"Mafia III" may be a cool game, but people have noticed its fixation on race and racial profiling. The setting of the game is in New Orleans during the 1960s. The characters are computer controlled yet some of them are made to have fear and suspicion.
One character is Lincoln Clay, a black Vietnam veteran. Clay is shown to be abused and wrongfully accused by the police. Some shops and even restaurants are separated. The game has an indication of racism even from the color of the game's characters. The depiction of the game of racism has received a number response most especially from those who have suffered the same their entire lives.
On the other hand, there are also those who are happy with Clay's character and the like who struggled from internal conflict and believed that such really do exist. Some players even suggest that the "Mafia III" is a cathartic game and it is a way in order for people of color to accept racism. In the first place, players are allowed to react with violence using the character Clay.
Terence Wiggins, a game critic, also writes that it is better than real people since even if the character Clay is asked insultingly, "What are you going to do, nigger?", he was not afraid, instead, he slits his throat, stabs him in chest, and throws his body like a trash and he even said that such action is even more cathartic.
He also said that it is just a challenge that anyone has to face. "Mafia III" gave its bold statement with regard to race and racism without any metaphors or allegory. The creators did not even apologize for including racism in their game story according to a report in Gamespot. Other game enthusiasts said that the game does not focus on racism, but on violence instead.
