The Mafia series has, for the most part, stuck to its strengths over the past two decades. Each game offers a city as a backdrop for a tightly scripted story, serving more as a stage than a true open world. Mafia and Mafia II followed this formula well, delivering cracking titles. But Mafia III veered closer to GTA, making it the Marmite entry, loved or loathed. Now, Mafia: The Old Country, developed by Hangar 13 Games, marks a return to the series’ roots.
Read More: MindsEye review – Why? How? Seriously.
It’s a full-fat, story-driven experience set in a stunning location. It is not, let me stress, not an open-world game. That’s something many seem to struggle with, as comparisons to GTA and Red Dead Redemption 2 keep cropping up, which is frankly baffling.
Source Material
Set in early 1900s Sicily, Mafia: The Old Country takes place in and around the fictional town and countryside of San Celeste. The story follows Enzo Favara, a labourer in a sulphur mine who rises through the ranks of the family.
It’s not groundbreaking if you’re familiar with Mafia films and TV shows, but it’s well-crafted. Enzo and his crew are richly characterised, helped by outstanding voice acting, especially Riccardo Frascari as Enzo.
Read More: Yakuza.0 Director’s Cut (Switch 2) review – Portable and Definitive Edition
The attention to storytelling and polish makes it clear this isn’t about aimlessly roaming the world doing side missions. It’s about growing through trials, betrayals, revelations and loss. I genuinely cared about the characters and their fate.
Each chapter unfolds through one or two missions, evolving as Enzo becomes more involved with the family. You start by collecting money owed to the Don, then move on to horse racing and counterfeiting.
Read More: Star Wars Outlaws review – A Thousand Paper Cuts
No mission overstays its welcome. That said, I’d have liked three or four more chapters. The game wraps in around ten hours, but the third quarter flies by at breakneck speed.
A few more moments per chapter could have slowed the pace and added more classic Mafia-style content.
Return to the Old Ways
Gameplay returns to familiar territory: stealth, gunfights, driving and brawling. It’s not epic, but it’s fun and never drags.
Gunplay is solid, with a decent arsenal. Enzo isn’t a trained killer, so his aim can be wild, though a light skill tree helps. Knife fights feature heavily in key moments, perhaps a bit too much—but they add variety, requiring timed strikes and blocks.
Read More: Banishers Ghosts of New Eden review – Exorcise in Decision Making
Outside the main story, there’s a separate mode for exploring, collecting items and driving various cars. It’s more of a bonus than a time sink.
Look of the Old Country
Visually, the game shines. This fictional slice of Italy offers jaw-dropping vistas, and everything else has that gritty, real-world Mafia vibe. The Unreal 5 engine handles it all beautifully. Sound design is top-tier, from the cinematic score to the voice acting that breathes life into the cast.
Mafia: The Old Country brings the series back to its roots, and it’s all the better for it. It delivers an intense, story-led experience where gameplay supports a hard-hitting moral tale, framed by a cinematic backdrop that elevates the whole affair.