20 Most Underrated Video Games Of The Generation (So Far)
18. Mafia III
Mafia III's biggest mistake was listening to the fans. With the first two games being criticised for having huge open worlds to explore but nothing to see outside of the main story, the third release dropped the linear focus on plot in favour of giving players a huge array of missions and the freedom to accomplish them in whichever way they saw fit.
Unfortunately, it swung the focus so far in the direction of open-world box ticking that the immersive storytelling that the series was known for was buried under a sea of repetitive activities that needed to be completed first.
Which was a shame, because when Mafia III was firing on all cylinders and focusing on its brilliantly engaging revenge narrative, it was amazing. Boasting high quality cutscenes and impressive voice acting across the board, the world of Lincoln Clay was an intoxicating one, but one that liked to give you a bit too much busywork.
Still, the activities you were doing were enjoyable in themselves, and the vivid backdrop of New Bordeaux more than kept them feeling fresh the longer the game went on.