Mafia: The Old Country – A Gritty Sicilian Crime Drama Returns

The Mafia series has explored different times, eras, and decades in its previous installments. Starting from the 1930s to the late ‘60s, we felt this was pretty much everything the series could cover. But now, it’s going back to the start of the 20th century with Mafia: The Old Country. This new chapter leaves behind the neon-lit streets and bulky muscle cars of the later decades to showcase the dark and brooding Sicilian countryside of earlier eras, allowing gamers to immerse themselves in the Mafia’s history. Despite relying on a well-established third-person action template, its atmospheric setting and attention to period detail create a distinctive personality.

Returning to Classic Mafia Storytelling

As the open-world nature of Mafia’s predecessor was divisive, Mafia: The Old Country uses that of the original Mafia and its sequel instead. The environments play a key role in giving depth to the character’s journey and do not distract from the entire narrative. This decision lends the experience a sense of meaning and immersion, devoid of any trash.

The game includes some of the best things about open world games, adding many wonderful details which enhance the experience of exploration. You’ll see a richly detailed environment of Sicily, but rather than climbing towers or chasing map icons, the focus is on the story. If you enjoy story-driven games that also have a good sense of place, it will be right up your street.

A Tale of Loyalty and Betrayal

In 1904, as a child Enzo Favara flees the horrendous child labour he has endured in the sulphur mines of Sicily. However, he gets involved in the feuds of rival crime families. All the mob stereotypes return: the fair mentor, the not-so-untroublesome loyal friend, the steely Don and his guarded consigliere, the treacherous rival and the forbidden romance.

The 13-hour campaign takes players through most of the settings and story beats you’d expect from a gangster tale, but the strong writing and great voice acting make them feel less like archetypes and more like real criminals. Don Torrisi, although quiet, has an intimidating presence. This reputation seems to have been passed on to his son.

Classic Action with a Sicilian Twist

Combat in The Old Country is true to the series and a cover-based third-person shooter. Different from other online shooters, arena-shooters or military shooters in that it belongs to a different era in design – the revolvers and repeaters and shotguns are the primary weapons in the game and there are shootouts on horseback and against enemies looking straight out of an old Western film.

The game allows you to use a special system which helps you to get some minor advantages during combat. The rest effort will be done by forgiving aim and less punishing danger which helps you to enjoy an interesting story instead of surviving in a game. Although the enemy AI can be unpredictable, the gunfights themselves are still enjoyable overall.

While not new, the game’s stealth sequences add tactical variety. Missions may call for stealthy movement, the use of coins or certain bottles for distractions, as well as the hiding of bodies in ingenious containers. Enzo can briefly highlight enemies around him. This is due to his keen instincts that have developed in the dark of the mines. This makes stealth a viable and effective option.

Honour: Unique Combat Experiences with Knives

The game has one-on-one knife fights that don’t follow the normal gameplay where players get caught in duels with no way to escape and timing is everything. The grand stage and unique nature of the battles offer strong visual and auditory impact. However, it sometimes feels a bit empty. For instance, the mechanic of sharpening your knife after each battle can feel a bit forced in the heat of it all.

Meet the New Crime Family

Cesare, Don’s nephew, masks deep insecurities under a facade of bravery. He wants to be part of the ‘in crowd’, and his friendship with Enzo becomes a journey of respect.
Important Portuguese criminal, Bernardo Torrisi, a farm boy, went from a little kid who was full of imagination to a drug lord with a family life. Isabella, his independent daughter, has a relationship with him that does not go very well.
Because of circumstances beyond his control, Enzo Favara is driven into the criminal underworld and takes the oath as a soldier of the Torrisi family. As he figures out how being loyal to his family and ambitious at the same time will give him a better life, he undergoes a lot of internal turmoil.
Isabella Torrisi, the Don’s daughter, yearns to indulge in an adventure. When she meets Enzo, her world suddenly changes and the pair must deal with love and organised crime.
Luca, the underboss, is a man of calm authority who inspires great loyalty. He is a mentor to Enzo, showing that he cares, but is also no softie.

Atmosphere, Detail, and the Sicilian Setting

The Old Country is not quite of the same open-world scale of some heavyweights in the genre, but its atmosphere and period detail certainly take inspiration from classic westerns. The transition from horses to the first cars will be experienced during the horseback ride performance through the Sicilian countryside between authentic engine sounds and audio touches. Similarly, the same attention to detail also applies to food. Moreover, they’ve made sure there’s local produce native to that region.

The real-life Targa Florio is the inspiration for a thrilling race sequence which alludes to local history. This mission is over quickly though and you will wish there was more of this.

Technical Performance and Presentation

Mafia: The Old Country switches the series to Unreal Engine 5, providing solid performance with minimal technical problems, at least on PC. Although the visuals are good, the most notable improvement is a smoother experience, overflowing with small details, whether they are sights or sounds.

Final Thoughts

The narrative-driven Mafia: The Old Country, much more so than “sandbox” games like GTA, recalls what was special in the original Mafia. It has strong writing, memorable characters, and lush Sicily setting that offers a unique mix of drama and action. The experience may not be groundbreaking, but it’s rich, immersive, and rewarding, just like the Sicilian food that makes such a strong showing. If you’re keen on a crime drama that is atmospherically lush, then The Old Country is worth taking a look at.