Mafia: The Old Country - Is This 12-Hour Sicily Crime Story Worth $50?
Hangar 13's latest delivers a focused narrative experience that prioritizes storytelling over open-world exploration, but does it justify the price tag?
Mafia: The Old Country launched on August 8, 2025, marking the fourth main entry in the crime franchise. After five years since Mafia III, developer Hangar 13 has stripped away the open-world bloat to deliver something more intimate-a 12-hour journey through 1900s Sicily that feels like playing through a classic mob movie.
Sicily Setting Steals the Show
The game transports players to early 20th century Sicily, specifically the fictional town of San Celeste. This isn't just window dressing-the authentic Sicilian countryside, complete with vineyards, sulfur mines, and mountain ranges, creates an atmosphere so immersive you can almost smell the Mediterranean air.
Critics have consistently praised the visual presentation, with the game currently holding a 76 Metacritic score. The attention to historical detail extends beyond graphics, featuring period-accurate vehicles, weapons, and even Sicilian voice acting (though Italian dubbing was controversially omitted).
A Romeo and Juliet Story with Knives
The narrative centers on Enzo Favara, a former sulfur mine worker who rises through the ranks of the Torrisi crime family. What sets this apart from typical mafia stories is the central romance between Enzo and Isabella Torrisi, the don's daughter.
Their forbidden love story drives the plot, ultimately leading to tragedy when Isabella becomes pregnant and the couple attempts to escape the family. The story concludes with Enzo's death at the hands of his friend Cesare, following a climactic knife duel with Don Torrisi.
Combat Gets Personal
Mafia: The Old Country introduces stiletto knife dueling as a key combat mechanic. These aren't complex fighting systems-you can slash, thrust, parry, and dodge-but they create surprisingly tense encounters, especially during boss battles where psychological warfare matters as much as timing.
However, reviewers have criticized the standard gunplay as "clunky and repetitive," with stealth sections being particularly frustrating due to instant-fail mechanics.
Short but Sweet-Or Too Short?
The main story takes approximately 10-12 hours to complete, with around 13-15 hours for completionists. At $50, this has sparked debate among players about value for money.
Some fans called it "a glorified demo" and threatened to boycott until the price drops, while others appreciate the focused approach in an era of bloated 100-hour games.
Technical Excellence Meets Dated Design
Built on Unreal Engine 5, the game showcases impressive visual fidelity. Character models benefit from MetaHuman technology, and the lighting system brings Sicily's landscapes to life beautifully.
Yet critics note that beneath the stunning visuals lies "a fairly run-of-the-mill stealth action game" with mechanics that feel dated compared to modern standards.
The Verdict: Quality Over Quantity
Mafia: The Old Country has earned the second-best review scores in the franchise (behind only Mafia: Definitive Edition), but it's clearly not for everyone.
You'll love it if you:
- Prefer tight, narrative-driven experiences
- Appreciate historical authenticity and atmosphere
- Want a "weekend game" you can finish in a few sittings
Skip it if you:
- Expect extensive exploration and side content
- Need 50+ hours of gameplay to justify $50
- Prefer modern, refined action mechanics
While it won't be making many Game of the Year lists, Mafia: The Old Country succeeds as a confident, understated crime drama. It's less Grand Theft Auto and more prestige television-polished, focused, and unapologetically linear.
For longtime Mafia fans or anyone craving a story-heavy gaming experience, it's worth the investment. Just don't expect it to last longer than a good Netflix binge session.
