You may remember the hype surrounding Mafia III before its launch late last year. As is sometimes the case with big releases (looking at you, Mass Effect), the game didn't live up to expectations and was a pretty mediocre affair with plenty of technical problems.
Despite its shortcomings, Mafia III went on to become the 'fastest-selling' game in the history of publisher 2K Games, the company behind franchises such as Borderlands, Civilization, and Bioshock. It shipped 4.5 million copies to retailers in the first week of release, according to parent Take-Two Interactive's earnings report. No word on how many consumers bought the game, though.
For those curious to try Mafia III but aren't willing to pay its full price, good news: a free demo version of the game is now available.
Developer Hanger 13's blog post reveals that the entire opening act is available for all platforms (24 GB on PC). It features the bank heist sequence, which sets the stage for the rest of the Mafia III story. Should you find yourself enjoying the demo, you'll be pleased to know that your progress carries on into the full version. Best of all, the full game is available with a 50 percent discount until April 17.
Also launched yesterday was the first of Mafia III's three DLC packs, "Faster, Baby." It adds a new town, combat mechanics, and weapons, along with a plot that sees protagonist Lincoln Clay and a new character, Roxy Laveau, join forces to "take down the corrupt and powerful Sheriff 'Slim' Beaumont." Check out the trailer below to see more.