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Editor's note: I have not played Mafia 2, so I can't speak as to what the developers' intentions were with regards as to how different races were portrayed. I think that it's possible that they were trying to illustrate the way things were in those times. The fact that Errol was uncomfortable treating people in a racist manner indicates to me that perhaps the developers succeeded in illustrating just how bad things were for minorities back then.

On the other hand, sometimes games are downright racist.

Interestingly enough, it's an Italian-American group UNICO that has thus far, been the most vocal about the way they're portrayed in the game. In his response to the charges made by the orginization, Take-Two chairman Strauss Zelnick told GameSpot "At Take-Two, we balance our right to free expression with what we believe is a thoughtful and responsible approach to creating and marketing our products. … We will only release a title that meets our standards: as art, as entertainment and as a socially responsible product… I fully and completely stand behind our creative teams and products, including Mafia 2."

Clearly, this is a sensitive topic, and Errol has a strong opinion on the matter. I promote this piece not for the conclusions drawn by the author, but for the questions it raises. Does Mafia 2 cross the line, or do you think that there's another layer to the way the game addresses racism that has perhaps been overlooked? How do you feel about the way other developers have handled this issue in other games? I look forward to hearing your thoughts. – Aaron

Mafia 2 takes place during a time when segregation was the norm in American society. It is my opinion that the game's developers use this time period to exploit many racist views and ideas throughout the story. I felt uneasy as I was asked to steal a car from what the main character refers to as a "moolie" neighborhood.

I was uncomfortable as I listened to Joe talk about how all blacks do is smoke dope and kill each other, as I drove around Empire City. I had to tell myself "It's the '40s," to rationalize the insensitivity. When I found myself repeating that phrase over and over I knew there was a problem.

 

One of the more offensive moments happened when I was shooting my way through a restaurant in Chinatown. After successfully killing every last Chinese person in the place I received the achievement "Chop Chop!" [Editor's note: To clarify, the achievement is for finishing chapter 13.]

I was disgusted. The name "Chop Chop" appears to be a reference to a comic book character from the '40s and '50s. As you can see in the picture on the right  His image was that of a stereotypical Chinese caricature. It's insulting to for a game to take pride in killing a bunch of characters rewarding the player with a shout out to an offensive character.

The racism in Mafia II is not necessary. Red Dead Redemption takes place in an early period of American history when racism was very prevalent, but it unlike Mafia 2, it manages to not be offensive. The game event shifts locations to Mexico, and then embraces the culture as part of a compelling storyline.

It is my belief that If we let a game like Mafia 2 slide, it's only going to open the door for more offensive games. What's going to stop the next game that's set in the '40s and '50s from being offensive?