As I took in the end of the game and thought about all the missions I've done, all the people I've whacked, all the moonlighting I participated in and so on and so forth, to get to this point, Mafia 2 was definitely enjoyable. The gunplay was indeed fun, and the story was engaging to a point, but after about the 10 hours or so it took to beat the game, I felt like there were some things that could have been improved to create something more memorable.
Now my first impression, that covered the first two chapters of the game, was a glowing one. The way Empire Bay was introduced during the hustle and bustle of winter was amazing and even added some authenticity when listening to "Let It Snow". I even found the bit of roleplaying found in the game to be immersive, like opening windows, turning on faucets and eating from the fridge. Even now - though I admit it is a bit pointless - I still appreciate that it was kept in the game, but eventually I needed more of that type of gameplay to keep me interested.
For instance (a bit of a spoiler ahead), you get to gain a new home in Mafia 2. It's essentially your dream home. It's the house that Vito sees in a grand neighborhood and wishes he could afford someday. This is great, finally seeing Vito achieve his dream, but in terms of gameplay, I had nothing to do with it. It's just a part of the story and is just handed to you. For me, it would have been better to actually work for it, participating in various missions and earning enough money, to reach the goal of getting a brand spanking new crib. Instead, I sit there, rooting for Vito, but feeling detached from him at the same time. I wanted to make it happen, not just see a montage of all the hits Joe and Vito have done, that leads up to that point.
Since Mafia 2 is supposed to build on the first Mafia game, I needed to compare it to its roots as well as see how it could have evolved since then. I said before, that the mission structure is essentially the same as the first game. You drive, do the task, and drive back, with some obvious detours along the way. That's fine, but excluding the excellent addition of a cover system, I still found the missions in the original better.
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