Mafia: The Old Country offers a shorter, story-focused experience set in early 1900s Sicily, but it struggles to keep things fresh. The game’s gorgeous world and standout voice acting contrast with repetitive gameplay and a predictable plot that wears thin before the credits roll.
Hangar 13’s latest tries to cut back on the sprawling open-world ambition of previous entries, opting instead for a more streamlined single-player campaign. Clocking in around 12 hours, it sounds perfect for those who want a neat crime story without a huge time commitment. Yet, it somehow manages to outstay its welcome because it runs out of new ideas too quickly. By the halfway point, you’ll have seen most of what the game has to offer, and from there it’s just going through the motions.
The story throws you into the beautiful Sicilian countryside, where Enzo, an orphan, climbs the ranks of the Torissi crime family. The setting is interesting with rolling mountains and sun-drenched fields, and the game nails the atmosphere. Voice performances are a real highlight, especially Don Torissi’s husky, intimidating yet gentle tone that brings the characters to life. It’s the kind of drama that might have your family glued to the screen, even if the story itself is painfully predictable. Guess you can spot the traitor and love interest within the first few hours, right?
Gameplay is where things start to drag. Despite a more linear approach, the game still offers a free roam option, but it’s kinda pointless since wandering too far from objectives results in instant mission failure. Why even bother with a small sandbox if you can’t poke around? Missions mostly boil down to sneaking, shooting, or walking and talking. None of these feels especially inspired. Sneaking is the worst offender, with instant fail triggers making it tedious and frustrating. Repetition kills any sense of excitement.
Knife fights pop up often, mimicking the style seen in Uncharted 4, but they don’t feel satisfying. You can parry and dodge, but it never feels like you’re landing real damage. The same goes for the historical weapons, which feel imprecise and floaty compared to the more solid gunplay in Mafia 3. Combat encounters aren’t bad per se, just kinda dull and overused.
There are a couple of race missions on horses and vintage cars that mix things up a bit, but the campaign could have used more of these tailored moments to keep players engaged. Visually, the game is excellent. The sound design is spot on, from the clanking of metal when you park your car to the detailed environments that look like a museum you’re not allowed to touch. You’ll want to stop and soak it all in, even if the gameplay doesn’t always invite exploration.
Playing on a standard PS5 in performance mode hits 60fps, though frame drops happen during fast driving in busy areas and cutscene transitions. These hiccups don’t ruin the experience but are noticeable.
Mafia: The Old Country doesn’t bring enough gameplay variety to its relatively short runtime. The core mechanics are fine, but are weighed down by too many insta-fail stealth sections and floaty combat. While the world looks great and the voice acting is top-notch, the predictable story and repetitive missions make for a campaign that’s easy to admire but hard to remember. Wow, you want to like it more than you do.
