Mafia The Old Country Review
The Mafia games have been up and down for 20 years, but now they're back. Set in the tough world of Sicily in the early 1900s, Mafia: The Old Country is a story that comes before the first three games. It has a lot of fans hoping it will be as good as they remember, with great movie-like stories. So, does this new part lift up the Mafia name, or should we let it go.
The Story Too Good to Miss
Here's the thing: people play Mafia for the story. And, The Old Country does not let down here. It has one of the best stories yet. You play as Enzo Favara, a man with a hard life who gets help from the big boss, Don Bernardo Torissi.
The game does a great job of telling a classic poor-to-rich mob tale as Enzo climbs up in the world. The characters, both Enzo and the Don, feel real thanks to amazing voice work that makes every word hit hard. The other characters are just as great; they’re written well and you’ll end up really caring about them.
The story twines in ideas of back-stabbing, pride, and want, all shown well in the talks and small looks the characters give. But, the end of the game feels rushed like it's missing a key part of the tale. Still, the story is strong and a real joy for long-time fans.
Gameplay Usual, Works Well, Fun
When it comes to playing the game, The Old Country sticks to what works. It’s much like the newer Mafia games and it plays fine it’s good for the story, but it’s not new.
Fighting and Hiding
Shooting is simple take cover and shoot when you can, using old-school guns. The foes are smarter than before, working together better.
Hiding and sneaking matter a lot too. You sneak, hide, distract, and strike. It’s fun, but maybe too simple for some, with easy-to-guess enemy moves and a "spy vision" that makes it less hard.
A cool new thing is knife fights one-on-one, which make for fun boss fights. These are about dodging and hitting at the right time, and they break up the gun fights well.
World Design Straight Line Story
This game, while big and beautiful, isn’t open like Mafia 3. The Old Country takes you on a straight story path in pretty Sicily. This stops the game from dragging with too much extra stuff. The game wants you to stick to the story, and even lets you skip rides to keep things moving. "Free Roam" lets you look around, but there’s not much to do but pick up stuff. This focus is good as it keeps you in the story and with the characters, which are the best part of the game.
Look and Feel
The game looks great with Unreal Engine 5. The people look real, the places are stunning, and the music pulls you in. On PC, the game needs a lot, but there’s a good mix of settings. On new consoles, you can pick between smoother looks or faster play, which is nice. All in, it’s a well-made and beautiful game.
Verdict and Rating
Pros
- Great, deep, and strong story.
- Top-notch voice work and strong characters.
- World looks great and visuals are eye-catching.
- Straight, simple path saves your time.
- Good and fun, though easy, game steps.
- Right cost for a well-made, short game.
Cons
- Game steps could use new ideas, can be too easy.
- End of the tale seems hurried.
- Not truly open which might let some down.
- You can't play it again in a new way.
Mafia: The Old Country is a strong back to what the game was like before. It knows what it does well and does a lot of it, giving us a story with strong people that stays with you after it ends. While its game steps do just enough, they are there to push the great tale. If you love good, clear, one-player tales and put story first, you must play this game. For its $50 price and 10-15 hour length, it's a tight and good story that shows the Mafia series is still strong.
