Mafia 3

About

"Mafia III" is an intense, graphically-rich game set in 1968 New Bordeaux. After your surrogate family is betrayed and wiped out by the Italian Mafia, you seek revenge and build a new criminal family. Experience explosive gun fights, brutal hand-to-hand combat, high-speed driving, and challenging decisions as you climb your way to the top of the underworld.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 25,782 reviews

story7.9k positive mentions

stability2k negative mentions

story
22,268 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
55%
10%
The story of Mafia III is generally praised for its engaging narrative and strong character development, particularly focusing on themes of revenge and racial tension in 1960s America. However, many players criticize the repetitive mission structure, which often detracts from the overall experience, making the gameplay feel like a grind. While the story is compelling and well-presented, with cinematic cutscenes and a rich soundtrack, the gameplay mechanics and mission design have been seen as a significant step down from its predecessors, leading to mixed reviews overall.
- “The story is gripping, but driving is like participating in a demolition derby.”
- “The story is excellent, a personal favorite in recent memory.”
- “The story, characters, worldbuilding, themes, acting, and plot are all convincing, engaging, enticing, and well thought out.”
- “The only things they really spent money on seem to be the main missions, the direction and cutscenes, the 3D artists who created the city and models, and the music.”
- “It's sad because if you look beyond that the game is honestly amazing but so heavily kneecapped by the repetitiveness of the missions you have to do to progress through the story.”
- “The story itself is far more technical than those of the other two, but it is still a good revenge tale that also has some great endings.”
gameplay
6,541 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
51%
19%
The gameplay in "Mafia III" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its repetitive nature as a significant drawback. While the shooting and driving mechanics are generally praised for their responsiveness and enjoyment, the core gameplay loop—consisting mainly of taking over districts and completing similar missions—can become tedious over time. Despite these criticisms, the game's strong narrative and character development often compensate for the gameplay shortcomings, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of story-driven games.
- “From a gameplay standpoint, it feels the best to play out of the trilogy.”
- “The combat mechanics are solid, with a cover-based shooting system that is both satisfying and challenging.”
- “Gameplay is good, story is amazing.”
- “They kinda suck and make the general gameplay loop even more annoying and tedious than it already was at times.”
- “The gameplay is monotonous and annoying and boring at times, but my respect goes to the stealth.”
- “However, this initial excitement quickly fades as the gameplay devolves into a monotonous cycle of repetitive missions.”
graphics
5,061 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
52%
18%
The graphics in "Mafia III" have received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant issues such as graphical glitches, low-quality textures, and a general lack of polish. While some appreciate the game's atmosphere and the improvements made in the definitive edition, others criticize it for feeling outdated and not meeting the standards expected from a 2016 title, often comparing it unfavorably to its predecessors and other contemporary games. Overall, the visuals are seen as a major drawback, detracting from an otherwise engaging story and gameplay experience.
- “The story is very interesting, awesome music while driving around, the graphics still hold up today, missions are fun (but can get repetitive for sure), and the atmosphere is great.”
- “Love the missions structure, great music, awesome graphics for when it was made.”
- “The art style, vibe and atmosphere is top notch and the game runs butter smooth with maxed-out graphics on a fairly basic PC (RX 6600 + Ryzen 5 3600).”
- “The graphics are horrible.”
- “The graphics feel old and too 'flat'.”
- “Mafia III: Definitive Edition has multiple graphical issues on PC, such as glitchy reflections, low-quality textures, and lighting imperfections.”
music
3,711 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
36%
1%
The music in Mafia III is widely praised as one of the game's standout features, with a rich soundtrack that captures the essence of the 1960s. Players appreciate the inclusion of iconic tracks from legendary artists like Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash, and The Rolling Stones, which enhance the immersive atmosphere of the game. However, some reviewers note that the limited number of radio stations and repetitive song selection can detract from the overall experience, despite the music's quality.
- “The game's soundtrack is a standout feature, featuring a collection of iconic songs from the era.”
- “One of the game's standout features is its fantastic soundtrack, which includes timeless classics like 'Paint It Black' by the Rolling Stones, 'Ring of Fire' by Johnny Cash, and 'All Along the Watchtower' by Jimi Hendrix.”
- “The soundtrack captures the era's spirit, with a mix of classic tunes that enhance the game's atmosphere.”
- “The audio balance is atrocious, so you get blasted with music and the intro, no menus/settings or control till you're 10 mins in.”
- “The soundtrack is limited, same songs over and over.”
- “I have heard the same songs repeated over and over.”
stability
2,116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
1%
96%
