Mafia The Old Country Review: a successful return to its roots?
, by Enzo
With Mafia: The Old Country, developer Hangar 13 invites us to trace the origins of organized crime, long before American skyscrapers and three-piece suits. We’re headed to 1900s Sicily, a land marked by poverty, traditions, and honor, where the Mafia isn’t yet an industry but a matter of survival and loyalty. This new installment promises a more intimate and historical approach, blending careful storytelling, realistic immersion, and cinematic gameplay—the franchise’s hallmark. But does this return to its roots live up to its stated ambitions?
An intimate and masterfully crafted story
The game offers a deliberately unhurried narrative, almost contemplative at times. It moves away from grand criminal epics to tell a more human, more tragic story of rise to power—particularly that of the main character, Enzo. Without revolutionizing the narrative structure, Mafia: The Old Country shines through the quality of its writing and dialogue, which is often understated yet effective.
The characters are well-developed and explore classic themes of the series: family, honor, and betrayal. Most are genuinely well-thought-out, allowing for a unique interaction with each one, which makes them particularly endearing.
Don Torrisi and his aura will send a few chills down the spines of those willing to feel them. The highly cinematic direction reinforces the impression that we’re witnessing a tragedy from a front-row seat, rather than a mere crime story in which we’re merely spectators.
Meticulous art direction & immersion
One of the game’s strengths lies in its art direction. The environments—whether rural or semi-urban—exude authenticity and fully contribute to the immersion. Each location tells a story about its era and its inhabitants, though it’s a shame that players are relatively confined to the main road and can’t stray too far from it.
The soundtrack, subtle yet well-integrated, effectively accompanies the action and moments of tension, while the sound design reinforces the world’s believability. The voice acting is particularly well done.
The immersion is generally successful thanks to the coherence between the story, the gameplay, and the game world. You can really feel the developers’ desire to convey an era of simmering violence. Technically speaking, the game performs well overall. It’s visually solid and fairly well animated, though not without a few imperfections—particularly in certain animations and some minor performance issues.
Gameplay: simple but effective
In terms of gameplay, Mafia: The Old Country doesn’t set out to shake up the genre, and it fully embraces that fact. The game favors a fairly linear narrative structure, punctuated by measured exploration segments. The combat—deliberately heavy and realistic—requires a certain degree of caution and heightens the tension, even if it can sometimes lack dynamism and challenge. The arsenal is quite diverse, and the shooting mechanics feel satisfying.
Another interesting feature: the knives. They’re skillfully used for assassination, throwing, unlocking chests, or even engaging in intense one-on-one duels, which gives some importance to the choices you make and the upgrades you acquire.
Overall, while the gameplay mechanics remain solid but lack innovation, and certain sequences feel like déjà vu, the game as a whole remains consistent with its realistic and immersive vision, prioritizing credibility over over-the-top spectacle. Again, if you’re looking for thrills and uncompromising originality, this installment isn’t for you.
Tested on PC. See our rating policy here.
7.5/10
Mafia: The Old Country is a solid, self-assured installment that relies above all on its storytelling, atmosphere, and authenticity. Following Enzo’s rise to power is an enjoyable experience. While the game offers very little in the way of gameplay innovation, it nevertheless succeeds in its main goal: delivering a credible and immersive return to the roots of the mafia, far removed from today’s clichés. The playtime is sufficient for a narrative-driven game of this type, but replayability remains limited. It’s an adventure best experienced once, for the sake of the story. A free expansion offering additional content through a dedicated game mode was released a few months after launch and has been very well received. In conclusion, this title will appeal above all to lovers of well-crafted narratives and fans of the series, even if it leaves those expecting a more open-ended or modern experience wanting more.
- + A simple but engaging story
- + Interesting direction
- + Beautiful depiction of Sicily
- + Exploration mode with bonus content
- - The story is a bit short
- - Technically demanding due to the lighting