Mafia

Launched on PC in 2002, Take 2's Mafia was critically acclaimed, fetching plenty of media attention, with some describing it as a game similar to TV's The Sopranos. And as you might expect, a game with such a high profile can't stay exclusive to PC for very long. It's taken around six months to port the code over to consoles, but it's finally arrived for Xbox.

Set in the city of Lost Heaven in the 1930's, Mafia has players join in a life of crime with the Salieri family. In what is essentially a game of turf wars, players will be charged with tackling the Morello Mob in a bid to gain control of the city's protection rackets, women and smuggling businesses. Cops and feds will be the least of your worries as you defend yourself from local enemies. You'll visit seedy bars and hotel rooms as you arm yourself with myriad weapons including the Colt 1911 and pump-action shotgun.

The game itself spans 20 complex missions that cover a respectable 12 square miles of 1930's America. The massive gaming locale comes complete with simulated traffic, landmarks and surrounding landscapes for added depth. In this respect, similarities to Sony's The Getaway can be levelled at Mafia. You'll get to drive up to 60 different vehicles, and players can even participate in an online multi-player game - a feature that was sadly lacking in Sony's controversial offering.

Mafia is a game that reinforces developer GOD's ability to create great, in-depth adult adventures. It's full of realism, but doesn't forget that it's just a game. Adventure fans with a taste for a little virtual violence will love this one.