Off the Shelf Media

Mafia: Definitive Edition, the first in the series, was recently remastered to modernise this classic title from 2002. While it has its moments to shine, there are some bits that even a new graphics update simply can’t fix, and ultimately, it fails to meet the mark.

Gameplay: 1

Most of the gameplay is solid in this title. Running around busy alleyways, getting into tense shootouts, and working with your mob partners is a lot of fun. The biggest knock on it is the driving, which at times, limits progression. I played this game on the hardest difficulty and had almost no real issues with missions. 

However, fairly early into the game, there are a few missions where driving is the mission itself, and that’s where these flaws really stick out to me. I had to lower the difficulty down to the lowest option after a few dozen failures, and it really ruined the game for me. I was enjoying my time, and all the rest of the controls felt so smooth, but the driving was just abysmal. 

There were several missions in a row where it was entirely based on driving. There was no workaround for me other than lowering the difficulty to win a key race to progress the story. To me, that is the biggest flaw you can have in your gameplay, which took me out of the immersion and story and made me despise the game. 

Story: 2

While the gameplay had its issues, the story is phenomenal. Great overarching storylines, dialogue and interesting, engaging characters are really where this game shines. It gives you a good chance to see all the ups and downs of a man forced into working for the mafia, and climbing his way up the crime family’s ranks. 

It’s a shame that the gameplay felt the way it did to me, as it completely took me out of a deep storyline. Every character, down to side characters you see once or twice, feels so full of life and personality, and brings a lot of depth to this world. 

Atmosphere: 2

The little details in this game really set you deep into the world that the designers have built here. The city is vibrant and full of life, and as you go through the story, you feel connected to those around you. 

One detail in particular I remember was walking through a bar and hearing a report over the radio about what the president was doing to help the United States through a hard economic time period. It sounded so natural, as if it was lifted from a real broadcast from that time, and really helped to set the scene of the America this crime family was working within. 

As you progress through the story, you see more and more of the city, and it’s a beautiful game that takes advantage of the graphical improvements a remaster provides. While it may not be up to the standards of AAA games releasing today, it does justice to the old world and adds a new coat of paint to the beautiful landscapes provided in the original. 

Value:1

I was able to pick up this game, plus Mafia II: Definitive Edition and Mafia III: Definitive Edition on a combined sale for less than $10. The current standard price on steam is $40, which is a bit much. While it is an okay game and has some fun moments, it is still an old game. Even with the improvement in graphics a remaster provides, the game mechanics feel old at times and not worth the price tag. 

To bring up the driving again, there are several other instances where the mechanics do not feel modern and hold the game back. This doesn’t make the game terrible, but it certainly does not feel like the $40 price point makes sense when you compare the many other games at that price point that provide much more gameplay and more modern gameplay. 

Duration: 1

The average time to beat the main story in this game is just about 10 hours, but that’s not all the game has to offer. There is a free ride mode where you can cruise around the city and work with your mafia brethren to commit all sorts of crimes. It adds a lot more replayability to the game and gives a fun, more Grand Theft Auto-inspired mode to this linear, but somewhat open-world, game. 

There are also the classic collectables and other pieces to keep an eye out for during missions that add more to your playtime as you progress. From story involved notes that add more detail to the world you are living in, to funny side conversations from background characters, they do pack a lot of detail in. 

Despite this, I would not give it full marks as it is still a relatively short game. While that is fine, I feel that they could have added much more to this game, and that it was really a proof of concept for the later games in the series. 

Total Score: 7/10

Overall, this game is an okay pick-up if it’s on sale. There are some fun moments and a compelling story to tell. Just keep in mind there is only so much that a remaster can do, and some of the core issues from the original rear their head here and keep it from reaching greater heights.