REVIEW - Final Fantasy: Four Heroes of Light (Nintendo DS)

If there has ever been an inappropriately named franchise, then it has to be the Final Fantasy franchise.  Since the release of the first Final Fantasy back in 1987, there have been somewhere in the region of 65 various games, spin-offs and remakes.  However, the beauty of Final Fantasy is that (with the odd exception) the games are all stand alone titles, and you don't need to have grinded through the others to enjoy the latest installment.  So to enjoy Final Fantasy X, you don't need to have played the nine prequels; the same stands with the spin offs.

Final Fantasy: Four Heroes of Light - or FF:FHL as it will now be known - is one of the spin offs, and once again is a stand alone title, this time for the Nintendo DS.  You control main character Brandt, and his band of followers in their quest to first rescue a princess, and then save the world from the darkness that is spreading throughout the world.

Black and White

The plot is Final Fantasy by numbers, and is designed to be.  The game is set in the style of its retro predecessors, and fans of the series will recognise a great deal of the game as having been done before in previous titles.  This is not necessarily a bad thing - Final Fantasy games are popular for a reason - but don't come to FHL expecting stunning originality.  A darkness has set over the world, and your party must go around various towns and dungeons conversing with people, levelling up, fetching things for key NPCs, and defeating evil villains in order to restore the world back to light.  If you have played a Final Fantasy game before, you know the drill.

The Crown System works, but it isn't revolutionary.

The action side of the gameplay is also standard Final Fantasy fare, with random battles in the field with which to upgrade your characters, and plenty of dungeons to battle through in order to face the big boss that sits at the bottom of each dungeon or cave.  Yet this is not to say that FHL does not bring one or two new aspects to the table, such as the "crown" system that means that the player can change the classes of members of the party mid game, and then upgrade those skills with various gems that are collected on the way.  Although a mere rehash of the "job" system from some of the older titles, the crown system works nicely, even if many of the crowns that you are awarded are completely and utterly useless.  The hardcore fans of the series will probably settle down with the traditional classes of White and Black Mage and be done with it.  In my party of four for instance, I had one Black Mage, two White Mages and then picked an Elemental crown (that adds power to magic spells) to complete the party.  From there I never had the urge to change from that combination, especially as I had spent so much time upgrading those crowns to get the extra spells.  I imagine most hardcore players will go along similar lines.

Final Nightmare Mode

He is as difficult to fight as he looks.

Speaking of the hardcore RPG players, this is a game designed almost exclusively for those fans of the genre. Despite the cutesy looking graphics, this game is perilously hard at times, and this comes from a reviewer who knows his Final Fantasy inside and out.  If a gamer is looking at this as an opportunity to dip into the genre for the first time, I would recommend they try somewhere else.  FHL requires the gamer to be comfortable with long periods of grind and levelling up, while being able to deal with the party system and crown system from the very start.  If one attempts to try to defeat a boss (even early on) without a high level and without the correct equipment equipped in order to be able to counter the boss attacks, then it will not just be difficult, it will be entirely impossible.

Yet the difficulty is also one of the game's weak points.  Although a high difficulty is not necessarily a bad thing, considering its target audience, the difficulty is largely inconsistent.  I found the early parts of the game very tough, but then the middle sections a breeze that bordered on completely boring, only then to be faced with an almost impossible final dungeon.  I found that I was either being destroyed, or was waltzing through the dungeons like a demi-god - there seemed to be no comfortably challenging middle ground.

No More Ether...Almost!

Also, the game's aim at the hardcore Final Fantasy player seems inconsistent with the general design of the game.  The plot is so clichéd by Final Fantasy standards, the dungeons so generic, and the world so small that the game would only be able to impress those who had never experienced the franchise before; those of us who have will have seen it all before, and have seen it done better.  With the exception of the aforementioned crown system, and nice touches like the ability to "auto battle" and the replacement of MP points with regenerating Action Points, I struggled to see any real originality in this title whatsoever, which is a great shame.

Graphics are blotchy but pretty.

Additionally, although the game's length is solid for a handheld title, a lot of that time is spent revisiting old areas in the second half of the game.  There are a handful of villages/towns to go to, each with their own dungeon or cave, and the player will visit each of these once during the first half of the game.  Unfortunately, the second half simply involves revisiting those same areas, which quickly becomes tiresome.  Throw in a distinct lack of side quests and missions, and although FHL is by no means a short game, it lacks the immersive depth for which the franchise is known.

