Mafia: The Old Country brings forth a prequel to the entire series, as the Torrisi crime family showcase their power in Sicily in the early 1900s. The game's setting and voice acting are stellar, making Mafia: The Old Country a strong contender for one of the strongest narratives of the year.
Over the years, the Mafia franchise has attempted to put its own spin on the GTA and Red Dead Redemption formula that Rockstar has perfected, and while the series has succeeded at doing so in many ways, the developer still holds first place. Mafia: The Old Country brings gamers a fun blend of what feels like a cross between GTA and Red Dead Redemption. With its cars and crime mixed with its historical setting and grounded story, Mafia: The Old Country could be a great option for Rockstar fans who are in need of a fresh experience. However, when it comes to character customization, Mafia: The Old Country pales in comparison.
Mafia: The Old Country's Character Customization Feels Out of Place With its Story-Focused Approach
A Major Drawback of Mafia: The Old Country's Linear World
For the most part, Mafia: The Old Country leaving behind the open world trend is a welcome change of pace, but one of the clearest cons to this is the lack of exploration and finding fresh looks through one's own experimentation. With RDR2, Arthur can grow his hair and beard and gain and lose weight. For GTA 5, players can customize all three protagonists, making them look like a cool criminal trio or downright goofy. Granted, Mafia: The Old Country features a solid clothing roster for character customization, but the options are not as diverse, which can make the act of customizing protagonist Enzo less fun in comparison.
One of the main returning Mafia characters longtime fans will recognize is Leo Galante.
Mafia: The Old Country's Outfits Are Cool, But Feel Like an Afterthought
- There are 37 outfits for Enzo to wear.
- Enzo also has 15 hair and hat options.
- Enzo only has six facial hair options.
- Outfits can either be unlocked through story progression or by purchasing them with Dinari.
- A few outfit options are locked behind Deluxe Edition and Pre-Order bonuses.
It's important to note that as Mafia: The Old Country's story progresses, Enzo's appearance definitely improves when compared to his mine-worker's outfit. There are a variety of sharp suits that truly look great, but with the game's chapters placing Enzo in a new outfit automatically, Mafia: The Old Country is losing that sense of reward when it comes to collecting new clothes.
There is a "Disable Story Outfits" button that allows Enzo to stay in special outfits.
Ultimately, the character customization feels out of place. It's unnecessary, and seems as though it was simply added so Mafia: The Old Country could feel a little bit more like RDR2 and GTA 5. When it comes to RDR2, Arthur Morgan's appearance is a dynamic part of the game. Mafia: The Old Country's linear progression makes such dynamic changes for Enzo far less important, so offering customization choices can feel jarring at times.
For the most part, Mafia: The Old Country leaving behind the open world trend is a welcome change of pace.
Mafia: The Old Country Shines Brightest When it Isn't Trying to Be Red Dead or GTA
The strongest part about Mafia: The Old Country is its story. When the game lets its story speak for itself, Mafia: The Old Country truly feels special. Despite its flaws, Mafia: The Old Country is a compelling new angle for the series that hopefully gets to be explored even further.
Only time will tell if another Mafia game will come to fruition after this prequel, but if it does, developers will hopefully leave behind the Red Dead Redemption and GTA- tinged features that are holding the franchise back from truly standing on its own.
Mafia: The Old Country
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 74 /100 Critics Rec: 66%
WHERE TO PLAY
Uncover the origins of organized crime in Mafia: The Old Country, a gritty mob story set in the brutal underworld of 1900s Sicily. Fight to survive as Enzo Favara and prove your worth to the Family in this immersive third-person action-adventure set during a dangerous, unforgiving era.
Enzo will do anything for a better life. After a brutal childhood of forced labor, he's ready to risk everything to become a man of honor in the Torrisi crime family.
His oath to the Mafia, with all the power, temptation, and hardship it entails, is a burning reminder of this simple truth:
Family Takes Sacrifice.
This thrilling narrative is brought to life by stunning visuals, cinematic storytelling, and the authentic realism that the critically acclaimed Mafia series is known for. Enzo's story unfolds in a time when skill with a stiletto blade was a deadly asset, a lupara sawed-off shotgun was a go-to firearm, murderous vendettas raged for decades, and mafiosi patrolled their protection rackets on foot, horseback, or behind the wheel of turn-of-the-century motorcars.
