iPhone Mob Games

Mafia Wars, Zynga’s hugely popular massively multiplayer online game, encourages players to rob, extort ,and kill as much as they can with the goal of amassing more power and money than Al Capone ever dreamed of cramming into his secret vault. With some 10 million Mafiosi warring on Facebook and comparable numbers on MySpace, it was only a matter of time before Zynga expanded its empire to the iPhone and iPod touch, spawning a host of imitators. (Zynga’s game was itself an imitation of Mob Wars, which led to the inevitable copyright infringement case.

Mafia Wars for the iPhone and iPod touch is a slick derivative of Zynga’s Facebook godfather. The app has certain distinct flaws, but it still sets a high bar. Jeff Witt’s ambitious but imitative iMobsters and The Godfather’s deeply flawed iMob Online () are both variations on the same game. The essential questions facing each are: Is the game playable? Is it reasonably free of bugs? Is it fun?

Strength In Numbers: While you start from scratch in the iPhone version of Mafia Wars, you can import your Mafia from the Facebook version in fights, so the playing field isn’t always level.

I’ve been hooked on Facebook’s Mafia Wars for a few months now. For my labors, I am a Level 246 master boss with a carefully cultivated gang more than 450 strong, a real estate portfolio that would make Donald Trump envious, and an arsenal worthy of most “developing” nations.

So I was initially dismayed with the Mafia Wars app. Truth is, the Mafia Wars app will likely be an immediate disappointment to Facebook veterans who have spent a lot of time building up their characters. The problem is, the game isn’t linked to Facebook. Yes, you can import your Mafia for fights—gang size matters, even in the early levels of the game when you aren’t as well armed or defended. But all of those jobs you’ve completed and those fights you won on Facebook? Sorry. You start from scratch.

That’s a strange deficiency, I think. It’s not as if Zynga doesn’t know how to link its mobile games to Facebook. After all, Zynga’s Live Poker app uses Facebook Connect. Perhaps Zynga wanted players to start the game fresh and on a level playing field. But if that’s true, the developers shouldn’t have allowed players to import their Mafias.

In any case, any ill feeling should pass if you stick with the game long enough. The mechanics of the mobile Mafia Wars app are essentially the same as the online game, and it can be just as addictive. The iPhone version certainly looks better than the Facebook game, with more interesting graphics, animation, and a tight interface.

As with the Facebook game, you need to buy certain weapons to carry off certain jobs. You can retaliate against other mobsters who’ve attacked you while you were offline when you sign back on. You can visit the Godfather for money, extra Mafia members, energy, health and stamina refills, skill points, and the like. You can also purchase points, which is why Mafia Wars’ creators fall asleep at night atop enormous fluffy piles of cash.

Unlike the Facebook version, there is no bank, no hitlists, you can’t rob your opponents, and there are no job tiers and titles. Personally, I miss the hitlists. But there is a running news ticker at the bottom of the screen that keeps players apprised of who’s playing.

A number of users complained on the Zynga forum and on the game’s App Store page that the most recent game update made the app slow and buggy. I haven’t experienced any lag or any crashes. I did notice that my health and stamina were not regenerating when I was logged off, but that problem only lasted for a couple of days.

You Say Tomato, I Say Fugeddaboutit: The terminology is different in iMobsters than it is in Mafia Wars, but the object of the game is strikingly similar.

iMobsters by Jeff Witt is different in style, but nearly identical in substance, to Mafia Wars. You have “missions” instead of “jobs,” buy “real estate” instead of “properties” and “favor points” instead of “Godfather points,” and commit generic crimes such as “grand theft auto” and “collect protection money” rather than the more cleverly labeled acts of theft and mayhem on Mafia Wars.

Although playable, iMobsters’ interface isn’t as beautiful as Mafia Wars. It’s more text-heavy. There is no nifty animation of gunfire when you fight. When you complete a job or finish a fight, you get a message saying “Excellente!” or “Insuccesso.” (iMobsters is very much an Italian Mafia game.)