Final Fantasy: The Gospel of John Edition

From a Catholic perspective, FHL does everything right.  Although the appearance of a giant crystal early on that speaks to the party may worry Catholics that there is going to be some sort of weird new-age spirituality thrown at them, the plot is a classically Christian one of the struggle of good over evil.  Additionally, the game shows that the evil has been allowed into the world through cruelty, isolation and division.  The solution is the introduction of goodness through kindness, compassion, nobility, forgiveness and unity.  Although the picky amongst us might get a whiff of Pelagianism and maybe even Gnosticism from the title, there can be no doubt that the game promotes a tale of the triumph of virtue over evil.  When one is fighting bosses named "Satan" and "Lucifer", a Catholic gamer cannot moan too much!

Your four heroes of light.  Hmmm....

This is not to say that this positive moral message is not a little corny at times, but the sentiment is definitely in the right place.  Lines of dialogue such as "There is no beauty greater than life itself" and "...in their hearts lives a love, brave and true" sit in stark contrast to some of the macho marine stuff we gamers face on a day to day basis.

The plot is touching at times, and it is just a shame that the characters are so poorly formed.  I found it difficult to care too much about any of the main characters, and found them uninteresting.  This isn't helped by the game's blocky graphics.  Although the graphics are technically decent for a DS title, the character faces emote even less than those of Final Fantasy VII, and with a lack of cut scenes this makes it difficult to really get behind the characters, and consequently the plot as a whole.

FHL does certainly have its moments, such as turning into an animal in order to be able to converse with other animals in order to find out what is going on - the caped mouse who accompanied me through one particular dungeon was easily my favorite character of the game!  However, the few moments of inspiration don't conceal the fact that this is a solid, but rather uninspiring title.  FHL does nothing wrong, but yet does nothing to make it stand out as a title that one simply must buy.

Conclusion


From a technical perspective Final Fantasy: Four Heroes of Light is a title designed exclusively for hardcore fans of the series who simply cannot get enough Final Fantasy.  The game's difficulty makes it unsuitable for anyone who is not already well invested in the series, yet conversely those who are invested in the series will have seen all this done before.  If you are desperate to play a Final Fantasy or RPG title on your DS, then you cannot go too far wrong with FHL, but there are better titles on the market.

From a Catholic perspective, Final Fantasy: Four Heroes of Light impresses with its strong moral message about the triumph of good over evil, of hope over fear, and of light over darkness.  Although most of this message expresses itself in vague superlatives, there are a number of moments when the virtues of kindness, strength of character, friendship and forgiveness are expressed in meaningful and touching ways, and therefore collects a big thumbs up from a Catholic viewpoint.  Final Fantasy: Four Heroes of Light contains mild fantasy violence and a single reference to alcohol.  The death of a minor character in the middle of the game may distress very sensitive children.


The Technical rating for this title is 7/10

The Catholic rating for this title is A-I -- general patronage.

REVIEW - Resident Evil 5 (Xbox 360, PS3, Windows PC)

Most gamers over the age of 20 will have encountered a Resident Evil game at some point in their time as gamers, and will almost certainly have a story or set of memories to go with it.  As for this reviewer, I remember being a terrified 15 year old sat in front of the tiny TV in my room, playing through Resident Evil 2 back in the late 90's.  When I discuss the "Resi" (as they've become known) games with fellow gamers, we all have our favorite moments, and it can be tempting to look back on those truly terrifying games with cloudy nostalgia.  Yes those games contained pant-soiling levels of terror at times, and sometimes had me so scared that I didn't want to progress into the next room or corridor; and yes although the dialogue was risible, I still loved the story - but the games were also quite flawed in many ways that are so easy to forget about when we put on our rose tinted nostalgia glasses.

It has therefore been with some controversy that the series was redesigned with Resident Evil 4; a game that changed a great deal of the established methods of the series - specifically turning the game from a survivial horror game to an action horror game.  Resident Evil 5 (Capcom) follows on in this tradition, and is therefore drastically different from some of the earlier installments into the Resi series.

Chris and Sheva, looking at something...

