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Mafia: The Old Country Beginner Guide: What to Know Before You Buy
If you only know the series from Mafia III, The Old Country will feel like a different franchise. That's deliberate. Developer Hangar 13 went back to the very beginning — 1900s Sicily, before the Salieri family was a family — and dropped the open world to get there. That one decision changes how you should approach the whole game, so let's start there.
It is not an open-world game. Plan around that.
The previous Mafia games handed you a city and said go. The Old Country is a linear, story-driven action-adventure: mission follows mission, with no free-roam sandbox, no side-content sprawl, nothing to grind. If you buy it expecting to wander Sicily, you'll spend the first hour waiting for a freedom that never comes. The freedom here is narrative, and that's the point.
The story: Sicily, 1900s, and how a family starts
You play Enzo, who ends up working with a young Salieri — yes, that Salieri — in the decades before the family became the empire Mafia (2002) players know. It's an origin story in the truest sense: land, loyalty, and revenge in a Sicily where the mob hasn't even been named yet. The tone sits closer to a period drama than Mafia III's 1960s action, and the writing carries it.
Combat, driving, and stealth: what actually works
- Driving is scripted, not a joyride system. The cars are 1900s cars — slow and heavy. Brake before corners and don't treat it like a racing game.
- Stealth sections reward patience. Wait out the patrol routes and don't feel bad about reloading; the game expects you to learn the patterns.
- Combat is cover-based and period-accurate. No automatic rifles waiting for you — position matters more than aim.
- Follow the mission logic, not open-world habits. There's no "go do something else" fallback, so check the objective before improvising.
Is it worth $49.99 right now?
The price is $49.99 full price, checked on Steam Sep 24, 2026 — the 40% launch discount to $29.99 has ended. That's the deepest cut this game has seen and a fair number for a complete, story-first campaign. If you already want a serious crime drama with a historical setting, watch for the next sale instead. If you wanted an open-world sandbox, save the money; this isn't that game, and no discount changes that. There's also the Man of Honor DLC (out Aug 2026) with two extra story chapters if you finish the base game and want more Sicily.
Quick facts
- Price: $49.99 (the -40% launch discount to $29.99 has ended, checked Sep 24 2026)
- Release: Aug 7, 2025
- Developer: Hangar 13
- Publisher: 2K
- Genre: Action / Adventure
- Platforms: Windows, PS5, Xbox Series X|S