One of the better features on iMobsters is the ability to broadcast messages to your Mafia. Of course, that’s only worthwhile if you have a gang larger than one.

That points to the biggest drawback of Mafia Wars, iMobsters and iMob, too: The relative difficulty of building your Mafia. It’s often the case that the bigger you are, the harder you fall. What Zynga and like-minded developers need to do is make it easier for players to network and build their gangs from their handhelds. Currently, the games rely on players recruiting from their e-mail and phone address books. But as anyone who has tried to recruit their “real” friends on Facebook knows, it simply isn’t enough.

If you’ve imported your hundreds of Mafiosi from Facebook, you will find yourself blasting away at other gangs of one or maybe two. On Facebook, there are dozens—hundreds?—of groups dedicated to helping you build your Mafia as quickly as possible. There are several Internet forums devoted to building your mob for the iPhone version as well. And yet I suspect few players really want to spend a lot of time trolling boards for adds and typing in a bunch of ID numbers on their phones. Where’s the fun in that? I don’t know about you, but I’d rather be gunning down rivals and pulling off the next big mega-casino heist. The developer who finds a way to overcome this problem would make an app that players couldn’t refuse.

Both applications are compatible with any iPhone or iPod Touch running the iPhone 2.0 software update and require a Wi-Fi or 3G/EDGE connection.

Thanks to Ben Boychuk

[At the time of this writing, Ben Boychuk was a level 246 master boss maniac on Facebook with more than 450 Mafia members, billions of dollars in the bank, and lots and lots of guns. His Mafia Wars app ID is 3504 4005 17. He’s also a freelance writer and columnist in Rialto, Calif.

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Mafia II Trailer 3 Extended Version

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Would You Help Michael Corleone?

A couple of years ago, EA took on the ambitious task of creating a video game based around the iconic film, The Godfather. While video games based off of films generally turn out to be real stinkers, the developers had some interesting concepts that eventually made the video game adaptation a hit. One major aspect of the first game that was missing was the feeling of actually being a Don and controlling your crime family. EA thought this through, and due to the overwhelming request for a follow up, it was one aspect they couldn’t refuse for the sequel.

The Godfather II takes place during the eve of the Cuban revolution. In the midst of a major mob meeting in Havana, the Don of your family is killed and you take control of your battered organization. Once Michael Corleone is investigated by the Senate Committee on Organized Crime, he calls upon you to gain control and reestablish the New York operation and make an expansion into Miami. To succeed you must hire men, gain loyalty, extort businesses, and if need be, take out a made man or two. As they say, it’s only business.

Admittedly the concepts behind this new game made my mouth water with anticipation. I mean finally I get to be the Don of my own family and take siege of territories. With that said, the actual strategies of the game fare very well. You get to recruit your own members one by one, taking in consideration what strategies will be best suited for each operation. You get to have conversations with each new recruit to see if their lifestyle and goals mesh with your own. Once you have your crew established, it’s time to make some money. You can start off by taking over one business at a time, but most businesses are linked which allow you to quickly organize your own crime ring. To take over businesses you have to intimidate the owners. You don’t wanna go in guns a blazing, that does no one any good, not to mention who wants to own a bullet riddled burlesque house? Each owner can be manipulated by a series of measures, physically, destroying property, it is up to you to find the owner’s weak spot and exploit it to take over a business, and maybe even earn a little extra scratch if you take your time with such actions.

Of course just taking over business isn’t as easy as going in and roughing up the place. You will have rival families to deal with, and not just the ones who own the rackets, but other families who are just as eager to make a name for themselves. You can set up guards to hold down any businesses you control, and if need be, send one of your own family to take care of the business and increase that man’s loyalty to the family. If you find that a particular family is getting too greedy, you can take out a made guy and show that family who is boss. There will be certain circumstances where the made man is too strong to just walk in and execute, so it is up to you to find out the right way to take them out as if not to have the entire family gunning for you.

