I’ve been a diehard Mafia series fan since the first game launched back in 2002, so when I got my hands on Mafia The Old Country Deluxe Edition PS5 last month, I immediately sunk 30 hours into it before I even thought about writing up my thoughts. Unlike a lot of half-baked deluxe editions that just throw in a couple of skins and call it a day, this release actually adds meaningful content that makes the upgrade worth it for new players and series veterans alike. If you’re on the fence about picking this version up, or you already own it and want to get the most out of your playthrough, this guide covers everything you need to know.
What Makes Mafia The Old Country Deluxe Edition PS5 Stand Out From The Standard Version?
The first thing I noticed when booting up the deluxe edition was how much extra care went into the PS5-specific upgrades, even beyond the core game improvements. The standard edition already gets 4K/60fps support, but the deluxe version packs exclusive story content and quality of life perks that make the whole experience feel more complete. Here’s a full breakdown of everything you get only with the deluxe release on PS5:
I was surprised at how much effort went into the prequel arc, honestly. A lot of bonus story content feels like filler, but this arc actually answers a lot of lingering questions from Mafia 2 about Vito’s family history, and it has a couple of twists that hit hard if you’ve played the earlier games. The haptic feedback is another underrated perk; when you’re driving a rusted pickup down a dirt road in rural Sicily, you can feel every bump in the controller, and it makes tense shootouts feel way more immersive than they did on previous gen consoles.
Gameplay Optimizations For The PS5 Version You Don’t Want To Miss
Even if you don’t care about the deluxe exclusive content, there are a handful of PS5-specific settings you should adjust as soon as you boot up the game to get the best experience possible. First, pick your display mode based on your setup: if you have a 120Hz TV, the performance mode runs at a locked 120fps at 1440p, which is perfect for fast shootouts and car chases where reaction time matters. If you care more about visuals, the quality mode runs at locked 60fps 4K with ray tracing enabled, which makes the sun bouncing off the Mediterranean ocean look stunning, especially in the coastal town sections.
Turn off the motion blur setting by default, it’s cranked up way too high and makes fast driving feel nauseous for a lot of players, myself included. I also recommend enabling the 3D audio setting if you have a compatible headset, because you can hear enemies sneaking up behind you in stealth missions, which makes those sections way less frustrating. The PS5’s activity cards are integrated really well here too: if you get stuck on a mission, you can pull up a quick tip directly from the activity card without having to leave the game, and you can jump straight to specific side missions you haven’t completed yet. The fast load times are a total game changer as well; no more waiting 2 minutes to respawn after you die in a tough shootout, you’re back in action in less than 5 seconds.
Hidden Content And Side Missions Worth Tracking Down
There’s a ton of unmarked content in the game that the tutorial doesn’t tell you about, and a lot of it is only accessible if you know where to look. First, the hidden tombs scattered across the Sicilian countryside: each has a collectible that unlocks a piece of backstory about the local mafia families, and if you collect all 12, you unlock the exclusive golden revolver that does 2x damage to boss characters. It’s a little cheesy, but it makes the final boss fight way easier, especially if you’re playing on hard mode.
There are also street race side missions that are only available after 8pm in-game time, and if you win all 5, you get a rare 1957 Ferrari Testarossa that’s the fastest car in the game. It’s perfect for outrunning police chases or beating the timed delivery side missions. Don’t skip the small side quests with the local villagers, either. A lot of them seem trivial at first, like helping a farmer find his stolen sheep, but completing all of them unlocks a secret ending where the village helps you take down the rival mafia family in the final mission, making the last act way easier. I missed this on my first playthrough, and the final mission was so much harder I had to replay the first 10 hours of the game just to unlock that perk. Keep an eye out for the hidden vintage posters scattered across the map too; collecting all 20 unlocks the digital comic book that bridges the gap between Mafia 2 and Mafia The Old Country.
Is The Deluxe Edition Worth The Extra Cost For PS5 Players?
This is the question I get asked the most by friends who are thinking about picking up the game, and the answer really depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re a long time Mafia series fan, absolutely, the prequel story alone is worth the extra $20, and the extra content adds at least 5 hours of playtime to the game. If you’re a new player who hasn’t bought the standard edition yet, it’s also worth it to get all the content up front, rather than paying for DLC later, which ends up being more expensive overall.
If you only play single player games once and don’t care about extra story content or cosmetics, you can stick with the standard edition and still have a great experience. One important thing to note: the deluxe edition content is only available as part of the initial purchase, you can’t buy the prequel arc or the exclusive skins as separate DLC later, so if you think you might want that content down the line, it’s better to buy the deluxe edition first. I made that mistake with Mafia 3, bought the standard edition first and ended up paying more for all the DLC separately than I would have if I’d just bought the deluxe edition upfront. If you buy Mafia The Old Country Deluxe Edition PS5 digitally, you also get a free dynamic theme for your PS5 home screen that’s not available with physical copies, which is a nice little bonus for people who prefer digital downloads.
At the end of the day, Mafia The Old Country Deluxe Edition PS5 is one of the few deluxe releases that actually delivers on its promise of extra, meaningful content for fans. Whether you’re revisiting the series or jumping in for the first time, the extra story missions, exclusive cosmetics, and polished PS5 upgrades make it a standout release in the open world crime genre. Take the time to adjust your settings first, track down the hidden side content, and you’ll get dozens of hours of fun out of this classic Mafia experience.