The stability of Mafia III has been a significant point of contention among players, with many citing it as a "buggy mess." Users report frequent crashes, game-breaking glitches, and performance issues such as frame rate drops and freezing, particularly during cutscenes. Despite some improvements over time, the game remains riddled with bugs that can disrupt gameplay, making it difficult for players to fully enjoy the experience.
- “Runs great nowadays, stable and all.”
- “No glitches, no bugs, awesome and deep story, nice music, perfect ambiance, satisfying shooting experience and good exploration.”
- “I've experienced no glitches, no lag and can shut the game down and pick up right where I started off without having to do any repeat missions.”
- “To this day it's still buggy and lags when it shouldn't, and to be frank it's just a mediocre game.”
- “The game is a complete buggy mess, countless times I had to reboot it because of a dumb bug that broke the mission or because the game broke completely.”
- “The amount of glitches, repetitiveness, and lack of other missions, and jobs to do after you complete the story is poor.”
optimization
1,906 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
46%
42%
The optimization of the game has been widely criticized, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including stuttering, frame drops, and crashes, even on high-end systems. While some patches have improved performance over time, the game remains poorly optimized, often requiring extensive tinkering with settings to achieve playable frame rates. Overall, the consensus is that the game feels unfinished and lacks the polish expected from a AAA title, making it difficult to recommend without significant improvements.
- “After a few years of optimization, it also looks great.”
- “The game runs more smoothly, addressing some of the performance issues that plagued the original version.”
- “This definitive edition of the game features enhanced graphics and performance optimizations compared to the original release.”
- “The main problem is how the game runs; painfully slow stuttering no matter how much I tinker with the settings, and unacceptably frequent soft-locking bugs that force you to reboot the game.”
- “This game's optimization is ass.”
- “The optimization is absolute trash.”
atmosphere
746 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
41%
3%
The atmosphere in Mafia III is widely praised for its immersive recreation of the 1960s, particularly through its detailed setting of New Bordeaux, a fictional version of New Orleans. The game's soundtrack, featuring iconic tracks from the era, enhances the overall experience, while the narrative and character development contribute to a rich, atmospheric backdrop. However, some players feel it lacks the charm and depth of its predecessors, with criticisms aimed at repetitive gameplay and technical issues that detract from the immersive experience.
- “Mafia III delivers a captivating story set in an authentic and atmospheric 1960s setting.”
- “The attention to detail in recreating the city's atmosphere, from neon-lit streets to swamps, is commendable.”
- “The soundtrack captures the era's spirit, with a mix of classic tunes that enhance the game's atmosphere.”
- “Fans of the original Mafia games might find Mafia 3 lacking in the charm and atmosphere that made the first two entries so beloved.”
- “The game is set in a fascinating time period and location, but it fails to capture the atmosphere and mood of the era.”
- “The game desperately tries to create an atmosphere of the 1960's but it comes off as cheesy and forced.”
grinding
563 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
9%
90%
The grinding aspect of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players finding the gameplay loop tedious and repetitive. Reviewers frequently mention the excessive need to complete similar missions and side quests to progress the story, leading to frustration and boredom. While some appreciate the engaging narrative and atmosphere, they often feel that the grind detracts significantly from the overall experience, making it a challenging recommendation for those who dislike repetitive gameplay.
- “Decent grinding.”
- “A lot of grinding.”
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “Once you get about 2 hours into the game, you will be grinding the same 2 missions over and over for 30 hours to get to the end of the game.”
- “It's basically 30 hours of grinding to get a crap 2 minute cutscene to conclude the story which isn't even close to being as interesting as the other mafia stories.”
- “The missions are incredibly grindy, repetitive, and monotonous.”
humor
319 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The humor in "Mafia III" is a mixed bag, with many players finding amusement in the game's glitches, NPC interactions, and the character Donovan, who is frequently highlighted as a source of comedic relief. While some moments and dialogue elicit genuine laughter, the overall repetitive gameplay and serious tone often overshadow the humor, leading to a perception that the game struggles to balance its comedic and dramatic elements. Despite its flaws, the game's quirky moments and humorous bugs contribute to a unique, if inconsistent, comedic experience.
- “NPCs add humor with their over-the-top reactions and trash talk.”
- “It was hilarious and entirely unexpected whenever he would do or say something.”
- “The whole nightcrawler thing was hilarious, especially with Roxy yelling 'watch the paint!' every time you rammed head-on into cops.”
- “I'm so fed up with this game at this point, it's not funny.”
- “I've played a fair amount of this and there are so many bugs it's not funny; the 30fps sucks... I wish I could refund this.”
- “The weather and day-night system is so broken it's not funny; you can be driving at night one moment and then suddenly be driving in day the next, only to return to night a second later with completely random rain.”