Here you can find key individuals on the street from civilians who need a favor or even corrupt officials who are on the take. They will not only tell you the location of the made guy in question, but provide clues on how to properly perform the execution.

All these factors can be controlled by looking at the “Don’s View” menu that shows you the entire map and the specific locales and people involved. It is here where you can manage your affairs such as money, how many guards to control areas, where made men hide out, etc. This all sounds good right? Well indeed the whole Don control aspects are the meat of the game and will keep anyone interested from beginning to end. I do have a few certain gripes about the way the A.I. plays out in this portion of the game, such as territories being taken over too quickly, or even retaken over once controlled. So there are a few setbacks that hamper exploration in the game.

Where The Godfather II hurts in implementation is the actual gameplay itself. With a little more polish on visuals, controls, and A.I. The Godfather II could have been something special. Not that the game is unplayable or has major problems, but little things like floaty controls, the inability to jump unless prompted, the less than next generation visuals, and extremely dumb and erratic A.I. keep the game from living up to the expectations of many gamers. All my little nitpicks are vague and if you really enjoy the strategies and aspects of the Godfather II, then you will soon forget about the issues and appreciate what it does best; allows you to finally be the Don. There are many gamers out there who will let the action portions of the game intrude on their enjoyment, which is a shame as the core of the game is very addictive.

The Godfather II offers online play, but at the time of this review (before the game’s official release), it wasn’t yet implemented, so I was unable to be apart of the game’s online experience. You can however, join up and have an all out crew battle with 16 players by taking members of your own family online, raising their ranks, and even transfer cash into the single player campaign.

I for one love what ideas the developers had in store with The Godfather II. The strategy elements were well thought out, implemented nicely, and the game really gives players the feeling of controlling your own family. If a bit more polish and time were given to the game’s action portion, The Godfather II would indeed be one you couldn’t refuse. As is, I can only suggest playing it first to see if you are the kind of gamer who appreciates the game enough to endure the subtle flaws. If you are, you can rest assured you will have a great time going to the mattresses.

Thanks to Brian Peterson

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Become an iPhone Mafia Kingpin

The battle to become a mafia kingpin has hit the iPhone. Zynga, the largest developer of social games, announced a new iPhone version of Mafia Wars that lets players enjoy the same exciting strategy game play competing in a virtual underworld of organized crime that has more than nine million monthly active users on Facebook and more than 11 million monthly active users on MySpace.

“Mafia Wars on Facebook and MySpace has a cult following and now players can compete in social gaming’s most popular crime-based game on the iPhone with the mobile version,” said Mark Pincus, CEO, Zynga. “We are excited about our growing slate of games for the iPhone which allows us to deliver our highly social games to mobile so players can connect with friends anytime, anywhere.”

The new mobile version of Mafia Wars was designed specifically for the iPhone and contains rich, high-quality graphics and interface including original animations and sounds, creating a fun and addictive gaming experience. With other iPhone hits such as Zynga’s “Live Poker” and “Scramble Live,” Zynga’s premium iPhone games continue to turn the iPhone into a social gaming platform. Mafia families are built up with cash, health, energy, and stamina, and equipped with attack and defense items as well as vehicles, to fight with other families in the game. Players can also track their friends’ progress through a ranking ladder and real-time newsfeed.

Mafia Wars is available on any iPhone with EDGE, 3G or Wi-Fi access as well as the iPod touch. Mafia Wars is free and premium versions ranging from $10 to $40 will be available soon.

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EA Makes an Offer That Can’t Be Refused – The Godfather II Video Game is Now in Stores

Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) and Paramount Digital Entertainment announced the arrival of The Godfather® II videogame in stores now in North America for the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, and PC. The game will be available on April 10th in Europe.



The Godfather II is the sequel to the multi-platinum hit The Godfather The Game and has earned a perfect 5 out of 5 from GamePro magazine. GamePro calls the game “…criminally addictive” and “...the experience by which other crime games must be judged."

