Mafia: The Old Country Reviews Are Out, Offering a Mixed Return to Roots

Mafia: The Old Country Reviews Land with Mixed Opinions

The review embargo for Hangar 13's latest installment, Mafia: The Old Country, has officially lifted, bringing a wave of critical opinions. While many outlets have shared their thoughts, some prominent publications, including Eurogamer, did not receive review copies, and 2K Games primarily provided PC keys, leaving console reviews somewhat delayed. Despite these access limitations, the general impression emerging is that Hangar 13 has delivered a robust experience, though it might not claim the title of the best in the beloved series.

As of writing, the PC version of Mafia: The Old Country holds a score of 76 on Metacritic and 79 on OpenCritic, with 88% of critics recommending the game. Reviewers largely praised the engaging story (even with its imperfections), the excellent character animations, superb acting performances, and the stunning visual presentation of 1900s Sicily, which truly brings the setting to life.

What Critics Praised and Criticized

On the positive side, the game's narrative depth and the atmospheric depiction of its historical setting were frequently highlighted. The attention to detail in character models and the environment also received significant acclaim.

However, Mafia: The Old Country wasn't without its detractors. Common criticisms included a slow pace during the initial hours, somewhat outdated level design, uninspired knife-based boss fights, and minor technical glitches. Critics also pointed out the lack of exploration opportunities and side activities, noting that there isn't much to do beyond the main storyline. GameSpot, for instance, mentioned that the world of the new Mafia lacks interactivity and depth. The developers have consistently stated that this project is not an open-world game, though players can still drive through a sizable portion of Sicily as they move between missions.

Opinions on the gunplay in The Old Country were also divided. Some found the cover-based shooting simple yet engaging, while others felt it was so unremarkable that it struggled to stand out among other third-person action games.

Review Snippets

Here's a look at some of the sentiments from various publications:

• The New York Times — 87/100: "The Old Country is a traditional video game, and that's for the better. In an era of endless online projects, it feels compact and self-sufficient, like a sawed-off shotgun hidden in a box of lemons. Despite a well-developed open world, much of the playthrough follows a linear story. ... The Old Country is full of spectacular scenes: rooftop chases during holidays, adrenaline-fueled races, shootouts in gloomy catacombs. However, the game masterfully alternates dynamics with moments of respite – narrative pauses give the player an opportunity to absorb the atmosphere of the surrounding world."


• VGC — 80/100: "Mafia: The Old Country returns to the series' roots, offering a more linear adventure with a strong story (albeit overloaded with clichés) and excellent combat. Character models and environments look stunning, but the latter leads to the main problem: no matter how much we appreciate linear narrative, this magnificently detailed map of Sicily literally begs to be explored, but its potential remains unfulfilled."


• GameSpot — 60/100: "Mafia: The Old Country truly shines when it slows its pace, allowing you to fully take in the sights and sounds of Sicily. Like the series' previous games, it masterfully captures the essence of a real place, paying immense attention to detail. Unfortunately, the formulaic gameplay and outdated mission design prevent the game from truly flourishing, making it feel like a relic from the early 2010s."


• Game Rant — 50/100: "Mafia: The Old Country isn't a bad game; it's just bland. It has sluggish and limited gameplay, a boring and predictable plot, and the world has no more charm than an Unreal Engine tech demo. The game handles the basics, but a project from such an iconic series as Mafia should strive for more."

Mafia: The Old Country is set to launch tomorrow, August 8th, on PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. The game will include full Russian language localization at launch. For those looking for a focused, story-driven experience with strong production values and a captivating historical setting, The Old Country seems to deliver, even if its gameplay mechanics might feel a bit old-school for some players.