Mafia II: Definitive Edition Critic Reviews

Mafia 2: Definitive Edition is the best way to play one of the most enthralling stories of the past decade. A wonderful upgrade for a wonderful title, don’t miss it.

If you have played through the original, this edition adds nothing new apart from the new glossy coating. But if you have not, then the Definitive Edition would be a worthy addition to your collection. There is an R18+ age rating (due to the Playboy Magazine collectibles I believe, and not the violence), which means that it will be inappropriate for many. But Vito’s story as well as the gameplay is as enjoyable and captivating as the original. Driving across town can occasionally be a tad monotonous, but the simple shootouts and fistfight controls make sure that the main story flows smoothly for the entire game. And the music and visuals capture the setting beautifully allowing gamers to be fully immersed into The Family.

Mafia II is one of the best stories of Italian-American gangsters that we can live in video games (and almost in the cinema). It's packed with cliches, but the narrative is fantastic and engaging from the get-go. As a remaster, it does the right thing thanks to 4K resolution and all the content of the DLC, although it drags the 2010 stops.

As often with light remasters, Mafia II: Definitive Edition offers marginal improvements over the genuine game, making it less attractive for those who already own it. For the others, it's a no brainer: this is the version to go for.

I liked Mafia 2 back then and I also like the Definitive Edition ten years later. The flaws of the game are of course even more noticeable today than in 2010. The game world is pretty, but unfortunately also completely irrelevant. Everything only serves as a backdrop. As a result, the sometimes long journeys to mission goals are boring. But those who stick out here will still be rewarded with a great, atmospheric gangster story that shines with interesting characters throughout.

Mafia II Definitive Edition is still the excellent game that was on day one, with an open world not so open and a mature story. Remastering is good and the addition of all the DLC increases the contents available.

Small problems as well as the not consequently modernized, but extremely hardware-hungry visuals are annoying - but despite all of this you still experience a thrilling gangster drama.

Mafia 2: Definitive Edition is a fantastic opportunity to rediscover the adventures of Vito Scaletta around Empire Bay, now with all DLC and in 4k.

Mafia II: Definitive Edition doesn't offer any extra content compared with the original version but still impress me with the immersive story and decent gameplay even after a decade. The graphic improvement doesn't stand out but there is no doubt that Definitive Edition is the best way to experience the adventure.

A remastered old, single mission driven open world, with hi-res lights and textures on a basic fighting mechanic, helped by a well-written mob story.

Except for some small nuances, which are not able to meet today's triple A standards, such as audio imperfections - which cause some lines of dialogue (regardless of the language used) to overlap in an unnatural way or use different volume levels - or the sudden teleportation of some NPCs from one scene to another, is pure gameplay where the weight of the years makes itself felt most.

Even if flawed, this Definitive Edition still holds up quite well, particularly if we focus on the narrative and accept it as an action game rather than a sandbox.

This remastered version of Mafia II features improved graphics and nice lighting effects, but the title can't deny its age due to the slightly rough and stiff characters. The open world remains limited to the place you're supposed to visit, and NPCs have behaviors that don't necessarily help make them credible. However, the storyline is interesting from the beginning to the end and the thrilling soundtrack of the title help to overcome its small imperfections. And, icing on the cake, the fact that all 3 DLCs are included allows you to enjoy Empire Bay a little more if you found the main adventure too short and want to continue your life as a gangster.

By today's standards the shootings are too static for my taste. In combination with the annoying graphics bugs, it is difficult for me to make an unreserved recommendation. If you just want to experience an adult story again that takes itself and its character seriously, then don't hesitate. But if you also hope for a dynamic gaming experience, there are certainly better alternatives by now.

Mafia II Definitive Edition does not offer players a significant graphic improvement that will justify a buyback, but today remains the best way to live Vito Scaletta's intense criminal career, especially in the context of the Mafia: Trilogy.

Though it pulls a lot of the punches today’s open-world games freely throw, Mafia II is a time capsule in a lot of ways. Not only because its post-World War II Empire Bay lives and breathes only to have its face driven into the dirt by enterprising individuals fixated on the American dream, but because it’s a testament to the timeless, story-driven crime drama. The kind that became extinct once substance was forced to make way for Rockstar’s frenzied brand of mania.

There's so much about Mafia II that feels like a relic of a bygone era. Video game design has long surpassed and evolved beyond this approach to storytelling. Still, I find myself oddly charmed by it. I've played Mafia II twice now, once in 2010 and once in 2020. Its foibles that irritated me a decade ago seem more forgivable now. Maybe it's because I knew to expect a flawed experience, maybe it's because I'm getting more lenient in my old age. Whatever it is, I relished blowing through a thrilling mobster drama over the course of a weekend, knowing I wouldn't have to dedicated the better part of the next month to finish it. In a lot of respects, Mafia II hasn't aged all that well; strangely, that's why I think it's a better game than it was 10 years ago.

Despite not being a full on remake and still retaining the flaws of the original game, Mafia II Definitive Edition is a fairly enjoyable experience that, thanks to a good work of remastering, works decently ten years after its first release.

Returning to Mafia 2 is definitely a great experience. I have understood why it was a great game ten years ago, although I think it could be better in visual terms, because it doesn't take advantage of new technologies.

A marginally prettier Mafia II with all its strengths and drawbacks. It aged quite gracefully and if you didn’t get to play it then, now’s your chance to do so on modern systems. And if you already own it, you get the remaster for free.