Ultimately, Mafia II suffered from too much imagination and not enough substance; "Jimmy's Vendetta," its first paid DLC extension, lacked both. But this trailer for its second, Joe's Adventures, due Nov. 23, actually looks promising.
Jimmy's Vendetta (like the PS3-only Betrayal of Jimmy) threw us into the persona of an entirely new mob character and sent us running errands all over Empire Bay in a bland casserole of rote mission design. Joe's Adventures actually looks like it has some depth and inspiration, especially that car chase on the frozen bay. It has a better story peg to work with, too, as it covers the time during Vito Scaletta's incarceration in the federal pen.
That half of the Mafia II story was easily the best part of the game, and the fact we're going to hear more out of Henry, a character who had so much potential in the original, gives me hope. I'll be reviewing "Joe's Adventures" when it hits, but I warn you, Joe, don't disappoint me again.