Mafia: The Old Country Review
I called it “the Sicilian origins,” but Mafia: The Old Country never really explains how it all began. Instead, it just drops you into Sicily and shows the mafia doing what the mafia does. There is also nothing here that directly sets up the first Mafia games originally set in America — aside from a very few old characters showing up as supporting casts and the ending, where someone loosely tied to the family, at that point of the story, heads to America.
Despite not getting a true “origin” experience, what you do get is an extremely enjoyable 10- to 15-hour story if you’re after something linear and streamlined. But if you’re expecting an open-world sandbox game, you’ll be sorely disappointed. That, in a nutshell, is Mafia: The Old Country.
Oh, you want to know more? Sure, let’s talk.
Gameplay & Mechanics
At its core, Mafia has always played kind of like Grand Theft Auto — third-person view, vehicles, guns, and the option to cause some trouble. In this game though, the sandbox part is pretty limited.
In story mode, all the gameplay features really come together. You can ride horses and cars, and you’ve got a garage and stable where you can keep and upgrade them.
Weapons are limited to pistols, rifles, and shotguns — rifles and shotguns each have around three variants, while pistols have a lot more variety. There are also different kinds of knives, each with their own specialty. Duels are another thing worth mentioning.
These usually show up in boss fights and are close-quarter knife battles, almost like gladiator fights. They actually caught me off guard, and I don’t remember seeing them in previous Mafia games.
Outside of story mode, the world feels empty: no enemies, no dynamic encounters, and little interactivity beyond collecting cards, newspapers, notes, and other lore items. It’s clear the open world exists to support the story mode, not the other way around. To access free exploration, you have to go back to the main menu then go to Chapter Replay and find Exploration Mode.
Structure & Freedom
Because of its 1900s western setting, a lot of people want to compare it to Red Dead Redemption 2. I’ll tell you now — it’s nothing like it, aside from basic movement and point-and-shoot mechanics. This is a linear, story-driven game, and a much shorter one at that. You could finish it in one or two sittings if you’ve got the time and energy.
The game is structured into 15 chapters (including the prologue), each about an hour or two long. It blends cinematic, movie-style cutscenes with guided open-world sections. You’re dropped into the map, but where you can go and what you can do depends on your current objective. Also, don’t expect modern action-RPG freedom where you set the pace or make story-changing decisions.
The only other thing Mafia: The Old Country really shares with Red Dead Redemption 2 is having an open-world map — but here, “open” is relative. As we said before, playing in Exploration Mode really makes the world feels empty, and compared to today’s massive open-world titles, it’s modest in both size and activity.
Setting & Story
Mafia: The Old Country is a telenovela story. Spoilers ahead, so be warned — skip this section if you don’t want a spoiler.
Okay, here is the story. A miner escapes their master and joins a Mafia clan as a Mafioso, but falls in love with their boss’s daughter. The daughter and the miner-turned-mafioso try to run away at the end, but the protagonist dies trying — leaving the daughter and their unborn child sailing away to America. That’s it.
Of course, I’m skipping over a lot of details, but that is the core of the story and the main motivation of the protagonist — they are stuck between loyalty to their organization and their dreams of having a family.
It is fairly predictable, and a lot of people found the ending abrupt, which I can understand. I still found the main story to be good, and I’m just someone who enjoys a little bit of tragedy.
Performance & Optimization
The game’s optimization is a hit-or-miss. GPU workloads are efficient on high graphics settings, but the CPU can be a bottleneck. Dropping settings or enabling DLSS in Performance mode can dramatically reduce CPU load — I watched my CPU temps drop from 85°C to the mid-70s with just one setting change.
Is Mafia: The Old Country A Good Game? Is Mafia: The Old Country Worth it?
Honestly? No. The jist of it is: For its price, it only has the main story content going for it and it is fairly short.
I probably wouldn’t buy it even if it was 50% off considering its high price and you can buy a lot more games while experiencing the same amount of fun.
Mafia: The Old Country screenshots
Mafia: The Old Country FAQs
What is Mafia Old Country based on?
It is based on the Sicilian Mafia during the 1900s in Italy.
What can you do in Mafia Old Country?
You can play as Enzo Favara as he establishes himself as a mafioso in the Torrisi family.
Can you free roam in Mafia Old Country?
Yes, you can. However, you cannot do it during story mode. To free roam, you will have to access Chapter Replay from the Menu, and then click on Explore which is the first option.
What is the difference between Mafia: The Old Country Standard and Deluxe?
You get more stuff in the Deluxe edition, that’s it.
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