Announced a few days after the release of Jimmy’s Vendetta, Joe’s
Adventures is the second additional content published by 2K Games for
Mafia 2. After an initial "DLC for all" quite missed, Mafia II features a
new downloadable episode this time putting forward the character of Joe
Barbaro. Become important to the role it plays in the end of the main
adventure, the protagonist Joe was the most easily exploitable for
additional content.
Well, believe it or not, 2K Czech has once again
planted its impression. As its name suggests, it is of course to take over the
character of Joe Barbaro, the faithful partner of Vito Scaletta, hero of
the original game. To meet the entry question that torments many
players: no, the DLC is not an opportunity to extend the scenario of the
game focuses on the fact that Vito was a few years spent in prison.
The arrival of this second real downloadable content yet did nothing
trivial. If you read this test, you’re aware that at the end of Mafia
II, Joe Vito is separated without one really knows the fate reserved for
him. Although the concept of pay is bonesetter end, one could expect an
epilogue or a minimum of revelations, even if it does not reveal
everything. Well nay. Probably going through a process of development of
DLC scoring hardcore, developers of 2K Czech have not been able to
offer us anything other than a pale copy of Jimmy’s Vendetta. In other
words, abandon the idea of learning anything interesting in playing at
Joe’s Adventures, a downloadable content that does not openly recognize
the most important figure behind Vito. All questions that arise around
the kidnapping of Joe are unanswered.
If you have not played Mafia 2, pay attention to what follows, as to
introduce the scenario of what Joe’s Adventures, we must reveal some
information. In Mafia 2, Vito Scaletta is found to pay somehow for part
of his band and discovers the joys of the penitentiary. Upon his release
from prison, he found his faithful companion and tells him that it is
more about working for Lucas Gurino … It would be even more a question
of him swallows his birth certificate. At that time we had had little
explanation on why and how this shift and so that is what is intended to
clarify Joe’s Adventures.
The Adventures of Joe’s events take place while Vito is serving his
sentence. So they spread out over several years, the arrest of Vito
until his release. We learn that during this time, Joe has first sought
the person responsible for the fate of his friend before falling into
line and think a little more to his pear. As Jimmy (you know, the big
nag devoid of charisma that draws on everything that moves?), so it
covers our dear Joe Empire Bay in search of missions entrusted to it and
there. Both say that their interest and depth are of the same ilk as in
Jimmy’s Vendetta … Car theft, car fire, car chase, car theft again,
oh hey, a small gunfight, yet another stolen car … All without real
connection to the extent that you never know too much about who you type
or exactly why, simply because the stated mission and we do not ask us
to think … Add to this huge problem on the lip sync during some
cutscenes and you have a content as sloppy and flawed as the previous
…
The missions themselves are actually very similar to that proposed by
Jimmy’s Vendetta there two months ago. First, we identify an icon on the
map of Empire Bay. Then on foot, by truck, sports car or even in a
police car, you go to the place indicated and from the moment we accept
the mission, a time gets under way. Depending on the case, then it is a
nuisance to kill, steal a car, ensure delivery, and set fire to a
warehouse or even to participate in massive shootout. At the time of
testing Jimmy’s Vendetta, we stated that this series of missions was not
necessarily a bad idea since it could meet the needs of "side quests"
of certain players. This is again the case with this Joe’s Adventures,
but problem, this time we expected rather something as scripted as Mafia
2.
Surprisingly, the beginning of this DLC augurs well for the best. The
true kinematics for a few minutes, asked a context then all of a sudden
… nothing! We fall into the trap of Jimmy’s Vendetta which are lack of
staging and fixed screen in a simple way of introduction of missions.
As for gameplay, again, in addition to not change, highlights the
shortcomings of the original game, worsened. We think of AI, rather
grotesque, whether in its movements and hesitations in order to cover
… The most telling example of the idiocy it has shown us was offered
during a chase. During this period, we had to stop the car before us in
order to perform his driver. Once blocked by us, it has not even
defended and remained quietly at the wheel of his vehicle … His only
event was honking, as if we were going to get away gently let him go. We
just had to draw and shoot him in cold blood, without challenge. Most
missions are affected by this kind of bug that could totally semblance
of immersion.
Conclusion:
Mafia II: Joe’s Adventures could and should have quality content as
Joe’s character has some potential. In actuality, it is a commonplace
resumed Jimmy’s Vendetta, a hero with dissimilar missions but still
hollow and repetitive. Once more, instead of treating the atmosphere and
the staging, the developers have focused on the scoring stupid and
evil.
