Mafia – Tommy’s Demise
Illusion Softwork’s 2002 shooter Mafia was equal parts action, equal parts story, a trait carried through Mafia II and the recent Hangar 13 helmed follow-up, Mafia III.
But of all the outings, perhaps the original story of Tommy Angelo’s ascent through the ranks of the mob hits hardest. When the game begins, he’s telling his journey to a cop at a local restaurant, recounting the blood that builds slowly on his hands under Don Salieri and his goons. Over 20 missions, you guide Tommy through the game as you witness the romance of the mob and the good life it brings, only for that life of crime to subsume Tommy as his friends drop dead.
When his conscience gets the better of him, Tommy seeks out the police and condemns his old Don to a life in prison. We then cut to decades later, where our lovable protagonist is tending to his garden, living peacefully under a new name provided by the FBI.
Only, Tommy – and the player – is in for a surprise. Out of the blue, two mobsters appear armed with tommy guns (how appropriate) to cut him down, leaving Tommy in pools of his own blood as he laments a life in search of riches that has, eventually, amounted to nothing.
Having navigated Tommy carefully through the highs and lows of the game, watching him bleed to death on screen is a kick in the teeth and a sharp reminder that once you join the mob, you never leave.