These well-paced first hours cement the game’s unflinching depiction of the racism and violence that dominated so much of 20th century America. Sammy, leader of the Black Mob, raised Lincoln as one of his own, while Father James Ballard is Lincoln’s go-to for advice and help whenever he’s in need of moral guidance.Ī strong introduction makes way for hours of cookie cutter objectives. His closest colleagues are similarly personable despite their illegal activities. He’s the archetypal Henry Hill protagonist a likeable, loyal young guy who you root for despite his penchant for murder, torture and other reprehensible hobbies. Developer Hangar 13 successfully captures the distorted soul of the 1960s and places us in the rugged boots of Lincoln Clay – a bi-racial orphan and Vietnam veteran recently returned home to the Big Easy inspired city of New Bordeaux. Ultimately, however, it never capitalises on its open world potential, instead succumbing to an almost constant lull of tediously unimaginative repetition that makes for a boring and dated open-world shooter. It tells its story well, with smart writing and some superb characterisation that elevate its simple revenge plot.

This is a remarkable era – one barely seen in video games – and Mafia III makes good use of its cultural backdrop. A merica in the 1960s: a presidential assassination, landmark rights movements, a nuclear arms race, the birth of modern music, man landing on the moon, the beginning of Star Trek, and a controversial war abroad.

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