[Toefur]

I know it's an old game now kinda, and I've played it a lot, and I don't generally like games like this; but it was fun. And I enjoyed the plot progression.

If I liked this game, but don't generally like this style/genre of game, is there anything to suggest that I might like?

[Solid Snake]

Try Grand Theft Auto 3 and other GTA games even though they lack an interesting and somewhat plausible story, the gameplay is pretty good and resembles Mafia in many ways .Deus Ex and Metal Gear Solid series is also a very good choice if you like different kind of games with a strong story and characters.

[Kolzig]

I should really play Mafia again someday, so good memories about that one...

[EvoG]

I loved Mafia, and I'm going to assume you mean literally that type of gameplay (not just the 1930's Mafia story/atmosphere)...so I'd highly recommend GTA:San Andreas if you haven't already played it.

Otherwise, most "open world" games in the genre fail to be as open as GTA or as story strong as Mafia and GTA, and try to pass themselves off on the merits that the 'look' like GTA or have driving and shooting. So far only Saints Row and apparently the upcoming Scarface do the open world genre correctly, and are both story heavy.

Hope that helps.

[samIamsad]

Originally Posted by EvoG

I loved Mafia, and I'm going to assume you mean literally that type of gameplay (not just the 1930's Mafia story/atmosphere)...so I'd highly recommend GTA:San Andreas if you haven't already played it.

Heh. I didn't bother to get near a copy of Mafia for a far too long time simply because I thought it would be little more than something like, um, GTA:The Godfather. Played some GTA games, why bother with another, right?

God, was I wrong. I mean, if we're really going to be anal about it (hey, this is an adventure™ gaming board, so people around here tend to be pretty anal about games in general ), it is, judged purely by its mechanics pretty much a cross between GTA and Max Payne with a little bit of Pong for sure, because freaky Pong is... EVERYWHERE. However, it does something different and goddamn beautiful with those mechanics. But we all know that. If only I had known earlier...

How about the Godfather game? Kind of the very same thing.

[EvoG]

First off, the pong parts of Mafia are awesome; I forgot all about that!

As for Godfather...to be perfectly honest, I can't bring myself to playing it. I feel I have a pretty good 'game-dar' for games, and that one screams mediocre; if you look at the games I talk about and support, you can get an idea of my tastes.

Seriously though, regarding the "played one played them all", you could say that about any game, so I'm thrilled you were wrong, as you know its about execution, not about "similarities".

Max Payne though? Perhaps in the visual style, but otherwise not as over the top in gun play. With that said, Mafia has one of THE MOST satisyfing gun mechanics I've ever played. In the same company as RE4, HL2, SR and GRAW, so that says a lot about a game like this.

[Solid Snake]

Godfather sucks big time (not the movie of course).

[Spiwak]

Haven't played Mafia, though I've wanted to.

GTA games are always good for the open-ended experience. GTA clones tend to suck, though.

[EvoG]

...but you'd play a open-world GTA-esque clone of Fallout in a heartbeat! (me too)

[insane_cobra]

Originally Posted by Spiwak

GTA clones tend to suck, though.

Not necessarily, The Simpsons: Hit & Run was great and Driver: Parallel Lines and Saints Row supposedly aren't bad either.

[samIamsad]

Originally Posted by Solid snake

Godfather sucks big time (not the movie of course).

What I've seen of it didn't look bad at all. They even let you collect protection money in the game. And wanton violence is cool. But then, Mafia had that too, if you wanted it to.

Originally Posted by EvoG

First off, the pong parts of Mafia are awesome; I forgot all about that!

Tommy surely must have had some serious balls going through all this shit. (Well, that was rather lame.....)

With that said, Mafia has one of THE MOST satisyfing gun mechanics I've ever played. In the same company as RE4, HL2, SR and GRAW, so that says a lot about a game like this.

Seconded. Btw, how's the gunplay in Bloodlines? Every time I stumble upon a screenshot or an article talking about this, I SO WANT TO GO OUT AND BUY A COPY OF THIS GAME AND THIS GAME ALONE *gasp*. That hasn't happened in a long time... My fears are that it would run a little choppy on my 2200+ machine. And I need to finish another game before going there anyway.

[EvoG]

Bloodlines? As in Vampire Bloodlines? I suppose they're alright. Troika did story and narrative right in all their games (well except Temple of Elemental Evil being it was primarily a TB combat game), but gameplay was always a touch unpolished(okay, except in ToEE, which was very solid). Either way, I just made it to the second 'hub' (Downtown L.A.) and stopped playing, not for any reason other than another game having gained my attention.

