Before you become Enzo: What every real Mafioso needs to know

In just a moment, we will receive one of the most anticipated games of this year, Mafia: The Old Country. Why THE most anticipated? Because it's one of the more iconic franchises, mainly due to the unforgettable, brilliant first installment from 2002. Not only the old-school dinosaurs who remember the times of buying games in big cardboard boxes with lots of cool stuff inside know about it, but also those who have recently started their adventure with virtual entertainment. In 2020, Hangar 13 studio released a great remake of the cult classic Mafia and a remaster of its sequel.

After the open-world experiment in the much newer Mafia III, this time we're getting a more focused and cinematic prequel to the series, set in the very heart of the Italian mafia, in Sicily in the early 20th century. However, before we get to know the story of the new main character, Enzo Favara, it's worth properly immersing ourselves in the mafia atmosphere. Apart from replaying the previous games in the series, for which there is no excuse thanks to the remastered versions of the older installments, you can also rewatch the trilogy of The Godfather movies. It's no wonder they're considered masterpieces of cinema, especially the second one, which also features scenes set in Sicily in the early 20th century.

We definitely advise against imitating the lifestyle of a Sicilian mafia member, except for respecting and prioritizing your family. However, it's a different thing to have a cosplay or a Halloween party where you can dress up as Vito, Tommy, Paulie, or, of course, Enzo, who may soon become a well-known character in the world of games. So, let's see, with a grain of salt, how to recognize a real Italian mafioso, what characteristics and accessories they should have, especially those from retro times!

Mafia: The Old Country, Hangar 13, 2K Games, 2025

Gang wears...

Of course, it's not about a gang of thugs with revolvers, but about a stylish suit, preferably a tailor-made one, in a dark color. A guy from the Italian crew always cared about his outfit! Even a regular guard or a private soldier would wear a crisp white shirt, sometimes paired with a suit vest. To show off your high status in the family, you could also throw on a white scarf over your blazer and some classy leather shoes.

For the biggest climate fans, there's always the fedora hat, while for cosplaying as a lower-ranking soldier, you can go for a coppola, a flat cap with a stiff peak, like the ones Calo and Fabrizio wore while protecting Michael Corleone in Sicily. The protagonist of Mafia: The Old Country wears a white or slightly cream shirt with rolled-up sleeves. Other characters are seen wearing a shirt with a vest, a stylish suit, and a Coppola hat.

Lupara, when man is a wolf to man

Calo and Fabrizio had one more characteristic symbol of the Sicilian mafia, which can also be found in The Old Country. It's so important and iconic for that time and place that you can find it on the official game website in an artistic screenshot showing the obvious symbols of Sicily and the situation there at the time. On the box of firm, ripe lemons lies a lupara, and by browsing the gallery and trailers, we will also find it in the hands of Enzo and in a few other scenes.

Mafia: The Old Country, Hangar 13, 2K Games, 2025

Lupara is a Sicilian name for a sawed-off shotgun with a shortened barrel and stock, so that it is easy to use and easy to hide. Its name translates to "for the wolf," because it was used to protect farms from wolves. Having it every day in Sicily was totally normal and didn't raise any suspicions, because it was a hunting rifle. However, over time, this handy weapon became a kind of symbol of the Sicilian mob, used in vendettas, executions, and intimidation. It has a very short range, but at close distances it is deadly, which we will probably have to check while playing Enzo.

Stiletto - the Sicilian gang had its "sting"

We definitely don't recommend taking this prop to cosplay parties, but it could look pretty good as a replica in your home display. This is another Italian symbol that often comes to the forefront in the trailers for Mafia: The Old Country. A stiletto is a Sicilian knife with a long, thin blade, always carried in a discreet place, often inherited from father to son. You can see a stiletto in the teaser for the new Mafia and in the gameplay footage – Enzo will have to use it in fights. The stiletto also plays an important role during the initiation ceremony, when Enzo is accepted into the Torrisi family - you'll see this scene in the game with all the details.

Mafia: The Old Country, Hangar 13, 2K Games, 2025

Everyday car

Unlike in later times when the Italian mafia made itself at home in the United States and gangsters loved to flaunt their wealth with expensive cars, the Sicilian Mafia had a completely different approach at the beginning of the century. Inexpensive, practical, durable, unremarkable cars were preferred, ones that could take people or goods from place to place without any issues.

In the game trailer, we can see various delivery and passenger cars, as well as racing ones, which could be a reference to the famous sequence from the first installment - the one that kept us up at night with its difficulty level. However, we won't see fully licensed vehicles from that era, just cars inspired by famous models from the 1900s to 1930s, like the Ford Model T or Renault FK.

Family is the most important thing

In the case of Dominic Toretto, these words became a meme. A Sicilian mafioso doesn't have that option - family comes first, end of story. The first one, with the mother's picture in the pocket and the wallet, and then the second one as well. The one that requires the initiation ceremony and a blood oath, which involves marking a holy picture with blood, and then burning it. The oath of loyalty to the family in the world of Mafia was for life. You can't just walk away from this.

Mafia: The Old Country, Hangar 13, 2K Games, 2025

Uomo d’onore

The last trait on our list that distinguishes a Sicilian mafioso is related to the previous one, which is loyalty to the family. Every member of the world of Mafia was an "uomo d'onore," a man of honor, who followed a specific Codex. Family loyalty was sacred and not up for debate. Just like omerta - an oath of silence, which means an absolute prohibition of revealing mafia secrets to the authorities, media, and third parties.

Everything was settled within the family, and every uomo d’onore was ready for the greatest sacrifices in the name of its good. The sign of omerta was a brief gesture of putting a finger to the lips. Carrying a rosary symbolized loyalty to the "divine" law of the mafia, and they often got tattoos of religious symbols. However, there is no need to delve so deeply into henna painting - all of this can be shown in a much more minimalist style. Being part of a family and following a code of honor could also be recognized by outsiders through silence instead of chatter and through a meaningful, non-intrusive, confident gaze that doesn't reveal any emotions.

That's how it looked in The Old Country

Mafia: The Old Country aims to authentically depict both the setting, which is Sicily at the beginning of the 20th century, and the realities, style, customs, and everything related to the mafia life of those times. When playing as Enzo, watch for the previously mentioned traits and distinctive signs of a true Italian mafioso, seizing the chance the game provides to step into his shoes and experience the life and unwavering loyalty to the family without any negative repercussions.

We'll take our oath of silence on August 8, 2025, pledging our loyalty to one of the three available platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, or Xbox Series X/S.

Mafia: The Old Country

August 7, 2025

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