Tright here’s one thing concerning the Mafia sequence, even with the very first recreation, that makes it the right complement and antithesis to Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto. Whereas practically everybody was trying to capitalize on the success of Grand Theft Auto 3 following its blockbuster launch in 2001, Phantasm Softworks (later changing into 2K Czech) would keep on with its weapons with Mafia in 2002, providing a special form of crime saga. Impressed by cinematic greats like Goodfellas, it centered on Tommy Angelo in a fictitious Prohibition-era metropolis as he joined the Salieri household and have become embroiled in a struggle towards the Morellos.
Practically 23 years later, Mafia: The Previous Nation is ready to launch on August eighth for Xbox Sequence X/S, PS5, and PC, and it’s unimaginable simply how related the conditions are. There’s nonetheless completely monstrous quantities of hype for Grand Theft Auto 6, now launching in Could 2026, and for all intents and functions, Hangar 13’s title could be very a lot the underdog. Which is becoming as a result of as a substitute of following the trail set by Mafia 3 and trying to cram an excellent larger open world into its crime drama, The Previous Nation is successfully going again to the sequence’ roots.
And by that, we imply method again. Gamers will go to a well-known location – San Celeste from Mafia 2 – however this time within the 1900s as they discover the origins of 1 Enzo Favara. Regardless of being an indentured employee, his starting is similar to different protagonists within the sequence – given a unprecedented alternative to affix the Torrisi household and successfully forge his personal future. Cash, respect, and the nice life all seemingly await, however so too does a lifetime of crime. In spite of everything, if he desires to be within the household, Enzo needs to be prepared to make sacrifices, and he’s pretty prepared, no less than initially.
Like the primary recreation, what actually units Mafia: The Previous Nation aside is the way it goals for authenticity reasonably than merely loading the sport stuffed with aspect actions and different disposable content material, substituting one in-game playground for one more. It options Sicilian voice performing and Italian localization, and the overarching gameplay loop is in line with the time. The mafia had entry to firearms like sawed-off shotguns, rifles, and pistols, however ammo wasn’t as widespread. As a substitute, Enzo must make use of a good quantity of sneaking round and executing enemies, although typically it’s a must to get into tense knife fights up shut.
Having to assume twice about utilizing valuable ammo is one factor, forcing you to strategy some conditions slightly in another way. Nonetheless, the knife taking such priority is extra than simply an “integral a part of gameplay,” as affiliate recreation director Joshua Zammit described it in a Developer Insights video. “It’s part of Sicilian tradition. We wish our gameplay to be immersive, to have a life-or-death form of vibe. So when gamers are in a knife duel, after they’re in a gunfight, they’re genuinely fearing for his or her lives.”
However except for that concern, there’s additionally one thing enthralling about this sort of close-quarters melee fight, the place a single strike may be deadly. It provides yet one more layer of drama and private stakes to a sequence that’s merely brimming with it. And such was the dedication to authenticity for even the knives that the studio ventured into “some tiny little backwater of a machine store the place this man and his son have been nonetheless crafting knives by hand, imbuing them with their explicit regional kinds, identified for his or her thumbprints, for those who like, of their explicit strategy to constructing knives.” That is uniquely inherent to Mafia: The Previous Nation and additional makes you’re feeling immersed in Sicilian mafia tradition.
After all, in line with the instances, gamers can have entry to classic roadsters but nonetheless must make many journeys on horseback. San Celeste has its share of alleyways and streets, however you shouldn’t count on the identical city playgrounds as different titles with tons of visitors and pedestrians. It has a extra rural vibe, which additionally means venturing into the fields and even partaking in firefights on horseback. The impact is frantic and unstable, seemingly mirroring actual life (although hopefully, the gameplay doesn’t show too unwieldy). The number of locales is pretty totally different from the city settings of earlier video games, resulting in recent gameplay situations. It additionally feels extra natural, additional including to the immersion and actually making you’re feeling such as you’re Enzo Favara, viewing this acquainted metropolis with a recent perspective (albeit one primarily motivated by bloodshed).
Nonetheless, maybe the largest purpose why Mafia: The Previous Nation is such a giant deal is its gameplay construction and worth. In contrast to Mafia 3, it’s taking the same strategy to the primary two video games – that’s, specializing in a linear narrative-focused marketing campaign. This isn’t to say that it’s sticking you to at least one explicit path – one with extremely cinematic cutscenes, however nonetheless. As a substitute, you possibly can discover “off the crushed path” as studio president Nick Baynes described it. He wouldn’t strictly use the time period “open world” as a result of there gained’t be “countless aspect quests” and actions (which is a reduction after Mafia 3). As a substitute, Hangar 13 desires you to expertise this story on this world to search out out what occurs subsequent, however with out utterly limiting you. What an idea.
After all, there’s additionally the pricing. In an trade the place the quadruple-A experiment has just about failed, and the brand new tactic is to easily worth triple-A titles at $70 to $80 and name it a day, Mafia: The Previous Nation is simply $50. Sure, there’s a $60 Deluxe Version with cosmetics and a digital artwork e book and soundtrack, however the recreation itself prices $50. Seeing this sort of pricing from a serious franchise, particularly one revealed by 2K (whose dad or mum firm, Take-Two Interactive, might be chomping on the bit to cost $100 for Grand Theft Auto 6) is stunning.
One may take this as a insecurity. Possibly this pricing is as a result of 2K is uncertain whether or not folks will actually make the leap, particularly after being disenchanted with the franchise previously. Possibly it’s not assured within the general high quality of the product.
Nonetheless, with different high-quality titles this yr adopting this worth level, I’m prepared to provide it the advantage of the doubt. It may ship quote-unquote solely 20 hours of gameplay for completionists, but when Mafia: The Previous Nation tells a narrative that’s price my time, then it’s a win-win for me. Based mostly on the presentation and focus of the event group so far, it’s actually trending in that course.
After all, nothing is assured, and I’ve already seen criticisms concerning the animations, gunplay, fight, stealth, you title it. With out the advantage of one thing like Recreation Move to supply most publicity – even when it’s going to undoubtedly eat into gross sales – I may see a major variety of gamers ignoring Mafia: The Previous Nation whereas they look forward to larger releases. However, if it lives as much as expectations and delivers a memorable narrative, it may show to be extra than simply one of many greatest video games of the yr, as a substitute performing as a catalyst for the sequence’ revival. As at all times, time will inform, however given the streak of $50 video games so far, right here’s hoping that Hangar 13 can pull it off and restore the franchise’s glory.
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