If you’re a fan of open-world crime games that prioritize immersive storytelling and gritty, realistic worldbuilding, you’ve probably already had Mafia: The Old Country on your radar for a while. I picked up the game shortly after launch for my standard PS5, and loved every minute of my first playthrough, but I didn’t realize how much I was missing until I tested the Mafia: The Old Country PS5 Pro enhanced version last week. The upgrades aren’t just superficial visual tweaks—they actually change how you interact with the world, making high-speed chases, tense gunfights, and quiet story moments feel far more immersive than they did on the base console. I’ve spent dozens of hours testing different settings, comparing performance across both console versions, and finding the best ways to get the most out of this upgraded release, and I’m breaking all of that down below.
Key Improvements in Mafia: The Old Country PS5 Pro Enhanced Version
The first thing you’ll notice when you boot up the enhanced version is how crisp every part of Lost Heaven looks right off the bat. The standard PS5 version runs at a dynamic 4K resolution that dips as low as 1440p during busy sequences, but the enhanced Pro build locks in native 4K resolution across all gameplay modes, even when you’re driving through crowded downtown streets during a rainstorm with dozens of NPCs on screen. I didn’t notice a single frame dip when I was playing on performance mode, which is a huge upgrade from the base version that would stutter during the big bank heist mission late in the game.
Ray tracing gets a massive overhaul too. The base PS5 only supports ray traced reflections on flat surfaces like windows and puddles, but the Pro enhanced version adds full ray traced global illumination that changes how light interacts with every part of the world. For example, sunlight filtering through a warehouse window will cast realistic shadows that shift as you move through the space, and neon signs will reflect off wet car hoods and even the leather of your character’s jacket as you walk down the street. It’s the kind of small detail that doesn’t change the core gameplay, but makes the world feel so much more lived-in and real.
Load times are another big win. On the standard PS5, fast traveling from one end of the map to the other takes around 7 to 9 seconds, and reloading a checkpoint after you die takes about 4 seconds. On the Pro enhanced version, fast travel takes less than 3 seconds, and checkpoint reloads are almost instantaneous. That might not sound like a huge difference, but when you’re stuck on a tough mission where you die a lot, those saved seconds add up fast, and you won’t lose your momentum as much between attempts.
How to Optimize Your Settings for the Best Enhanced Gameplay Experience
You don’t have to tweak any settings to get a better experience than the base PS5 version right out of the box, but adjusting a few options will make your playthrough feel even smoother, depending on what kind of display you have and what parts of the game you care about most. I tested every combination of settings across three different displays (a 4K 120Hz HDR TV, a 1080p 60Hz monitor, and a portable 1440p screen) to find the best setups for every use case.
These are the settings I recommend for most players:
- Toggle on Performance Priority mode first if you prioritize smooth combat and driving sequences over maximum visual flair. This mode locks the frame rate at 60fps at all times, and you’ll barely notice the minor tradeoffs to ray tracing quality.
- Keep ray tracing set to "High" only if you’re playing on a 4K HDR TV that supports 120Hz input; drop it to "Medium" for smaller 1080p displays to free up resources for faster frame rates.
- Turn off the in-game frame limiter if you have a VRR-enabled display to eliminate screen tear completely during high-speed car chases, even when you’re weaving through traffic and blowing up enemy vehicles.
- Enable the 3D Audio preset for headphones to pick up subtle ambient sounds like distant police sirens or rival gang members whispering before an ambush, which gives you a huge leg up during stealth missions.
One thing I would warn against is turning on the "8K Rendering" toggle unless you have an 8K TV that supports HDMI 2.1. Most people don’t have that kind of display yet, and enabling that setting will drop your frame rate to 30fps with very little visible benefit for 4K users. I tested it on my 4K TV and couldn’t tell the difference between 8K downscaled and native 4K, so it’s not worth the performance hit for 99% of players running the Mafia: The Old Country PS5 Pro enhanced build.
Differences Between Standard PS5 and Pro Enhanced Mafia: The Old Country Gameplay
If you’re still on the fence about upgrading to a PS5 Pro just for this game, it’s important to know exactly what you’re getting (and what you’re not getting) with the enhanced version. The core story, missions, and characters are exactly the same across both versions, so you won’t miss any critical plot beats if you stick with the standard PS5 build. The differences are almost entirely related to performance and visual quality, plus a few small quality of life upgrades that only apply to the Pro version.
The biggest non-visual difference is the reduced texture pop-in on the Pro build. On the standard PS5, if you’re driving at top speed across the rural parts of the map, you’ll often notice low-resolution textures popping in a second or two after you get close to a new area. That’s completely gone on the Pro enhanced version, even when you’re driving at 100+ mph down a dirt road. The texture quality is also higher across the board, so small details like the stitching on your character’s suit, the scratches on your car door, and the graffiti on alley walls look far sharper and more detailed.
DualSense haptic feedback also gets a nice upgrade on the Pro version. The base game already had solid adaptive trigger support for guns, but the enhanced version adds more nuanced feedback for driving and melee combat too. You’ll feel different levels of resistance when you’re driving over gravel, wet pavement, and dirt roads, and you’ll feel the impact of every punch you throw during a fist fight through the controller. It’s another small touch that makes the whole experience feel more immersive.
One thing to note: you won’t get any exclusive story content with the Pro enhanced version, so if you already 100% completed the game on the standard PS5 and don’t care about visual upgrades, there’s no new story content to draw you back. But if you’re a casual player who only played through the main story once, or you’re a new player who hasn’t touched the game at all yet, the Pro version is absolutely the best way to experience it.
Is the Pro Enhanced Upgrade Worth Downloading (Or Buying a PS5 Pro For)?
If you already own a PS5 Pro and a copy of Mafia: The Old Country, the enhanced upgrade is completely free, so you have zero reason not to download it. The file size is only around 12 GB, so it won’t take up too much space on your hard drive, and the performance and visual improvements are well worth the small download time. I downloaded it in about 10 minutes on my fiber internet connection, and it automatically imported all my old save files, so I could pick up right where I left off in my second playthrough without any issues.
If you don’t own a PS5 Pro yet, whether it’s worth buying one just for this game depends on a few different factors. If you only play games on a 1080p TV or monitor, you won’t notice enough of a difference between the standard PS5 and Pro versions to justify the cost of the new console. But if you already have a 4K 120Hz HDR TV, you play a lot of open-world games that benefit from extra performance, and you’re a fan of the Mafia series, it’s absolutely a worthwhile purchase. I’ve tested dozens of PS5 Pro enhanced games over the past few months, and this is one of the most polished upgrades I’ve seen so far, with zero bugs or performance issues that I could find.
Even if you already beat the game on the standard PS5, the enhanced version is worth replaying if you love using photo mode to capture cool moments in games. The Pro version lets you take 8K screenshots and 4K 60fps gameplay clips directly from the game, and the improved lighting and texture quality make every photo look like it’s from a big budget gangster movie. I’ve spent hours just driving around the map taking photos of different locations and character outfits, and the quality is way better than what I could get on the standard PS5.
At the end of the day, the Mafia: The Old Country PS5 Pro enhanced version is easily the best way to play one of the best open-world crime games released in recent years. The upgrades aren’t just gimmicks to sell new hardware—they’re thoughtful, well-executed improvements that make the game’s already fantastic world and story feel even more immersive. Whether you’re a long-time Mafia fan replaying the game for the third time or a new player getting ready for your first trip to Lost Heaven, the enhanced Pro build will make your playthrough feel far more memorable and enjoyable.
