Mafia: Definitive Edition: Definitive Edition
The popular, sweeping remaster of the 2002 game that is Mafia: Definitive Edition has been treated to some bug fixes and a host of new features in its first post-launch update. Most interesting of all is the added monochrome mode which is complete with “moody film grain effects to further accentuate the game’s Prohibition Era aesthetic.”
We’ve seen many many such black and white modes over the years, including L.A. Noire, Dishonored 2, the Resident Evil 2 remake, Resident Evil 5, Cuphead, the Uncharted games, and even MotoGP 1 and 2 for whatever bizarre reason. Unlike these examples, Mafia: Definitive Edition’s approach to the mode seems more comparable to the recent highly-discussed Ghost of Tsushima.
Like Ghost of Tsushima, with its additional elements of film scratches and 50s audio effects, Mafia: Definitive Edition tries to emulate the cinematic aesthetic of the period. It’s fair to say Ghost of Tsushima came under some criticism on both an artistic and execution basis for its attempted homage to film director Akira Kurosawa. We’ll have to see if Mafia’s efforts fare any better.
Still, the new minimal HUD mode that removes many elements should pair nicely with Mafia: Definitive Edition’s new Noir Mode. I’ve always loved the option to remove pesky mini-maps and objective markers so I can rely more on in-world indicators.
Additionally, the objectiveless Free Ride mode promises new content. “Depending on which vehicle you’re driving and where you’re driving it, you might find one of a couple new gameplay features that we’ve added to the mode. We’ll leave the specifics for you to discover…”
Better get exploring, then!
I always wonder what the attraction of a monochrome mode during gameplay is. You’re hardly getting a cinematic experience without all the cinematic staging and camera work. The perfect implementation of a ‘noir mode’ for me would be a nice fade-in and out between cinematics and gameplay.
Most amusingly (to me) among the bug fixes is that the developer has “addressed a reported concern that certain cinematics would occasionally show a black screen.”
Glad they just added some white and called it a day.
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