You play well known Resi character Chris Redfield, who is now part of the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance (BSAA), and is called in to investigate a terrorist threat in (fictional) Kijuju, Africa.  In typical Resident Evil fashion, things go wrong almost immediately, and Chris finds himself fighting for survival alongside fellow BSAA member Sheva Alomar against hoardes of infected Africans who have been infected with some sort of parasite - think faster, more aggressive zombie like creations!  It is therefore up to Chris and Sheva to stop the spread of bioweapon technology in Africa and survive, in addition to a variety of other plot devices that appear throughout the story.

Although the story follows the typical Capcom route of becoming more and more ludicrous as the game progresses, with voice acting to match, it is certainly an entertaining one, and setting the game in Africa instead of just some dark Western factory or house makes the game fresh.  Although the typical Resident Evil environments are still there (sewer, laboratory, docks etc), there is a real sense that this is a game that is breathing new life into the series.

Shoot or Run?  Run!!

He ain't trimmin' hedges!

Yet it is not just the environments that are different, but the whole style of the game.  Like Resi 4, Resident Evil 5 is very action orientated, and you'll be slaughtering your way through a lot more zombies (sorry, "Majini") than in the earlier instalments, and the results of this move are sometimes a little mixed.  The critics of this new turn in style are correct when they say that games like Resident Evil 5 are not as scary as the earlier games.  Although it has a few "jump out of your seat" moments, this game gets its thrills from intensity, not from traditional horror scares.  Whilst initially disappointed by this, I found the game to be scary in its own way.  For instance, the game will frequently put the player into a situation that they simply cannot shoot themselves out of - there will be too few bullets, or there will simply be too many Majini running at the player.  The only answer is to run as fast as you can, and try to escape.  At which point, Sheva might lag behind and get caught up in the mob, meaning you'll have to go back and rescue her while not getting killed yourself.  Although the old Resis did have some of those intense moments, they are a lot more common here, and they are absolutely superb.

Unfortunately some of this dissipates towards the end of the game, and it risks falling into the template of  standard cover based shooter.  Although the action is a joy to play, one can't help but feel that it loses some of its intensity and originality in later levels.  The action is cut up with boss fight segments that are exactly what you'd expect from almost any Capcom game.  Locate the weakspot and attack it with everything you have, while avoiding the crippling attacks that the enemy occasionally unleashes.  They are lots of fun, but many of them drag.  Boss fights that are going on well over 10-15 minutes are simply too long, especially if you get right through to nearly defeating the creature, only for your computer controlled sidekick to get killed, forcing you to restart from your last save point.  That is how TV screens get broken with control pads!

Speaking of the computer controlled side kick, this is one of the innovations to recent games that plays a significant part in the game, and like the change in atmosphere, it is up and down when it comes to implementation.  The implementation of NPC comrades in shooters as a whole has been a move defined by bugs, uselessness and downright frustration.  For the most part, Resident Evil 5 avoids these pitfalls.  Sheva is genuinely useful, and although she needs rescuing from time to time, she will pick up items so you don't have to, will come to your aid when you are in a tight spot, will revive and heal you when necessary, and her aim with a gun is flawless.  Hand her a machine gun and almost every bullet will be on target - she can be very very handy.

'Tis but a flesh wound!

However, she is not without frustration.  She can often be very eager to heal you, even if you are only a little bit injured, and will therefore quite happily use up all your health herbs on the most frivolous of pretexts.  I ended up having to confiscate some of them from her, like she was a naughty child who couldn't be trusted near the cookie jar.  Also, it matters not what monstrous weapons Sheva would have in her arsenal; if she had any bullets for her 9mm pistol, that would be her weapon of choice - always!  Although this sometimes worked in preserving ammo, it meant that when we came to face enormous multi-tentacled, building sized bosses, I'd be running around trying to arm my rocket launcher, while Sheva would be happily taking pot shots with her pistol.  Eventually it got to the point where whenever we came to an ammo dump, I would try to locate the 9mm ammo and get to it before she did, so that she would be forced to use one of the bulkier weapons I'd handed to her.

Heal me!!

Apart from these two faults, the system works very well.  It is a much better system when used as a co-op, and is obviously designed to be played in such a way, but the computer controlled player works well enough for it to be an over-all positive addition to the series, despite the frustrations.

