Mafia 3's third DLC expansion, Sign of the Times, launches in two weeks
Occult classic?
Mafia's third DLC expansion, Sign of the Times, is slated for release on 25th July.
This campaign add-on sees protagonist Lincoln Clay going to war with a nefarious cult called the Ensanglante that has taken over Sammy's bar and uses psychedelic drugs to brainwash citizens of New Bordeaux and turn them into killing machines. By thinning out the Ensanglante herd, you'll gradually restore Sammy's to its former glory.
Sign of the Times will introduce some new weapons and mechanics like throwing knives and a slow-mo shooting skill.
It sounds like this upcoming expansion will be more of a noir mystery than the crime drama of past Mafia stories, using the Big Easy as a backdrop for a surreal series of crimes with difficult to determine motives.
"There's definitely a different feel for this part of Lincoln's story. It's more internal, there are points you're hearing Lincoln talk to himself as he hunts for clues," explained narrative director Bill Harms on the Mafia 3 blog.
"More importantly, he's not in full control of this situation - and there are times when he won't even know what's real and what isn't. Unlike the one-man war that Lincoln wages against the Marcanos, he doesn't have an inside line. No knowledge of The Ensanglante or what they do. He's trying to piece things together at the same time as the player."
Eurogamer contributor Edwin Evans-Thirlwell found Mafia 3 a fascinating, albeit flawed game upon its release last October. He loved the main character and thought the script was solid, but he found the experience too buggy and repetitive to warrant an enthusiastic recommendation.