I’ve enjoyed all three of the games in the Mafia series, so I was happy to see Mafia II added to the Xbox One backward-compatibility program. I was also curious about how it would look and play on Microsoft’s current generation consoles. VG Tech has produced a video comparing the Xbox 360 version with the base Xbox One and the Xbox One X which shows you everything you need to know.
Mafia II hasn’t been enhanced for the One X and all three versions look identical to the naked eye. It would be foolish to expect an eight-year-old game to look like it was made for modern consoles. Some textures lack detail and the absence of modern anti-aliasing techniques is noticeable at times. Still, Mafia II was always a good-looking game and that hasn’t changed. I originally played it on PC and am surprised to see how good it looks on a 65” 4K TV.
Performance is where the three versions differ. Frame rate is capped at 30 fps but only the One X meets this goal throughout.
Performance on the Xbox 360 is very uneven. One of the notable features about Mafia II is how smoothly it integrates cut scenes into gameplay. On the 360, frame rate during cut scenes frequently drops straight to 20 fps, and can remain there for extended periods of time. Brief drops to 15 fps also occur. The drops in frame rate are accompanied by irregular frame times which introduce additional visual stuttering.
The 360 holds up better during gameplay. Frame rate tends to hover around 25 fps during intense action scenes, although VG Tech recorded one moment when it briefly dropped below 20 fps.
Mafia II performs much better on the base Xbox One. Frame rate is locked at 30 fps during cut scenes. Action sequences sustain 30 fps much longer than the 360 although there are moments when frame rates fall below 30 fps . While frame rates are occasionally on a par with the 360, they typically don't drop as far. There are also brief bursts to 31 fps during some intense action sequences.
Performance is locked down at 30 fps on the One X. No dips below, no bursts above, and no frame time variation. It’s rock solid.
Clearly, the Xbox One X is the preferred console for playing Mafia II, although the base Xbox One doesn’t lag far behind. Both the modern consoles handle the game much better than the 360. I would have loved to see Mafia II enhanced for the One X, but until that happens – if it ever does – the Xbox One and especially the One X provide a compelling reason to revisit an outstanding game. If you enjoy first-rate, story-driven, action-adventure games, and you haven’t played Mafia II, you’re in for a treat.
