12 minutes of Mafia 3 gameplay show off beautiful New Orleans

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The next Sleeping Dogs?

Here’s our first look at Mafia III from 2K and newly formed Hangar 13 since the obligatory Animals announcement trailer earlier this year. The sequel is a departure for the series, instead set in 1968 Louisiana and starring Vietnam War veteran Lincoln Clay out for revenge on the Italian mafia that betrayed him.

And damn, look at that colorful, fictional Bourbon St! I am a sucker for neon and this game has some Batman Arkham level of color. Look at that bit where Lincoln stalks low rung drug dealers through a cemetery to get information en route to that sick car slide and “Drive Like a Madman” interrogation sequence.

It’s a bit shootout heavy and the driving pushes it a bit. “We want you to feel like you’re a stuntman in a Hollywood action move” — I’m willing to bet a black dude in the 60’s south waving a gun, crashing into cop cars, and driving off of ramps is a bit too conspicuous and leans towards Grand Theft Auto-style functionless mayhem versus tying into some kind of grounded Devil in a Blue Dress story. But I’m at least digging the original setting. Still, even reaching Sleeping Dogs-level heights wouldn’t be too bad.

And I really want to drink at that jazz bar. Though Lincoln would rather do a video game style stealth takedown wherein he stabs a guy in the eye three times in front of a peace sign graffiti. We’re just always at odds.

Mafia III is coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC in 2016.