While PlayStation LifeStyle’s Mafia III review won’t be up on the site in time for the game’s release tomorrow (hey, not our fault, alright?), we did have a quick chat with developer Hangar 13 regarding the open world sequel.
Answering for the studio is Studio Head and Creative Director, Haden Blackman, whom we asked about Season Passes, comparing Mafia III to other open world games and more. Check the quick Q&A below. Don’t forget to check back for our Mafia III review hitting the site soon.
PlayStation LifeStyle: What sets Mafia III apart the most from other open world games in the same vein?
Haden Blackman: First and foremost, we wanted to create an experience in which everything you do propels you forward in the narrative. So, nearly everything Lincoln does in the game – from missions to open world activities – either helps him tear down the Italian Mafia or build up his own crime family. Secondly, we wanted to create a game in which “Every Player Story Is Unique.” In the moment-to-moment gameplay, this means that players can choose their own approaches to combat and other situations. They can also choose which activities to pursue to damage the mob. In the long run, this manifests through decisions you make when assigning territory to your lieutenants. Not only does this unlock new perks and missions, but also changes your relationship with those characters.
PSLS: Is it difficult to produce an accurate feeling period game based on a very abrasive time period and region?
Blackman: Building a good game is difficult regardless of the genre and setting, but building an open world game in a familiar setting and during a familiar time period has its own unique set of challenges. We wanted to capture the sense of time and place, but also wanted to ensure that it never impeded our ability to create compelling gameplay.
One of our first decisions was to create our own version of New Orleans – New Bordeaux – so we could change the street layout to better support driving mechanics. But, in terms of the turbulent nature of the time period, we did not shy away from anything because we wanted to create a game that feels authentic and cinematic. The realities of the time and place can’t be ignored because they would be part of Lincoln’s story.
PSLS: How do they balance scripted narrative moments for the sake of story with an immense amount of player freedom?
Blackman: We really ensure that everything you do propels you towards the next big story moment.
PSLS: Will the game’s Season Pass content tie-in directly to the main story?
Blackman: In some ways, yes. The main character will be Lincoln Clay, and the stories will be set in and around New Bordeaux during Lincoln’s war with the Mafia.
PSLS: The first two Mafia games were linear. In fact, people liked Mafia II’s linearity. Is Mafia III going to have a linear path too or is it following the new open world trend?
Blackman: It is both linear and non-linear. The game is structured around a series of major events, often depicted through big setpiece missions trigged by Lincoln’s escalating war against the mob. How the player gets to those major events, however, is non-linear in the sense that the player can choose which activities to pursue to damage the mob.
PSLS: Can fans of the second game expect to see that story being concluded in this game at all? I know there’s Vito. But people have questions about Joe too.
Blackman: We definitely resolve the question about whether or not Joe is alive or dead.
PSLS: Mafia III breaks away from the series traditional setting and I’m sure 2K saw the response from fans initially. It seemed to be pretty negative but eased out over time. There are still those who are apprehensive and want their cosa nostra in Empire Bay. How does 2K think it’ll appeal to die-hard fans of the series and to newcomers alike?
Blackman: Based on the feedback we received, the response to our direction was largely positive. I’m hopeful that anyone who is still on the fence will check out what we’ve done, because we have strived to create a true Mafia experience.
We’d like to thank 2K and Hangar 13 for taking the time out to answer our questions. Mafia III will be out on October 7 for the PS4, Xbox One and PC.
Everything You Need to Know - Mafia 3
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Everything You Need to Know - Mafia 3
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Mafia first released on PS2 in 2004.
The first Mafia title was a PC game, but it was ported to the PlayStation 2 in 2004. Players took on the role of Tommy Angelo, a member of Don Sallieri's mafia. To progress, players had to complete a variety of missions on behalf of the mob, which showed a darker and sadder underside to the mafia than many expected. It released around the time of Grand Theft Auto III, and my critics praised Mafia over GTAIII, saying it was bigger to explore and more realistic than the GTA games.
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Mafia II released for PS3 in 2010.