Yet Resi's long tradition of frustrating movement and controls have not been vanquished entirely, despite the radical overhaul of the series.  The movement is a heck of a lot better in this instalment, with the ability to turn round and flee a lot easier to accomplish - which is a good thing, as you'll be doing it a lot!  Guns are very easy to aim, and apart from the machine gun which is a little tricky, they all work pretty well.  However, the biggest gripe has to be the inventory system.  Say you are in the middle of some raging battle against a hoard of creatures and you are pounding rounds of your shotgun into anything that moves.  Your health is low and you're stuck in a corner, but you're fighting your way out tooth and nail.  Suddenly, your shotgun clicks empty - disaster!  No worry, you can still fight your way out with your pistol.  In this panicky and heated atmosphere, you must then press the Y button to bring up the inventory, find the pistol with the d-pad, select it with A and then press A again to equip it.  Simply locating the pistol from your selection of guns can take a few seconds,bringing up the inventory, and then selecting and then equipping takes even longer.  None of this would have been a problem had Capcom decided to implement an inventory screen on the pause menu, but this all has to be done in real time; meaning you can be trying to reselect and equip the machine gun, or trying to swap a healing potion for bullets with your partner, all while Chris is stood there with a monster chewing off his arm!

It might not sound big, but in the later levels, it frequently became my number one reason for dying.  Then there are other gripes; loading is automatic when you fire your weapon with no bullets in the chamber, but Chris cannot move as he is reloading (which takes a long time), so you can frantically be trying to avoid some enemy hurling themselves at you, but find yourself unable to move because Chris is slowly putting more rounds in his gun.  With no way to cancel the reload (which can take a good five seconds depending on the gun) and the frequency of some insta-kill enemies, blood pressure can rise very, very quickly.  Yet these frustrations do not make the game bad; but they do prevent it from being an all time classic.

Thomas Malthus vs Zombies!

Wesker is back and as awesome as ever!

From a Catholic perspective, Resident Evil 5 has a good message in there somewhere, but it is obscured by the ridiculous plot surrounding it, and a great deal of gore and violence.  The people Chris and Sheva are fighting against are people who want to use biotechnology to unleash a virus on the world and enact a sort of "Darwinist meets neo-Malthusianist" fantasy of humanity evolving to become gods.  The aim is to create an advanced race of humans at the expense of those who would not be strong enough to deal with the introduction of the foreign virus into their systems.  The influence of the Tower of Babel on the story is obvious, specifically Wesker's claim that it will make them like gods.  Chris and Sheva rightly see this as a monstrous plan and it is this plan that they are trying to prevent from taking place.  Although you will hack your way through plenty of Majini on the way, the ultimate goal is a worthy one - to stop an unprecedented act of bioterrorism and slaughter.  However, this message is slightly obscured by the sheer amount of bloodletting and violence that will occur on the way.  Granted, the violence is occurring to zombie-like creatures, so doesn't carry the same moral implications as killing humans, and you are constantly on the defensive; but it does limit the pro-life message somewhat.

No Resident Evil 5 review would be complete without looking at the accusations of racism that have been levelled at this game.  There can be no doubt that setting the game in Africa was a risky move, and opening up with a hoard of savage out of control Africans attacking the player does nothing to allay this fear.  One of the more amusing aspects of the game is that (presumably at the last minute) Capcom have thrown in a few non-African character models, so occasionally you'll be attacked by a hoard that consists of a handful of people from South-East Asia or Europe; which makes zero sense in terms of plot - unless we are supposed to believe that Kijuju is some sort of tourist hot spot.  As a consequence, it is a slightly tacky way of trying to alleviate people's accusations of racism.

Racist? No. Problematic? Yes!

I saw nothing in the early parts of the game that made me think that the game was even coming close to racism.  Setting the game in Africa means that you are naturally going to get African zombies, just like setting the game in America results in American zombies.  However, Resident Evil 5 gets a little bit dicey later on when it transports the characters to a remote tribal village.  Here, you will find yourself being attacked by virus-infected African tribesmen and women brandishing shields and spears, and making guttural noises at you.  Although I would not want to go so far as to term this part of the game "racist" - it is clear that the writers simply wanted to change environments - I couldn't help but feel that the approach was clumsy and insensitive.  Two Westernized soldiers (although Sheva is African herself) running away from, and gunning down, savage spear-throwing African tribesmen?  Stealing sacred African treasures in order to upgrade your machine gun?  Yeh, I was a little uncomfortable with it, and I like to consider myself pretty open minded.  Again, I don't see any reason to believe that anyone at Capcom had a racist agenda here, and I wouldn't want to discourage games from exploring new environments like Africa, but I did feel that this could have been approached a little bit more carefully by the developers.  It is certainly something that Catholic gamers will wish to ponder before investing in this title.