replayability
143 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
60%
14%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the branching storylines and choices that offer varied outcomes, while others criticize the repetitive mission structure and lack of engaging side activities, leading to a perception of low replay value. Many reviews suggest that while there are elements that could encourage replay, such as DLCs and character choices, the overall experience may not warrant multiple playthroughs for most players. Overall, the consensus leans towards limited replayability, with some noting it may be worth playing on sale for those interested in the narrative.
- “The branching storyline, influenced by player choices, adds replay value and depth to the overall narrative.”
- “Perfect game, great replayability, awesome combat and phenomenal storyline.”
- “The story progression and freedom is great and the new approach to mission design offers tons of replayability.”
- “There's no replay value in it, and I don't want to deal with its poor performance any longer than to get my money's worth.”
- “This game has zero replay value, and you have nothing to do once you finish the story: just like Mafia 2, but nothing like GTA V.”
- “Mafia 3 is a grindfest and not the good one when there's barely any progression, it just feels like you're doing the same mission over and over, no variety.”
emotional
132 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
84%
2%
14%
The emotional aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising the exceptional voice acting and character performances that lend authenticity and depth to the narrative, particularly Lincoln Clay's journey of revenge. However, many players criticize the story for being predictable and lacking genuine emotional impact, feeling disconnected from the characters and their struggles. While some moments are described as touching and immersive, the overall sentiment suggests that the emotional engagement is undermined by repetitive gameplay and technical issues.
- “The voice acting and character performances are exceptional, lending authenticity and emotional weight to the plot.”
- “Mafia 3 tells a touching and hurtful tale of revenge.”
- “The story of Lincoln Clay's quest for vengeance is both captivating and emotionally charged.”
- “This is a game with a boring story and many bugs even now.”
- “Do not buy this game, it's full of bugs and glitches; you'll be bored fast like Mafia I and Mafia II. Basically, it's just a boring story game with a bit of shooting and cutscenes. After you complete it, all the progress will be erased completely, and you have to start all over again if you're playing this for the badges. I played this game and completed it offline, but it's just a really boring story game, and I wasted 10 euros for it. I mean, the story is great, but the gameplay is absolute garbage. I repeat, do not buy this game.”
- “But I can't even drag myself to the boring story.”
character development
102 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
41%
14%
Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with many players praising its depth and emotional storytelling, particularly in the early stages and through key character interactions. However, some critiques highlight a lack of consistent development throughout the game, with certain characters feeling underexplored and relationships appearing rushed. Overall, while the narrative and character arcs are compelling for many, there are notable gaps that detract from the experience for others.
- “While the game has its imperfections, it stands out for its gripping narrative, atmospheric setting, and strong character development.”
- “The character development throughout the game is superb, especially meeting Vito again was a pleasure.”
- “Great revenge story, the character development is very well done and ties into the previous games very nicely.”
- “The NPCs open up with their most intimate secrets with a literal stranger, you, the player, and it's very uncomfortable to sit through these forced attempts at character development, which only serve to make the game more surreal.”
- “Compared to Mafia 1 & 2, character development in Mafia 3 is nonexistent; you basically have the entire 'character development' in the first 5 hours out of the 45ish hours of gameplay.”
- “There is almost no character development in the story save for exposition by third parties in cutscenes that really aren't necessary and quite honestly become annoying as hell after the first few times they happen, but never end.”
monetization
65 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
2%
94%
The monetization aspect of the game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with many reviewers expressing disappointment over the reliance on microtransactions and the promotion of paid DLC before addressing existing game issues. Players feel that the game exploits fans of the franchise, offering limited content and repetitive advertisements that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the sentiment is that the game's monetization strategy undermines its quality and legacy, leading to a negative reception.
- “In-game purchases offer a variety of options without feeling overly aggressive.”
- “The monetization model is balanced, allowing players to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend.”
- “Microtransactions are present, but they don't detract from the overall experience.”
- “I'm done with this game 0/10. Don't taint the mafia experience with this cash grab garbage.”
- “It feels like fans of the franchise were exploited by an obvious cash grab, which I could genuinely look past if any of it was fun.”
- “This game was a true cash grab, and because of that I can only recommend it on the deepest sale.”