It’s an interesting mix of tone that shouldn’t work but ultimately does. These two stories also branch out from the main storyline tone-wise, being more light-hearted and adventurous while also still somehow retaining the brutal, unflinching focus on the racism of the time period. They’re both a little on the short side (2-3 hours) but each of them feels perfectly paced, with almost no clutter, and are vastly more interesting than the majority of missions in the main game. These additions don’t fix the fact that you have clear out a ridiculous number of houses filled with mobsters to complete the main game but it does add more spice to Mafia III, making that obstacle less of a deal-breaker given there’s actually things you can do now besides kill people.īoth Stones Unturned and Faster, Baby are self-contained stories with interesting plots. Besides new branches, there’s also drug-growing and transporting, bounty hunting, racing (added for free in a previous update), and a number of other activities for you to do. The two DLCs add a variety of activities for you to do. This makes Mafia III one of the grindiest sandbox games around and is a huge reason for why many players don’t see the game to its (fantastic) conclusion. One of Mafia III’s biggest issues is that it’s a huge open-world where you pretty much do only one thing over and over again: kill bad guys. This DLC doesn’t fill in all the backstory gaps but it does help sell the notion that these two have a rich history, something that was hinted at in the original game but never expounded upon. The DLC marks a wild shift in tone to the main story, but also gives us greater insight into why Clay and Donavan are as close they are and what they’ve been through together. The other DLC, Stones Unturned, is centered on Donavan’s attempts to stop a government turncoat from getting his hands on a nuclear missile. To talk too much about how the duo’s relationship develops would be spoiler territory but it’s a natural relationship with tension that helps develop both characters as human beings. In Faster, Baby, a DLC that’s about fighting against a corrupt and racist sheriff killing off black revolutionaries, Lincoln finds himself aligned with Foxy Laveau, a rabble-rouser reminiscent of Pam Grier’s characters in Blaxploitation films. For such a human character, he never showed need for romantic companionship and his friendship with fellow hell-raiser Donavan felt unearned in spite of how enjoyable it was due to a lack of background context. However, there were still points that felt odd in the original game. Ain’t no use arguing with yourself about it,” there’s a sense that Clay has accepted his damnation and is going to make the road there worth the cost. When he looks down at his wounded but cruel foe, ready to set him on fire, saying “You are what you are. Clay’s motivations for revenge are understandable, and his interactions with everyone he comes across feel authentic in a way that most video games don’t accomplish. One of the high points of Mafia III is undoubtedly its protagonist, a strong black man fighting back against racism in the South with violent tactics in a compelling, revenge-driven story. Lincoln Clay Is Given More Characterization Let’s talk about how it both succeeds and fails. Mafia 3’s DLC tries to do both at the same time, with mixed results. DLC often goes one of two ways, offering a different thematic experience to the original game (like Grand Theft Auto IV’s comedic The Ballad of Gay Tony expansion) or it offers more of the same (Borderlands 2’ various DLC). Certain key scenes resonated with me in how well executed they were or just how great of a character Lincoln Clay is.ĭeveloper Hanger 13 has released two story-based expansions for its debut title and I decided to give both Faster, Baby and Stones Unturned a whirl to see if they helped make Mafia III a more enjoyable experience. However, Mafia III has also been stuck in my brain ever since I finished it back in November. It’s hard to come away from the game thinking it’s anywhere near living up to its potential. Reiner and my critical perspectives on Mafia III ended in pretty much the same place. You can see the potential for a great game here, but it sticks to safe and simple gameplay and storytelling conventions, and ends up being a bloody bore.” Our own Andrew Reiner found the grinding, buggy gameplay to mar a fantastic story, saying “Mafia III is a missed opportunity to explore an important time in American history, and ends up being one of the most lifeless and one-note open-world experiences I’ve come across. Mafia III dropped to divisive reviews (but strong sales) nearly a year ago.
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