Remade from the ground up and released 18 years after the OG experience, Mafia: Definitive Edition takes a great game and makes it better!

Mobster stories are interesting on a number of fronts, excuse the pun. From the cunning and typically illegal business models such as racketeering, protection, and trafficking of weapons and narcotics to the reputations certain mobs achieve in their territories, the lives led by these criminals are wrought with danger at every turn.

A high risk, high reward lifestyle full of bullets, blood and corruption adapt perfectly into the video game medium, as demonstrated in 2002 when Mafia was first released. Nearly 20 years and two sequels later, the original gangster of gangster video games, Mafia, has returned, completely remade in the form of Mafia: Definitive Edition. With a fresh coat of paint and a brand new game engine, mechanics and various other technical improvements, this remake has a lot to live up to and a very loyal fan base to deliver this experience to.

Welcome to the Family

The player is introduced to Tommy Angelo in the opening cinematic as he meets with a detective in a quiet bar in 1938. In exchange for protection for his wife and daughter, Tommy opens up about his role in the Salieri family mob and how he, an honest cab driver, became one of the most notorious gangsters of the fictional Lost Heaven.

Players assume the role of Tommy throughout the entire single player experience. Beginning with Tommy’s first encounter with members of Salieri’s mob, the player is thrust into his shoes as a simple quest for revenge leads to a career change. Leaving behind cab driving in exchange for a blood money driven life as a respected member of the Salieri family.

Tommy’s ascension through the ranks to ultimately becoming one of the most trusted men in Don Salieri’s inner circle is interesting, engaging and full of twists and turns. His relationship with Sarah, daughter of one of Salieri’s oldest friends, plays a huge part in the overall narrative that drives his decisions at key moments. Sam and Paulie guide Tommy through the learning process of life in the mob and typically accompany him through a fairly linear story with a fun mission variety.

The story has more heart than may be expected, especially considering Tommy is essentially an anti-hero, a criminal embedded in a war between the Salieri and Morello families. Drama, action, thriller, the narrative crosses over into all territories resulting in an exhilarating story that managers to maintain its pace and intensity over its 8-10 hour duration.

The supporting characters are all pretty fleshed out and feel justified for their inclusion in the narrative. With the exception of one or two that seem to only exist to help Tommy and the gang with things they need for their missions, backstories and their roles in the family are explained competently.

At the conclusion of the story, the world remains explorable via the “Free Ride” option in the main menu. This mode allows the player to fully explore the open-world but unfortunately, with the story out of the way, there’s little to do. There are dozens of collectibles to find in the form of magazines and cigarette cards, as well as cars to bring back to the garage to increase the variety of vehicles to explore the world. There are no sub-missions or optional quests to complete. This mode suffers as a result, likely only of interest to completionists looking to find everything despite no reward outside of Achievements/Trophies.

Business and Pleasure

Considering the story as business, the gameplay is the pleasure. This third person action-adventure blends melee combat with gunplay, both of which are satisfying in their own regard.

The gunplay is fun, allowing the player to carry up to two firearms at a time, switching with those dropped by slain enemies for variety. Variations of pistols, shotguns, rifles and machine guns make for fun experimentation and all handle and feel good. Ammunition can be picked up from enemies or in ammo boxes scattered throughout the missions, as can grenades and molotov cocktails.

Throwing hands with an enemy when close enough is a quick way to dispose of a threat while reserving ammo. A single button is used for melee combat that throws punches and when thrown in succession, a takedown/execution plays out that varies based on which weapon is equipped at the time. Melee weapons such as a baseball bat or knives can also be found and used which also have their own takedowns.

In combat encounters, the player is able to utilise sprint and crouch to reach and hide behind cover. Some surfaces such as barricades, low fences and crates can also be vaulted over. The overall gameplay is fun and simple enough, providing the option of running and gunning while also affording the player to take a more tactical cover-based approach.

