Underneath the classy, period-piece veneer of Mafia: The Old Country lurks an ugly tale of loyalty, betrayal, and excessive knife fights that I just couldn’t put down. It seems Hangar 13’s intent was to reboot us all into our mobster roots with fresh faces and stiletto-sharp storytelling, wrapped in a world that breathes life into that low tech (yet oddly quaint) golden age of organised scumbaggery.
Basically, this is an entry in the series that refuses to be just another sandbox gangster shootout, instead weaving deep character drama with Western-esque gameplay that feels both familiar and unexpectedly refined. The question remains, though: is a more intimately told and finer detailed tale an offer OG fans can’t refuse or does radically reduced player agency and world scale result in a kiss of death for the series?
The Gritty Grind of Life on the Streets
Let’s talk expectations first. Given the pivot Old Country makes from this franchise’s traditional open-world roots towards a more focused, linear third-person shooter experience, a like-for-like compare with sandbox giants like Rockstar’s GTA or Red Dead series would be unfair. Instead, it sets its sights closer to narrative-driven action games akin to Naughty Dog’s Uncharted 4 or the seemingly endless stream of The Last of Us reissuings.
Here, the comparison exposes some of the game’s limitations. The animation and motion feel, while solid, lag behind Naughty Dog’s industry-leading motion matching technology, which delivers near-flawless character movements and cinematic fluidity. Characters sometimes slide into cover or perform transitions that feel just a touch stiff compared to the fluid grace Naughty Dog titles achieve. The cover-based shooting and stealth are serviceable but don’t quite reach the same polish or inventiveness. Lastly, the stealth sections in particular feel more like a nod to the genre’s conventions than a fully realised system. AI enemies can be predictable, which can take some of the tension out of sneaking around.
Now that I have those expectations set, let’s dive into basic premise and what Hangar 13 get right in the gameplay department.
A Blood-Stained Legacy
Set in the fictional Sicilian town of Sinisce, Old Country traces the rise of Enzo, an orphan forged by brutal labour in sulphur mines who lucks his way into the family of Don Michele Torrisi. This is not just another gangster story; it’s a rollicking rags to riches crime drama with a dash of Lady and The Tramp woven in for very good measure. That said, it pulls no punches in capturing the harshness and complexity of Sicilian society and the mafia’s hold over it, plus the human rights abuses one could suffer in the early 1900s.
What makes this story stand out is its commitment to cultural authenticity. The dialogue, delivered in full Sicilian dialect (which I would recommend selecting), is a bold choice that deepens immersion. The voice acting is powerful, and the script carefully balances brutal violence with moments of unexpected tenderness and dark humour. Hangar 13 deftly paints a complex world where family loyalty is both a potent shield and a potential pair of concrete boots.
Close-Quarters Stabby
I, for one, am personally more than ok with this entry embracing a linear, mission-driven format that leans heavily into stealth, tactical gunplay, and set-piece action. Gone are the days of driving endlessly through a sandbox city; here, every street corner, every dark alley gets packed with minute detail, designed for narrative impact and controlled gameplay pacing.
The combat system prioritises patience, precision, and perception (e.g. shootable lamps that spread fire). Firearms feel heavy and deliberate, demanding strategic positioning and a steady, patient hand to acquire headshots and centre mass success. Melee encounters are visceral mini-arena fights, where parries, dodges and pattern memorisation are key.
Stealth-until-you-screw-it-up is a cornerstone, too, with well-crafted opportunities to stalk, incapacitate, stash, or evade enemies. However, the AI can sometimes falter, with enemy patrols occasionally predictable and reaction times inconsistent. It’s satisfying, but rarely groundbreaking.
Driving sequences are a nod to the series’ heritage, with solid equestrian antics and early motor vehicles handled with realistic weight and inertia. The DualSense controller adds subtle feedback, making acceleration, braking, and even the rough terrain of Sicily’s countryside feel tactile and immersive. Honestly, I went in expecting to be short changed by the period limited cars. Instead, I found myself loving how out of how powerful and drift-happy these glorified soapbox racers could get. Tons of fun.
Where The Old Country struggles, however, is in pacing and mechanical polish elsewhere. Some missions feel repetitive, and the game rarely challenges you to think outside familiar stealth-and-shoot routines. The former can be a bit of a pushover if you spam Enzo’s x-ray instinct view and his guard luring coin tosses.
The most unique wrinkle here is the unusual importance placed upon sharpenable knives (think: thrown scannaturi, one-hit-centric rasolu, and durable stiletto brawling solutions). The latter one-on-one combat moments aren’t as intense or tactically nuanced as they ought to be. The default button choices seem misguided as well, what with X as dodge and circle as slash.
A Vivid Sicilian Canvas
Powered by Unreal Engine 5, the game’s visuals are a high point (especially on my PS5 Pro). Sicily’s rugged landscapes and the rustic town of Sinisce come alive with intricate details: sun-bleached stone walls, dense olive groves, and bustling market squares all rendered with care. Weather and lighting effects further enrich the world, from glaring Mediterranean sun to moody evening shadows that cloak danger.
Likewise, character models boast expressive facial animations, thanks in part to MetaHuman technology, but the lip-synching feels slightly off with Sicilian language selected (English seems fine). The environments are lovingly recreated but lack the dynamism of open-world titles, which some may find limiting in a game focused on story immersion.
Load times on PS5 are negligible, keeping players grounded in the experience, and the option to prioritise resolution or frame rate offers flexibility. That said, even the Performance setting yielded some frame rate slips during my playthrough. The difficulties here were minor and seemed to only crop up when gameplay shifted to cutscene and vice versa.
Sonic Landscapes of Tradition and Tension
Audio design is another triumph. The soundtrack marries traditional Sicilian folk tunes with tense orchestral scores, setting a tone that is both haunting and culturally grounded. Even if you’re going with English, the sprinkled in Sicilian phrases breathe authenticity into the cast, while environmental sounds (from church bells to marketplace chatter) create a living, breathing world. This is indeed a beautiful part of the world, and it’s been done justice.
Gunshots and explosions carry satisfying weight, amplifying the stakes in combat. Subtle audio cues assist stealth gameplay, with footsteps, rustling foliage, and whispered conversations alerting players to danger or opportunity. The balance of soundscape and silence amplifies tension and drama throughout. Incidental NPC conversations are everywhere, too, which makes this a true stop and smell the roses affair.
Tying Loose Ends: What Holds It Back
While the story and setting offer a fresh, immersive take on the mafia mythos, Old Country sometimes stumbles in gameplay innovation. The mechanical framework feels safe, leaning on tried-and-tested stealth and shooting mechanics without pushing boundaries. The AI’s occasional lapses, sometimes with a lack of spatial awareness or a dogged lack of self-preservation logic, can strain immersion.
The linear structure enhances narrative focus but sacrifices exploration and player agency. For fans of previous open-world Mafia games, this tighter approach might feel restrictive. Some side missions fall into repetition, offering little variation or incentive beyond completion. Basically, the game is polished but cautious, opting for refinement over revolution.
A Story Worth Telling, With Room to Grow
Mafia: The Old Country stands as a confident return to narrative-driven crime drama, rich in atmosphere and authentic Sicilian spirit. Its shift from open-world ambition to focused storytelling is a double-edged sword: the emotional impact is more keenly felt but there’s limited freedom and scant emergent gameplay.
Speaking of, an obvious flow on effect is a thinner than expected 10-hour runtime and more limited reasons to replay. Feasibly, I imagine you might want to come back to indulge in some Charms collectable kleptomania and to unlock everything in the wardrobe, garage, stable, and weapons locker systems. Indeed, you can backtrack yourself by replaying Chapters as everything remains persistently recorded to your profile rather than your individual save file progress. Which is nice.
For players seeking a gripping tale of loyalty and power, told through a richly realised Sicilian lens, I think The Old Country delivers. Those chasing the cutting edge of gameplay and animation may find it’s very noticeably not the sharpest knife in the sub-genre. In the end, however, this is a narrative experience that honours its heritage while cautiously stepping toward modernity, leaving some room for future growth in the franchise.
This review was made possible via a no strings attached review code provided by 2K Australia
