If you’re a long-time fan of the Mafia franchise or just diving into the gritty, immersive open world of the latest entry, you’ve probably wondered if the premium upgrade is worth your cash. The Mafia the Old Country PS5 deluxe edition packs in a stack of exclusive perks you won’t get with the standard copy, but it’s easy to wonder if those extras justify the $20 or so price jump over the base game. I’ve spent 12 hours playing through both the base and deluxe content to break down exactly what you get, how it changes your gameplay experience, and who should splurge on the higher tier.
Exclusive Content Included in Mafia the Old Country PS5 Deluxe Edition
Every bit of content in this premium tier is integrated seamlessly into the base game, so you won’t have to download separate DLC or navigate out of the main campaign to access it. The full list of perks includes:
- Two exclusive side story missions following a young enforcer trying to earn his place in the Sicilian mafia, with 3+ hours of extra playable content
- Five unique character outfits for your protagonist, including period-accurate tailored suits and stealth-focused casual wear that unlocks small in-game bonuses like lower police suspicion
- Three exclusive vehicle skins for classic 1960s Sicilian cars, plus a free fully upgraded sports car you can access from your safehouse as soon as you finish the first chapter
- Digital art book featuring 80+ pages of concept art, character sketches, and developer commentary about the creation of the game’s open world map
- Official digital soundtrack with 42 tracks, including original score compositions and licensed 1960s Italian pop and folk music
A lot of players assume deluxe edition content is just cosmetic fluff, but that’s not the case here. The side missions are fully voice acted and feature the same high-quality writing as the main campaign. They tie directly into the main story’s core conflict, and they reveal extra backstory about the secondary character Don Salvatore that makes his arc in the main campaign hit a lot harder. I was surprised by how much the extra story content added to my overall understanding of the game’s world, and I didn’t feel like it was tacked on just to justify the extra cost. None of the deluxe content is locked behind a separate paywall, so you can purchase it later as DLC if you change your mind.
How the Deluxe Edition Perks Improve Your Gameplay Experience
You don’t just get extra story content with the deluxe upgrade, you also get small quality of life perks that make the early game feel far less grindy. The free upgraded sports car you get right out the gate saves you from having to save up in-game cash for a fast ride for the first 5 hours of play, which is a huge help when you’re rushing between missions across the large rural and urban map. The stealth-focused outfit cuts police suspicion by 15% when you’re wearing it, which makes sneaking through restricted areas for side missions far less frustrating than it is in the base game.
A lot of players skip over cosmetic perks, but these ones actually have tangible benefits that make your playthrough smoother. If you bought the Mafia the Old Country PS5 deluxe edition specifically for the gameplay perks, you’ll be happy to know they work across all difficulty levels, including hard mode and permadeath mode. That said, none of these perks are required to beat the game, or even to 100% complete all side content. If you don’t mind grinding for a few extra hours to buy your own car and don’t care about extra story context, you won’t miss out on any core gameplay by sticking to the base edition.
Who Should Skip the Deluxe Edition Upgrade
Don’t let marketing hype push you into spending extra cash if the deluxe perks don’t align with your playstyle. If you only play through the main campaign of open world games and rarely touch side content, the 3 hours of extra missions probably aren’t worth the extra cost for you. Players who prefer to grind for in-game items instead of getting them upfront will also get less value from the upgrade, since half the perks are items you can earn or buy in the base game with enough playtime.
The Mafia the Old Country PS5 deluxe edition is also not a good pick if you only plan to play the game once and don’t care about replay value. I also don’t recommend the deluxe edition if you’re on the fence about whether you’ll even like the game. The base edition is already a fairly large investment, and you can always upgrade to the deluxe tier later through the PlayStation Store if you finish the main campaign and want more content to play through. You won’t lose any progress if you upgrade after starting the base game, so there’s no pressure to buy the higher tier upfront if you’re unsure.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Deluxe Edition Purchase
If you do decide to pick up the premium tier, there are a few small tricks to make sure you get every bit of value out of your purchase. First, claim your free car and outfits from the in-game store as soon as you finish the first chapter, don’t wait until you’re halfway through the campaign to use them. The car will save you so much time traveling between missions in the early game, and the stealth outfit makes the first few high-risk missions far easier to complete without getting caught. Play the two exclusive side missions after you finish the third main story chapter — that’s when the character they tie to is first introduced, so the extra context will hit at exactly the right point in the main plot.
You can access the digital art book and soundtrack through your PlayStation media library right after purchase. They’re easy to skip over but give a ton of cool insight into how the dev team built the game’s authentic 1960s Sicilian setting. I particularly loved the commentary tracks about how they interviewed real Sicilian locals to make the dialogue and world feel as accurate as possible. If you picked up the Mafia the Old Country PS5 deluxe edition on sale, you’re getting an even better deal, as the extra content usually costs more if you buy it separately as DLC.
At the end of the day, whether the premium upgrade is worth it comes down to how much you enjoy the Mafia franchise and open world crime games in general. The Mafia the Old Country PS5 deluxe edition offers solid value for players who want extra story content, quality of life perks, and behind-the-scenes material, but it’s not a must-buy for everyone. If you know you’ll spend 20+ hours exploring every corner of the game’s world, the extra content will more than justify the small price jump. If you’re just here for the main story, you can stick to the base edition without missing any of the core experience.
