Mafia II is a 2010 open-world action-adventure game developed by 2K Czech and published by 2K. The game takes place between 1945 and 1951, following the adventures of a young mobster as he makes his way through the criminal underworld of Empire Bay. Released for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360, the game received mixed reviews upon release but sold well enough for a sequel to eventually be greenlit. A remastered version of the game would later be released in 2020, bringing the game to Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles.
Mafia II Premise
Mafia II offers up the open world of Empire Bay to explore, giving you the freedom to do what you want within the city. You move through the city either on foot in a third-person perspective or in a vehicle. Tread carefully though, as the game’s Wanted system will ensure the police chase after you as you commit crimes across the city.
While Mafia II is an open-world game, it encourages players to complete the story missions more than other games in the genre. This is because the game takes place across different time periods, meaning the story often defines the shape the world is in at the time. The story itself is completely linear, offering no sort of meaningful choice for you to affect the outcome of any given scenario. The similarities between missions are actually a common criticism of the game, with the general formula involving driving from one place to another and shooting some enemies until it’s complete.
Mafia II Main Characters
As a game that explores the Mafia crime families, there’s no doubt that the characters featured in Mafia II are a sketchy bunch. However, this only adds complexity and depth to each of them, as you struggle between their likeability and their undeniably awful acts. These are the main stars of the show.
- Vito Scaletta: Vito is the main character of Mafia II. After being injured in World War 2, Vito returns to the post-war world confused about his place in the world. Mafia II is about him finding that place as an up-and-coming gangster within the Falcone crime family.
- Joe Barbaro: Joe is seen as the secondary protagonist in Mafia II, working as part of the Clemente crime family. He’s Vito’s best friend, and his introduction to the life of crime after his return from the war.
- Carlo Falcone: Carlo is the Don of the Falcone crime family, and the overall antagonist of Mafia II. Although he starts off friendly with Vito, his true colors are revealed as the story progresses.
Mafia II Titles in the Series
It’s fair to say that 2K is a publisher with AAA ambitions on AA budgets. Sometimes, it’s a move that pays off handsomely, like with the Borderlands franchise. Arguably, the Mafia franchise is an example of when it hasn’t quite paid off. While Mafia games are popular within its niche, the series hasn’t taken off in the way that open-world titles like Grand Theft Auto and Saints Row have. As a result, the series hasn’t had a new entry for a while now, instead choosing to remaster the older titles and bring them up to modern standards.
- Mafia (2002)
- Mafia II (2010)
- Mafia III (2016)
- Mafia: Definitive Edition (2020)
- Mafia II: Definitive Edition (2020)
Mafia II Cheat Codes
The unfortunate truth is that unlike its predecessor, Mafia II doesn’t have any official cheat codes for you to use for an advantage in the criminal underworld. In gaming, 2010 was a period where cheat codes were the exception rather than the rule, so it’s not an enormous surprise in this case.
However, there are still a few exploits that you’re able to use instead in order to cheat your way to the top in Mafia II – here are the important ones you need to know.
Easy Money
If you head to Bruski’s Scrapyard, you’ll notice a random car sitting next to the car crusher. Break into it, and crush it in the car crusher for an easy $400. Then, drive out of the scrapyard through the north exit, and continue until you head under a bridge. Turn around and drive back to Bruski’s Scrapyard. You’ll notice the car will have respawned, and you can scrap it again for more money.
Simply repeat this method until you have as much money as you’d like.
Easy City Points
You can get the “Millionaire” achievement easily by exploiting a glitch to get free city points in Mafia II. First, drive to Sand Island and look for a store with the sign reading “Luncheonette Natural Food & Vitamins.” You should drive through this store’s window, and if done correctly you’ll be falling through the map into infinity. As this happens, you’ll be earning constant velocity points. By leaving the game running, you can hit 1,000,000 within four hours. You don’t have to be there the whole time, but the four hours have to be constant, as you can’t save the entire time. Still, it’s faster than getting “Millionaire” legitimately.
Playboy Magazine Locations
Use this guide to ensure you don’t miss the collectible Playboy magazines in Mafia II. Once you miss them, they’re gone for good!
