Mafia Live - Crack with timers!

I am addicted. It's true.  I am constantly firing up this app.  When I wake up, when I go to the bathroom, all the damn time.  I can't stop. If you haven't tried a mafia type game you should.  My favorite of the group is Mafia Live!



It all started a few months ago.  A few different mafia type games popped up on the iPhone radar.  Makes sense, its a perfect platform for this genre. Touch screen, always connected, blah blah, you know all this.  What you might not know, is which one to get.  Which one is still good after 40 levels.  So I downloaded and have been playing 3 of these type games for awhile. I have came to the conclusion FOR NOW that Mafia Live! by Aftershock Innovations is my favorite.  I say for now, because these games are all rapidly evolving, working out the in-game balances and adding new features.



I didn't think this would be my favorite.  Not by a long shot.  First it costs money! Ouch, all the others where free.  And second, the interface was doody.  It has improved over time but dag, its still pretty fugly.  Being a designer it hurt when I first fired it up.  Really I think I cried a little.  So why is this my winner amongst all the players? While the developers might not have the best interface design skills, they do know how to make a solid game.  It plays better than any of the others out there.  Things are in balance and not out of whack.  Leveling is smooth and challenging. For example, in one of the other apps, I have so much money I don't know what to do with it.  WTF.  After I hit a certain level with that app the game is now ruined.  The fun has left the building.  Mafia Live still keeps me thinking and on my toes.

If you don't know anything about this type game, here is the deal.  You start a character.  Go on missions.  Add friends.  Buy property and weapons.  Fight rivals.  And level up. Its a blast. It is the perfect pick me up and play game.  Log in, check your cash flow.  See who laid the smack down on you.  Maybe Torch a rival's drug field or protect a most wanted criminal or two. Set it down, and check back in about an hour.   All the mafia type games are based around timers.  For example you restore energy every 3 minutes, or your properties pay you every 60 minutes. This leads to an interesting way of playing the game.  I seem to be much more time aware lately.

There are two things that I don't like about these mafia style games.  One is they all have a main dude, who can give you bonuses and benefits. In Mafia Live! its the Godfather.  But these points cost real money for the most part.  I understand the developers need flow, but I don't like the idea that Richie Rich doesn't have to work the same way everyone else does.  He can just buy it.  The second thing, is that they really seem to push you to add members.  Once again, I get the concept, bigger family, more powerful more fun, but I don't like that I have to do this or be destroyed all the time.  And I don't like feeling that I am pushing my crack on my friends and family. (my family code is 236158483 feel free to add me ; )

These games are a blast. I guess thats why there is so much competition in this space.   I expect Zynga will soon be adding there successful Facebook version to the iPhone like they did Poker, and Scramble.

You can buy Mafia Live! here.

Comments

[squarerhino]

It is amazing how much this app has evolved since this post. It just keep getting better and better.