I was definitely surprised by it overall, so go ahead and check it out. Since you wouldn't be hurting Troika now, buy it used from EB (I don't condone used game sales, but thats another topic) for around 10 bucks.

[insane_cobra]

Originally Posted by samIamsad

Btw, how's the gunplay in Bloodlines?

Supposedly not very good, most people recommend playing a melee character.

My fears are that it would run a little choppy on my 2200+ machine.

Runs too choppy on my Celeron 2400. Maybe I could've scaled down the details more, but I didn't want to. It'll have to wait.

[The Seed]

I've just been playing Gun which I actually think feels similar to Mafia, at least as far as the Gun fights and set pieces are concerned, really intense and cinematic. Wasn't sure if I'd like it at first, the gameplay videos I'd seen made it look like just another mindless shooter, but it's not you have stay behind cover and choose the right time to reload just like Mafia.

Plus if you're into Westerns then you absolutely must play it, because Gun does for Westerns what Mafia did for Gangster movies: nails the atmosphere just right and makes you feel like you part of one of you're favorite movies. It's really fun picking out all the movie references like shooting the hangmans rope from The Good the Bad and the Ugly, or the Missouri Boat Ride from Josey Wales. Oh yeah and it has a really good story too.

Although it has to be said for the most part it's much easier than Mafia, and the "Quick Draw" feature lends it a bit of an arcade edge. Also it's only available for consoles, which may be a drawback if you don't own a console.
Still, a decent Mafia like game as I said.

[Solid Snake]

Gun is not that good and it's certainly not at the same level as Mafia.

[The Seed]

Originally Posted by Solid Snake

Gun is not that good.and it's certainly not at the same level as Mafia.

I did not say it was on the same level as Mafia, just that I found some of the gameplay similar, and why can't you just respect other peoples opinions instead of just straight out stating that they're wrong.

[Solid Snake]

Umm ,because you are wrong.

[EvoG]

I like Gun a lot Seed, though it was way too short and the world way too small. I was hoping to feel that grand adventure of crossing through the west as were the times, but alas, you could traverse the rather empty world pretty quickly...and considering it was rather sparse in detail, you'd think they could've made it larger. Think of being in Dodge (is that the first town?) with the train tracks running off into the far distance; I was thrilled at the prospect of being able to ride down that way...BONK...invisible wall.

Now, the gun mechanics, especially quick-draw, was very good. Call of Juarez, a game that was nowhere on my game-dar, ended up being a fun fun demo. Preacher has a dual pistol quick-draw dealie, where, if the guns are holstered and you then draw them, you go into slo-motion with two cursors on either side of the screen representing each gun respectively. They slowly gain speed from the outside in, to converge at the center of your screen, meaning, in that time, you can independently target baddies closest to either crosshair (takes some deft mouselooking as you're aiming offset from a typical center reticle) but quite rewarding once you get the hang of it. Very easy to nail a lot of guys this way(thats NOT what I mean Trep! ).

Anyway, yes Gun fun...Call of Juarez is a sweet new Western and um, yea, Bloodlines I still say go for it regardless.

[Spiwak]

Originally Posted by EvoG

...but you'd play a open-world GTA-esque clone of Fallout in a heartbeat! (me too)

Hells yea. But it'd be an RPG hopefully...so different.

Bloodlines's gunplay wasn't the focus of the game, and accordingly wasn't at all what made it great. For the most part it's OK to play a gunning character as long as you can also persuade or seduce...but the final quests are ridiculous. Ideally one should play as a melee character. They're gods, by the end. And also, it's not really a secret, as they tell you all over the place that guns are weaker against vampires...so there isn't really a reason to fault them for underpowering guns. Anyway, great game. Flawed, but still great. Anyone that plays RPGs and hasn't played Bloodlines should...uh, play it.

Hit & Run was alright, more because of the rampant Simpsons references and being able to walk around and recognize EVERYONE as being from the show in some fasion, than for the game mechanics.

[insane_cobra]

Originally Posted by Spiwak

Hit & Run was alright, more because of the rampant Simpsons references and being able to walk around and recognize EVERYONE as being from the show in some fasion, than for the game mechanics.

I loved it for its mechanics, among other things, but I would find it a bit too hard at times. Well, maybe not the main missions, but there was so much to do! Games like Hit & Run can really bring out my compulsive side.