It would be a crime to miss 'Mafia II'

One might logically wonder where the "Mafia" franchise could go since everyone from the original game is dead.

But have no fear: Vito is here.

You play the sequel as Vito, a newcomer to the organized-crime world who must ply his trade in small-time jobs while methodically moving up the ranks. The journey is linear but the story is far from it, littered with excellent plot narratives and plenty of twists and turns to keep you fully engaged.

"Mafia II" envelops itself in two different periods of time, the mid-1940s and the '50s. The stark contrasts between the two do a fantastic job of giving you a sense of place and time. The cars you obtain (by legal means or otherwise) pipe in period music, while news broadcasts and commercials provide plenty of quirky information and fun. The three main sources of action: racing around town to do jobs, getting into fistfights and the ubiquitous and always exciting shootouts.

Driving sequences are decent but expose the game's most noticeable flaw (more on that below). But the fights (whether by hand or gun) are full of action and drama. The punches feel appropriately punishing, while weapons such as guns, blunt objects and grenades all pack a wallop.

The biggest drawback is the size of the city. It looks, acts and breathes beautifully. The map features all sorts of icons for potential activities, but none of them pans out into anything necessarily interesting. It's a massively picturesque city that doesn't really give you many ways to interact with it.

The lack of a truly open world means you are left to the strictly linear story, which is no flimsy tale, by any means. It's a tightly woven narrative with compelling characters and enough excitement to keep any gamer well-sated.