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Howdsa bout dis for a deally doriginat (original sdupid) intraduction to dis here game and da course I wand da heaters off, afda all it dis Djuly. I could go on but my chewing gum is running out so let's just leave the smart alec accent and get stuck into this one. Yes, it's the sequel to Mafia Contract by the same author, from the same company (not always a certainty these days) and at the same price. If anything, this game is better then its predecessor and so I can see it featuring in SIGNPOST just as much as the first one. The graphics are just that step up from Mafia I and the puzzles, and the story which links them, are a real pleasure.

Again you are in Don Capolla's gang whose territory runs throughout the dark back alleys and creeping fire escapes of the Big Apple, housing the biggest den of thieves east of Chicago. In the first program, Capolla's own son had gone down and you were one of the suspects behind his untimely demise. Once again, this is a Quilled game but the theme, story and its interpretation distances it from the usual run-of-the-mill release.

You are in trouble, yet again, but what else would you expect being Capolla's henchman? Last year you assassinated a rival gang leader for your boss and as a reward he has taken you into his confidence as his Number One personal adviser and bodyguard. Capolla's regime is now being threatened by a powerful gang led by Vito Rossi. Capolla has panicked and gone into hiding but not before putting out a contract on anyone he fears, including you. Not being one for half measures, and stirred on by your successes, you have decided to kill both Rossi and Capolla. If you can pull this off you are then free to get the documents detailing Capolla's Mafia gunmen, and will be able to seize control of the entire city. You find yourself in Capolla's mansion which is being raided by Rossi's gunmen. To progress any further you have to escape them and put into effect your ambitious plan.

Impressive is the way the program introduces itself with varying loading screens and sound effects a good omen for what turns out to be a well-polished game. The pictures are slowly drawn but a definite notch up on the standard of the first Mafia game. RAM SAVE and LOAD are very useful as it is in the nature of this type of game that danger lurks around every corner (just for the record RAM LOAD will take you back to your SAVEd position as many times as you like before the computer is switched off). The character set is pleasantly redesigned and the game is generally attractive and well laid out.

There are some unusual screens, one with CRASH scrawled right across it, and another with ZAP. I'll leave you to find out where you come across these two but suffice to say its when something goes wrong! Only being able to carry four things at a time causes you one or two headaches in the time-honoured fashion, but generally the game is most playable and flows along nicely. Many times you find all manner of doors locked (getting the keys early on is recommended) and so I appreciated the humour when trying to bolt it out of the mansion in the car before me: 'You won't believe this, but it's locked'.

Mafia Contract II is a really good game for the price. Some of the problems are a little easy or hackneyed but overall the game is quite a good run around.

Difficulty: easy
Graphics: average
Presentation: fair
Input Facility: verb/noun
Response: Quill