Mafia II vs Saints Row 2
Mafia II
Mafia II is a mafia-themed action-shooter game that puts you in the shoes of Vito Scaletta, an up-and-coming mobster who, with his loyal buddy Joe, has made a name for himself among higher-ups in the mafia and is steadily rising up the ranks. However, not everyone is happy with his (your) ascension and they aim to put a permanent end to it. Set in Empire Bay during World War II, the game also has plenty of atmospheric nuances that will basically teleport you back into the past - to the golden era of the mafia and mobsters. Not to mention, the game has some of the most intense gunplay, car chases and hand-to-hand combat that complement the whole mafia drama that Mafia II has going on. There are plenty of weapons, vehicles, clothes and characters that you can interact with as well.If you enjoy old-school mafia-themed games, Mafia II is a game you won't want to miss. The game follows the same formula that had made the Mafia franchise such a hit and yet it has provided a ton of exciting new features and improvements that will give you a much better gaming experience.
Saints Row 2
Saints Row 2 , released back in 2009, is gangster-themed open world game that is somewhat similar to what you'll expect in an old Grand Theft Auto game. The game was originally XBox exclusive and due to this, the game may feel a lot like a port... some may even say a poor port at that. However, the game itself is pretty fun to play. There are three main gangs or factions that you'll need to exert your dominance over so that your own gang, the Saints, can thrive. As expected of a gangster-themed game, there are plenty of pretty violent side-missions as well, most of which involve driving into pedestrians, destroying other people's properties, performing a drive-by, spraying excrement on big corporations, and well, wreaking as much havoc as you can in general. However, it's a point to note that the game doesn't have prostitutes that you can hire unlike in GTA, though there are some skimpily-dressed female AIs walking about.In this game, you'll also get to own multiple cribs scattered all around the city of Stilwater, each with their own set of upgrades and customization options. Similarly, your character can be customized down to the last detail too. The best part about this game is the wide variety of fun vehicles you can steal and collect in your garage. There are even helicopters, planes, boats and motorcycles that you can steal.
Despite its rather bad (by today's quality and standards) graphics, Saints Row 2 is a pretty huge game. Only the main missions will take you hours of gameplay, let alone the many side missions, the hours you put in to collect your fleet of cool cars, exploring the city's every nook and cranny, and even finding and getting the items you need to customize your character's looks. If you're into this sort of games, Saints Row 2 is definitely worth the price.