Mafia: Definitive Edition free on Game Pass on August 13, in all its 30 FPS glory

Mafia: Definitive Edition takes its vehicles seriously. Looking at them in your garage will give you a wealth of technical details about each vehicle, including weight, horsepower, top speed, transmission, drivetrain, and how well they handle, brake, and grip. The gorgeous selection is one of the best in gaming history.

Every vehicle looks absolutely, absolutely stunning. For a remake that came out in 2020, the car models look like the game that launched today. From the stunningly lifelike geometric detailing of the bodies to the shiny metallic paint jobs and reflective chrome elements, Mafia is one of the most immersive titles of its genre. Like Grand Theft Auto, the 57 cars in Mafia: Definitive Edition don’t have real names, but they are heavily inspired by reality.

Get behind the wheel of spectacular classics including the 1937 Cadillac V16, 1930 Cadillac V16 Model 70, 1931 Campbell-Napier-Railton Blue Bird, 1934 Chrysler Airflow, 1929 Cunningham V8, 1927 Ford Model AA, 1926 Ford Model T, 1935 Henderson KJ Streamline, 1930 Indian Chief, 1936 Oldsmobile Six, 1926 Renault 40CV Type NM, 1929 Stutz Blackhawk, 1932 Lincoln KB and many more.

Some stand out more than others, like the avant-garde Manta Prototype, modeled after the 1938 Phantom Corsair, which looks like it was plucked straight from Gotham City. The four-wheeled manta ray produces 192 horsepower or 143 kwwhich is sent to the front wheels via the four-speed manual transmission. It is quite heavy, however, at 4,631 pounds or 2,100 kilograms, but that doesn’t stop it from reaching a maximum speed of 123 miles per hour or 198 km/h.

Let’s not forget the Eckhardt Fletcher, based on the 1933 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow. This four-door, rear-wheel drive sedan produces 174 horsepower and can reach speeds of 113 mph, or 182 kilometers per hour, with a little help from its 3-speed manual transmission.

Manta Prototype in Mafia\: Definitive Edition

Photo: igcd.net

Among the examples available for viewing alone are a number of historical ‘figures’, such as the 1928 Luftschiffbau Zeppelin LZ 127, the 1923 JG Brill Company tram, the Baldwin Locomotive Works T-54 4-8-2 and a whole host of beautiful boats.

Cars have speed limiters that you can deactivate, but one of the best features for manual transmission enthusiasts is the Auto or Manual transmission toggle in the settings. There’s even a Skip Drive option for a faster gameplay experience.

The police response behavior setting can also be customized. Unlike GTA, where law enforcement is quick to fire, in Mafia, if you get pulled over for running a red light, all you get is a few witty remarks and a ticket; thankfully, no brainer. Even better, you can skip the ticket altogether by bribing them, just like in the “good old days.”

Some argue that Mafia: Definitive Edition strikes the right balance in driving, combining the tough physics of GTA IV with the floaty handling of GTA V. If you’re confident in your driving skills, simply switch the Driving Mode to Simulation and you’re on your way to an adventure.

Mafia: Definitive Edition

Photo: 2K Games

The on-foot gameplay is your usual third-person action shooter, where you take cover behind chest-high walls and pick off your enemies one by one. The ragdoll animations aren’t exactly the best in the business, but the shooting mechanics and enemy reactions feel and look pretty good.

The story is another central pillar that you don’t want to skip. Like the overall real-time graphics, the cutscenes are also a feast for the eyes; the actors do their jobs excellently and the facial animations are top-notch. It’s not the post-war Sicilian mafia theme of the second iteration, but boy, is it a great interactive mafia movie.

As a “pro tip” I would advise to follow the main story path which is about 10.5 hours long and save the side missions for later, if you do them at all. The latter usually involve racing a car against the clock or something like that, which gets boring after a while.

While what I’m about to say may sound like blasphemy to some, Mafia: Definitive Edition is a 1930s Grand Theft Auto game. The only real downside is that while it’s “free” on Game Pass starting August 13, it’s limited to 30 frames per second on Xbox. If you want unhindered fluidity, get it on PC Game Pass.

Mafia: Definitive Edition

Photo: 2K Games

If you want to get it without worrying about your Microsoft gaming subscription expiring, it’s $40 on Steam. And for $20 more, you can get the Mafia Trilogy. If you add either to your wishlist, you’ll be notified when it goes on sale.

For it to work properly, your system needs the following according to Steam:

Minimum

  • 64-bit processor and operating system
  • Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit
  • Processor: Intel Core-i5 2550K 3.4 GHz / AMD FX 8120 3.1 GHz
  • Memory: 6 GB RAM
  • Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 / AMD Radeon HD 7870
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Storage: 50 GB available space
  • Sound Card: DirectX Compatible

Recommended

  • 64-bit processor and operating system
  • Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit
  • Processor: Intel Core-i7 3770 3.4GHz / AMD FX-8350 4.2GHz
  • Memory: 16 GB RAM
  • Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 / AMD Radeon RX 5700
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Storage: 50 GB available space
  • Sound Card: DirectX Compatible

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