“The Godfather II offers players the ultimate fantasy of being a Don - of finally being the guy who calls all the shots for the family,” says Executive Producer Hunter Smith. “By combining the strategic gameplay of thinking like a Don through the 'Don's View', with our intense, visceral 'Blackhand' combat, we are focusing on the game at the root of the Godfather franchise, the game of organized crime. In essence, we're creating a new niche in the open-world genre and are really excited to see how players will build their families and customize their own experience in both the single player campaign and multiplayer battles.”

The Godfather II takes all of the drama, action and family values from the classic Godfather films and brings them into an interactive experience. This means that players have to build and invest in their family, manage their rackets, takeover crime rings and even reach out to corrupt officials – all through the revolutionary Don’s View. The Don’s View is a 3D display of the player’s criminal empire and family tree, offering a birds-eye view of all three cities to better coordinate their take-down strategies, plan hits on rival made men, attack enemy compounds, and much more. As a Don in the Corleone family, The Godfather II puts the control in the players’ hands and allows them to live in the Godfather universe while creating their own story of deception, betrayal, and conquest in a 1960’s organized crime world.

Developed at the EA Redwood Stores studio, The Godfather II is rated M for Mature by the ESRB and 18+ for PEGI.

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GTA: Chinatown Wars

The Grand Theft Auto series makes a return in the Nintendo DS game, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars. Developed by Rockstar Leeds, Chinatown Wars attempts to bring the notoriously controversial Grand Theft Auto series onto what many consider the kid-friendly DS. Has Rockstar Leeds kept the Grand Theft Auto gameplay intact?

GamePlay

In Chinatown Wars you assume the role of Huang Lee, a wealthy young member of the Chinese Triad crime syndicate in Hong Kong. Your original goal for coming to Liberty City was to deliver a family sword to your Uncle Wu. However, you are kidnapped and the sword is taken as soon as you arrive. The recovery of this sword is just a side-thought as Huang attempts to solve the mysterious murder of his father and take revenge on his killers.

The first question that was raised, since this was developed for the DS, was whether or not Rockstar Leeds had to filter out some of the content that is traditionally included within the series. This, however, is definitely not the case. Rockstar Leeds has managed to include every bit of profanity, violence and crude humor that has been prevalent in the series. Despite the level of vulgarity, it fits in with the overall idea that you are being absorbed into the world of organized crime.

This vulgarity is extended to the variety of weapons that players are given the opportunity to use. Everything from chainsaws to flamethrowers are available for players and each has its own delightful and chaotic use in the many in-game missions. These weapons help to provide a dynamic to the wide variety of missions that players must complete.

The in-game missions for Chinatown Wars range from having to defend an ally as he makes his way through the city to throwing Molotov cocktails from a helicopter. Many of these missions require the use of the touch screen and control the power and direction of your cocktail or have you complete a series of codes to arm an explosive that will be used to take out an enemies building.

The touch screen is also used in a variety of other tasks throughout the game. As you progress, you will find yourself stealing drug vehicles and then trading with a local dealer. The drug vehicles that are scattered throughout the map can be stolen and taken to a local safe house where you must cut open the dashboard with the stylus. Once the drugs are retrieved, you can then head to one of the many drug dealers through the map. Once there, you will open your bag with the touch screen and drag whatever drugs you are trying to sell over to the dealer’s bag. Of course, you can always just buy drugs on the cheap and sell them for profit once the price rises.

Despite the innovative use of the touch screen and the diversity of weapons, Chinatown Wars is not without its problems. The most prevalent of which is the in-game camera. As you wander around the city, you will find buildings constantly blocking your view. These moments aren’t limited to just your movement around the city, but also apply to missions which can be won or lost when your view is blocked. There were also moments when the game would get stuck on a mission. In one particular instance, you are supposed to destroy a helicopter; however this helicopter would not appear or would fly out of sight. This led to several frustrating reloads of the last saved game.

Graphics

Chinatown Wars has some of the best graphics on a handheld that I have seen thus far. Liberty City was drawn in painstaking detail with just about everything else seemingly getting the same amount of attention. If there were one benchmark for how action DS games should look, Chinatown Wars certainly sets a new one.

