Mafia

THE BAD:
Fluctuating diffuculty and cheap enemies

SUMMARY:
Set in 1930s New York City-esque Lost Heaven--complete with innacureate guns and cars that struggle to break 50mph--Mafia tells the tale of an enterprising cabbie's rise through the ranks of the mov (via Grand Theft Auto-style car-based missions and third-person shooting action) and his subsequent attempt to rat out The Family. Which, as the canon of mob movies has taught me, is heavily frowned upon.
The excellent cut-scenes and score combine to set a wonderful mood, but right as you're cruising through the game's impressive variety of tasks, it all comes to a sscreeching halt. Highly frustarating missions pepper the game, usually filled with cheap enemies who have impeccable aim and a superhuman ability to absorb multiple shotgun blasts at point-blank range. When driving, buildings and other scenery appear from out of nowhere, while cars and pedestrians sometimes dissapear if you switch from the front view to the rear and back again, which really makes Mafia feel like the two-year-old PC port it is. Still, the story should keep dedicated gamers going; just don't expect gameplay to match.