If you’ve been scrolling through social media feeds seeing clips of brutal mob hits, sprawling 1930s Sicilian countryside, and chaotic multiplayer heists, you’ve probably wondered if this title lives up to the hype. I’ve sunk 40 hours into the early access build over the past two months, and I’m breaking down everything you need to weigh about Mafia The Old Country before you buy, so you don’t waste $60 on a game that doesn’t fit your playstyle. It’s easy to get pulled in by the flashy trailers, but there are a lot of underdiscussed details that make or break the experience for most players.
Core Facts About Mafia The Old Country Before You Buy: Core Gameplay Breakdown
First, let’s clear up a common misconception: this is not a direct sequel to Mafia 3, nor does it tie closely to the original Mafia’s Lost Heaven setting. You don’t need to play previous Mafia franchise titles to follow the story, which focuses on a young Sicilian immigrant working his way up the ranks of a local mob family in 1938. The gameplay mixes linear story missions with a fully open world you can explore at your own pace, either solo or with up to three friends in co-op mode.
The open world is roughly 22 square miles, with 7 distinct regions from coastal fishing villages to mountain vineyards, each with its own unique side missions, rival gangs, and hidden collectibles. The combat system is weighty and realistic, not arcadey: a single shotgun blast can take you down in one hit, so you’ll need to rely on cover, stealth, and careful aim instead of running and gunning through crowds of enemies. Driving mechanics are also period-accurate, so 1930s sedans and trucks handle slow and slippery, especially on dirt roads, which can be frustrating if you’re used to the fast, responsive cars in other open-world games.
The core gameplay loop alternates between story missions that advance the main plot, side hustles like smuggling wine, running protection rackets, and robbing banks, and turf wars where you fight rival gangs to take over their territory. You earn cash and respect for every completed task, which you can use to upgrade your weapons, customize your character, and expand your family’s operations.
Hardware and Platform Compatibility to Check First
One of the most common complaints from early buyers is that they didn’t realize how demanding the game is, especially on PC. Minimum specs only get you 30fps on low settings at 1080p, so don’t assume your 5-year-old gaming laptop can run it smoothly. The recommended specs for 60fps on medium settings at 1080p include an RTX 3060 or equivalent GPU, 16GB of RAM, and an Intel i5 10600K or equivalent CPU. On consoles, the game is only available for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, with no plans for a PS4 or Xbox One release, so you won’t be able to play it on older generation hardware.
Before you hit purchase, run through this quick checklist to avoid post-buy frustration:
I made the mistake of trying to run the game on my old HDD first, and load times for open world sections were up to 5 minutes long, with constant texture glitches that made it hard to see enemies from far away. Switching to an SSD cut load times to under 45 seconds, so that’s a non-negotiable if you want a smooth experience on PC. For console players, there are two graphics modes to choose from: performance mode runs at 60fps with dynamic 4K resolution, while quality mode runs at 30fps with native 4K and ray tracing enabled.
Pros and Cons of the Current Early Access Build
Since the game is still in early access, there are a lot of positives and negatives to weigh before you buy. The story writing is some of the best in the franchise, with fully voice-acted cutscenes that feel straight out of a classic mob film. The characters are well-written and memorable, and the plot tackles real themes of loyalty, betrayal, and poverty in 1930s Sicily without feeling cartoonish or over-the-top. The co-op heist missions are also a highlight, as you and your friends can split roles like driver, gunman, and hacker to pull off elaborate robberies with multiple possible approaches.
On the downside, there are still a lot of bugs in the current build, especially in multiplayer mode. I’ve had missions glitch out mid-playthrough, with enemies spawning inside walls or objective markers not appearing, forcing me to restart an hour-long mission from scratch. There’s also no custom server support yet, so you’re limited to playing on official servers that can have lag issues during peak hours. The cosmetic microtransactions are another point of contention: while none of them give gameplay advantages, some character skins and vehicle customizations cost up to $10 each, which feels overpriced for a full-priced game.
Another thing to note is the permadeath option for hardcore co-op missions. If you turn this feature on, dying during a heist means you lose all the loot and progress you earned during that mission, and your character gets temporarily banned from joining new heists for 30 minutes. It’s a fun feature for players who love high-stakes gameplay, but it can be incredibly frustrating for casual players who just want to mess around with friends without punishment.
Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Pick Up This Game
This game is a perfect fit for a specific type of player, and a terrible fit for others. If you’re a fan of slow-burn crime stories, open-world exploration, and tactical combat, you’ll probably love it. The side content is also surprisingly deep, with over 100 unique side missions that range from rescuing villagers from rival gangs to helping local farmers smuggle their crops across the border, so you’ll never run out of things to do if you like exploring every corner of a map. If you only play single player, you’ll still get 30+ hours of content even without touching the multiplayer modes, so you don’t need friends who own the game to get your money’s worth.
On the other hand, if you hate dealing with bugs and glitches, you should probably wait 6 to 8 months for the full release, when most of the major issues will be fixed. If you prefer fast-paced arcade shooters or casual open-world games where you can mess around without consequences, you’ll find the realistic combat and slow driving mechanics frustrating. The game also requires a pretty big time investment to get the most out of it, so if you only have a couple of hours a week to play, you might find the progression system too slow to be fun.
Another group that will love this game is long-time Mafia franchise fans. There are tons of small Easter eggs and references to previous games scattered throughout the world, and the tone and atmosphere feel very true to the original Mafia’s gritty, grounded approach to crime storytelling, unlike the more over-the-top tone of Mafia 3.
At the end of the day, Mafia The Old Country is a solid pick for anyone who loves immersive crime RPGs, but it’s not for everyone. Take the time to weigh the points we covered about Mafia The Old Country before you buy, and you’ll be able to make a call that fits your budget, playstyle, and preferences. If you do decide to pick it up, keep an eye out for our upcoming beginner’s guide to help you climb the mob ranks faster without making the same mistakes I did in my first playthrough.
