By William Bernard
Mafia Wars 2, the sequel to the immensely popular Mafia Wars from Zynga, has some big shoes to fill. Mafia Wars one continues to be played by millions of players around the world, with a simple design that has proven itself tremendously popular. Zynga is taking a big risk by changing as much as they did with the sequel, and the result is difficult to judge. For some, especially newer players, it might seem like a good step forward. Others however who may have enjoyed the simple text driven gameplay of the original may find it strays a bit too much from the original winning formula.
The original Mafia Wars utilized a minimal interface design that hid behind it a deep level of gameplay and involvement. Its sequel throws this out the door, and instead has provided the setting with a complete graphical overhaul. Gone are the statistics, the text driven gameplay. In are player avatars, exploration, and bright, large environments for the player to explore.
While this might sound like a step in the right direction, this is exactly where the contention for the game lies. For some, the simple, statistics driven gameplay of the original Mafia Wars was what made it so appealing. With this approach removed, Mafia Wars 2 feels very much like a reskinned version of Zynga’s other popular games such as Farmville or Frontierville, with each action a player taking essentially akin to harvesting and planting crops. For those willing to adapt or newcomers, the game still has a wealth to offer, but old school Mafia War gamers may be put off by Zynga’s attempt to bring Mafia Wars up to speed.
But apart from this, once you get past the comparison to its predecessor, Mafia Wars 2 offers a pretty rich experience. Like the old Mafia Wars, the goal of Mafia Wars 2 is to expand your territory, gain wealth and power, and basically become the toughest guy in town. In Mafia Wars 2, this plays out similarly to Zynga’s previous titles, and will be easy for anyone to jump right into. There are several areas of the game to explore, including a PvP arena, and each area has its own unique feel and look to it.
Of course, this wouldn’t be a Mafia game without combat, and it’s a pretty simple affair. You simply click, click and click some more, until you or your opponent lies dead. It’s not overtly complicated, and while the deeper statistics driven style of combat is missing from its predecessor, it still seems to remain a fun affair.
Of course, all of this requires energy, and you’ll run out of this fairly quickly. There’s plenty to do in the game, and as usual you can always opt to shell out real cash for more, but it’s difficult to justify, as the game paces itself relatively well, so there’s never a need to feel rushed.
The graphics are of course the biggest addition to the series, and while some areas look great, some can be a little plain. It’s a pity that the graphics aren’t more consistent across the board, but at the very least it provides some variety to the eyes. Sounds are minimal but effective, while the music offers a large variety of licensed songs that span several eras and genres, all fitting of course to the Mafia theme.
The game was only just released, so don’t expect things to run perfectly smoothly, but when it does, it can be quite an experience. That is of course, unless you’re a veteran of its predecessor. In which case, it’s still probably worth checking out, if only to see if it’s right for you or not. Overall, Mafia Wars 2 doesn’t quite live up as a true “sequel” to its predecessor, but it’s certainly an alternative take on the genre. Whether it’s for you or not is dependent on a lot of things, but by itself, it’s by no means a bad game.
Click here to play Mafia Wars 2.
[Download the file here Tukko Rating | Mafia Wars 2]
[Tukkolabs]
Tukko Rating | Mafia Wars 2
By William Bernard
The original Mafia Wars utilized a minimal interface design that hid behind it a deep level of gameplay and involvement. Its sequel throws this out the door, and instead has provided the setting with a complete graphical overhaul. Gone are the statistics, the text driven gameplay. In are player avatars, exploration, and bright, large environments for the player to explore.
While this might sound like a step in the right direction, this is exactly where the contention for the game lies. For some, the simple, statistics driven gameplay of the original Mafia Wars was what made it so appealing. With this approach removed, Mafia Wars 2 feels very much like a reskinned version of Zynga’s other popular games such as Farmville or Frontierville, with each action a player taking essentially akin to harvesting and planting crops. For those willing to adapt or newcomers, the game still has a wealth to offer, but old school Mafia War gamers may be put off by Zynga’s attempt to bring Mafia Wars up to speed.
Of course, this wouldn’t be a Mafia game without combat, and it’s a pretty simple affair. You simply click, click and click some more, until you or your opponent lies dead. It’s not overtly complicated, and while the deeper statistics driven style of combat is missing from its predecessor, it still seems to remain a fun affair.
Of course, all of this requires energy, and you’ll run out of this fairly quickly. There’s plenty to do in the game, and as usual you can always opt to shell out real cash for more, but it’s difficult to justify, as the game paces itself relatively well, so there’s never a need to feel rushed.
The graphics are of course the biggest addition to the series, and while some areas look great, some can be a little plain. It’s a pity that the graphics aren’t more consistent across the board, but at the very least it provides some variety to the eyes. Sounds are minimal but effective, while the music offers a large variety of licensed songs that span several eras and genres, all fitting of course to the Mafia theme.
The game was only just released, so don’t expect things to run perfectly smoothly, but when it does, it can be quite an experience. That is of course, unless you’re a veteran of its predecessor. In which case, it’s still probably worth checking out, if only to see if it’s right for you or not. Overall, Mafia Wars 2 doesn’t quite live up as a true “sequel” to its predecessor, but it’s certainly an alternative take on the genre. Whether it’s for you or not is dependent on a lot of things, but by itself, it’s by no means a bad game.
Click here to play Mafia Wars 2.
[Download the file here Tukko Rating | Mafia Wars 2]
[Tukkolabs]