I think GTA is mostly demanded on action factor...
But mafia has a scenario and a atmosphere. I can say Mafia has the best scenario I had ever seen in these type of games..

For gameplay it is more good to play with GTA cause it has too energy to exploit your ego. but in the mafia it has a heavy grounded material.. u play like u re a mafia...it gets u to the atmosphere...

I've played both of them. Mafia has great plot, but missions are quite linear... In GTA we decide, which mission take, or even do anything, you want to do, for example go to the gym or work as a firefighter. For me - GTA San Andreas - 10/10, Mafia 10/10

I played all GTA, from the first one to San Andreas and Mafia, too
I have to admit I didn't like too much Mafia, the cars, the missions, the setting...

As for GTA, imho the best part is Vice City. Tommy Vercetti is just too cool, the city (although smaller than SA) ist very well designed and seems so 'alive'. I played other games similar to the GTA series (Scarface, True Crime...) and the cities just looked dull.

As a big fan of the Brian DePalma-gangster movies (Scarface, Carlito's Way), I particulalirily liked all these hints (i.e. the Vercetti Estate is Tony Montanas mansion, the final mission is the Scarface-showdown, the lawyer Ken Rosenberg is highly inspired by David Klarsfeld in Carlito's Way...)

Anoter big plus are the radio stations, the only one I never listen to is the hip hop station. Do you remember Mauricio Chavez on Emotion.fm or the Public Radio with the funny chats?
I played with several mods that introduced modded cars, that greatly fitted in the 80's.

I played SA too but I didn't like the whole hip hop homie thing

GTA 1: 8/10
GTA 2 5/10 (the worst part)
GTA 3 7/10
GTA Vice City: 10/10
GTA San Andreas: 9/10
Marfia: 6/10

GTA is Better Than Mafia:D

Rockstar game's exspecially GTA series are the most best games, i think.

So thats why GTA is better, Mafia is also good.

I think Vice City was my favorite too.

Ray Liotta as Tommy is still the best VG voice i've heard.....

and the soundtrack is still tops.

For Mafia it helped to have an interest in the period. I mean, the cars were slow and hard to control but the story was more immersive. You felt like a part of it. In GTA you don't really get that involved!

GTA 4 in october

GTA is great so I will go with that Maffia I didn't like as much

Mafia was awesome due to its historical type storyline where the story in the game paralleled actual historic events that happened during the era and some nice cars and music but suffered i believe when they went to incorperate grand theft style play

Grand theft S/A is definately a very addictive gameplay but after a few hours things get repetetive and hangin out at the crib with all my homies was definatley not doin much for me

As im not a home boy and i do love a good story, i choose mafia if i had a choice

Although my kids are hooked on GTA they would kill me if i ever got rid of it so i got both

MAFIA for sure! Its few years old game and I still play it from time to time!

GTA is the best of them!

It appears they both have merit. Mafia - great story/historical accuracy. GTA - a lot of freedom (I mean San Andreas in particular).

I'm italian so i must say Mafia.
It was a really great experience, not only a good third person shooter but also very accurate and interesting under the historical profile.