Mercenaries mode is a lot of fun, and adds hours to the game.

In terms of length, Resident Evil 5 is solid.  The campaign sits at a relatively unremarkable 12 hours, yet the game's vast amount of unlockables means that this is a game that a player will have little problem replaying and discovering a new experience.  Unlockables include the ability to play as Sheva, new costumes, different graphical designs, a graded rating system for each level, and unlimited ammunition that will change the way in which the gamer approaches the game.  The latter unlockable is a great way of encouraging gamers to try the campaign on the harder levels.  Additionally, the Resident Evil: Mercenaries mode makes a very welcome return.  For those unfamiliar with this mode, it involves what is essentially a timed survival mode; where the player has to fend off hoards of Majini and other creatures until the timer runs out.  The more time pickups you collect, and the more enemies you kill (with more points for combos) results in more points.  Not only can you compare your high scores, but they are also used to unlock more levels and more characters with which to play in those levels.  Amidst this swarm of unlockables there are a few duds - notably the collectible figurines of various players and enemies, that seem completely redundant for all but the most obsessive of completionists - but Capcom deserve high marks for making the game so replayable, and giving such good value for money.

Conclusion


From a technical perspective, Resident Evil 5 is very close to being a masterpiece.  Its plot is well-paced and frequently changes environments to prevent boredom, the action is intense and enjoyable, and the co-op system works very well.  The graphics and sound are both of the highest quality and contribute enormously to the creepy atmosphere that hangs over the game.  The campaign sits tight at about 12-15 hours, but other collectibles and modes such as Mercenaries can keep the player occupied for a lot longer, and the game has significant replayability.  A lot of effort has gone into fixing a lot of the problems of the previous instalments, and by and large it works - controls are better, and it is a lot easier to wade through enemies and escape, as well as easier to shoot them when required.  Yet a slightly buggy computer controlled character, a ridiculous inventory system, and some basic control errors (such as the inability to move while reloading) that still remain keep the frustration levels high at various points, and therefore Resident Evil 5 falls short of perfection.  It is still one of the most heart-pounding, exciting, and downright fun experiences available, but it falls just short of top marks.

From a Catholic perspective, Resident Evil 5 has a positive message that is drowned out by fanciful story telling and the quantity of violence and gore that is contained within this title.  Its explicit condemnation of those who wish to use science to forcibly evolve humanity into gods will meet with nods of approvals from Catholics, but exploding heads and significant gore will tarnish this somewhat  Although the blood will by and large belong to what can safely be described as non-humans, there are some gruesome human deaths if the player gets captured by the creatures, and the creatures deaths can be extremely gruesome at times, with decapitation and mutilation a common theme in this game.  Resident Evil 5 also contains frequent crude and crass language and a few instances of profanity, as well as some instances of tribal animal sacrifice.  Additionally, the issues of race that hover over the game are handled clumsily at times which Catholic gamers may wish to consider before investing in this title.

The technical rating for this title is 9/10

The Catholic rating for this title is L --limited adult audiences.  Contains problematic content that many adults would find troubling.

REVIEW - Mafia II (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)

One of the most dangerous things that a game can do is promise lots early on.  If a game slowly introduces itself, then the gamer can find themselves completely immersed and in love with the game without even realizing it.  However, if the game appears to be offering the world, and then halfway through the game the gamer finds themselves underwhelmed and disappointed, then it does not bode well for reviews.

Welcome then to Mafia II (2K Czech) - a game that promises a classy, cinematic open 1950's world in which to explore, and instead delivers a standard, linear, repetitive cover based shooter filled with characters that like to swear, collect porn and be as stereotypical as possible.

I'm Going to be a Contender...

The graphics of Mafia II are very impressive.

