After the lukewarm reception of Mafia III, Hangar 13 decided to take a completely different approach when working on the next installment in the Mafia series, Mafia: The Old Country.

Everything that most fans and critics of Mafia III complained about has been removed, and what remains is a linear game with no additional content of any kind. Mafia: The Old Country feels like a traditional mafia story that doesn’t advance the formula, but it’s not a step backwards either.

In a way, Mafia: The Old Country is a return to its roots, as both Mafia and Mafia II were linear, narrative-driven games in the third person, while Mafia III is an open world.

Mafia: The Old Country is the story of Enzo Favara, a young man who works in the sulfur mines of one of the Dons in the region, Don Ruggero Spadaro. After a confrontation with one of the Don’s ruthless lieutenants, Enzo escapes the mine and accidentally ends up in the territory of another mafia boss, Don Bernardo Torrisi.

This is the beginning of Enzo’s rise to fame as the son, who was sold by his father to a mafia boss for 100 lire, proves to be not only a loyal soldier but also an incredibly skilled assassin.

The game is set in the 1900s, so all the weapons and vehicles are from that era. Unfortunately, this oversimplification of the formula extends not only to the gameplay, but also to almost every aspect of it. There is no skill tree or abilities that the protagonist Enzo can learn throughout the game, so you will have to rely entirely on your reflexes.

There are two types of combat in Mafia: Old Country: traditional shooting and knife combat. The former needs no explanation, while the latter can be described as a game of “rock, paper, scissors” where you have to dodge and repel enemy attacks.

Knife combat, one of the series’ new features, is very simple and is mainly used to take out important NPCs. Think of it as a boss battle that requires reflexes more than strategy. None of the battles are particularly difficult, not even the most difficult ones, which makes sense in a narrative-driven game.

In addition to the battles, there is a section where you have to win races, so if you’re not very good at car racing, I’d recommend taking it easy. However, the driving mechanics are so well-implemented that I don’t think anyone will have much trouble winning a race on normal difficulty. Of course, I’m not talking about Mafia veterans who are already accustomed to this important game feature.

Since the only way to get to work during missions is not by car, fans of Red Dead Redemption can compare the horse riding in Mafia: The Old Country to their favorite franchise.

The horse riding in the latest Mafia game feels very intuitive to me, even though it’s a lot less realistic than in Red Dead Redemption 2. I’m sure developer Hangar 13 went for functionality over realism when it comes to horse riding and car racing.

The lack of character progression is made up for by a huge arsenal of pistols, shotguns, rifles, and knives. Most knives have special abilities, but firearms are only distinguished by their range, damage, and rate of fire.

There are several types of weapons and dozens of knives of each type. All weapons can be unlocked with the game’s main currency, Dinari, which can be found in chests throughout missions or looted from enemies.

In addition, Mafia: The Old Country features charms that offer passive abilities, such as silencing your footsteps, throwing more grenades, or finding more ammo when looting corpses. Charms can be found during missions, but they can be added to Enzo’s “rosary” to use. However, you need to unlock new “beads” to add to the charm, which cost Dinari.

The problem is that the game doesn’t allow you to visit the upgrade shop during or between missions. Mafia: The Old Country is a rail-based adventure game that ignores all other game mechanics and is very focused on telling its story.

Instead, the developers have added an Explore Mode that allows you to freely roam the world, collecting collectibles, unlocking weapons and cars, and also earning achievements. This mode is only available after completing Chapter 2 of the game.

Built using Unreal Engine 5, Mafia: The Old Country is perhaps the most visually appealing game in the series. However, using Unreal Engine 5 has its own unique features, especially if you’re playing on a PC. Depending on your computer’s configuration, you may experience problems optimizing the game even if your computer meets or exceeds the recommended requirements.

The Good Side

• Stunning landscapes, stunning visuals
• Consistent voice acting and soundtrack
• Decent story and characters

The Bad Side

• Overly linear
• No side content
• No character progression

Conclusion

Mafia: The Old Country tells a traditional mafia story without pushing the formula any further, and it’s perfect. Torrisi’s fictional crime family saga is both gripping and gripping, with a twist. While there’s no real plot to the story, it’s enough to keep the player engaged from start to finish.

Despite the omission of key gameplay features like a character progression system, side quests, and other activities, Mafia: The Old Country is still a fun journey for both newcomers and series veterans.

While it doesn’t bring anything new to the table, Mafia: The Old Country is a worthy addition to the series, and it’s a worthy addition to the series, with a significant amount of value in the way it tells the story and how it expresses its ideals.

Review key provided by CD Media.