fast travel mafia 3

But that feeling, unfortunately, never extended to the rest of the game. Though Mafia III's campaign contains quite a few memorable moments like that bayou shootout, they're buried under a pile of repetitive filler missions and underserved by dated gameplay, which adds little to the standard sandbox shooter formula we've seen in dozens of other games. And worse still, the game suffers technical blemishes from start to finish.

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Now Playing: Mafia III - Video Review

The story follows Lincoln Clay, a man who is many things: an orphan adopted by the leader of New Bordeaux's black mob, a war hero who returns home from Vietnam in 1968, and the victim of a vicious betrayal at the hands of the city's crime boss, Sal Marcano. The ensuing plot follows all the expected beats of a revenge tale, but it culminates in a positively Shakespearean ending made all the more impactful by our deep understanding of each and every character.

The story mixes cutscenes set in 1968 with documentary footage shot in the present day and video of a Congressional hearing that occurs somewhere in between. It's a brilliant way to tell a complete, well-rounded story. Even side characters receive enough attention to feel three-dimensional, and tiny details like store signage and radio hosts expertly capture the tumultuous time and place that serves as the backdrop.

You'll even find a few nods to longtime Mafia fans. Mafia II protagonist Vito Scaletta, for example, returns as one of three underbosses who allies with Lincoln against Marcano. Lincoln's quest for revenge coincides with his rise to power, power he shares during a series of playable "sitdowns"--scenes in which Lincoln gathers his capos around a table to talk business. Basically, every time you capture a new district, you must assign that district a leader, who will grant you new weapons and abilities in exchange. But ignore one of your partners too many times and they might just turn on you.

It's a clever way to embrace the "mafia" concept and a welcome strategic contrast to the rest of the gun-driven gameplay. Unfortunately, the sitdowns work better in concept than in practice, in part because the perks aren't particularly well balanced. Vito and Cassandra offer plenty of desirable perks like a time-saving money collection service and improved ammo capacity for all weapons. Burke, on the other hand, can temporarily call off the cops, but oddly enough, I never found the cops to be much of a problem. Neglecting Burke became a foregone conclusion after the first couple meetings.

While the sitdowns aren't a resounding success, they are, at least, a compelling, original idea. The rest of Mafia III's gameplay, however, feels entirely unoriginal. The action consists primarily of bare bones driving and third-person, cover-based shooting, both of which we've seen executed better in other games. The gameplay is functional and even enjoyable at times, mostly thanks to the Hitman-light stealth mechanics, cinematic scripted takedowns, and gruesome yet satisfying enemy death animations.

But Mafia III does nothing to distinguish its generic moment-to-moment gameplay from that of other sandbox shooters, and its core mechanics can't even nail the basics--at least not completely. Swapping cover feels awkward, enemy AI is dumb as rocks, weapons lack variety--none of this breaks the experience, but it does land the overall quality somewhere between "fine" and "lackluster."

These problems are compounded by the campaign's exhausting mission structure. After the game's excellent opening portion, a pattern quickly emerges: shakedown informants, kill enforcers, smash up contraband, steal cash stashes, and, eventually, take down a boss figure. It's a pattern that makes sense in the context of the world, and those boss showdowns provide many of the game's most unique and memorable gameplay scenarios.

Problem is, that pattern repeats over and over again for the entire campaign, and the filler missions leading up to the bigger faceoffs never change. As a result, much of the game feels frustratingly repetitive. And while the city of New Bordeaux is immense, alive, and incredibly detailed, there's not much to do beyond the story missions. There's also no fast travel system, so I spent an infuriating amount of time just commuting to and from objectives.

These issues are somewhat forgivable in light of the exceptional storytelling--which kept me invested throughout--but it's impossible to overlook Mafia III's technical problems. I experienced everything from broken mission objectives to enemies spotting me through walls to a solid handful of hard crashes. And that's all in addition to the fact that the game simply doesn't look that great, with blurry textures, odd lighting, and object pop-in throughout. Though I encountered the bulk of these issues while playing through the campaign on Xbox One, I can confirm they also affect the PS4 and PC versions, though most problems seemed slightly less severe on those platforms.

