Coming alongside the reveal of two remasters for Mafia 2 and 3, Hangar 13 revealed to the world last month that it would be fully remaking the first Mafia game. Not only was the title going to receive state of the art visuals, but also modern gameplay that could see it stand alongside its contemporary open-world peers.
Luckily for those interested in the modern revisit of the cult-classic franchise, Hangar 13 revealed some brand new information about the remake during yesterday's PC Gaming Show. Haden Blackman, CEO of the development team, was incredibly vocal about what will make this enhanced take on the first Mafia game so special, highlighting the company's approach to visuals and gameplay.
Before discussing the title, the show first highlighted a brand new trailer for the game which displayed its in-engine cutscenes, with the results looking astounding. Not only do the game's character models appear incredibly lifelike, utilizing modern facial animations to an amazing degree, but the remake also manages to incorporate a lot of the style of the original release with a new coat of paint. It also highlights some of the title's beautiful environments and interiors, including seedy bars, crowded city streets, a picturesque chapel, and a colorful racing track. Evidently, the game is going to be a visual feast, regardless of the fact it's centered around an almost two-decade-old game.
Following the trailer, Haden Blackman joins a call with the show's presenter, claiming that "Mafia: The Definitive Edition is a complete ground-up remake of Mafia from 2002." According to the CEO, "everything was rebuilt. Every asset, every cinematic was re-shot, and all the gameplay was completely redone." The only thing that seemingly will stay the same is the story, with Blackman telling the presenter "we've kept all the same big beats from the original game. The story's the same for the most part, all the big plot points are there, all the missions are there and represented."
According to the dev, the world will see a number of changes as well, with more populated areas and interactive elements akin to those from Mafia 3. Blackman also claims the city was slightly redesigned to make it easier to drive around, with the team widening certain streets and cutting down on 90-degree turns so players can cruise around the city more freely. The cutscenes will also supposedly take advantage of motion capture and facial scanning, meaning they'll look more authentic than ever. It's clear Mafia: The Definitive Edition is going to be an incredible tribute to the original game when it launches this August.
Mafia: The Definitive Edition will be available on August 28 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
