RATING: 5 Keys RESULT: Win REMAINING: 14:00
So, we got ourselves into a little problem with the mob. Wait, why is no one surprised by this news?
Yesterday, you find out your Boss is getting released from prison. In honor of this occasion, you go out drinking with the whole gang. Somehow you wake up in the morning and can’t remember where you hid the organization’s money and neither can the people with you. The boss is en route to the bar from the prison and is expecting to have his money, will you find it in time?
From the moment we step (back) into the bar, this little Mafia problem becomes a very real thing. With no memory of exactly what happened last night, especially to our mob boss’ money, there’s an instant sense of urgency that we had better work fast to rectify that little situation while we still can.
60out always shines in the story department, and Mafia is in contention for one of their strongest in that regard. The narrative flows soundly from the start, and only gets stronger as we make it into the boss’ back office to learn some of the secrets of this organization. If you’re lucky enough to figure things out and get away with it, Mafia has one of the most unexpected – and most satisfying – storyworld climaxes we’ve ever encountered.
Mafia establishes the perfect world in which its story unfolds. A hidden back alley bar feels simultaneously posh and scummy – lined ceiling to floor with varying types of liquor and even more on tap. The bar stools sit mysteriously empty, but if we know the boss, they won’t stay that way for long. There’s a distinct feeling that we have sneaked into a place we perhaps have no right to be, only adding further to the overall sense of urgency that hangs thick in the air.
And speaking of places we trespass, the boss’ office, naturally accessed from behind the bar has always been off limits to the boys. A mix of old school ornate and seedy beyond reproach, the mood in the air instantly inspires us to hurry the hell up before the boss catches us and has our knees whacked, or worse.
Without question, 60out brings this storyworld to life through the authenticity of its environment.
60out has wowed us on more than one occasion in the past with the ingenuity of its puzzles – and not only does Mafia stay true to form, but it’s finale moment was perhaps one of the most unexpected surprises we’ve ever encountered in a game. (I mean, sure, we’ve dealt with that sort of thing before in real life, but not in a game. Come on, we’re mafia now, you guys!)
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Mafia deserves the highest of merits long before its ending. This game is full of tech integrated so soundly that it feels like nothing more than organic actions we’d truly take in the oh-so-coveted “if it were real” scenario.
Every single action taken feels logical within the seedy world of organized crime that we find ourselves within. From working the bar to some good old fashion gun shots and, if we’re smart, hiding the evidence to get off squeaky clean, 60out gets it so right that we’re starting to think they might know a little too much. They don’t want to seem like a squealer, capisce?
Mafia is a game we don’t hear mentioned often – but unless you’re worried about swimming with the fishes, we’re not sure how this game doesn’t make a whole lot of short lists. It’s satisfying, consistently in-world with its story and has one of the coolest finales we’ve seen. It’s intuitive and logical, and it’s packed with its fair share of expected surprises.
It may feel like a cop-out to say yet another game is among our favorites at 60out, but the fact remains that the brand is just that strong. And what’s best – not only is nearly every one of their games a solid experience, but their themes are so unique, and their gameplay is so drastically different between them that you’d be hard-pressed to ever find cross-over on a repeat visit to one of their several sister locations. Mafia is just yet another stolen jackpot for the brand. (Just don’t tell the boss we mentioned cops, or else.)
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Venue: 60out
Location: Los Angeles, California
Number of Games: 6
GAME SPECIFIC INFORMATION:
Duration: 60 minutes
Capacity: 6 people
Group Type: Private / You will not be paired with strangers.
Cost: $40 per person (a minimum of two people are required for booking, then prices vary for each additional player.)
We thank 60out for inviting us to play this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, that in no way impacts the opinion included within this review.