Mafia: The Old Country
Review
Loyalty, Honor, Obedience
by William Thompson
reviewed on PC
Where it all began
I loved Mafia II. Vito's story was wonderfully told and perfectly paced, combining driving, shooting and fist-fighting in equal measure. From his days in the army, to the time the climax arrived, I was fully invested in Vito and his rise through the ranks. Although I enjoyed Mafia III, I wasn't as invested in Lincoln Clay - his was more a story of vengeance against the Mafia rather than a Mafia story. Mafia: The Old Country however, returns the series back to its Sicilian roots - in more ways than one.
Set in the fictional town of San Celeste in Sicily in the early 1900's, The Old Country has players taking on the role of Enzo. His tale begins as a young miner, who after a run in with the boss, Il Merlo, after the mine collapses, escapes and unknowingly hides within the vast estate of Don Torrisi. The Don's men chase off Enzo's pursuers and he begins working on the estate under the watchful eye of Luca - the Don's right hand man.
Proving your worth
After working within the estate, Enzo becomes friends with the Don's hotheaded nephew Cesare, and tags along on a couple of minor tasks given to him by his powerful uncle. He proves his worth early on and slowly works his way into the inner sanctum of The Family. Enzo also becomes a favourite of the Don's daughter, Isabella - although the Don has earmarked her for betrothal to Gennaro Fontenella, a bumbling fool from a wealthy family.
However, the Torrisi family is not the only one with aims of gaining wealth in the town of San Celeste. Although there was somewhat of an unwritten code keeping the peace between families - with each family leaving the other to their own business - the Spadaro family upsets this code by encroaching on the Torrisi interests. And as Enzo becomes further entrenched in the Don's family, he takes greater part in the missions.
Varied missions
Like previous Mafia titles, these missions are reasonably varied - and often allows players to choose various ways of completing each. Players can take a stealthy approach to many situations (indeed, some missions require you to do so), or can go in all guns blazing. During the course of my playthrough, I mostly took the stealthy approach for two reasons - it allowed me to take enemies out one at a time, and it conserved ammunition. Although ammo is scattered around each location or can be looted from fallen foes, it can often be inconvenient to do so in the middle of a shootout against multiple enemies. Whichever option you choose, the game's cover system will come in handy, allowing players to slowly sneak up on unsuspecting enemies, or hide from those shooting at you.
Driving also features heavily in The Old Country, with a range of vehicles at your disposal. As you'd expect from a game centred around the early 1900s, most of the vehicles aren't overly powerful. Each of the vehicles however does handle quite differently - including the vehicles with one horsepower. As cars were still in their relative infancy, players get to ride horses to get from one place to another, often allowing for a more off-road approach.
Knife fights also feature in the game and have similar mechanics of the fist fights of Mafia II, with players dodging and parrying attacks and then thrusting and swinging at opponents. Players will have access to a range of knives throughout the game, each with its own speciality, so players will be able to find one that suits their play style.
Mafia fans will also be familiar with collectibles - and San Celeste and its surroundings are full of them. Newspaper headlines, charms and readable documents are there for players to collect. The charms are particularly important, as they grant gameplay bonuses when fitted to Enzo's rosary beads. These bonuses will include being able to carry more ammunition or equipment such as bandages and grenades, or improve skills such as aiming with weapons or defensive capabilities.
Picture perfect
Like previous titles in the Mafia series, cutscenes tell much of the story. But the visual delineation between the cutscenes and the gameplay is minimal, giving players a sense that they are indeed Enzo and are living his life within San Celeste. Whether you're driving the country road in a 1900's era vehicle or using the old style horsepower, the setting is a breathtaking canvas of rocky mountains, cobbled roads, and small vineyards and farms. I found myself captivated by the beauty, almost crashing my car on more than one occasion as I was marvelling at the splendour of my surroundings. The evenings also allow for a different perspective, with lanterns providing the light in many of the locations.
But it is not just the countryside that stands out. Small details such as the letters and documents you find all being written in Italian add to the immersion. Even Enzo himself starts with a shaved head, but gradually grows it out over the course of the first few chapters further adding to his character’s growth over the years. Whilst the visual splendour is apparent, the audio team have also outdone themselves. A wonderful score plays as the backdrop to each mission and cutscene, with the period music fitting in perfectly with the setting and time period. And small things such as the various sounds of the horseshoes as they move over different terrains when riding further increases the immersion in Sicilian life in the early 1900s. The characters are all well voiced, with the voice actors giving plenty of emotion into each line of dialogue.
A compelling story
Mafia: the Old Country is definitely a return to the series' roots - and it pays off big time. It is a game that focuses on story-telling, one that places gamers firmly in Enzo's shoes with his character developing throughout the course of the story. And although the tight story is linear, I did find myself wandering about the towns from time to time in search of the various collectibles. I particularly enjoyed the nods to previous Mafia titles scattered throughout the game. The gameplay itself works extremely well, with the range of missions ensuring that players don't get continually bogged down in missions of the same type. By focusing on a compelling story, a detailed protagonist, and a gorgeous, immersive world, the game delivers an unforgettable experience that will satisfy longtime fans and newcomers alike. It's a tale of family, betrayal, and ambition, and it stands as a triumphant new chapter in the Mafia legacy.
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9.2
fun score
Pros
Gorgeous setting, wonderful music, varied gameplay
Cons
Somewhat linear story