Sound

Rockstar held nothing back when it came to the in-game audio. Chinatown Wars sounds exactly the vibrant city that it is. People scream as you steal their car or proclaim that they are still virgins when you shoot at them. With the addition of some great music, players are given an audio treat.

PlasmaFactor

One of the most interesting aspects of Chinatown Wars is the city economy. As mentioned earlier, players can buy and sell drugs to various dealers and make huge profits as a result. The idea behind this is very reminiscent of Dope Wars and helps further push you into the dark underworld of organized crime.

Conclusion

Rockstar Leeds has managed to bring the look, feel and expansiveness of the Grand Theft Auto Series. There is no shortage of missions or things to do throughout Liberty City. The addition of the touch screen controls into the game further give the feeling that you are truly high jacking a car. Although this may sound terrible to some, it is necessary for a series that has been built on the dark, gritty world of crime. If you are looking for an escape to the dark side of life, Chinatown Wars is your avenue of release.

Thanks to Ryan Lodata

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Mafia Wars Gets New VP

More evidence of how lucrative the social gaming space has become: EA digital media exec Brandon Barber has jumped ship to Zynga. Barber will take on the role of VP of marketing at the gaming company, which develops games like Texas Hold 'Em Poker and Mafia Wars for social networks and the iPhone. The S.F.-based startup raised a monster $29 million round in July, and its Scramble game is currently one of the top 25 on Facebook, per Gamezebo.

Barber spent six years with EA, most recently as senior director of global online marketing; he helped broker a number of entertainment and music marketing deals for the publisher, as well as distribution partnerships for TV, VOD and mobile. Barber also spearheaded the design of the EA's digital content delivery business. Prior to EA, he ran the product team at Napster. He will report to Andrew Trader, Zynga's EVP of sales and business development.

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Mafia Wars Move to the iPhone World

iPhone Mafia Wars

The creator of the Facebook gaming phenomenon Mob Wars, David Maestri, is no stranger to court battles when it comes to his mafia-based adventure title. He's already gone through a few rounds to debate the game's ownership with his former employer SGN, and now he's taking on the boss of Zynga due to the similarity of its iPhone game Mafia Wars to iMob Online (the iPhone version of Mob Wars).

It has to be said that the two games, of which Mafia Wars appeared second, are immensely similar in design and content. This isn't a particularly unique sub-genre, however, so it's unlikely to be an open and shut (violin) case.

Mob Wars is believed to bring in around $1 million a month to Maestri's studio, Psycho Monkey, so he's undoubtedly going to defend this valuable property quite vigorously. Of course, Mafia Wars isn't alone in its similarity to iMob Online, so the outcome of the court case could have some far reaching consequences.

Thanks to Spanner Spencer

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The Lost Cases of Sherlock Holmes

Play The Lost Cases of Sherlock Holmes
It's an exciting mystery puzzle adventure game!

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The Godfather II Video Game to be Released in Early 2009

Electronic Arts is looking to pull gamers back in.

Publisher is developing "The Godfather II," a sequel to its 2006 videogame based on the classic Paramount film, for release in February.

Original "Godfather" game saw worldwide sales of more than 4 million units. A total solid enough that EA greenlit a sequel almost immediately after production on the final version of the game was done in late 2006. According to industry tracker NPD, the first game grossed $62 million in the U.S.

Follow-up will follow elements of "The Godfather Part II" film plot that take place in the late 1950s, but not the flashbacks to Vito Corleone's early life that starred Robert De Niro. As in the first game, players control a new member of the Corleone crime family who is rising through the ranks. "The flashbacks that are so great as a film experience don't really work for a game," said Nick Earl, senior VP-general manager for the EA Games label. "We've created our own story that weaves in and out with the film and hits its major touchpoints."

Most of the film's stars except, notably, Al Pacino, are providing likeness rights to EA. In addition, Robert Duvall, whose Tom Hagen plays a prominent role in the game as an adviser to the character, is recording original voiceovers. Director Francis Ford Coppola, who publicly criticized the first game, is again not involved.

