Recent reviews by Leman Russ

Mafia: The Old Country starts off with a bang—literally. The opening hours pull you into a gorgeously crafted period setting, drenched in atmosphere and brimming with detail. Cobblestone streets glisten in the rain, vintage cars rumble authentically, and the soundtrack nails that old-world criminal romance. Starting in the dark mines really displays the advantages of modern gaming. Visually, it’s one of the best-looking entries in the franchise, with lighting and set design that feel straight out of a prestige crime drama.

Unfortunately, that strong start doesn’t last. Beneath the beautiful presentation, the story quickly slips into familiar territory—so familiar that you can almost call the plot twists before they happen. What begins as a promising fresh take on the Mafia formula soon devolves into a reheated blend of Mafia and Mafia II. The same archetypes appear, the same rise-to-power beats play out, and predictably, it all ends with the same tired trope: the protagonist being betrayed by their crime family.

It’s not that this theme can’t work—it’s a series hallmark—but here it feels recycled without any meaningful variation. There’s no daring narrative risk, no shocking perspective shift, just a safe retread of stories fans already know. Worse yet, the game isn’t even open world, removing the freedom that made the last entry so immersive. The tightly controlled mission structure leaves no room for player-driven exploration or side activities, making the whole experience feel more like a linear movie that we've seen before rather than a living, breathing underworld.

And when the credits roll, that’s it. No epilogue. No aftermath. No lingering consequences to your actions. It’s an abrupt, unsatisfying cut to black that undermines any emotional weight the ending could have carried.

Mafia: The Old Country is a stunning game to look at and a great experience—for its first few hours. But once the nostalgia wears off, you’re left with a beautiful, familiar story you’ve already played before. For longtime fans, it’s less an offer you can’t refuse and more one you’ve heard too many times.

Score: 6/10 – Gorgeous presentation, squandered potential.

The Emperor Protects.

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