Planet Xbox 360 9.3/10
Even if you dont become fully immersed in the gunplay, youll easily be pulled into the suspenseful build of Vitos entry into the mafia. Storytelling is king here and Vitos entry into the mob families is more than compelling enough to warrant a trip to Metropolis.
Game Informer 9/10
In an era when video games are moving away from relying on cinematics for storytelling, Mafia II draws on the rich mobster film history to weave a gripping drama about family, friendship, loyalty, betrayal, and pragmatism. If youre fond of quoting Don Corleone and Tony Soprano, dont miss this game.
Gamesreactor 9/10 (PC)
But Mafia II as written is not perfect. In short, does not contain much replay value, and sometimes the drives on missions will be too long. But it is extremely well told, beautifully furious and improbable atmospheric. And if I could I punish Mafia 2 for all these shortcomings. But the truth is that with a fast PC, this is a fantastic experience and a great purchase.
WorthPlaying 8/10
Despite its technical shortcomings, Mafia II manages to become more than the sum of its parts. With a script that could have just as easily driven a major motion picture instead of a video game, Mafia II grabs hold early on and never lets up, not even at the very end. EA may have paid for The Godfather license, but Mafia II is destined to be the definitive mafia game of this console generation.
Gaming Nexus B
Even though it may not sound like it, I had a fun time with Mafia II. In a year that has brought us some of the most exciting period games ever made, I was a little letdown by the lack of ambition. There are some good ideas here, but they are handled in a way that makes it feel a little too safe. There's nothing here that will shock or surprise you, it's just ten hours of predictable fun.
VG Revolution 7.6/10
The biggest drawback is what to do once the story is completed, a multiplayer aspect would have been welcomed or more arcade styled missions, lets hope the future DLC is able to add some decent playtime. If you enjoy mobster games and the culture, Mafia 2 is a game to take a look at. 2k Games really has made a game you cant refuse.
IGN 7/10
Mafia II is an interesting mobster tale with some great voice acting and cool cutscenes; if you have a made man itch, feel free to scratch it here, but be prepared for a pretty standard third-person shooter in the gameplay department. The take cover, kill everyone, do it again mechanic didnt wow me, but it didnt let me down either.
Joystiq 3.5/5
I loved the setting enough that I can't tell you to avoid Mafia 2 and feel good about it, and my score reflects that. While there's not much to crow about here in terms of story or action, there were moments when the city and the music all gelled together that were downright transportive, and it'd be a shame to miss out on them.
Destructoid 6.5/10 (PC & Xbox) 7.5/10 (PS3)
Folks who love a decent mafia tale -- one of family ties, betrayal, and revenge -- will want to experience the world of Mafia II. Its competent game mechanics and absorbing narrative are enough to warrant a playthrough. But in the end, the repetitive nature of the games sometimes mind-blowingly boring missions and lack of content will leave most gamers wanting more.
