In the runup to the game's release last year, Mafia II's development studio and publicity team tried, with limited success, to set reasonable expectations of the game. "It isn't Grand Theft Auto," I was told, more than once, in emails and in the game's review notes. » 5/22/11 4:00pm 5/22/11 4:00pm

Well regarded as a series, Top Spin's last entry in 2008 took some risks that were, in hindsight, inadvisable for an American-published game simulating a sport that has lacked a dominant American men's professional for several years. 2K Sports' Top Spin 4 puts a focus back on playability, aligned to a sport that's… » 1/23/11 2:00pm 1/23/11 2:00pm

Mafia II returns to Empire Bay with "Joe's Adventures," the game's second paid DLC extension. Can its 24 new missions carry the game forward, or do they dwell on what made Mafia II a good-but-not-great action game? » 11/28/10 7:00pm 11/28/10 7:00pm

Mafia II's release was clouded by confusion over what "open-world" really meant. Some assumed it meant "sandbox," where Mafia II was anything but. Jimmy's Vendetta, the game's first batch of downloadable content offers more of what some had been expecting. » 9/10/10 7:30pm 9/10/10 7:30pm

Morning. The phone rings, I answer. It's Joe, chirping the usual advice. Get dressed and get my gun. I go to the fridge instead for a Master Beer. In the bathroom I flip on the light. I flush the toilet. » 8/23/10 12:00pm 8/23/10 12:00pm

Mafia II is a "buddy story," in the words of Producer Denby Grace – a tale of a mid-50s era mobster protecting his family and The Family in the face of organized crime. » 4/27/09 3:01am 4/27/09 3:01am