Mafia II is, without a doubt, the crown jewel of the entire trilogy. From the characters to the music, everything just hits perfectly. For a remastered 2010 game, the graphics look shockingly good. The chemistry between Vito and Joe is honestly one of the best parts. Their dialogue is so natural and entertaining that it almost feels like you’re the silent third wheel riding around with them. The story really kicks into high gear near the end (no spoilers), but even before that, the missions and character moments keep things fun. This game will also make you realize that everyone needs a friend like Joe Barbaro… preferably one who causes slightly less chaos, but still. One small gripe: there’s no proper free-ride mode, so if you just want to drive around and vibe, you basically have to hop between chapters like you’re time traveling with a Buick. Minor annoyance, but worth mentioning. Now, the DLCs. Both Jimmy DLCs? Absolute cheeks. I have no clue who woke up at Hangar 13 and said, “You know what Mafia needs? An arcade score system.” The achievements for those DLCs felt like punishment for crimes I didn’t commit. But Joe’s Adventure? Fantastic. Easily makes up for it. It adds great lore and gives you a deeper look into what Joe was up to behind the scenes. The way this game injects itself into Mafia I, how and why Vito and Joe did what they did, it gave me literal goosebumps (being vague to avoid spoilers). Playing Mafia II is definitely a cannon event in everyone's life. Easily the most memorable game of the franchise.

Mafia II is, without a doubt, the crown jewel of the entire trilogy. From the characters to the music, everything just hits perfectly. For a remastered 2010 game, the graphics look shockingly good. The chemistry between Vito and Joe is honestly one of the best parts. Their dialogue is so natural and entertaining that it almost feels like you’re the silent third wheel riding around with them. The story really kicks into high gear near the end (no spoilers), but even before that, the missions and character moments keep things fun. This game will also make you realize that everyone needs a friend like Joe Barbaro… preferably one who causes slightly less chaos, but still. One small gripe: there’s no proper free-ride mode, so if you just want to drive around and vibe, you basically have to hop between chapters like you’re time traveling with a Buick. Minor annoyance, but worth mentioning. Now, the DLCs. Both Jimmy DLCs? Absolute cheeks. I have no clue who woke up at Hangar 13 and said, “You know what Mafia needs? An arcade score system.” The achievements for those DLCs felt like punishment for crimes I didn’t commit. But Joe’s Adventure? Fantastic. Easily makes up for it. It adds great lore and gives you a deeper look into what Joe was up to behind the scenes. The way this game injects itself into Mafia I, how and why Vito and Joe did what they did, it gave me literal goosebumps (being vague to avoid spoilers). Playing Mafia II is definitely a cannon event in everyone's life. Easily the most memorable game of the franchise.