Chapter 2:
Inside Joe’s Apartment, on the coffee table. #1
In Bruski’s Scrapyard, found sat on a shelf in the three-car garage located across from Mike’s Beast. #3
Chapter 3:
On the left of the exterior of Derek’s Office, before going into the warehouse. #18
Inside the entrance to Maria Agnello’s apartment building, on the left side of the floor. #4
Inside the Office of Price Administration, in the lobby on the corner of the guard’s desk. #40
In the basement of the Office of Price Administration, located in the storage room near the alarm shutoff. Found on the floor between shelving. #6
In the Office of Price Administration on the windowsill opposite where you get the safe keys. #5
Chapter 4:
Next to a box of books on the floor after exiting the bookstore. #9
After getting the previous magazine, turn left. The next one is under the next set of stairs. #2
Cross over the ledge in front of the West Side Mall. The magazine can be found in the rooftop shelter. #8
In Joe’s apartment building, found on the first floor near the wooden gate. #7
Chapter 5:
In 233 Misery Lane – head up the stairs and look between two doors to find the magazine. #11
Head to the first floor in The Distillery, and you’ll find the magazine in an office on a shelf. #10
After killing Sidney Pen, you can grab this magazine between three chairs and a storage cage. #12
Chapter 6:
In the prison yard, behind the bleachers next to a sleeping prisoner. #13
Across the basketball court, between a shed and a fence. #14
After the fight with the inmate, before leaving with the guard on a large industrial clothes dryer. #15
Chapter 7:
At the end of the hallway in the corner on the top floor of Joe’s apartment building. #50
On the table on the second-floor landing of the Scaletta Apartment building. #17
In Harry’s Gun Shop, at the bottom of the stairs. #16
Chapter 8:
On the kitchen table after Vito wakes up. #46
After turning right for the first time in the foundry, this magazine can be grabbed in a shack on top of a drum. #19
After the rail yard, this magazine can be picked up from the ground in the foundry next to two barrels. #21
Before leaving and getting into the hot rot, head under the stairs to the building on the left. You’ll be taken to a small homeless shack, and the magazine is next to a bed. #20
Chapter 9:
After being given the job by Eddie Scarpa, there’s a magazine found in The Maltese Falcon, at the end of the bar. #41
After Vito gets drowned in sewage, you can grab a magazine down a tunnel on the left. #23
Once you enter the slaughterhouse, there’s a magazine behind the second scrap bin on the left. #22
In the room with two butchers and the guard, there’s a magazine in the back corner next to the bloody bin. #24
Chapter 10:
After entering the back door, head to the end of the hallway. The magazine is on a desk inside a room with a sign titled “Daily Room.” #25
After leaving the conference room, head down to the 16th floor. The magazine is right there. #27
This magazine can be found near the control panel of the window washer’s lift on the roof. #26
After returning to Villa Scaletta, head to the master bathroom between the wall and the shower. #48
Chapter 11:
Head into the entrance hall of Galante Mansion. The magazine is on the windowsill. #47
After the previous magazine, head to the bathroom where there’s another in a wicker basket. #29
Upon entering Scetta Apartment, go directly across through another door. The magazine can be found on the floor, between a guy’s legs. #28
Next to Joe’s bed on the floor, after he shows you his apartment’s “new look.” #49
While you’re at the Hill of Tara bar, head through the double saloon doors. The magazine is on the floor. #30
Chapter 12:
Upon arrival at the Sea Gift Fishing Co. warehouse, go straight back. The magazine is in the corner, behind a bin. #31
Immediately after the cutscene featuring the run-in with the “cops,” run up the staircase into the building, where the magazine will be waiting for you on the floor. #33
Once you fight all the thugs, you’ll find a magazine on the far side of the courtyard behind a Shubert Truck. #32
Chapter 13:
Once you’ve cleared the dining hall of The Red Dragon, head up the stairs to the balcony. The magazine is on the seat of a booth. #34
Head downstairs from the massive Buddha statue, where you’ll find an empty room. You’ll find the magazine sitting on a crate in this room. #36
At the end of the huge drug manufacturing room, there’s another room with spare weapons. The magazine is here. #35
Chapter 14:
On top of the building, the magazine is behind a wall to the southeast. #44
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, climb over some scaffolding, where the magazine should be on a pallet to the left. #37
After you pass the burning doorway, a magazine should be in the first doorway to the right. #38
Chapter 15:
In the first room that you enter, there’s a magazine down the stairs. First, you must push past a barricade to head on down. #45
Just before you enter the telescope room on the roof, there’s a magazine behind a corner to the left. #39
By the guardrail inside the telescope room, there’s another magazine. #43
Once you kill Carlo Falcone, a magazine spawns in the center near the control panels. #42
Mafia II Cheat Code FAQs
Why Aren’t There Any Mafia II Cheat Codes?
It’s mostly down to the cheat codes being something of an outdated feature by the time Mafia II was released. They were featured in the original game, but that was released in 2002 by another developer entirely.
Mafia III also featured no cheat codes, so at this point, it shouldn’t be expected from the series.
Can I Mod Mafia II Instead?
If you’re a PC player, you can definitely choose to mod Mafia II instead as an alternative to using cheat codes.
While the modding scene for the game isn’t too active nowadays, there are plenty of mods on Nexus Mods that you can download and put into your game to change things up. Just don’t expect too much in the way of new mods.
Are There Any Cheats For Mafia II: Definitive Edition?
Sadly not. Mafia II: Definitive Edition is simply a remaster of the original game, rather than a remake. That means that functionally, it’s exactly the same as Mafia 2, and this extends to cheat codes too.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©2K.