Played the demo for about an hour, here are my initial impressions :
Graphics : The thing which really stands out in this game are its amazing graphics. These are probably the best graphics in any sandbox game so far. Much better than that of GTA 4, also the game runs twice as smooth as GTA 4 on my system. The point to note here is that I am still not running the game in its full glory. I have a Phenom X4 and a HD5770 and I have kept AA off and AF at 4X. I can only imagine how good it would look with everything maxed out.
Gameplay : Again, as the premise of the game is very similar to the GTA series, comparisons will be made. The best part about the gameplay is its fantastic cover system, argubaly the best in any game so far which makes the shooting aspect of the game much better than that of GTA 4. Next comes driving. Now driving played an important role in the first game as I am sure it would in this one and I am pleased to inform that the driving mechanics feel pretty solid from what I have experienced so far. Gone are the days when we were struck driving at the speed of 40mph. The cars in this game are fast, almost as fast as they were in GTA 4. Although the best part about driving which makes it so much better than GTA 4 is the camera which unlike the shitty camera of GTA 4 remains fixed behind the car. The hand to hand combat feels very simple though wherein you only have an option to punch and dodge, GTA 4 was better in this aspect. Another thing I miss is crouch. Although there is a crouch option, the player does not crouch completely and only tilts his head down which makes it a pretty much useless feature. Also, during firefights, when not using the cover system, the mechanics of shooting can get pretty choppy as in it doesn't feel as polished as the rest of the game. But overall, I must say the gameplay mechanics are an improvement over that of GTA 4 and thats saying something. BTW, I played the game with a mouse and a keyboard and didn't face any issues.
Sound : So far so good. The ambient noises are spot on, the radio plays songs of 1950's which makes the environment more believable and retro. The gun sounds lack a punch but thats maybe because I have been playing COD from the past many days.
Presentation : This is where Mafia II takes the cake. The presentation is slick, the cutscenes as we have come to expect from a Mafia title look superb . You will notice many cool little things which will make you admire the presentation of Mafia II. Like on one instance, I shot a dude in his head which created a pool of blood which I stepped in. When I started walking away from the body my footprints contained blood. Then on one instance I started beating up a guy, when a nearby police officer came and broke off our fight giving us both a warning. Then there are the playboy magazines, nuff said.

hyeah:
I am extremely pleased to inform that the game is actually as good as the original and improves upon GTA 4 in almost all aspects. For the record, I am a GTA fanboi and loved GTA 4. The best part about the original was its amazing storytelling and from the looks of it, I am sure Mafia II storyline is also going to be epic. The game has lived up to its hype and I will recommend pre-ordering it to anyone who loved the original or who loves the GTA series.
