《Mafia: Definitive Edition》is not just a simple remake; it’s a completely revitalized gangster epic. From the streets of Lost Heaven to Tommy's rise and fall, the game uses superb storytelling, cinematic visuals, and immersive music to perfectly recreate an era filled with conspiracies and loyalty.

It flawlessly presents a classic gangster story: loyalty and betrayal, power struggles, moral dilemmas, and the inevitable fate that comes with it. This is the core theme of both classic gangster films and games — no matter how hard you try to escape the underworld, it will never truly let you go.

While the game's driving and gunplay feel a bit old-fashioned, it's this restraint that makes the experience more immersive. Though the open world acts more like a backdrop and the mission design is somewhat traditional, when the ending echoes the phrase “family is forever”, you’ll realize that this isn’t just a gangster game, but an unforgettable gangster life.

There’s just something about a gangster movie. You know the type: powerful men sitting in high-backed chairs, cigar smoke swirling around them as they decide whether you get to live or die. There are familial gatherings where rough men laugh and chat about criminal endeavors over a bowl of spaghetti with a casual nature akin to friends having brunch after a church service. These films are exciting, filled with car chases and explosions and betrayals, often climaxing with the protagonist going out in a hail of gunfire. And besides just looking cool, there’s something in them that strikes a chord in the hearts of all different sorts of people.

But let's get to the point here :
The gameplay In Mafia Definitive Edition is limited in terms of its structure, yet it doesn’t detract from its enjoyability. Players should not start the game with the hopes to shop and earn money for Tommy, because the story is linear.
Furthermore, going with this linear structure means that there are very specific ways you must complete levels. When given tasks that seem like taking advantage of an open world wouldn’t matter as long as the objective is done, you ultimately cannot get creative and wander. Otherwise, you will receive a warning that you are ‘abandoning the mission.’

However, the game never gets boring because the tasks vary mission by mission. Sometimes Tommy has to engage in a regular shootout, but other times he may be sneaking and taking out enemies in a stealthy fashion – and in one terrible, almost constantly panned mission, you have to engage in a race and come out in 1st place.

Something I noticed was that the cars in this game are not exactly smooth to navigate as opposed to modern vehicles in other video games. I believed this to be a realistic.
There is an unlocked form of gameplay called, Free Ride that can be assessed through the main screen. In Free Ride, players can explore the city of Lost Heaven with ease and wreak havoc yet – there’s still nothing to do. There are a series of races implemented, which can award you with new clothes and cars.

The concept of family is always a theme within mafia-centric films and of course, this game touches on the importance of it. And it is not in the way one may think. It shows that the beauty of organized crime is a façade, it shows that seemingly unbreakable friendships can fade and it shows that at the end of the day, one is better focused on improving themselves and finding strength in your real family.
Mafia: Definitive Edition is not a game that glamorizes organized crime in the least. It is gritty, heartbreaking while still being incredibly exciting to play due to its wonderfully crafted story. It’s not too long, it’s not too short, either. It’s just right. (Finished the game once, before buying it on Steam)

The Mafia games tend to be forgotten about, They totally stand up as valid alternatives to GTA, I would go so far as to say the story could even be better.