Its superb storyline redeems Mafia III’s repetitive gameplay

Hangar 13, 2K Czech, Mass Media Games 2K Games Xbox One, PS4, PC Rs 3,672.25 There aren’t many games out on the market quite like

and with good reason. This is a brutal, barbaric, hold-no-bars story that delves into the murky history of mob rule and racism in the United States following the Vietnam War.

Even by the Mafia trilogy’s standard, this is a whole new level of shock factor developed by Hangar 13. The violence is shocking, the language is about as strong as you can imagine and the acts of murder range from cutting people’s throats out to snapping necks. So it’s clear the 18 rating is there for an obvious reason, but look beyond the shock factor and you actually have one of the most in-depth, detailed and informative games ever created.

The story of follows Lincoln Clay, an army veteran who faces the welldocumented consequences of being a young black man growing up in the US. The sacrifice of going to war for his country clearly has no effect on his status back home, as you’ll discover on many occasions from the get-go.

It’s essentially a revenge mission, as Lincoln goes after the mob boss, Sal Marcano, after he kills Lincoln’s black crime organisation in a double-crossing. Set in the fictional town of New Bordeaux — its likeliness to New Orleans goes as far as holding its own Mardi Gras — you’ll navigate the city by tearing it apart one bit at a time. Along the way, you’ll make new acquain- tances that become crucial later in the game, given that the way in which you build a relationship with them will determine how you finish the game — much like the multiple Grand Theft Auto ending scenario. On the face of things, is exceptionally good. The historical detail is displayed through cars, buildings and a fantastic soundtrack that regularly features the likes of the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, and many other classics. The action is fast, violent and bloody, but you’ll also have to decide whether to spare certain gang members in the hope that they’ll repay you later on. You also have to keep pace with the non-linear story line that gives you three different threads, ranging from the live play with Lincoln, the post- game investigation into what appears to be the repercussions of Lincoln’s actions and a documentary that delves into the history of the protagonist that is depicted by Father James, a close friend and local priest of Lincoln’s.

However, it’s later on where begins to stagnate somewhat. Once you’ve made certain acquaintances and have begun to take apart crime rackets, you realise that some missions take place in the same place, and involve exactly the same tasks such as destroying items, killing enforces and costing rivals thousands of dollars through theft.

The large map also comes back to bite the game as missions can send you across the other side of the city, only to complete a mission within seconds and have to travel all the way back again. Another let down comes in the form of killing the different bosses you work under Marcano, which after the first two or three, suddenly become very repetitive. The sad thing is that the best part of is the non-gameplay parts when the storyline really begins to heat up and grab your attention. If the intensity continued into the live scenes, then Mafia 3 would easily challenge the best games around, but sadly it falls short. THE INDEPENDENT