Take 2 Interactive invited us over to their booth to check out their upcoming title Mafia II. It’s been 8 years since the release of the original Mafia on PC and it looks like the sequel is going to be worth the wait. Move past the break for more.

Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven was released in 2002 and was well received by critics and gamers alike. Originally it was a PC only title but it was later released on the PS2 in 2003 and the Xbox one year later. The huge scale of the PC version was so large that they had to make cuts and sacrifices in the console version.

Now Mafia II aims to be bigger and better than its predecessor. In Mafia II, you play as Vito, an Italian American born into a life of poverty trying to escape it. The only way to do this is through the Mafia, and the wonderful world of organized crime.  Starting at the bottom through petty crimes, you have to work your way up to become a Made Man.

I had a chance to try out Mafia II and one of the missions. The first thing that struck me was the beautiful outdoor environments and the careful details that really made you feel like you were in an actual 40′s and 50′s American city. Gorgeous classic cars, attire, dialogue and even the music all reflect the time period. I was able to cruise through the city streets while singing along to Dean Martin’s “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head.”

Another thing that struck me was the superb voice acting. In the original Mafia, many of the voice over actors were authentic Italian Americans, many from The Sopranos. Hearing the characters speak, it didn’t feel like it was some random v.o. actor forcing an Italian American accent, but an actual authentic Italian American.

The movement of the characters seemed very realistic as you duck in an out of cover while dodging bullets from other wise guys. The playable level was action packed and felt like you were taking part in The Godfather or Goodfellas. While playing I came across a Playboy Magazine and it showed a Playboy Playmate straight out of the 40′s and 50′s. It was an authentic centerfold and I was informed that there will be 50 collectible Playboy Magazines throughout the game. Now that’s something fun to look for.

With the amount of violence, language and naked centerfolds, Mafia II is definitely not for kids. Based on the demo I got to try it looks to be a great title. Look for Mafia II to be released August 24^th on PC, PS3 and XBOX 360.