Sequel makes "Godfather" the rare Hollywood license to turn into a videogame franchise, along with titles like "Harry Potter," James Bond and "Lord of the Rings." Paramount's long-term deal with EA allows the publisher to continue making more games if the sequel performs better than the original, as is common for successful videogame franchises. "So many movie-based games are just one-offs, so to create a franchise, especially off a property from the 1970s, is pretty phenomenal," said Paramount senior veep of interactive and mobile Sandi Isaacs, who noted that the "Godfather" games benefit from not having to match the release date of a new film.

Studio's homevideo and pay TV groups are already considering plans to re-release "The Godfather: Part II" next winter tied to the game.

"Godfather" is one of several games based on movies from the 1970s and early '80s, including "Jaws" and "Scarface," to come out in the past few years, but it's the only one to get a sequel. Warner Bros. has had a videogame based on "Dirty Harry" in the works for several years.

Like the first "Godfather" game, "Godfather II" will take place in an open world similar to Rockstar's "Grand Theft Auto." However, the follow-up takes place in three different cities: New York, Miami and Havana. Gameplay elements include up-close action as well as a the ability for players to manage their organized crime family from a citywide perspective.

Game will also feature online multiplayer features with battles between mob families.

EA is developing "Godfather II" at its Redwood Shores studio for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, though for other consoles, the game may come out later in 2009.

Thanks to Ben Fritz

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Grand Theft Auto IV: An Interactive Sopranos

Hype or hot, that's the question about Grand Theft Auto IV.

The name brings a visceral reaction from many - press releases from teachers federations, fist-shaking from old fogeys, soap boxes being put into position by politicians - all of which does nothing but sell a load more games.
Analysts are predicting that GTA IV will sell more than Halo 3 in its first week, not only making it the biggest opening for a game, but the biggest opening week, revenue-wise, of any entertainment entity.

So, is it worth it? Likely, it will be.

The clever thing about the GTA franchise is they get all the outrage - "Oh my god, this is the game where you go around killing prostitutes for points."

But lost to the mainstream jackals, none of whom ever play the game, is the gameplay.

One of the most smart game franchises out there, Grand Theft Auto pioneered open-world gameplay. What that means is, even though there are missions in the game and a storyline to follow, one of the great appeals of the game is the freedom.

Jump in a car - any car, toss out the driver and go explore the city, anywhere, anytime, at your leisure.

This time the story is in present day, April 2008, and you're cast as Niko Bellic, a Russian mafia-type who's landed in Liberty City (New York), hoping to live a straight and narrow life. Well, that ain't going to happen. Your cousin and host of new acquaintances quickly get you in their clutches, and you're off into the world of organized crime.

What is different about this GTA is the polish. There was a certain charm to the past Grand Theft games, especially the '80s-retro Vice City, in its clunky, almost cartoon look.

Now, the game is much more precise. The graphics are much more realistic, completely state-of-the-art, as is a new "physics" model. The way characters move and react now is much more fluid.

There's a new movement program in the making of this game, so if you get hit by a car, you'll react differently each time as the reaction has been made to completely mirror human movement. Get hit in the knee, or the head, or the shoulder, and you'll react differently to each.

There is a very smooth and fresh feel to the movement in the game and it's a huge improvement.

The combat is also evolved. This game now has a much more professional feel, like famous shooters such as Halo or even the new Army of Two. Targeting and accuracy are much more at the forefront. There are, as you'd imagine in organized crime, a host of nasty firearms to exploit, from Uzis to rocket launchers, and you'll need them all in your arsenal because there's a lot of challenge in this game.

Liberty City and its citizens really are the stars of this game though. It looks, and reacts, amazingly real. If you just punk out a random stranger on the street, some people will drop their belongings and run away, others will come to their aid and even challenge you physically. This is where you can either fight for no reason, and bring the heat of police, or back down and move on.