Lacking drive

Considering Tommy was a cab driver at the start of the game, it’s a little disappointing that the driving doesn’t feel better throughout the story. Luckily, driving doesn’t contribute to the bulk of the gameplay experience and the option to skip the drive from the A to B type objectives is even more applaudable.

It’s the 1930’s, there’s no supercars or sports cars and the driving reflects that with how the cars and motorcycles available handle. Everything feels heavier, slower and turning is a nightmare. Each car has different stats but none handle particularly well whether at speed or not.

From the overall gameplay perspective, driving is the weakest link but as mentioned, this is not a significant portion of the core gameplay throughout the story and the ability to skip the drive between objectives feels all the more welcoming.

Respect the badge

Erratic driving and unnecessary violence against the public will attract the police. Speeding, crashing into things and gunning down the masses are frowned upon and depending on the extent of the carnage and the targets, the police will pursue the player. Utilising a 5 star wanted style system, the more stars the player has the harder the police will hit.

A one star crime spree will result in Tommy receiving a fine while a two star crime spree will have the police attempt to arrest Tommy if they catch him on foot or rip him from his vehicle. The player can co-operate with the arrest by doing nothing, letting the law enforcement officers handcuff and arrest him. There is a fun alternative though and that is to press a button when prompted to break the handcuff attempt and in turn cause the officers to shoot while the player makes a break for it.

By changing certain settings to simulation in the menu, the player is able to toggle whether or not speeding and running red lights for example will trigger a police presence. The alternative option will only draw police when crimes of violence have been committed. It’s fun to have a choice and to treat the in-game road as we would in real life.

OG Enhanced

The visuals in Mafia: Definitive Edition are stunning. The facial animations, water and lighting in particular are excellent. All of the character models move more authentically and feel more alive than other titles that lend to a more genuine experience. The reflections in puddles and the splashing of water when walked or driven through are such subtle details that add so much to the authenticity of the world.

The sound design is solid with sharp sound effects and an excellently appropriate 1930’s score compliment the visual presentation. Hand in hand, the audio/visual experience of Mafia: Definitive Edition is beautiful.

Is it worth joining the Salieri Family?

Mafia: Definitive Edition is an excellent remake of a classic title. Nearly 20 years and this series has never been more relevant. With Mafia II and Mafia III receiving the remaster treatment and Mafia: Definitive Edition being a complete remake, all 3 titles are available individually or as a part of the Mafia Trilogy collection. If the quality of this title is anything to go by, there is definitely room for more instalments in the Mafia franchise.

+ Interesting story

+ Character development

+ Fun gameplay

+ Incredible visuals

– Driving doesn’t feel fun

Games of DAYNE Rating

Developed by: Hangar 13

Published by: 2K Games

Release Date: September 25 2020

Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC

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Rumble in the jungle… and swamp… and everywhere else you can think of! WWE 2K Battlegrounds shakes things up!

Similar to 2011’s WWE All Stars, WWE 2K Battlegrounds brings it’s superstars together for some outlandish and over the top arcade style brawling. Replacing the more in-depth combat system present in 2K’s near-decade run of WWE titles with a simplified arcade concept certainly doesn’t compromise the fun to be had. The ridiculousness of the moves, locations and cartoonish art style of the extensive roster of Superstars comes together for a fun, wacky and entertaining brawler.

Pick Your Superstar

The WWE Superstars have been brought to life with a wild and cartoonish flavour, appearing almost as caricatures of themselves in a playful and endearing fashion. Each sits within a class that has its own strengths and weaknesses. The Powerhouse class for example is a little slower but their attacks hit with more impact while an High Flyer is faster but hits with less impact. Understanding the advantages and disadvantages of the players selected Superstar as well as that of their opponent will help players be more efficient with their play style.