Every aspect of Mafia III's writing--from the dialogue to the mission descriptions--is excellent. The obvious care and craftsmanship that went into its narrative elements should serve as a model for all other triple-A titles. The gameplay, however, just can't live up, and repetitive missions and technical problems drag the experience down further, turning a game that could have been truly great into one that has to settle for "fair."

• Leave Blank
• Clever, multifaceted narrative framing
• Exceptional dialogue and character development
• Decent number of memorable story missions
• Conceptually interesting strategic management of your criminal empire
• Expansive open world with plenty to see, though not much to do
• Too many repetitive filler missions
• Core gameplay, though occasionally satisfying, feels dated
• Technical issues, including broken objectives and hard crashes
• No fast travel system, which forces lots of tedious commuting

About the Author

Scott Butterworth

• @Butterwomp

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Best Mafia 3 Mods: The Ultimate Collection

Calling Mafia 3’s release “a bit rocky” would be an understatement.

The hype surrounding the pre-launch was huge, but once people got their hands on it, it didn’t turn out to live up to most people’s expectations.

Regardless of the mixed reviews, I dare say that Mafia 3 isn’t all that bad. I mean, if you enjoyed GTA5 and happen to be a fan of the mafia genre, then of course this game has appeal.

And whatever you think this game doesn’t do too well, you can always look to mods for help. That’s the goal of this list: ranking all the best mods for Mafia 3 that you can get your hands on.

But before you get started, you’re going to want to get the Mafia 3 ScriptHook which is required to run most of these.

20. Color Correction / Blur Removal

Check Out This Mod

I like to start off with some graphical mods since I’m sure most of you are OK with making the game look better.

Nyclix’s Colour Correction/Blur Removal ReShade preset is by far the best visual upgrade you can get for Mafia 3, especially if you aren’t playing the remastered Definitive Edition.

The mod just makes everything look much more realistic and removes some of the blur effects to give you a much clearer image overall.

19. No Rear View Mirror / Speedometer

One of the biggest complaints people is about the driving mechanics.

Compared to the realistic approach they took with Mafia 2’s driving system, everything feels much more arcade-y this time around.

While it’s fun to drift around and make some of the craziest turns while being chased down the streets of New Bordeaux, it hardly ever feels quite as rewarding.

There are tons of driving mods for Mafia 3 to address some of these issues, and the first you’re going to want is the No Rear View Mirror / Speedometer mod.

This simply removes the rear-view mirror and speedometer from the HUD, removing much of the clutter and adding to the immersion of the game as well.

18. Manual Transmission

If you’re looking to take Mafia 3’s driving even further, Budzilla’s Manual Transmission is a great way to do so.

It adds a totally new level of realism and makes driving all the more thrilling, having an extra set of controls to manage while trying to get away from the bad guys.

While it does make driving more difficult overall, it definitely ups the sense of accomplishment you get once you get out of those sticky situations.

The mod adds controls to enable/disable manual transmission, and assigns each gear a separate button so you can switch while driving. Immersion at its finest.

If realism isn’t really what you’re after, Dirty Dan’s Boost might be a better fit.

While Mafia 3’s cars already feel a bit too fast for their time, recklessly speeding through virtual worlds without consequence always seems like a good idea.

Boost helps you do that, making every car run even faster than in vanilla.

What’s better is that the boost function is completely controllable, as if you added nitrous to your vehicle – so you’ll be able to get a quick boost at the push of a button.

16. Car Customizations

Mafia 3’s lack of garages is just another way it separates itself from similar games like GTA5. But this also means collecting and customizing cars in this game isn’t really a thing.

Well modder KNGR aims to fix that with his Car Customizations mod.

This opens up a new set of options for vehicles in Mafia 3, allowing you to choose between different sets of tires, body kits, window tints, decals, and more.

Unfortunately, you still won’t have any garages to store your cars in… so if you lose any of them it’s tough cookies, unfortunately.