You are Vito Scaletta, a Sicilian immigrant off the boat, and trying to make his living in  1940's New York City - sorry, I mean "Empire Bay".  Very quickly, Vito and his best friend Joe Barbaro get into trouble with the police, and Vito chooses to be sent off to World War II to fight in Italy in order to avoid jail.  On return to Empire Bay, Vito is determined to continue making easy money by breaking the law, and it is your role as the player to assist him as he delves ever deeper into the greasy underground of the Empire Bay Mafia, while trying to avoid taking responsibility for his actions.

Although reeking of stereotypes, Mafia II begins very promisingly.  The introduction cinematics and tutorials are beautiful, and really begin to immerse the gamer into 1940's (and later 1950's) New York City.  The player is introduced to Vito's mother and sister, and there is a very touching relationship between the three poor Sicilian immigrants (Vito's father was killed a few years before when the game is set) and the debts that the family have provide a decent motive for Vito to turn to unpleasant characters in the hope of making a quick buck.

Grand Theft Gangster?

Additionally, the seemingly open world of Mafia II seeks to provide a more realistic and mature experience than more arcade sandbox games such as Saint's Row II and Grand Theft Auto IV.  Cars handle a bit more like one would expect for a 1940's car to handle, and police will now enforce speed limits if they see you breaking them, and will fine you if they catch you.  The game provides an optional speed limiter, which allows one to stick to the speed limit without too much effort.  The effect is a nice one, meaning that the player can cruise around the environment, taking in the view and enjoying the excellent soundtrack on the way to the next mission.  Considering that every day (for the game is set in terms of days) Vito must leave wherever he is living, and drive across town to wherever the next meeting is, it is a good thing that the the drive is so enjoyable.

It certainly takes a leaf out of GTA's book.

It is here where Mafia II is at its best.  The graphics are of top quality, and although the city isn't quite as bustling as it could be, there is a real sense of life to it, and the atmosphere it evokes is commendable.  From there, leaving your vehicle and going into an apartment block where people are having rows, where music is playing etc, all gives the impression that you are entering a living breathing world.

However this is where the immersiveness ends.  The world invites you to explore it in between the linear missions, and yet doesn't actually give you anything in return for doing so.  There is almost nothing to do in the open world of Empire Bay, except for drive around, select from the limited range of clothes (three items in varying styles), eat at a diner, fill up on gas and that's it!  There are no side missions to speak of, no way of purchasing buildings or making more money.  Sure, you can technically rob a diner or a store, but for what purpose?  So you can go back a day later and buy yourself another jaunty hat, this time in light gray instead of black?  I think I'll pass...

Working 9 to 5.

The problem with Mafia II is that it somehow manages to make the gangster world seem strangely dull.  For not only is the world itself without variety, the same can be said of the missions.  While the actual story is fairly involving, the missions eventually resort to "Go to place X, engage in dialogue, indulge in some cover based shooting, then drive home."  Although the cover based shooting is extremely well done - with powerful sounding guns and some really hairy moments - it is overdone so that towards the end of the game it feels very much like simply going through the motions with every mission.

The plot is similarly clichéd.  Although well told, and with some interesting characters, the plot is fairly standard gangster fare and will not exactly have you itching for a sequel, even with the ending that leaves nothing particularly resolved.  The relationship between Vito and Joey is hilarious at times, but most of the other characters are so clichéd with their dialogue that it will make your ears bleed.

The police mechanics are done very well in Mafia II.

Yet it did not always have to be this way.  The first few missions are highly original, and the plot is well written early on.  An example of this [SLIGHT SPOILER ALERT] is when Vito is sent to prison about an hour or so into the game, having been caught for committing various crimes.  This leads to an interesting hour long sub plot where Vito must make friends and survive in his new world.  While the whole thing reeks strongly of The Shawshank Redemption, it is an area where the game distinguishes itself from other GTA-clones.  A moment that stands out is where Vito reads that a close member of his family has passed away.  As he learns of the news, he cries in agony at the knowledge that he was unable to help because of his misdemeanors, at which point the lights go out and he is plunged into darkness.  The moment is powerful, and could have been used by the game developers for significant character development.

Yet once Vito is released from prison, he immediately jumps straight back into the life of crime that he was used to before his incarceration.  Vito appears not to have learnt anything from his time in prison, and it becomes harder to relate to him as a consequence.  His lack of moral questioning of any of the acts he is committing makes him a difficult character to empathise with (although the game obviously wants you to) while at the same time, the brief moments he does question his role in the Mafia sound disingenuous and annoying.

