Mafia.

When I was a sophomore in high school, my family got a new computer.  It was a sony VAIO desktop.  It had all the bells and whistles.  512MB of ram, 80GB hard drive (which was really a 30 and 50GB drive combined) a DVD burner and a firewire port.  This thing was top of the line.

In the years prior, my brothers and I had played lots of computer games such as Roller Coaster  Tycoon, Sonic R, Command & Conquer: Red Alert, and a couple games from the Test Drive series.  Since we got the new computer, I decided I was gonna get a new game.  And an amazing one at that.  I bought Mafia.  For those that have never played the game, imagine a 1930's mobster version of Grand Theft Auto.  The game introduces the player to the wonderful world of organized crime.  Everything from importing whiskey during prohibition, drive-by's, collecting protection money, bank heists, to assassination missions.  The game is tons of fun because it is played in an open city.  There is plenty of time to explore the vast city and commit various crime.

One of the most integral parts of the game (and my favorite) is the cars.  The game has over 50 made-up cars that are based on actual ones.  These things are works of art.  Every detail is realistic, including performance.  Some cars handle better than others, some are fast, some are slow, some are coupes or convertibles.  I am a fan of cars, so I was excited about that.

The developer of Mafia announced a sequel to the game in 2007.  Still under development, the game is set to take place in the 1940's and 1950's.  This means that there will be a whole new city to explore, newer and better selection of cars, and more weapons and characters.  And because the release date is going to be about 6 years after the original, the graphics are going to be waaaaay better than they already were.  I am excited about it.