Initial release date: August 8, 2025
Developer: Hangar 13
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, GeForce Now, Microsoft Windows
Engine: Unreal Engine 5
Series: Mafia
Publisher: 2K Games
License: proprietary license
Key Takeaways
- 10 to 12 hours linear story driven game
- Story is good
- Major characters wacked
- Good voice acting
- Stiff pedantic walled-off “open world”
- Cover shooting okay
- Visuals really good
- I liked the ending
- Racing segments improved a-little
- Good cinematography in cutscenes
- Drama, humor, sorrow
- Enzo Favarra was a good protagonist
- Love story segment was predictable early on
- Played on Playstation 5 quality mode and performance mode
- A good Mafia game just smaller and linear in scale
Introduction
My history with the Mafia franchise of video games starts with Mafia 2 which might still be the best one I played. I beaten Mafia Definitive Edition and played through half of Mafia 3 which is the weakest Mafia in my opinion. Loved Lincoln Clay though.
Presentation
Mafia: The Old Country is a linear 10 to 12 hour third person story driven action adventure video game. It does the latter well in that it closes off much of it’s “open world” of Sicily via many invisible walls.
I personally enjoy the more linear story and gameplay brought upon by Mafia: The Old Country with a few stealth sections and Uncharted-esque rooftop action set-piece gameplay sequence. Car and horse racing rounds out the gameplay.
As far as technical bugs and glitches are concerned there were a few here and there on the base PS5 but nothing that warranted me to jump out to the main menu to keep playing. A strength of The Old Country’s presentation also lies in it’s visuals and story within it’s character writing. I cared about these characters.
Story
Mafia: The Old Country story takes place in 1900’s Sicily around a sulfur mine laborer turned Mafia big wig in Enzo Favara. Enzo ends up falling in love with Don Torissi’s daughter Isabella, which is the center of the story’s crux.
Although I saw the love story coming a mile away all other story aspects surrounding it was good most notably the Torissi Family being in it with it’s main opps the Spadaro Family.
Gameplay
Gameplay was serviceable but not great by any means whether it’s the instant fail stealth sequences or the cover shooting. Gameplay was mid and just serviceable overall. The strength of Mafia: The Old Country is it’s story.
With the latter said, Enzo does have an assortment of tools and vehicles at his exposure tailored either for stealth operations or going loud. You can wear various outfits, modify horses and cars along with guns.
Visuals | Graphics
This video game is a looker whether it’s a view of it’s vistas throughout 1900’s Sicily or the facial detail and expressions during characterization invoking cutscenes. You can’t say this is not a good looking game even on base PS5.
Sound | Music
Music was pretty subtle throughout my playthrough. It wasn’t bad or anything. It just seemed quite and “not there”. However, the voice acting and sound design were really good for the most part.
Mafia: The Old Country: Not perfect by any means but perfect for what it set out to do which was to tell the tale of Enzo Favara in a linear 12 hour story-rich single player campaign. Good visuals. 1900s Sicily was beautiful. – Jason