Due to Mafia's critical and consumer success, a sequel was announced just three years after the console port. Mafia II released just three years after that in 2010 for the PlayStation 3. It starred Vito Scaletta, the mafioso who killed Tommy at the end of the first title. Mafia II generally did quite well, but the reception was mixed amongst critics.
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Mafia III Confirmed at gamescom 2015
Weeks of rumors had milled regarding a sequel to the Mafia series, but 2K kept fairly tight-lipped about it until gamescom 2015. Even then, all they would say was that Hangar 13 was developing it.
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Worldwide Reveal Trailer Sets the Stage in Post-Vietnam New Orleans
At the gamescom 2015 reveal trailer, 2K and Hangar 13 unveiled that Mafia 3 would be set in a "re-imagined New Orleans" in the late 60s. Lincoln Clay returns home from the Vietnam war to find that his mob family has been completely wiped out by the Italian mafia. He decides to bring together some of the smaller gangs in New Orleans to fight back against the Italians and reclaim what is rightfully theirs.
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Take-Two Says Don't Compare Mafia 3 With GTA
The first two Mafia games were compared with GTA3 and GTA4, but Take-Two wanted to nip those comparisons between GTA5 and Mafia 3 as soon as possible. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick argued that the two are completely different games and should not be compared.
I wouldn’t compare it to anything else out there. The reveal was great, but it stands alone.
We don’t use any other game in the same sentence as Grand Theft Auto. It is the industry’s standard-bearer. It’s not up for comparison.
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12 Minutes of Mafia 3 Gameplay Shows Gun and Driving Mechanics
After gamescom wound down, IGN was able to reveal 12 minutes of Mafia 3 gameplay narrated by the game's Creative Director, Haden Blackman. The footage is all from a pre-alpha build, but it shows plenty of what to expect from gunplay, cover mechanics, and the driving.
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Devs Say Mafia 3 Can Take Hours and Hours
Studio Director Haden Blackman told Gamespot that he wouldn't say exactly how many hours the title was, but he assured them that it contains hours and hours of content, especially for completionists.
We’re not talking about the exact hours yet, I’m a completionist too. It is hours and hours and hours of content. I hope that people are encouraged to replay and see things that they didn’t see before. Hopefully people go back and look for those little hidden gems.
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Hangar 13 Chose New Orleans 1968 for the Music, Style, and Tumultuous History
Studio Director Haden Blackman explained that Hangar 13 chose New Orleans as the setting for Mafia 3 due to the music and style of the city. They chose the year for the same reason, but also because 1968 was a chaotic year in America's history.
For me, it was a no-brainer to pick New Orleans as our inspiration. The harder thing, I think, was narrowing down the year, because we could have set it at any time after Mafia II [Editor’s note: Mafia II was set in an era drawing from the 1940s/early 1950s]. I think 1968 really came from the personal note for… [laughs] Well, I looked at what music was out at that time, and said “we can’t have this track if it’s not in 1968 or beyond, right?” But just the fact that that’s the year my dad returned from Vietnam, that became the year that we really settled on. And then obviously it’s such a tumultuous year in American history, it was again kind of a no-brainer.
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Release Date Set at October 7, 2016
Most video games in the US release on a Tuesday, but Hangar 13 and 2K opted to release Mafia 3 on Friday, October 7, 2016. Perhaps they chose to do so to release the title in North America and Europe at the same time, because that's exactly what is happening.
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New Story Trailer Set in New Bordeaux
Since the setting for Mafia 3 is a "re-imagined New Orleans," Hangar 13 opted to re-imagine the name of the city as well to New Bordeaux. They released a new story trailer shortly before E3 that shows their New Bordeaux as well as a bit more about Lincoln Clay's path to reforming his mob.
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Mafia 3 Will Greatly Feature the Cars and Music of the Era
The cars have been a bit of importance to the Mafia series, and Producer Andy Wilson said at PAX East 2016 that cars would be important once again. He explained that there would be a wide variety vehicles available, from muscle cars to military, that would reflect the time period. He also emphasized that the music will be just as important to the title as it was to that era.
