14 DAY TRIAL // Softpedia received access to a three dimensional and PhysX capable Nvidia graphics card complete with monitor and glasses. The whole setup was used to test the demo version of Mafia II. Here are two perspectives on a 3D gaming experience.
I was never a big supporter of the 3D movement going on right now in the video games industry. While I do like it in movies where it increases the sense of immersion, I have always figured that entertainment software is pretty well situated din this area for the quite expensive investment in a 3D TV or monitor and the corresponding hardware to be worth it.
That was until I played the Mafia II demo in 3D using nVidia 3D Vision today. The title is clearly built with three-dimensional gaming in mind from the ground up and its really apparent from the first seconds with Vito standing around in his house.
It's really hard to describe how well achieved the sense of space is, giving the sensation that there is some alternate reality alive behind the screen.
I went outside and, like any gamer set free in an open world environment, I started punching innocent bystanders in the face. Again, the fantastic 3D effects really managed to enhance the experience in ways I could not really imagine.
From a total skeptic I was turned into a believer. The first run-ins with the police, the first cop dying on the lawn in the (formerly) quiet American suburb and the first car chases seemed like real events.
It's impressive how powerful nVidia's hardware is at the hands of talented developers like the ones at 2K Czech. The fact that the visuals are incredibly beautiful and realistic also helps to make this quite an unique experience.
The PhysX and APEX heavy environments coupled with the solid shooting and fighting mechanics make Mafia II a really visceral action game. The shotgun and the Thompson machine gun feel especially nice when they are chopping out bits of scenery or taking down enemies.
The great voice acting, wonderful sense of the period and the relatively realistic car control also encourage me to get my hopes up for the final release of Mafia II at the end of this month.
PC gamers should not be worried about the controls, as the mouse moves really well and it is clearly not just a simple console port.
Mafia II is probably going to be an even better game than the already excellent original. If you manage to play it in three dimensions with the full range of physics effects, you will get what I think is one of the best gaming experiences in terms of immersion that are available right now.
Gameplay footage recorded by Softpedia: