Mafia: The Old Country: PS5 Review

Developed by Hangar 13
Published by 2K Games
Platform: PS5

The latest Mafia game may run shorter than its predecessors, but it still loses none of the bite as the franchise.

It's back to 1900s Sicily and to the town of San Celeste, which was previously used in Mafia II we go for this, which follows Enzo Favara as he ascends from the mines to becoming part of the Torrisi crime family.

It's a traditional third person game in that you have to follow the path of Enzo as he's tasked with doing various things to grow his status within the world that he inhabits. And while the game in parts feels conventional for the genre it dwells in, there's no sense of a lack of atmosphere as you play through.

A more linear approach than the open world one of its predecessors, Mafia: The Old Country works because Hangar 13 has thrown everything at creating a story that's both immersive and compelling. Helped by some impressive character acting, the game throws players into a world they're familiar with but gives it the depth it needs to feel new and fresh.

Mixing stealth and gunplay, the game's got plenty to offer and builds on the ideals of the Sicilian Mafia - from ducking and diving during confrontations to taking guns and ammo from those you've felled, this is the kind of gameplay you'd expect and want from such a game.

And while the shorter nature of the game itself may frustrate, especially given how tied it is to its main storyline, what Mafia: The Old Country does is deliver an experience that feels like you're travelling through the ranks, upgrading in the game as you would do in life.

In many ways, Mafia: The Old Country is an offer you can't refuse.