Mafia II is a 2010 developed by and published by . It was released in August for , and ; Mafia II: Director's Cut was released by in December 2011. The game is a sequel to 2002's and the second installment in the . Set within the fictional Empire Bay (based on , as well as aspects of , , , and ) during the 1940s and 1950s, the story follows Sicillian-American and Vito Scaletta, who becomes involved in a power struggle among the city's while attempting to pay back his father's debts and secure a better lifestyle.
The game is played from a and its world is navigated on-foot or by vehicle. The 's criminal activities may incite a response from law enforcement agencies, measured by a "" system that governs the aggression of their response. Development began in 2003, soon after the release of the first Mafia game. At release, Mafia II received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise particularly directed at the story, though the restrictive world design was criticized. Its successor, , was released in 2016. A remastered version of the game, entitled Mafia II: Definitive Edition, was developed by d3t Limited and , and released by 2K Games on 19 May 2020. The Definitive Edition was also included in the Mafia: Trilogy pack, released on 25 September 2020.
- The game is set in the 1940s–early 1950s era of Empire Bay, a fictional city based on , , , , and .
- There are 50 vehicles in the game as well as licensed music from the era
- Depending on the weather during the course of the game, vehicles are handled differently.
- For example, during the early chapters in winter, vehicles are more likely to slip on the road due to the ice