15. Custom License Plate

Taking vehicle customization even further, Modded Games brings back one of the features from the previous Mafia game, allowing you to completely customize your license plates as well.

I’m not exactly sure if custom license plates were a thing in the 60’s, but with this mod installed, you’ll be the only one in town with one.

It’s really simple to use – all you do is open up the included Lua script and encode whatever you want your plate to read, and there you go!

I’m sure you won’t run out of creative ideas for this one.

14. First Person Mod

If you’re looking for an even more unique way to modify driving, I recommend giving MrGTAmodsgerman’s First Person Mod a try.

While driving in first-person is possible in GTA5, it unfortunately isn’t a default option in Mafia 3 – but this mod fixes that.

It gives you a completely functional first-person mode for driving around New Bordeaux, making it even more interesting to cruise around and take in the sights of the city.

Here’s one of the few times keeping the rear-view mirror on actually makes more sense.

13. Slim Jim (Car Break In Tool, Not The Snack)

Stealing vehicles is rather common in these open world games, and is an especially convenient way to grab a car at the drop of a hat.

But it isn’t quite as simple in Mafia 3, because breaking into a car usually means that if a cop doesn’t see you and immediately chases you down, a witness will see and call them to report it.

Gone are the days when you’d have to break through windows.

Now you can efficiently break into vehicles with a slim jim, easy and quick.

12. Car Spawn Mod

If stealing cars seems like too much work, then why not spawn one yourself?

This mod uses a Lua script where you can assign the number and numpad keys to spawn specific vehicles of your choosing.

All you have to do is assign a vehicle code to each of the buttons and you’re done!

With the mod installed, you’ll be able to spawn in any vehicle you prefer with a simple push on your keyboard.

Getting around New Bordeaux has never been so easy…

11. Teleport Between Districts

What’s easier than spawning cars? The ability to teleport yourself around the map!

BabaRaw’s Teleport Between Districts lets you do exactly that, alleviating the need to steal or spawn in cars, or even drive at all for that matter.

Instantly jumping between the 10 districts of New Bordeaux is without a doubt the fastest way to get around. And is especially useful for when your next objective happens to be on the opposite end of the map.

This mod was actually created as a solution to the game’s lack of a fast travel system, which I honestly don’t understand why one wasn’t included.

10. Unlimited Ammo

As with GTA5’s fictional world of San Andreas , the idea of running around and aimlessly wreaking havoc seems just as fun in New Bordeaux.

If the Boost mod wasn’t enough to make for some crazy fun around town, there are other mods that might help.

Though things might get a bit cheat-y in the next few entries, it probably doesn’t even really matter if you’re just looking to have some fun.

The Unlimited Ammo is a great place to start, and yes it does exactly as the name suggests.

9. All Weapons

Now that you don’t have to worry about running out of ammo, let’s get you instant access to all the guns in the game.

Not only does this unlock every gun the game has, but it allows you to carry everything around with you. So you can pick and choose a weapon anytime you want.

Screw backpacks and weapon holsters (that’s right, I’m looking at you Last of Us 2). Your inventory is deep with this mod installed.

Toggling between weapons is as simple as a button push, allowing you to scroll through the game’s different handguns, shotguns, SMG’s, and rifles.

8. Money Script

You’d typically spend money in Mafia 3 on vehicle upgrades, weapons, or clothing.

There’s really not much to buy in the game to begin with, and with ammo and weapons already covered, I don’t imagine you’re going to need any more money anyway.

That’s not the point though.

The point is you want to have everything… and if you can, then why not?

This Money Script basically gives you $9,999 every time you hit F1. If you don’t have anything else to buy, at least you’ll be the richest person in New Bordeaux.

7. Invincibility Script

As if things weren’t crazy enough, we’re about to take things up a notch.

What more can you ask for now that you have all the guns, unlimited ammo, and unlimited money?

Invincibility, of course.

Just install the mod and Lincoln becomes invulnerable to any type of damage, basically making you unstoppable as you go about doing whatever you want.

