The first-person shooter video game “Mafia 3” came out on the PlayStation 4, the Xbox One, and the PC on October 7.
A little over a month after its release, the reviews on the game started pouring in, and most of them were rather on the negative side as the game, just like Hello Games’ “No Man’s Sky,” failed to live up to its own hype.
According to Trusted Reviews, “Mafia 3” is one of the biggest, if not the biggest video game disappointment of the year.
Apparently, the game failed to explore its masses of great potentials as it succumbed to the open-world bloat.
Many critics believe that “Mafia 3” is a solid eight-hour game that is stretched far too thin. They believe that it was just unfortunate that game developer Hangar 13 went by the numbers on its game design rather than on its gameplay and storyline.
They said that “Mafia 3” has an interesting setting and a great cast of characters but its lack of focus has undermined everything it is trying to do, which is just unfortunate for the developer and most especially to gamers, who were expecting more from Hangar 13.
Free DLC for the game
The disappointment by many gamers and critics on “Mafia 3” could be the reason why game developer Hanger 13 and publisher 2K Games have released free DLC for the crime game recently.
Officially called as the ‘Judge, Jury, and Executioner’ weapons pack, it comes with three new weapons including a .30 caliber rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol, details Gamespot.
These weapons were available at launch for those who pre-ordered “Mafia 3” but it has been made into a free DLC for the rest of the gamers just recently.
Reports have it that the other free DLC that will be coming on the game soon includes more vehicle customization options like new wheels, personalized license plates, and paint jobs. There will be performance-boosters, too.
Developer Hangar 13 is also supporting “Mafia 3” with three paid expansions that will reveal more about Lincoln Clay’s time in New Bordeaux. The stories will reveal, the Italian Mafia isn’t the only threat Lincoln faces. It shall also have its focus on the Vietnam war, ritualistic killings, and stunt driving.
The game tried to rectify the problem of the predecessor
What seems clear to critics is that Hangar 13 tried to rectify the problems or criticisms that were hurled on the predecessor game of “Mafia 3.”
“Mafia 2” was criticized for the way it utilized the open-world of Empire Bay. Instead of filling a map with icons and distractions, it pulled players along a tight story with little room for wider exploration.
Apparently, “Mafia 3” attempted to change it with an open-world full of activity markers. The game ditches its predecessor’s Brylcreem-loving Sicilians and the story takes place two decades later in the New Bordeaux, a fictional analogy of New Orleans.
New Bordeaux is gorgeous, the period’s abhorrent racial tension is respectfully replicated, and the revenge story of “Mafia 3” is told via some of the most convincingly-acted out cutscenes ever seen in a video game.
But the developer appeared to have erred early as it forced gamers to repeat the same tedious activities. For the first four hours, during its linear prolog, “Mafia 3” is superb, but as soon as it embraces its open-world design, it started falling apart.
Many critics are saying that the development of “Mafia 3” have been rushed because they felt like the game would have benefitted from another year in development.
“Mafia 3” actually marks the comeback of the franchise after six years in dormancy. Apart from an altogether different setting from the first two games in the video game series, the third game features a brand new character named Lincoln Clay who has been betrayed by the Italian mob.
The gameplay is about Clay’s attempt to destroy the entire mob, after the betrayal.
During the Gamescom 2016 held in Cologne, Germany, 2K Games released a mission featuring Lincoln Clay attempting to infiltrate and kill Tony Derasio, the money man of the Italian mob led by Sal Marcano.