Mafia: The Old Country Reviews
Lacking the charisma and novelty of its predecessors, Mafia: The Old Country struggles to escape a sense of constant mediocrity.
Mafia: The Old Country is a conventional but effective return to the linear and tightly story-driven format of the original Mafia and Mafia II, and it boasts a wonderful eye and ear for detail.
A decent but cliched mob story and bland, frustrating gameplay make this the weakest Mafia yet.
Mafia continues to feel a tad dated in its design trappings, but there's a fascinating mix of beauty, efficiency and nuanced performances here that are well worth your time.
The Old Country isn’t bad; it’s also not great. Perhaps most depressing, it’s simply fine, inoffensively so. There’s nothing in here you haven’t seen elsewhere, cast included. And worse yet, probably done better. For all the great prequels out there, The Old Country is proof that going backwards isn’t always an interesting way forward.
Mafia: The Old Country uses its stunning setting to tell a familiar story about loyalty and family that's propped up by its cast of characters.
Even if you’re not impressed by its boilerplate action, you may at least walk away better understanding why your dad is such a stronzo.
Considering the ending and the fan-service elements that cater to long-time fans, this is not only the best Mafia game to date, but also one of the best modern linear action-adventure titles.
Mafia: The Old Country offers a remarkable narrative and atmospheric mob drama, hampered by uneven technical skills. While its gameplay is a bit simplistic, it should satisfy those looking for a straightforward, fast-paced, and enjoyable game.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Mafia: The Old Country tells you a story that you're going to experience firsthand, feeling like one more part of the plot with tense moments, memorable stories, and gameplay that won't make you put down the controller for a single moment. It's a reminder of why we fell in love with video games in the first place: not because of complex systems or impressive graphics, but because of their ability to transport us to other worlds and make us feel part of extraordinary stories. Just play it and enjoy an experience that you won't want to refuse.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Mafia: The Old Country is a game struggling with an identity crisis that ends up crumbling as a result.
The most cinematic entry in the series so far but no matter how good the visuals or acting are, the story is clichéd and predictable, and the gameplay feels like barely an afterthought.
Mafia: The Old Country could easily have been phoned in but the effort is evident - it sincerely does its best, and its best is good enough. Will it make a huge mark on history? Unlikely. Is its “pseudopen” world a vestigial albatross? Absolutely. Did I enjoy it? Perfectly adequately.
Mafia: The Old Country returns to the series' roots with a more linear adventure, delivering a solid story (if a cliché-heavy one) and satisfying combat. The character models and environments are stunning to look at, but the latter raises our main issue: as much as we appreciate the focus on a linear story, this wonderfully sculpted Sicily map is begging to be explored more and is sorely underused as a result.
This Cosa Nostra caper has few fresh ideas to revitalise the cover shooter, but benefits from a well-researched time and place
Mafia: The Old Country aims squarely at being a narrative experience, and largely succeeds in that while also providing solid gameplay. It is a bit of a shame that we don't get to truly explore Sicily in this game, but if you're into Mafia narratives, this is among the best you can find in games, and the entry price isn't that high either.
Ultimately, The Old Country fails to make the most of its world’s uniqueness, as evidenced any time you must leave your vehicle to interact with it.
Mafia: The Old Country offers a linear and compact experience, a rarity these days, that makes storytelling its main strength. It's not a revolutionary video game, nor does it aim to be, yet it manages to leave a mark despite the flaws of a gameplay that's overly formulaic. The depiction of early 20th-century Sicily is excellent, thanks to a commendable aesthetic and stylistic effort, and the inclusion of full Sicilian voice acting. Too bad for the many technical issues.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Mafia: The Old Country doesn't have enough gameplay ideas to carry its relatively short running time. While the fundamentals here are fine, an overemphasis on insta-fail stealth sequences and floaty shootouts makes for a forgettable campaign, even if it takes place within a stunningly detailed world. The performances are extraordinary but the story itself is predictable, leaving you with a phenomenally acted crime tale that you may admire in the moment but will struggle to remember once the credits roll.
Mafia: The Old Country is a refreshing story-driven adventure that delivers exactly what it sets out to achieve. Strong voice acting, stunning visuals, a cinematic score, and a well-paced plot come together to create a memorable experience that stands proudly alongside its predecessors.