Boasting a roster of over 70 current and Legend WWE Superstars to be unlocked, with over 60 more to come post-launch, players can select wrestlers from essentially every era to compete with. Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Roman Reigns, Randy Orton, Shawn Michaels, Jeff Hardy, Finn Balor, Bray Wyatt… you name them, they’re here! Though, majority of the Superstars have to be unlocked by spending either in-game currency or micro-transaction currency. They vary in price according to their rarity, ranging from common up to legendary but every single one of them can be unlocked with the in-game currency, none are locked behind an actual paywall which is a relief. Each superstar also has 2 alternate attires to unlock. Continuing the fun of the presentation, each Superstar and their alternate attires are inside what looks like a figurine case, pounding at the plastic packaging to be set free. When purchased, they kick through the plastic and are ready to be used.

A WWE Original Comic Story… wait, what?

Packed with a bunch of modes that can be played solo vs the CPU or with friends either locally or online, a Campaign mode is present that contains an original story featuring 7 budding Superstars created exclusively for WWE 2K Battlegrounds. The premise sees Paul Heyman enlist the aid of WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin to find new talent.

The story is told through comic book illustrations which fits perfectly well with the overall approach of the in-game animation and quirky action. Each potential Superstar discovered has a set of compulsory and optional matches to complete against WWE Superstars and Legends to push the story forward. Rewards for these matches include new Power-ups, cosmetic items, Superstars and Arenas. Each of the 7 original Superstars have unique gimmicks/personas and move sets.

While some players may be initially upset to not be able to play as actual WWE Superstars, these characters are fun and diverse enough to remain engaging throughout the approximately 6-8 hour story. This playtime can easily blow out by the wealth of optional matches to complete with additional rewards to earn.

Stepping into the squared circle

Before we get to the other modes, we need to talk about the gameplay. Unlike 2K’s previous instalments with their WWE 2K series, the gameplay has been built from the ground up by Saber Interactive for a more accessible arcade type experience. Each strike and grapple move is ridiculously over the top and it works. Uppercuts that launch opponents high into the air or grapples that see both Superstars take to the skies before crashing to the mat with comic-like impact is fun and unique.

Each Superstar has a health, stamina and power-up bar, as well as a Heat Bar beneath the character. Attacking the opponent in any fashion be it with Melee strikes, grapple moves or weapons and other environmental advantages inflicts damage and reduces the health bar. When the health bar turns red, the Superstar is more at risk of succumbing to a pin-fall or submission as the button mashing mini-game associated with each becomes more difficult to escape.

Stamina is consumed by signature attacks and finishing moves as well as countering moves from the opponent. It refills gradually over time but needs to be used conservatively to ensure there’s enough in the tank to counter an opponents move.

The Power-up feature is easily the most fun and interesting additions to the gameplay mechanics. Each Superstar can si as health regeneration or absorbing all nearby opponents Heat Bar and finally Tier 3 has abilities like unblockable damage or summoning thunder. There are several to unlock and all are fun to experiment with and offer even greater variety within each match. Power-ups can also be upgraded to be more powerful by spending Bucks which are earned by completing matches. The Power-ups are not single use as the bar will continue to replenish throughout the entire match.

The Heat Bar is filled by inflicting as well as receiving damage. When it is full, the player is able to activate their Superstar’s finishing move, dealing incredible damage in a manner as wild and wacky as possible. Taking the actual finishing moves used by the WWE Superstars and accentuating their impact and style is incredibly fun to see for WWE fans in particular.

Anything can happen in WWE!

The environment can be as much of a weapon as a steel chair or kendo stick found from under the ring. Fighting in the swamp arena has alligators leaning over the barricade at ringside to chomp on nearby Superstars or to catch those unlucky enough to be thrown into them. Have you ever wanted to use a remote control to control a goat to chase down and head-butt your opponent? WWE 2K Battlegrounds have got what you need. It’s these outlandish moments that shine amidst the already enjoyable arcade style combat, reminding players that just like the actual WWE product itself, anything can happen at a WWE event.

As for weapons, I was certainly not expecting to see a motorcycle used to beat my opponents down but I was pleasantly surprised to see it unfold. Traditional weapons such as steel chairs, guitars and kendo sticks are also present as well as an assortment of other unexpected objects that are all fun to utilise.