As an example, about three quarters of the way through the game, I had just mowed through yet another warehouse of gangsters.  Having committed a hectic mini genocide, I leant back in my chair to watch the cut scene.  Imagine my surprise then, when the next mission is a mission involving delivering drugs and Vito begins to get fidgety about the moral implications when he realizes that his actions may lead to people taking drugs!  Apparently being a mass murderer is fine, but good old Vito draws the line at dealing drugs!  Of course, Vito didn't actually draw the line - he just moans about it for a bit, and then does it anyway.

A Good Catholic Boy?

As you might be able to tell, this game is not a particular winner from a Catholic perspective either.  Granted, a game about the Mafia is probably not going to earn itself a Catholic recommendation, but I was hoping that perhaps there would be an ending (as in many gangster movies) where the main protagonist would come to his senses and turn his back on the evil lifestyle he had taken on.  Not to give away the ending, but if this is the ending that you are looking for, Mafia II is not for you.  Let me just say that there is no reason that there could not be a Mafia III, with the same character doing the same thing.  Vito's moral jitters are reserved for rare moments where he does not have a lot of money - only then does he consider what he is doing may be wrong.  But when the going is good, Vito has no problem killing more people than a tinpot dictator.  Although there are a few plot twists towards the end, the message is little more than "If you are going to be a bloodythirsty gangster, make sure you pick the right people to work for."

Cover based shooting - a staple for this title!

Additionally, Mafia II has the strange achievement of attaining the Guinness World Record for the most uses of the f word in a video game.  Having played the game, this news was not a surprise to me.  Again, while one can expect that a realistic gangster game is not going to be swear free, Mafia II makes a Quentin Tarantino movie look like Bambi.  Every conversation and shootout is suffocated with constant expletives, so that it goes well beyond what one would realistically expect from a gangster situation and mars the supposedly immersive storyline by being atrociously laughable.

The final nail in the coffin for Mafia II from a Catholic perspective is the seedy little pornographic minigame that the designers have thrown in.  This involves the gamer having to go around searching for various Playboy centrefolds littered around the environment.  Some you will bump into when completing missions (which flash on the floor like they are radioactive), others you are supposed to go on long treks in search for.  The centrefolds are real centrefolds from the 40's, 50's and (oddly) the 60's, and therefore involve upper frontal, and lower rear female nudity.  The idea that gamers would be prepared to go sleazing around a dull city for hours on end on the off chance of getting a flash of breast is insulting not only to Catholics, but to gamers as a whole.  It also shows that, for all their talk of creating a mature cinematic experience, they are in fact quite happy to ditch the whole "cinematic realism" thing as long as it allows them to squeeze some naked flesh in there by hook or by crook.  Add in a pretty foul scene involving strippers and oral sex, and you have some content that has made even secular game reviewers comment on its crassness, and that is quite clearly morally offensive for any Catholic.

Conclusion


From a technical perspective, Mafia II is standard.  The graphics are top notch, as is the 40's and 50's soundtrack, but when one scratches the surface, one will discover a fairly clichéd gangster story, mixed in with competant cover based shooting and a few car chases.  A normal gamer will breeze through the game in a weekend due to the shortness of the campaign, and a lack of side missions (apart from collecting porn) or any multiplayer features, making it little more than an add on pack dressed up as a full game.  Although Mafia II shows glimmers of originality and excellence, it is buried within a dirge of repetition and mediocrity.

From a Catholic perspective, the game's limited attempt to play with morality falls flat on its face.  Although there are bad consequences to Vito's actions, he is never shown to be seriously doubting his decision to enter the Mafia.  Additionally, the game's presentation of Vito as just a normal guy caught up with the wrong people comes across as highly insincere considering the enormous body count that Vito racks up.  Mafia II includes significant gore, rear and upper frontal female nudity, constant uses of rough, crass, crude and profane language, frequent racist slurs, and a scene of graphic prostitution.  With this cocktail of vulgarity, the few touching moments with Vito's Italian Catholic family fade into the background of what is a thoroughly morally offensive title.

The technical rating for this title is 6/10

The Catholic rating is O-- morally offensive