Mafia: The Old Country review: Grand return to the series’ roots

In 2025, the Mafia series is mostly remembered for its first two installments, which have become the gold standard for fans when it comes to telling a gripping story full of betrayal, twists, and human drama. In an effort to replicate the success of those earlier games—and to chase the industry trends of 2016—Mafia 3 took a different direction. But that move didn’t exactly pay off. While the game sold fairly well, it was heavily criticized for being repetitive, packed with dull side activities, and set in an open world that felt more like filler than substance.

After playing Mafia 3, I wasn’t just left unsatisfied—I was genuinely disappointed. I knew this series was capable of so much more, of telling another epic story set in the brutal, dangerous world of organized crime. So when I heard that Hangar 13 was working on a prequel, I had mixed feelings. On one hand, I was worried. But on the other, I was hopeful—because Mafia: The Old Country wasn’t shaping up to follow in the footsteps of the last, only moderately successful entry. Instead, it looked like a return to the series’ roots—both figuratively and literally.

Mi chiamo Enzo

Mafia: The Old Country follows the story of Enzo Favara, a young man who’s spent his whole life working in a sulfur mine in Sicily. That’s where we first meet him—he and his friend struggling to survive what feels like literal hell, all in the shadow of a smoldering volcano. After a series of events—which I won’t spoil here—Enzo crosses paths with the Torrisi family. And from that moment on, his world is completely turned upside down.

The opening missions in Mafia: The Old Country serve as a slow burn, giving you time to get familiar with the world, the characters, and the harsh reality the main character is suddenly thrown into. Some players might not be into the slower pace, but personally, I don’t mind it—especially early on. Games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Kingdom Come: Deliverance taught me to appreciate a more gradual introduction. That said, don’t expect a high-stakes heist or a daring taxi escape from the cops right out of the gate.

As the chapters go on, the story in Mafia: The Old Country really starts to pick up, thanks in large part to some sharp direction in the cutscenes and well-written characters like Don Torrisi and his daughter, Isabella. It all builds toward a spectacular finale—one that both surprises and leaves you thinking. The overall storytelling style feels very reminiscent of the original Mafia, especially in terms of structure. That’s not a knock, though—the heart of the story is entirely its own. Still, longtime fans will definitely pick up on a few familiar touches.

Let’s go back to Enzo for a moment. The main character in Mafia: The Old Country is quite different from Vito, Tommy, and Lincoln—he’s not as immediately expressive or charismatic as that trio, which might be a bit off-putting at first. But over time, the prequel’s protagonist grows into someone you genuinely want to root for. I also have a lot of respect for how the writers chose to portray a character who, despite everything he goes through, never loses sight of what really matters to him. Enzo is, honestly, a really likable guy.

Blood and wine

When it comes to gameplay, Mafia: The Old Country sticks to a chapter-based structure, with missions that vary in complexity. One thing worth highlighting is how diverse these missions are—many of them give you multiple ways to approach the objective. For instance, you can choose to sneak around quietly or dive straight into open combat. Although, not every mission offers that kind of freedom. Some require you to follow a set path and hit specific story beats—but honestly, those are often the most cinematic and well-written moments in the game.

One major new addition to the series—and a pretty common way of settling conflicts in Mafia: The Old Country—is knife fighting. Hangar 13 put some real thought into the system. You’ve got thrusts, slashes, guard breaks, parries, and dodges. It might take a little time to get used to what each button does on a controller, but it’s worth it. The game also features a wide variety of bladed weapons. Want to sneak up and take out enemies from a distance with a well-aimed knife throw? Go for it. Prefer to dominate in close-quarters combat? You’ll find merchants and specific spots around the world where you can pick up knives that fit your style.

The Old Country also features a solid variety of firearms. Enzo can carry both a sidearm and a long gun. For me, that usually meant a revolver and a rifle—perfect for picking off enemies from a distance. But there’s plenty of choice: shotguns, semi-automatic rifles, and more are available as well. What’s nice is that the developers clearly made an effort to stay true to the era—the game kicks off in 1904—so you won’t be overwhelmed with machine guns or overly modern firepower. It all feels grounded and believable for the time period.

Another unique gameplay feature is the rosary, which adds an interesting layer of strategy. It lets you gain certain advantages—like finding extra ammo for a specific weapon type or silencing Enzo’s footsteps to give you an edge while sneaking. It works like this: during missions, you’ll find beads that can be attached to the rosary, each granting a specific bonus. You can also upgrade the rosary itself, unlocking more slots for additional beads. It’s a really cool addition that lets you tailor your playstyle a bit. Sure, it’s not super deep or complex, but it’s still a thoughtful and welcome mechanic.

Returning briefly to shooting and stealth. The latter was at least done correctly, which definitely pleased me, because in previous Mafia games, sneaking around felt more like a chore, especially when the game forced you into it. But in Mafia: The Old Country, it’s much improved, making stealthy parts actually enjoyable. Some of that comes from the tools you get to help you stay quiet—things like coins to distract enemies or wine bottles scattered around that serve the same purpose. As for shooting, it’s pretty much what you’d expect—not incredibly polished, but you can definitely feel the power behind each weapon, along with their strengths and weaknesses. That said, the game’s budget shows in some places. The weapon reload animations aren’t always smooth, and there’s a weird “twisting” motion when Enzo reaches for something behind cover that looks a little off.

Cradle of Mafia

What impressed me most about Mafia: The Old Country is the setting—Sicily. The island is recreated with an incredible sense of atmosphere. As you travel across it, it’s hard not to feel like you’re actually there. The ruins, vineyards, open landscapes, and villages are all beautifully designed. Sure, the cities can feel a bit empty in terms of population, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that this is some seriously impressive design work. The interiors of major locations do repeat some objects here and there, but overall they’re quite distinct from one another—and in some action sequences, they even change dynamically.

Driving has always been a key part of the Mafia series, and Mafia: The Old Country proudly continues that tradition—this time with the added option of riding horses. Sometimes missions let you choose how you want to travel, and other times you don’t get that choice. Sicily isn’t Empire Bay, so don’t expect asphalt roads or highways. Instead, you’re navigating through rural, familiar terrain. The driving itself leans heavily into arcade-style mechanics, with little focus on realism (even though there are road signs), which might be a downside for some players. There’s also no mini-map or way to mark specific points and get directions. Main mission locations are clearly marked, of course, but if you want to head somewhere outside of that, you’ll need to open up the in-game map and figure it out yourself.

From a technical standpoint, The Old Country looked and sounded pretty good on my setup (AMD Ryzen 5 7600X, RTX 4070 12GB, and 32GB of RAM), though it’s fair to say that a game with such high system requirements really should look better. I didn’t run into any major bugs during my playthrough. Occasionally, a texture wouldn’t load, a weapon would clip oddly through cover, or a shadow wouldn’t render properly—but nothing game-breaking. Cutscenes are locked at 30 frames per second, while gameplay runs at a steady 60, which can feel a bit jarring during transitions from cutscene to gameplay. Still, it’s a minor gripe and doesn’t take away from the overall experience.

Final thoughts

Mafia: The Old Country is a solid return to the series’ roots. Despite a few minor flaws and what’s clearly a limited budget, it delivers an engaging story that’s well worth experiencing. The game also packs in plenty of fan-service moments that longtime Mafia fans—myself included—will really appreciate. The attention to detail in recreating early 20th-century Sicily and the overall world design deserve a lot of praise. This might actually be the first game in the series that I feel compelled to 100%—and that’s saying something.