15 Years Ago, 'Mafia 2' Bucked The Industry Standard

"The Mafia series has always been in a conundrum. While the first Mafia game was developed at the same time as Grand Theft Auto 3, the bigger cultural impact of Rockstar's influential open world game overshadowed Illusion Softworks' more grounded take on the genre. After all, a game where you can commit heinous crimes like shooting bazookas into traffic and spend money frivolously on prostitutes was always going to make more of a splash than one that reprimands you for running a red light."

"Despite its less flashy approach to open-world shenanigans, did find its audience. It's highly detailed urban sprawl, the wonderfully acted (for the time) performances, and mature narrative were a far cry from Rockstar's bullish, at times obnoxious tone. What it lacked in wacky ambulance missions and over-the-top violence, it more than made up for with its approximation of a Mario Puzo-style gangster tale."

"When a sequel was announced nearly a decade later, many wondered if Mafia would course-correct from its original vision. By 2010, open-world games were one of the predominant genres, and delivering huge maps rich with content was the bullet point every publisher wanted checked off. It seemed like a no-brainer for Mafia 2 to follow suit. And yet, despite all expectations, Illusion Softworks wisely stuck to doubling down on its original vision, making one of the best games in the series in the process."

Mafia's original release coincided with Grand Theft Auto 3 and was culturally overshadowed despite offering a more grounded criminal experience that discouraged wanton chaos. The first game emphasized detailed urban environments, strong performances, and a mature, Mario Puzo-style gangster narrative rather than exaggerated violence and stunts. The series found an audience appreciative of restraint and atmosphere. When a sequel arrived nearly a decade later, many expected massive open-world expansion, but the developer doubled down on focused storytelling. Mafia 2 follows Vito Scaletta, a Sicilian-American WWII veteran who returns to Empire Bay and embraces organized crime alongside childhood friend Joe Barbaro.

Read at Inverse