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Collector's Edition Includes Season Pass, Soundtrack, Art Book, and Other Goodies
A Collector's Edition of the game was announced not long after the game was, but it took some time before 2K could show off everything the edition would include. And wow, does it have a lot. For $150, CE junkies can get the Season Pass, art book, official soundtrack, game score, dog tags, art prints, and drink coasters.
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New Bordeaux Will Be Open for Exploration at the Beginning
Players won't have to wait long to jump in a car and explore New Bordeaux to their leisure. The city will be completely open for exploration at the beginning, but the districts won't necessarily be unlocked for operation without progressing through the story first.
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New Criminal Ecology Trailer Explains the Violence of the Times
The late 1960s were a violent time period for a variety of reasons. The ferocity of the mob warfare in New Bordeaux will highlight just how violently tense that era was. Hangar 13 released a new trailer called "The Criminal Ecology" to explain why they made the setting as violent as it is.
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Mafia 3 Stole Some of the E3 Show
Chandler was able to see a bit of Mafia 3 at E3 this year. From his initial impressions, he believes that "If the final game can deliver on its promise of unique missions throughout the open world and making building up your own power as important as taking the Mafia down, we could end up seeing a game that easily qualifies itself as one of the best releases of the year."
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Dev Says that Mafia 3 Isn't Solely About Racism, But It's Important
You can't have a game set in the south in the 1960s without racism, especially when the player takes on the role of a black character. While the developers didn't want the game to be all about racism, they point out that there is racism present to keep the authenticity.
We really did everything we could to not climb up on a soap box and preach. There is racism in the game, but the game is not about racism. The game is about Lincoln Clay, who destroyed the Italian mob in our version of New Orleans. You get a feel for a time and place. We reinforce where the game is set…. We have a term for it. We call it ‘cinematic realism.’ It’s not about those things. Those things are part of the game. It’s authenticity.
The developer also said that they want to get players to think about racism and how it feels to potentially be on that other side of it.
We aren’t so naive to think that a single game could cure racism, but if we can get the player to think, ‘Why am I being treated differently here than in other parts of town?’ then I think we’ve done something worthwhile.
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Mafia 3 Free DLC
Both free and paid DLC have been confirmed from Hangar 13 for Mafia 3. The free DLC will roll out over time and include the following:
- Character Outfits
- Weapons
- Vehicle Customizations
- Races
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Mafia 3 Season Pass DLC
In addition to the free DLC, Mafia 3 will have three pieces of story-based DLC. All will be part of the Season Pass, which costs $29.99 (cheaper than buying all of it piecemeal). The following DLC will be available in the Season Pass:
- “Faster, Baby!” - Fast cars, dramatic chases, and stunt driving take center stage as Lincoln joins forces with his former flame, Roxy Laveau, to take down a corrupt Sheriff terrorizing Civil Rights activists on the outskirts of New Bordeaux.
- “Sign of the Times” - A string of ritualistic killings has New Bordeaux on the edge of terror. At Father James’ request, Lincoln agrees to hunt down the cult responsible, a quest that will take him from the dark heart of the old bayou to the drug-ridden counterculture of the inner city.
- “Stones Unturned” - When a merciless rival resurfaces in New Bordeaux, Lincoln must join forces with CIA agent John Donovan to settle a blood feud that began in the war-torn jungles of Vietnam.
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The Weapons of Mafia 3
Hangar 13 released a trailer showing off the various weapons of Mafia 3, which do include plenty of military-grade weapons, ones that Lincoln Clay definitely would have had his hands on in Vietnam. Of course, there are several other types as well, such as other black market gear like shotguns, Tommy-style guns, and other fully automatic assault rifles. And yes, many things can go boom too.
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Will Include Stealth and Full-on Assault Combat Options
A recent trailer showed that players will have a wealth of options when it comes to combat in Mafia 3. You can run in guns blazing, take down enemies stealthily, and of course combine the two. Players will also be able to call in reinforcements in case things get a little too hot.
