Mafia III has a gripping tale about racism in 1968, but bugs and weak gameplay hold it back

Mafia III has one of the best stories about racism in America in the historical context of New Orleans (called New Bordeaux) during 1968. It tells the tale of a mixed-race African-American man, Lincoln Clay — a veteran of the special forces in Vietnam — as he pursues revenge against the Italian mob. And back in the 1960s, that means he pursues revenge against the entire racist system of the corrupt judicial, police, and government bodies in the Deep South. I liked it because it felt so authentic, portraying the view of an anti-hero, a character who is not meant to be someone we admire as a traditional game hero.

Through cutscenes and action, the developers at 2K’s Hangar 13 convey the dilemma of a good man fighting against a corrupt system and trying not to become evil while doing deeds of great violence that are necessary to bring down that system. It is an epic story with great characters and narration. The beginning is masterful thanks to flashbacks and flash forwards that show the gravity of the story. But the game is held back by a failure to fill out every part of the open world. You wind up with a great story and weak gameplay — lots of highs and lots of lows.