2K Games started off today with one of its biggest announcements of the year, the confirmation of a new title in the Mafia series. Titled Mafia 3, it's a sizable departure from what fans have become accustomed to with an all-new setting, theme, and protagonist being introduced.
You might feel overwhelmed by all the information regarding the game, so let us break it down for you. Below you can view a gallery with the first eight screenshots released of Mafia 3 while reading concise descriptions of its most vital components.
Everything You Need to Know About the Newly Announced Mafia 3
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Vehicle combat made easy
In Mafia 3's debut gameplay trailer protagonist Lincoln Clay was shown shooting out the tires of several cars which ended up colliding with objects and exploding. Players will be able to perform this lock-on method simply with the press of a button. In its current state it's ridiculously powerful, and is likely to be tuned before release. -
Arriving in 2016 for Xbox One, PS4, and PC
Mafia 3 has joined 2016's release list. Although no specific date has been targeted, the game is only for next-gen consoles and PC allowing developer Hangar 13 to focus on optimization. -
Starring a new type of hero
In Mafia 3 you will play as African American protagonist Lincoln Clay, a veteran of the Vietnam war. Beginning his life as an orphan, Clay is a hardened warrior who has turned to a life of street crime to survive. He's a strong and confident guy that developer Hangar 13 thinks will help to bring new flavor to the Mafia franchise. -
Gameplay is familiar
Mafia 3 plays primarily as a third-person cover shooter. Although there are ways to dispose of enemies from close range, your main means of dishing damage will be through the use of handguns, rifles, and shotguns. This is a game strongly rooted in the real-world, so don't expect anything out of the ordinary. -
Welcome to New Orleans
Entirely set in New Orleans, Mafia 3 has a strong presence of night life, crime, and racial tension. It has its share of Jazz clubs, dark alleyways, and beautiful architecture. Details regarding how large the world is hasn't been revealed, but we do know that it's an open-world game that allows you to drive vehicles to get around town. -
A change of pace
As its name alludes to, Mafia 3 is a game about crime. Instead of the Italian Mafia style of the previous games, this iteration is focused on gritty street crime. Because of this, fans of the franchise are expecting the Mafia formula to introduce more qualities akin to the Grand Theft Auto franchise. -
1968 American unrest
Mafia 3 will be the first game in the series to forego the typical Italian Mafia style setting for one based strongly around the civil rights movement of late 1960's America. The game takes place after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, a setting where racial tension was at an all time high. This era is also one where war protests were common as many Americans wanted to bring an end of the war in Vietnam. Lincoln Clay will be caught between these two movements as he goes about his daily business. -
Vito has returned from Mafia 2
Mafia 2's Vito has been tied into the narrative making him one of the major characters that work alongside you. Some Mafia fans aren't particularly happy about this given the lukewarm reception of the last release. Other characters include Cassandra and Burke.
