One of the strongest narrative threads is the bond between Enzo and Cesare, nephew of Don Torrisi. Their camaraderie is authentic, built slowly through shared hardship and blood oath. Whether they’re carrying out tense operations or trading jabs while riding through the countryside, there’s a real sense of mutual trust and sometimes vulnerability (in the way you’d expect two Italian men from the 1900s to be ‘vulnerable’). In stark contrast is Enzo’s bitter rivalry with Il Merlo and L’Ombra, cold and menacing brothers working for the rival Spadaro family. Their symbolic of everything Enzo could become if he loses his humanity, and their confrontation feels earned, steeped in mutual hatred.

Still, plot beats veer into the predictable and not always handled well, such as Enzo’s relationship with Isabella, the Don’s daughter, which is straight out of the mobster playbook. Isabella is introduced with a strong sense of independence but quickly becomes limited to the forbidden romance who keeps finding herself in danger, or seeking protection from it. To double down, the writing doesn’t always know what to do with women, reducing most (and that’s essentially just Isabella) to love interests or side notes. It’s a missed opportunity, especially when the rest of the cast is so richly drawn.

Mafia: The Old Country is a love letter to Sicily and a mob story that doesn’t pull its punches. When the story clicks, it’s gripping. One chapter, you’ll be blackmailing race organisers, and the next, you’re stealthily breaking a forger out of jail. There are even plenty of nods for fans of the Mafia series who pay attention. Each chapter builds momentum, culminating in some truly memorable missions that span the ~15-hour playtime.

Early missions see Enzo literally shovelling manure or preparing cuts of meat for a dinner. These slow and grounded moments reinforce worldbuilding before the action ramps up. While there’s a fair bit of riding from point A to B, the game lets you skip longer treks if needed (at the cost of missing some incidental dialogue). Still, it’s hard to imagine wanting to skip the scenery.

Scattered through the world are collectables like mystery foxes, newspaper clippings, readable notes and documents, and charms of San Celeste. The latter grants gameplay bonus charms to add to Enzo’s rosary. The system isn’t revolutionary and is a basic skill upgrade feature for the Mafia series, but it ties gameplay to the present Catholic themes and culture of the setting. For those worried about missing collectables, you can return to the world after finishing the main story and collect to your heart’s content.

One surprise was the inclusion of a period-accurate 1905 camera, gifted to Enzo during an early chapter. After wishing there was a photo mode to capture the game’s breathtaking vistas, finally being able to frame shots with vintage-style focus and aperture controls felt like a thoughtful touch. But disappointingly, the feature is used sparingly and only during specific story moments. You can’t just run around and snap scenic shots at your leisure. A missed opportunity, especially in a world this visually stunning.

Still, none of this together is intricate or revolutionary. The game wisely avoids making stealth a chore, and it feels satisfying when executed well, but it’s surface-level. Gunplay has serviceable recoil and reliable weapons, but nothing particularly inventive or challenging that had me carefully selecting Enzo’s arsenal and approach. While combat functions as expected, I was left wanting something deeper once I had learnt how it all worked together.

Looting is where the pace stutters. After a shootout, stopping to hold down a button over every single body for a couple of seconds to collect ammo, treasure, or consumables is sluggish. There are upgrades, but it doesn’t completely solve the issue from the start. Other stumbles, like disappearing bodies when you stash a second one or sometimes robotic character pathing animations, don’t break the experience. The issue is, I was immersed so much in this story and world that small issues stood out to me.

One notable mention is the safe cracking. Simple in theory, but you can either find combinations on nearby notes or listen for the tumblers like in The Last of Us. A minor detail that always makes me feel like a genius and a criminal mastermind.

On the audio front, it’s a story of smart choices. Including full Sicilian voice acting is a stroke of genius. It roots the game in its cultural setting and adds immense authenticity. Though be warned that lip-syncing doesn’t match up, which may be distracting. English voice acting for the main cast is just as impressive. I was quickly captivated by the nuances in the delivery of certain characters that immediately told me who they were and what their values are. Dialogue includes a healthy number of ‘Figghi’ì buttana’ and ‘Merde!’, which will absolutely delight those after some mafia spice. It knows exactly what it is, a bloody and operatic tale of family and honour. Even if some exaggerated Italian-English accents from side NPCs verge on parody, the performances are excellent.

The soundtrack is a gentle blend of traditional strings and emotional cues that fit the mood. It hints at Sicily’s unique musical history of diverse influences, from Arab maqam to more Latin sounds. The music also knows when to hit the right moments, travelling the beautiful mountain sides or overlooking the sea. While some of the more dramatic music leans more into generic action tropes, it’s mostly well-crafted and elevates the experience.