Let's talk about Mafia 3 (spoilers/opinions/review)
Deep breathes. Inhale. Breathe Out.
Mafia 3, is the 3rd installation of the Mafia series by 2k Czech and Hanger 13 is published by 2k Games. Lincoln Clay is the protagonist. He is a war veteran on a path of revenge for the murder of his adopted family by infamous mobster Sal Marcano. The year is 1968 in New Bordeaux, a fictional version of New Orleans. Being a person of color and being placed in that setting (which is right after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.) I felt some kind of way.
There has been an upswing in violent crimes against people of color i.e. beatings, shootings, disappearances and so on and so forth. I felt a twinge of reality playing the game tugging on my soul. Simple interactions depending on what side of town you were on were vastly different. I approached another person of color and I was greeted in a friendly manner. When I walked by police officers or southern whites, the women seemed apprehensive and the men would threaten me usually with violence. Not to mention if you commit crimes in poverty stricken areas, police arrival time is vastly slow compared to committing crimes in more prosperous areas. Even upon entering gas stations, restaurants or convenience stores I was met with a disgusting "Your kind ain't welcome here boy". I felt unwanted and less than human. I remember hearing similar experiences growing up in the south. This reminded me of the Muslim ban protests that happened not too long. It's spooky how fact isn't too far different than fiction.
Throughout the game, you form a circle of trust with Vito Scaletta, protagonist of the previous Mafia series games, Burke, head of the Irish Mob, and Cassandra, head of the Haitian gang in the Hollows area. The territories Lincoln takes over can be divvied up to whomever you feel is best suited for it or who you like the most (perks and bonuses!). This will have an outcome to the ending of the game should you choose the second option.
The map is fairly big with plenty of objectives to do from breaking down the hierarchal brackets of underbosses to squelch Sal Marcano's power up from under him to selling weed (DLC based which by the way the faster baby DLC is amazing and short), drug smuggling, and taking out southern union rackets. This lead to an incredible story about possible redemption(?) but the tasks of taking down the underlings was very repetitive. I had to force myself over a two month span to keep playing to reach the inevitable end.
The soundtrack for the game really sets the mood of the time period. The '''Mafia III Soundtrack''' features 101 carefully curated songs from the era that set the tone for Lincoln Clay's journey through the game. As you drive down the streets of New Bordeaux you will hear everything from classic rock, country, soul, rhythm & blues to authentic Louisiana zydeco music.
In addition to being filled with great artists and songs of the day, the soundtrack acts as a character in the game, helping establish the gritty, southern mood and turmoil of the late 60s era. Selected tracks are used for specific illustrative purposes to punctuate the dramatic mood of the moment and underscore the emotions Lincoln Clay faces throughout the game. The soundtrack isn't restricted to the car radio either; as you explore the sights of New Bordeaux's ten areas it can be heard played live inside of bars and nightclubs as well as on radios throughout the city.
Along with the soundtrack, the game also captures the distinctive sound and feel of New Bordeaux through the[Mafia III Original Game Score, created by two of the gaming industry's greatest composers, Jesse Harlin and Jim Bonney. (Soundtrack excerpt from http://mafiagame.wikia.com/wiki/Mafia_III_Soundtrack)
I chose a non-violent play through seeing as that's the minority play style of console based gaming and was impressed with the results. Lincoln Clay, a 6'4" giant of a man rock-bottoming unsuspecting foes brought much delight. Alas, after killing the final boss, I was given two options: Kill my friends and take the throne that Sal Marcano left behind or b) simply leave town. Weighing heavy on my psyche, I looked at what could the possible outcomes be. One) I would own New Bordeaux but have no one to share it with: The friends possibly taking me out in the process or Two) Let the friends fight over it and be done with it all. Put everything behind as I bump my tunes drowning my thoughts as the rubber burns from Lincoln's Samson Drifter ( a sweet ride).
All the virtual blood on my hands, justification through a violent means. This is not what Dr. King would've wanted. I know Lincoln's reasoning's for doing what he did, I just personally felt that there could've been another way. So as I said earlier, I chose B.
What proceeded was a narrative by Father James ( a paternal figure in the game who tries to keep Lincoln on the right path). He said Lincoln traveled the world and said he felt Lincoln never really found his place in the world. He gets choked up and leaves the interview. I felt the ending was somewhat bittersweet. I'm now interested in seeing what the other outcome would've been. (No Spoilers please!)
This has been another @naughtybynative review. Thank you for tuning in and see you next time!
