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Mafia: The Old Country
Platform: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S|X
Publisher: 2K
Developer: Hangar 13
Mafia: The Old Country launches tomorrow, nearly nine years after the last mainline entry in the franchise. Fans are eagerly anticipating this new game, which offers a fresh story set in early 20th-century Sicily rather than the fictional American cities of Lost Heaven, Empire Bay, or New Bordeaux.
The narrative is more intriguing as it explores the true roots of the Sicilian Mafia, unlike most American movies that focus on the American side. The setting offers a unique perspective, highlighting the unyielding adherence to certain values in that world, for better and worse.
Hangar 13 partnered with local game developer Stormind Games to recreate turn-of-the-twentieth-century Sicily. The result is an excellent and highly accurate depiction of the island’s environment, from visuals to dialect and music.
The game is heavily narrative-driven, with no real side activities or exploration beyond car chases and set pieces that mark pivotal moments in the story. San Celeste, a fictional town near Mount Etna, offers limited opportunities for wandering through its countryside.
During missions, gameplay blends stealth and shooting. You can either attack enemies directly or sneak up behind them for an instant knockout. There are few trunks available to hide bodies, and some odd mechanics like disappearing bodies within trunks.
The shooting component is solid but not exceptional. Enemy AI performs well in stealth situations, advancing steadily and flanking the main character’s position during fights. The game lacks a seamless transition from stealth to melee combat, requiring players to switch to guns instead of using bare hands.
Knife duels are limited to one-on-one cinematic battles with key characters. The moveset is conventional, including parries and counters. These duels can be challenging but feel like ‘boss fights’ due to the large bars for each contender.
Mafia: The Old Country offers limited character progression. You can equip items that provide minor benefits, but they do not significantly impact gameplay. The challenge level is decent on Hard mode.
The story follows Enzo Favara’s rise and fall in the Sicilian Mafia. Despite lacking major twists, it is well-told with memorable characters and a compelling narrative. The cutscenes are particularly impressive, while facial animations during dialogue have room for improvement.
Graphically, Mafia: The Old Country is powered by Unreal Engine 5 and features stunning visuals. PC versions lack ray tracing but support various upscaling options like NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FSR. The game requires minimal VRAM even at high settings and resolutions.
The soundtrack complements the atmosphere excellently. Overall, Mafia: The Old Country delivers a strong narrative experience with solid gameplay but lacks open-world exploration or side activities.
WCCFTECH RATING
8.0 WCCFTECH RATING
Verdict
Mafia: The Old Country is a narrative-driven game that succeeds in its storytelling and characters, though it lacks major plot twists. The gameplay is solid but not at the level of some top-tier titles. While there’s no open-world exploration or side activities, it offers great visuals and authenticity.
Pros
– Great visuals and historical accuracy
– Excellent narrative with memorable characters
– Solid gameplay
Cons
– Gameplay not as polished as the best in the genre
– No real exploration or side activities
Buy for $49.99 from Amazon (Links may earn a commission for Wccftech.com)
