Mafia: The Old Country PS5 Review
Summary: Mafia: The Old Country offers an incredibly immersive experience that puts players back in 1900s Sicily and makes them truly feel like they're in the period. While the narrative experience is incredibly short, the experience doesn't overstay its welcome, and each chapter and act has a purpose that is executed well.
4
An Immersive Experience
Mafia: The Old Country is the latest installment in the Mafia series. The game launched to great expectations from fans as the series hasn’t notably had a new title in quite some time. Thankfully, the game has established itself as one of the most immersive and best titles in the franchise. And while not without some notable flaws, the game succeeds in being immersive and entertaining.
Mafia: The Old Country takes place in 1900s Sicily and follows Enzo Favara, a young man who, after being forced to work as a sulfur miner due to his father’s debt right from youth, escapes one day and joins the Cosa Nostra mafia family led by Don Torissi. He climbs his way up in the family and faces several trials and tribulations as he tries to carve his way to a better life for himself.
The narrative in The Old Country is one of the best aspects of the game. The story is reminiscent of mafia stories and movies specifically set in Italy and follows the same tropes of crime, redemption, family, love, and more. While the story is relatively simple and will likely not win any major awards due to its sheer simplicity, the cinematic executions, theming, production, and overall direction make the narrative incredibly memorable. The game is split into three acts, as we see Enzo evolve from a child in the mines to one of the top members of a thriving crime family, which is incredibly interesting to follow. Although the experience is incredibly short, the narrative does its job and wraps up well.
However, during their time with the game, players are presented with engaging activities and blockbuster story events, including horse riding and races with both horses and cars. Driving cars and horse-riding are great and inoffensive. Racing is also incredibly fun for the most part and provides a great level of difficulty. Shooting guns is also incredibly precise, and the feedback from each gun is positively immersive. Knife fights are also a staple in the game and are detailed enough to be skill-based but not too detailed that they are annoying or frustrating to participate in or when they are forced upon you.
However, what is truly impressive about The Old Country is its remarkably authentic setting. Character designs, specifically their dressing, fit the period accurately; the sights and architecture are incredibly representative of the Sicilian style, especially for the period. The accents are genuine, the culture is prevalent, the mannerisms are apt, and the music is phenomenal. The game’s soundtrack alone makes a playthrough worth it, as fans of the era or specifically Italian mafia films will enjoy the game’s musical experience that enhances all its already great elements.
Visually, Mafia: The Old Country is not a graphically intense or a visual marvel, but the visuals are still solid, and the character models are detailed enough. It is worth noting, however, that the game’s backgrounds are disappointing, especially given the expectations of a triple-A company. Additionally, in terms of performance, while the game runs smoothly on PlayStation 5, it also has extreme and jarring texture-popping that is immersion-breaking and sometimes annoying.
Final Thoughts?
Overall, Mafia: The Old Country offers an incredibly immersive experience that puts players back in 1900s Sicily and makes them truly feel like they’re in the period. While the narrative experience is incredibly short, the experience doesn’t overstay its welcome, and each chapter and act has a purpose that is executed well. The visuals aren’t overly impressive, and some visual issues are a drawback, but the game is an amazing entry in the Mafia series and perhaps even the best for fans.
About the Author
Abdul Saad A seasoned entertainment journalist and critic, and has been writing for five years on multiple gaming sites. When he isn't writing or playing the latest JRPG, he can be found coding games of his own or tinkering with something electrical.
Related Posts
Hello Kitty Island Adventure Review (PS5) →
Dorfromantik PS5 Review →
Tales of the Shire Review (PS5) →
