Mafia 2 review round-up

Creating a sequel to a critically acclaimed title like the original Mafia has both its positives and negatives: You have a pretty much guaranteed audience of fans from the original, but at the same time the pressure is on to live up to their expectations and more. Well, the first barrage of reviews have hit the interwebs, and so far it 's a bit of a mixed response, with most reviewers expecting a bit more from 2K Czech's gritty mob adventure. Below is a quick look at some of the highs and lows that Mafia 2 has pulled in so far:

1Up: "When the strength of the game lies solely on the shoulders of an inconsistent narrative in a limited yet gorgeous environment, I can't help but feel robbed of an experience that should be greater than the sum of its parts." - B
Eurogamer: "The remarkable thing about Mafia II is not that it's bad, but that it masks its awfulness so well." - 4/10
GameSpot: "Mafia II's exciting action and uncompromising mob story make for an impressive and violent adventure." - 8.5/10
Giant Bomb: "Playing Mafia II gives you the feeling that the developers put more emphasis on telling a great mob story than designing a great video game, but had to split their attention too much to effectively do either one." - 3/5
Joystiq: "While there's not much to crow about here in terms of story or action, there were moments when the city and the music all gelled together that were downright transportive, and it'd be a shame to miss out on them. " - 3.5/5
Metacritic: 74/100