While the game has grown up with substantially better physics, graphics and combat, there are some wonderfully familiar GTA touches left in. One, thankfully, is the cars. They're still rough to drive, and too many collisions will set you on fire and will ultimately explode them.

The other is the sense of humour. From the wonderfully-wicked radio DJs you listen to in the car between hit songs (yet another great soundtrack), to the billboards around town, to the standup act of Ricky Gervais in the comedy club, this GTA appears to have the same tongue-in-cheek, cheap-shot smarm that the others have all displayed.

Make no mistake, this is a violent game, an interactive Sopranos if you will. It is about organized crime and completing underhanded and illegal missions, so it will no doubt draw a load of fire from the do-gooders who will blame it for setting the kids of today on a path to hell. There are ratings, remember, and this one will be rated mature, just like movies are.

Stick to the ratings and Grand Theft Auto 4 looks like it will deliver on the hype for weeks, if not months of gameplay.

Thanks to Paul Chapman

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Grand Theft Auto IV Trailer #3

The fourth installment of the popular Grand Theft Auto series by Rockstar features improved graphics, new features, and new gameplay. Players take on the role of Niko Bellic, a rough-around-the-edge chap from Eastern Europe. Niko has arrived in America, in Liberty City -- a land full of promise and opportunity. His cousin convinced him to emigrate, to join him in his mansion and life of luxury, but as soon as he steps off the boat, Niko discovers the truth about the American way. Still, the wealth, the comfort, the bliss of the good life, it all really is here ... And it's all for the taking.

GTA IV reinvents the series with a renewed version of Liberty City detailed to the last pothole and rooftop vent. There are now four boroughs to explore plus extra area outside of Liberty City proper. With the ability to climb obstacles, drive cars, steer boats and pilot helicopters, the world of GTA is more accessible than ever before.

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Announcement on Mafia 2 Made

2K Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), today announced that it will publish MAFIA II, a sequel to the original Mafia title that sold more than two million copies worldwide and helped popularize the gangster genre. Featuring a deep mobster-driven narrative packed with both behind-the-wheel and on-foot action, Mafia 2 is the sequel fans have been clamoring for. The game is being developed by Illusion Softworks, developers of the original Mafia title, for next generation consoles and Games for Windows.

Like the original Mafia title, MAFIA II immerses players in the mob underworld of a fictitious late 1940's-early 1950's scenario. Players will easily become engaged in the game's cinematic Hollywood movie experience with strong, believable characters in a living, breathing city. By fusing high octane gunplay with white knuckle driving and an engaging narrative, Mafia 2 looks to be the industry's most compelling Mafia title to date.

"As the original Mafia was a big success, we are excited to leverage the power of next generation console technology to create an all-new experience, while embracing the elements that resonated with the previous game's fans," said Christoph Hartmann, President of 2K. "The 'wow' factor of MAFIA II is definitely the benchmark-setting visual quality and action that you expect to see only in Hollywood movies."

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Reunion for "La Famiglia" in Mafia 2?

Take-Two Interactive is apparently working on a reunion for "la famiglia," as Czech site Tiscali Games today spotted a listing on the German ratings board's database for a Mafia 2 promotional trailer to debut at next week's Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany.

This is not the first time a game's existence has been discovered via the Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (USK). Late last month, the ratings board leaked word of the next World of Warcraft expansion, Wrath of the Lich King. As with Mafia 2, that entry was not a rating for the game itself, but a rating for the promotional trailer meant to be revealed at Leipzig. Also much like the Wrath of the Lich King entry, the Mafia sequel listing was quickly pulled after it started circulating around news sites. A representative with Take-Two had not returned GameSpot's request for comment as of press time.

Originally released on the PC in 2002, Illusion Softworks' Mafia received a fair amount of critical acclaim for its combination of a Grand Theft Auto III-style living city with some of the structure and set pieces of traditional third-person action games. The game made it to the PlayStation 2 and Xbox in 2004, but reviews indicated it had lost something in the translation.

Thanks to Brendan Sinclair

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Scarface: The World is Yours

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