6. Vito Scaletta

With invincibility as the last piece of the puzzle, you’ve probably spent hours running around making a mess of New Bordeaux.

I mean, you have to get tired of it eventually, right?

Well if you’re done messing around, there are other mods that make Mafia 3 more interesting, and Vito Scaletta is one of them.

This mod brings back our favorite gangster, letting you play Mafia 3 as the Mafia 2 protagonist Vito Scaletta . A small but notable change for fans of the series.

5. DLC Unlocker For Mafia III Definitive Edition

If you happen to prefer Lincoln over Vito, we have some character customization options for him as well.

This particular set is one of the best by far , as it gives you access to some of the game’s most exclusive cars and outfits.

For those who aren’t aware, the Definitive Edition’s preorder actually came with a few cosmetic items , which you otherwise would never be able to unlock.

And thanks to Modded Games, you’ll be able to get your hands on those sets.

This mod gives Lincoln a proper mafia outfit with Tommy Angelo’s Pinstripe Suit, gives a nod to the previous Mafia game with Vito Scaletta’s Leather Jacket, and has you riding around in style with two shiny new Shubert cars to drive around in.

4. Punisher Default Outfit

If you’re looking to give Lincoln a more unique look, alexnoncreeper’s Punisher Outfit might do the trick.

The mod makes Lincoln look like the badass killer you want him to become, having him dressed in the Punisher’s black army coat with the signature spray-painted skill underneath.

It’s definitely a unique concept. And is a cool alternative in case you’ve gotten tired of Lincoln’s default appearance in vanilla.

3. It’s War Time! Realistic Damage + Difficulty Mod

Mafia 3 isn’t exactly known for its difficulty. And some of the more hardcore gamers might be looking for more of a challenge.

It’s War Time! is absolutely the way to go.

The mod ups the difficulty quite a bit by tweaking damage values to make enemies a more challenging to overcome.

The mod also comes with two additional difficulty levels as well, so you can choose to play the game in Very Hard or Clay Must Die modes.

2. Car Bomb

This next mod is one of the more original add-ons I came across, and just couldn’t leave it off the list.

As with any third-person open world game, you could choose to aggressively approach missions with guns blazing, or take a more discreet approach and tackle them more stealthily.

But what if you had more options?

Modder Sladernimo adds in some Hitman flare to Mafia 3 by adding the ability to make car bombs.

With this mod installed, you’ll gain the ability to attach bombs to vehicles and detonate them remotely with a push of a button. Good times.

1. Bullet Time

Now here’s a mod that takes direct inspiration from the Max Payne series.

Bullet Time was one of the coolest features of those games, for sure. And with this mod from Sladernimo, you can have it in Mafia 3 as well.

The mod adds the Bullet Time effect to Mafia 3, so you can slow down time on command. Get those cinematic moments as you’re driving or fighting, and live Neo from The Matrix.

With modding, nothing is truly off limits.

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Mafia III: Definitive Edition Review

The Mafia series has seen multiple hiatuses between games, with eight years between the first two and six between the second and third. It has now been four years since the third entry, but 2K Games is set to remake the first game as part of a new release known as Mafia Trilogy. While that version is not out for a few more months, they recently released the remastered Mafia II along with including the already existing Mafia III that is now known in the collection as Mafia III: Definitive Edition.

When Mafia III was originally released, there was certainly some controversy about the change in setting. While the prior two games had the traditional Italian mafia akin to Scarface and The Sopranos, Mafia III was taking a different route by having an African American protagonist that is not part of the traditional mob seen in the first few games. Instead, Lincoln Clay is a soldier that has just returned back to the fictional New Bordeaux that is based on New Orleans from Vietnam and agrees to help some family and friends with the Haitian mob that have come knocking. Soon after he tries to work out a debt to the Italian mafia that his surrogate father has accrued. This ends up going very poorly and leaves Lincoln wanting revenge against mob boss Sal Marcano and his mafia family. This leads Lincoln to having to gather a unique crew of different partners to help take them down, which is the central focus for most of the game.

