Mafia has been a well enjoyed, social game, which does not require anything but the people playing. It works by emphasising on the team aspect of the game, requiring people to socialise, and work together to win the game. However, this same aspect of the game that is required for one team to win, is also what is used by the enemy to manipulate, and to conceal themselves to win. It also builds on peoples ability to process what other people say, and decide whether it is real or a lie. You can only trust yourself completely! As turns pass, inconsistencies in stories, and human expressions play a deeper role, creating dramatic points both during the day and night.
As an online game, many key dynamics of the game cannot be used. People can no longer see/hear how the other players are talking. There are however, many versions of mafia that are created for online play. Some forum versions take 12 hours for both a day and a night. This decreases the dramatic climaxes of the game. However, since its main dynamic of manipulating others through information is still there, the game is still very feasible.
