I'm a fan of the original
Mafia game, and the demo impressed me enough that I pre-ordered it immediately after playing. I opted for the PS3 version because of the free arcade-style "Betrayal of Jimmy" DLC. I assume they did that to soften the blow of the PS3 version being technically "inferior" to the other platforms from a graphics perspective. Still, you'd never know it playing the game, the slight details that are missing are really quite inconsequential. The game still looks stunning.
Five hours into it, I can say it's definitely a suitable follow-up to the original, though most of what the critics complain about is quite true (even if they are a bit too hard on it). Almost all agree that the game is too short (10-12 hours) and that for a sandbox-style environment the game is too linear and even the gameworld itself is less than immersive.
It seems they were expecting Rockstar-esque sandbox features such as mini-games and side missions (like
GTA's gang wars, parachuting challenges, etc.). There's no doubt Mafia II could've benefited from something along those lines, and I do think it would be very cool to play a game of pool at Freddy's or something like that, but I respect a title that's devoted entirely to weaving a compelling narrative.
Best of all are the over 120 licensed tracks from the forties and fifties. Many times already I've stopped my car just before reaching a checkpoint so a song could finish. They even have a few tracks from the original game. The collectible in-game Playboy centerfolds that Ozymandias mentioned is a great touch as well. Amazingly, some critics even whined about that: the Destructoid reviewer said he didn't see an incentive to collect them because he was an "adult" and "had seen a naked woman before".
Christ, wouldn't you like that guy to plan your bachelor party?