Mafia II Demo Coming on August 10

2K Games has officially announced that its upcoming Mafia II, an open world video game set in the gangster culture of the United States after World War II, will be getting a demo version on August 10, arriving on the PlayStation 3 from Sony, the Xbox 360 from Microsoft and the PC. The full game will be available on August 24 in North America, two days later in Australia and three days later in the rest of the world. This means that players have two full weeks to see what Mafia II has to offer and to decide whether they are interested in getting it or not.

The demo for Mafia II will include one full mission, called Buzzsaw. The main character, Vito, together with two of his buddies, named Henry and Joe, is sent on a mission to kill another gangster known as The Fat Man. The level is set during the summer of 1950, which means that players will experience a piece of Empire City that is witness to the emergence of rock and roll, hot rods, hip attitudes and new clothing styles. The demo will allow the player to see both the action sections of the game, where gunplay is essential, and the more mellow areas where the gamer can drive around and just experience the world that exists around him.

Mafia II has been delayed quite a bit but the extra time seems to have been well used by the developers at 2K Czech. They set out to develop a breathing city, one which exists outside the actual narrative for the main player. Empire City combines elements from the West and East coasts of the United States and the mob cultures that developed in different areas. Players will inhabit the shots of Vito Scaletta, a World War II veteran who returns home to discover that he can only use his skills in the employment of the mafia.