The story is largely carried by the incredibly captivating Lincoln Clay and the other characters around him, with a solid story surrounding them. Mafia III: Definitive Edition was not afraid to tackle much more intense and dark themes than in the past, which still holds up well now four years later from the original release. While it is definitely a different style than the first couple games, the story is very much worth experiencing here and may be the best of the trilogy in that area.

Where Mafia III suffers most though is the very unoriginal game structure as you play through Lincoln’s story in a once again large sandbox open world experience. The original city of New Bordeaux this time around is larger than both of the first two games combined, but that kind of is a hindrance in some ways as you’re consistently having to drive across the map for new missions. New Bordeaux itself is split up into nine different districts across nine chapters, each of which have a story mission that is split up for you to complete. The repetitive nature of these missions though is where the game really struggles.

Within each district, you have to take over both of the rackets that are found in that location. Once you have successfully done this, a third mission within the chapter will open where you have to take out the person in charge of that district. There is a little more to do in the later chapters, but the biggest problem is that the structure is especially tedious and will have you growing tired of everything in no time. This feels like a course correction from the emptier world found in the previous games, though they may have gone a bit too far in the other direction.

On the plus side, Mafia III does introduce side missions this time around, a major flaw of the previous game. While not available right away, you’ll eventually get access to side missions that branch off from the main story. These include things such as helping out the underbosses by completing tasks for them to gain favor. While they aren’t that most involved overall, they are better than having nothing extra to do like in Mafia II.

The gameplay itself is really nothing to write home about either, albeit a little more refined here. One of the somewhat frustrating elements of the previous game was that you had to press A to leave cover every time, but now you can move much more freely when trying to move between cover or be stealthy. You have the option to adjust aim assist to the level you prefer, which can make the game a bit too easy. There are plenty of guns to choose from here though, with the ability to set them to a wheel and choose between them.

Compared to its predecessors, Mafia III has a major edge in the visuals department. The recent Mafia II: Definitive Edition was definitely more polished visually, but there is still no real comparison between it and Mafia III. Mafia III: Definitive Edition looks great all around, with the character models and environments looking much more realistic. The performance on Xbox One was pretty solid most of the time, with some slowdown here and there when too much was happening on screen. Thankfully, the character movement in general felt much more natural than in the prior games.

While Mafia III: Definitive Edition is literally supposed to be the same game with a new name and all DLC included, somehow Hangar 13 completely messed up one aspect of this game in the included update. Mafia III was given Xbox One X and PS4 Pro support after the release of the game, which added HDR and 4K support to the game to make it look even better. In what is a baffling mistake, somehow this latest update has completely removed this support, now giving you no way to use 4K on consoles. This is something that absolutely has to be patched in, but there is no way it should have ever happened in the first place, especially when this was a free “upgrade” for those that already owned the game.

Mafia as a series has always had a great soundtrack to match the time period, but Mafia III takes this to another level entirely. With the game being set in the late ’60s, the music was ripe for the picking from the era and Hangar 13 did not disappoint. These include songs from artists such as The Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Johnny Cash, as the game offers over 100 different songs in total. The stellar soundtrack will constantly have you taking longer routes in your vehicle just to finish an entire song, which at least somewhat helps the fact that the game lacks fast travel.

Mafia III: Definitive Edition somehow managed to improve in one way by including all of the prior DLC, while also taking multiple steps backwards by somehow removing support for Xbox One X, even as a mistake. The story of Lincoln Clay is still enthralling and handles some very dark themes quite well, but the lifeless open world structure found in Mafia III: Definitive Edition really hinders what could have been the best game in the trilogy.

The Verdict

While not anywhere near as glitch ridden as the Mafia II remaster, Mafia III: Definitive Edition adds nothing more than the previously released DLC along with the very strange removal of Xbox One X support that was added to the original release after launch. Lincoln Clay’s story is still well worth experiencing a first time, but there is no real reason to venture back to New Bordeaux with this latest release as part of the Mafia Trilogy.

Mafia III: Definitive Edition

Originally posted by Stan : There probably is, but everybody is racist towards you and refuse to let you in.

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