Mafia: Old Country – Why is it the most anticipated crime game of 2025

tThis is something mafia The series makes it a perfect complement and antithesis for rock stars, even in the first game grand theft auto. While almost everyone was trying to take advantage of their success Grand Theft Auto 3 Following the 2001 hit release, Illusion Softworks (later to become 2K Czech Republic) mafia In 2002, they offered a different kind of crime saga. Inspired by the greats of the movie Good Ferraswhen he joined the Salieri family and got caught up in a war with Morelos, he focused on Tommy Angelo in a fictional ban-era city.

Almost 23 years later, Mafia: Old Countries It is set to be released on August 8th for the Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC, and it’s incredible how similar the situation is. There’s still absolutely hype about monsters Grand Theft Auto 6which is currently released in May 2026, and for all intents and purposes, the title of Hangar 13 is extremely underdog. This is appropriate rather than following the path set by Mafia 3 And as they try to cram even bigger, open worlds into crime dramas, the old country is effectively returning to the series’ roots.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppsnb_5isve

And with that, we will come back. Players visit familiar places – San Celeste Mafia 2 -However, this time we explored the origins of one Enzofabara in the 1900s. Despite being an indentured servant, his beginnings are very similar to the other protagonists of the series. He is given an extraordinary opportunity to join Torishi’s family and effectively fake his own destiny. Money, respect, and a good life all seem to await you, but so is life in crime. After all, if he wants to be with his family, Enzo has to be willing to make sacrifices, and at least at first, he is quite pleased.

Like the first game, what is actually set? Mafia: Old Countries Another is intended for authenticity rather than simply loading a game full of in-game disposable content, replacing the in-game playground with another playground. Featuring Sicilian voice acting and Italian localization, the comprehensive gameplay loop is in time. The mafia had access to firearms such as saw shotguns, rifles and pistols, but ammunition was less common. Instead, Enzo has to sneak a fair amount of enemies, but sometimes he has to get closer to a tense knife fight.

One thing you need to think carefully about using valuable ammunition is one thing, forcing you to get closer to some situations a little differently. However, as Associate Game Director Joshua Zammit explained in the Developer Insights video, knives that are taking such priorities are more than just a “essential part of gameplay.” “It’s part of Sicilian culture. We want to immerse our gameplay and have a life-or-death atmosphere. So when players are in a knife duel, when they’re in a shootout, they’re really afraid of their lives.”

But aside from that fear, there is also fascinating melee combat of this type of near-group. There, a single strike is fatal. Add another layer of drama and personal stakes to the series. And it was a commitment to the authenticity of the knife that the studio “has challenged the tiny little backwaters of a machine shop, which absorbed the style of their particular area, in the tiny little backwaters of a machine shop, where this man and his son were still making knives with their hands. This is uniquely unique Mafia: Old Countries It also makes you feel immersed in Sicilian mafia culture.

Of course, to suit the times, players will have access to vintage roadsters, but they will still need to travel on horseback. San Celeste has a share of alleys and streets, but you shouldn’t expect a playground in the same city as other titles that have a lot of traffic and pedestrian traffic. It has a more rural feel. This also means challenging the fields and even taking part in a firefight on horseback. The effects are desperate and unstable, and appear to reflect real life (hopefully the gameplay isn’t too cumbersome). The different locales are quite different from the urban environments of previous games, leading to fresh gameplay scenarios. It also feels more organic, more immersive, making you feel like Enzofabara, and looks at this familiar city from a fresh perspective (though primarily motivated by bloodshed).

But perhaps the biggest reason Mafia: Old Countries The big deal is the structure and price of its gameplay. Unlike Mafia 3taking a similar approach, focusing on the first two games, a campaign focused on linear narratives. This doesn’t mean that it’s sticking you to a particular path. It has incredible film cutscenes, but still. Instead, you can explore the “beated path,” as explained by Nick Baines, the studio’s president. He did not strictly use the term “open world” because there is no “infinite side quest” or activity (this is a later relief). Mafia 3). Instead, Hangar 13 hopes to experience this story in this world and learn what will happen next, without completely limiting. What a concept.

Of course, there is a price too. In an industry where Quadruple-a experiments have largely failed, the new tactic is simply to price a triple-A title from $70 to $80 and call it a day. Mafia: Old Countries It’s only $50. Yes, there’s a $60 deluxe edition with cosmetics and a digital art book and soundtrack, but the game itself costs $50. We’re seeing this kind of pricing from major franchises, especially those issued by 2K (parent company Take-Two Interactive is a bit devouring to charge you $100 probably Grand Theft Auto 6) It’s amazing.

This can be considered a lack of confidence. Maybe this pricing is because you don’t know if people will really charge, especially after being disappointed with past franchises. Maybe it’s not confident in the overall quality of the product.

However, since other high quality titles of the year adopt this price range, I am willing to benefit from doubt. Although QUOTE-UNQUOTE can only provide 20 hours of gameplay for completed players, Mafia: Old Countries Tell me a story worth my time, and then it’s an advantage for me both sides. Based on the presentation and focus of the development team so far, it certainly goes in that direction.

Of course, nothing is guaranteed and I have already seen criticisms about animation, gunplay, combat and stealth. It offers maximum exposure without the benefits of something like game pass – even if it definitely gets digged into sales – I was able to see a considerable number of players ignore it Mafia: Old Countries While they await a bigger release. Nevertheless, if it meets expectations and provides a memorable story, it could prove to be one or more of the biggest games of the year and instead serve as a catalyst for the series’ revival. As always, I know the time, but given the $50 game streak so far, I hope Hangar 13 can pull it out and restore the franchise’s glory.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent GamingBolt’s views as an organization.