Mafia 2 is a third-person shooter video game developed by the Czech studio 2K Czech. It is a sequel to the acclaimed project Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven. In North America, Mafia 2 was released on August 24, 2010, while the rest of the world saw the game's arrival a few days later. The game was developed for PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3.
The story unfolds during the war and post-war years (1943-1951) in a city called Empire Bay, which is divided among three mafia clans: Falcone, Clemente, and Vinci. Players take on the role of Vito Scaletta, who emigrated to the States from Sicily with his family as a child. In their new home, no one was waiting for them, and the Scaletta family faced financial difficulties. Vito's father, Antonio Scaletta, eventually drowned, and everything fell apart. Left to fend for himself, Vito got involved with a thief and troublemaker named Joe. They grew up together and became best friends, but in adulthood, they were caught robbing a jewelry store. Vito was arrested, while Joe managed to escape. Vito was faced with a choice – either go to war or serve time in prison. The main character chose the former, but after some time, he was wounded in battle and sent home. This is where the main narrative begins, filled with shootouts, blood, and disputes between mafia clans.
Almost the entire storyline takes place in Empire Bay, except for a few missions. There are a total of 15 chapters in Mafia 2. Empire Bay simultaneously resembles New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. The city is quite large, covering about 8 square kilometers. Like in Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven, players can move freely from one end of the city to the other, both on foot and by vehicle. There are about 46 types of cars available for players to drive. A quarter of the available vehicles can only be accessed after downloading expansions. Players can acquire vehicles for their collection by stealing them (breaking a lock or smashing a window) and can use them at any time.
For any illegal activities, players may be stopped by the police, who patrol both on foot and in vehicles. Law enforcement officers can issue warnings and fines, check identification, arrest players, and in case of resistance, use lethal force. Overall, the police are very vigilant in monitoring violations on the streets of the city, and any misstep by the player can lead to being pursued.
Mafia 2 offers players an impressive arsenal of various weapons. Some firearms are familiar from the first game: Thompson M1928 or Colt 1911, while other weapons make their first appearances. As the action unfolds in the post-war years, players will encounter the MP40, Mauser 98k, Thompson M1A1, and even the German MG42 machine gun.