are there any specific reasons for the delay? What needed to be polished?

Technically there are a few things: the framerate isn't quite on the money yet. It's just the whole experience. One of the things we're spending a lot of time doing is focus testing. We're testing about twenty people a week. And it's getting that difficulty curve right. We want it to be hard, but we don't want it to be impossible like Mafia I. I don't know if you played the first game, but there was one mission when we shipped the game. Literally everyone failed until we released a patch. So we're really, really conscious about delivering a really balanced, proper difficulty curve. And then it's just bugs. It's an open world: ten square miles, fifty vehicles, a hundred environments. There were quite a lot of bugs in it!

Crime pays.

#playboy 2K's upcoming Mafia II, a game in which some of the action takes places in the 50's, is about to get slightly more authentic after the publishers struck a deal with Playboy magazine. More »

It appears mobsters aren't the only things getting rubbed out in Mafia II, as 2K Games announces it has signed a license agreement with Playboy magazine for the mob saga. The pictorial publication will have over 50 of its "vintage covers and Centerfolds" inside the game when it eventually releases.

The iconic publication first premiered in 1953, so unless the game, which covers the '40s and '50s, is rewriting history, the Playboy collectibles won't show up until the latter part of the game's story. The magazine apparently won't merely be window dressing either, as players will have the ability to "collect virtual copies of the iconic magazine" -- to read the articles, of course. If you have roommates, we recommend investing in Purell hand wipes. We're not implying anything, simply "safety first." It is still flu season, after all.

Vintage covers and Centerfolds from the archives of the world's best-selling men's monthly magazine to be found throughout the world of Empire Bay.

#sex Gangster title Mafia II is set during the 1950s. That's not only a golden age for organized crimes, but also for photos of naked women. More »

Going on a wild ride in 2K Czech's anticipated sequel.

#clips The latest trailer of upcoming multi-platform gangster game Mafia II provides another glimpse of Vito Scaletta as he enters the underworld and becomes a made man. More »

Title slips into company's fiscal fourth quarter.

In the second part of his open world explanation, Mafia II Producer Denby Grace talks about the size of the new world with more brand new gameplay.

Mafia II Producer Denby Grace gives a little more details on the sequel to the sleeper hit with all new gameplay.

These guys do what it takes to perfect the art of persuasion.

Tour Empire Bay and learn about Mafia II's story and setting.