Back in 2002, the idea of a fully explorable and highly detailed game world was something of a pipedream. While we had smaller-scale examples of what would eventually become the “open-world” template, Grand Theft Auto III completely blew everyone away with its fully realized city. The very next year, Mafia hit the scene and upped the ante even more.
That’s what makes today’s trailer so fascinating to look at. Almost two decades later, we’re getting a full recreation of “The City of Lost Heaven,” Mafia’s main location, on modern technology. It looks stunning, to say the least. All those HD textures, reworked lighting, and extra depth bring what was previously considered the most detailed game world ever crafted up to a brand new standard.
Time has maybe not been exactly kind to the original, but 2K Games and Hangar 13 seem to be taking extra care with this one. Based on the Mafia III engine, Definitive Edition has the visual flair of modern triple-A experiences, but may not nail things in the gameplay department. Then again, our latest preview says otherwise, so I’m probably being overly cautious.
While Lost Heaven is a fictional city, it bears some resemblance to Chicago, Illinois. The setting for Mafia was during 1930’s prohibition, which is what the plot is primarily concerned with. You’re helping smuggle alcohol into the city and things go sideways. It’s maybe not that original of an idea but set the bar for “cinematic” experiences three generations ago.
What this trailer doesn’t show is how Lost Heaven looks like in-game. We’re only being treated to FMV footage, so there’s a chance the actual game has less density and detail. That’s to be expected, but it would be a smarter idea for 2K Games to sell us on what Mafia: Definitive Edition is actually about instead of how crazy the cinematics will look.
At least we don’t have much longer to wait. Mafia: Definitive Edition will be hitting PC, PS4, and Xbox One on September 25, 2020. It is included as part of the Mafia: Trilogy bundle and can be purchased separately for $39.99. Sadly, owners of the original on PC won’t get any kind of discount for this remake.
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