2K Games and Hangar 13 announced the next expansion for Mafia III, which will be titled Sign of the Times and will be released on July 25th. Lincoln Clay will face a new threat to New Bordeaux, a violent group of cultists called The Ensanglante, who are hell-bent on restoring righteousness and order to New Bordeaux through violent rituals. The new content will have a few new features and weapons that will allow Clay to take down The Ensanglante such as throwing knives and the powerful new slow-mo shooting technique.
The cultists have been using the husk of Sammy’s Bar to conduct violent rituals against the citizens of New Bordeaux to gain power and influence. The cult uses a hallucinogenic drug to bend its members to their will, distorting their perception of reality and turning them into killers.
The inspiration for “Sign of the Times” is pretty clear. The late 1960s was a time of social and civil unrest – which we cover extensively in the game – but also of hallucinogenic experimentation and crazed cults, the horrible memory of the Manson Family being the most infamous. We were inspired to tell a story that represented that element of the time period, which led to The Ensanglante you tangle with in New Bordeaux.
But, even we have to admit that this is a pretty different experience going from Lincoln’s story of revenge against the Italian Mob, taking down corrupt officials in “Faster, Baby!” or helping your old war buddy in “Stones Unturned.”- Bill Harms, Narrative Director
Mafia III was a surprise hit in 2016 and it’s great to see that new content is being released; it’s interesting to see the new direction that Signs of the Times is taking. Mafia III had a serious tone and a much darker narrative than the previous titles in the series and that’s what made the main storyline compelling and interesting, seeing a war hero tune into his dark side and take down the Italian Mob to restore his family’s name.
It’s always a good thing when developers want to take a story into a bizarre land and to see how the characters react to a situation that’s not common for them or the other characters around them. What should really intrigue players is the ability to investigate these unique crimes that The Ensanglante are committing around the city and find a way to put an end to their efforts.
Signs of the Times will be releasing on July 25th for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Find more information on the DLC on the official website.
