Summary
TheMafiagames have become well-known for their engaging characters, gripping narratives, and, of course, their portrayals of the morally ambiguous world of organized crime. But for a long time, the series seemed to go untouched. After 2016’sMafia 3, there didn’t seem to be any plans for a new installment. That was until 2024, when developer Hangar 13 announced they were finally doing something new, a prequel titledMafia: The Old Country. This was a surprise for many players, but a welcome one. While it might have been fun to get another sequel, perhaps moving into the 1970s, the decision to make a prequel has some great opportunities to bring in everything that resonated with players while offering a unique experience.
Naturally,Mafia: The Old Countryhas a lot of things for fans to get excited about. The developers have been enthusiastically sharing some interesting details about just what players can expect from this upcoming game, which could end up being something amazing.
7The Setting
We’re Not in America Anymore
One of the first things revealed about the newMafiagame was its new setting. Although the first three took place in different locations and time periods,The Old Countrymarks the first installment to leave America entirely, instead shifting focus to Sicily, Italy. This creates a very different environment from its predecessors. While1-3largely took place in dense cities,The Old Countryfeatures a much more scenic landscape. A lot of the action takes place in open fields and rolling hills, a far cry from the more oppressive locations of earlier games. This could work to great effect, not only by offering something new but also allowing room for a lot of environmental storytelling. The theme of a seemingly idyllic world that turns out to conceal a much darker side can be a powerful storytelling device.
We haven’t been given an exact date for whenThe Old Countrytakes place, but it seems to be somewhere in the early 20th century, probably in the range of 1900-1910. This would put it roughly 20-30 years before the firstMafia,which began in 1930. This would put it closer to the proto-mafia run by Angelo Bronte inRed Dead Redemption 2than anything seen in the original trilogy. The choice of settingmight also seem familiar to fans of gangster movies, mainly becauseThe Old Countryprobably has a lot of influence from Vito Corleone’s story inThe Godfather Part II.
6The New Protagonist
Somewhere Between Revolutionary and Gangster
It’s a pretty standard part of the series that eachMafiagame features a new player character, and that practice continues withThe Old Country. This time around, the star is an anti-hero namedEnzo Conti, who follows the familiar pattern of beginning as a working-class anti-hero until he begins to climb the social ladder. And this time, his circumstances make those of Tommy D’Angelo look mild by comparison. He got to start off as a cab driver. Enzo had to work in Italy’s sulfur mines, which were not great for their workers, to put it mildly. So Enzo has some understandable reasons to be frustrated with his current circumstances and wants to see some kind of change. He’s a man who’s been pushed too far and finally decided to take matters into his own hands.
This plays into Enzo’s characterization. He is described by the developers as being more of a survivor than in the previous games. A lot of his gameplay involves scavenging resources and adapting to unexpected challenges. The line between gangster and rebel is demolished with Enzo, a character who feels like a bit of both. He is also portrayed as fiercely loyal to the proto-mafia, though it is likely that loyalty will be tested during the game’s story.
5Reworked Gunplay
No Tommy Guns This Time
Mafia1and2were both ableto fully embrace the classic image of a cigar-chomping gangster brandishing a Tommy gun, and3was more than happy to give players access to all kinds of high-powered weapons. However, players eager to brandish a machine gun like Edward G. Robinson are going to be in for a disappointment, as automatic weapons weren’t really a thing inThe Old Country’s setting. While they would havetechnicallyexisted, machine guns weren’t exactly as widespread as they would become after the First World War. This meant the developers had to rework the combat system of previousMafiagames to suit weapons that wereactuallyused by Sicilian gangsters at the time. And to be fair, this is a good way to add something new and shake up the formula.
While guns are present, they’re a lot less reliable. One of the main goals is to create a greater sense that Enzo is fighting for his life, so players have to be a bit more tactical during combat encounters. While shootouts were certainly a staple of previous Mafia games, they relied a bit more heavily on their machine guns. InThe Old Country, Enzo can’t just spray his enemies with bullets. Many guns, in fact, shoot once and take longer to reload, plus resources are a lot harder to come by. So there’s a lot more pressure to think critically about when to use firearms and to scavenge for ammunition.
4Knife Fighting
Melee Combat Takes Center Stage
In addition to reworking firearms,The Old Countrytakes advantage of its new setting tobring in a greater emphasis on melee combat. Being set in Sicily means the game can incorporateSicilian Knife Fighting, an Italian martial art style with deep historical and cultural ties. Enzo’s primary weapon is not a gun, but astiletto knife. This is a first for the series, which has usually been more focused on gunplay. Enzo has access to several different knives which each of which has different strengths and weaknesses.
The knife is a crucial weapon during a lot of the big action scenes. Since firearms are less reliable this time around, strategically using the knife is often crucial. But they also go one step further by including one-on-one duels as a major game mechanic, including several boss characters that Enzo will have to fight to the death. Although this may be jarring for some fans, it will be interesting to see how putting more emphasis on knife-fighting affects the overall experience.
3Horses
It’s Not a World of Cars This Time
A big staple of theMafiaseries is vehicular chaos. Players can take and drive any vehicles they find in aGTA-esque fashion, and it leaves a lot of room for causing mayhem and destruction. Some missions hinge on stealing, chasing, or getting away in a vehicle of some sort. The firstMafiagame even had a level where Tommy D’Angelo ends up taking part in an automobile race.
The trailers make it clear this aspect will be returning inThe Old Countryto some extent, but they also revealed a new addition.Mafia: The Old Countrytakes place in a period of technological transition: motorized cars are becoming more commonplace but haven’t yet completely taken over, and the old-fashioned method of horse-and-buggy is fading but not yet completely obsolete. Combining this information with the rural setting, it makes sensethat horseback riding should be addedas a new feature.
2A More Linear Story
A Refreshingly Straightforward Format
Mafiahas experimented with a couple of different formats. The first two could be described as open-ish worlds with the player having some room to explore between story missions, but generally linear.3was structured around a fully open world. But one thing that’s changed withThe Old Countryis thedecision to do away with any pretense of open-world exploration.
While there is potential for an open world based on 1900s Sicily, the decision to scale back might actually be a smart one in a market saturated with open-world titles. While the genre continues to produce some great games, open worlds are everywhere, and a lot of players have grown tired of the format. In an age where AAA companies keep getting too ambitious for their own good with open worlds bigger than the developers can actually manage, seeing games scale back and do something simpler can feel pretty refreshing.
1Surprisingly Low Price
Fans Will Have an Easier Time Buying at Launch
One of the big announcements that got players excited was a big reveal about the price ofMafia: The Old Country. These days, a lot of games seem to be getting more expensive than ever. While there is a bit of nuance and various economic factors that drive such prices, it can be annoying when the price of many new releases is well over $60, easily leaning into $70 and even $80 territory.
Mafia: The Old Countryis currently set at $49.99 on Steam. Right now, this is an unusually low price, especially for a mainstream game. The fact that it is so much easier to afford compared to titles from bigger companies like Activision, Ubisoft, or Rockstar is a rather generous move.