For all the things present that aren’t expected, one thing I personally didn’t expect was an invisible referee. Instead of a physical ref, the counts of a pin-fall and count-outs when outside the ring are represented by a number on the screen and vocalised. It may be a minor nitpick but having a visible referee would have gone a long way in adding to the immersion of the experience and by no means ruins it, instead it leaves it feeling just a touch incomplete.

Got Modes?

Outside of the Campaign, there are separate Men and Women Exhibition modes featuring classic match types such as singles, triple threats and fatal four ways, Royal Rumble, Gauntlet, tag team and the most electrifying Steel Cage match to ever grace a WWE video game in both single and tag team variations. These can be played alone against the CPU or with up to three other players either locally or online.

King of the Battleground mode makes up to 4 players survive a gauntlet as long as possible. Once a Superstar has been eliminated by being forced from the ring, another will enter. Various scores and stats are recorded for the online leaderboards. This mode supports optional cross-play with other platforms.

Battleground Challenge requires a custom character to be created and used. This is presented similar to a battle pass but requires no cost to play. There is an extensive tree full of challenges that offers rewards upon completion. Playing this mode will allow for the created characters attributes to be upgraded via an impressive skill tree that covers Offense, Defence and Charisma.

Tournament mode is an online variant putting players against each other players in a 7 match competition. Men’s, Women’s and Steel Cage Tournaments are present as well as one that is “coming soon”. Some Tournaments require an entry fee of 1,000 Bucks, the in-game currency earned by participating in any match type or mode or 25 Golden Bucks, the micro-transaction currency of WWE 2K Battlegrounds.

Character and Battleground creation are present, allowing players the opportunity to create their very own Superstars with a fun and varied assortment of cosmetics. Additional cosmetics can be unlocked or purchased with premium currency to create some pretty fun Superstars.

The Battleground Creator suite lets players choose all aspects of the venue, from the ring design, exterior, entrance ramp and lighting, crowd appearance, what weapons are under the ring and much more. There are several of each to choose from and many more that can be unlocked with either Bucks or the premium Golden Bucks currency.

There’s a daily challenge system that refreshes each of the three challenges that have been completed. These regard the player with Bucks and contribute towards a leveling bar, similar to a battle pass that awards Bucks at regular intervals and a cosmetic item at the 20th and final level.

Stylish WWE Presentation

Complimenting the play by play commentary from WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler and fan-favourite Mauro Renallo throughout each match is a pretty kickass soundtrack, adding an additional sense of pace to each match. The fast paced gameplay accompanied by a fast paced soundtrack adds to the energy and atmosphere of these Battleground brawls. Commentary repetition does bring the matches down slighty.

The cartoonish art design absolutely works and removes the seriousness of more photo-realistic visuals in exchange for a lighter, more comical tone that suits the nature of the gameplay mechanics and experience overall.

No holds barred

WWE 2K Battlegrounds pulls no punches when it comes to presenting an alternative to the typical WWE video games we’ve grown accustomed to. It’s out there, it’s over the top, it’s downright unbelievable but in the best of ways. In comparison, this is what WWE’s live product has always been about. Entertaining it’s fan base by giving them something though don’t expect, for better or worse.

In the case of WWE 2K Battlegrounds, the shakeup to the formula is much needed and culminates in an incredibly fun and dynamic arcade brawling experience that is engaging. With plenty of modes, challenges to complete and Superstars, Power-ups and cosmetics to unlock there is plenty to keep players returning for more, especially when new content arrives post-launch.

+ Over the top action

+ Fun environmental elements

+ Simplistic arcade gameplay

+ The Power-ups are awesome

– Invisible referee

– Commentary repetition

Games of DAYNE Rating

Developed by: Saber Interactive

Published by: 2K Games / Take Two Interactive

Release Date: September 18 2020

Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC

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