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Here is a list of features that Mafia: The Old Country must have in order to appeal to its core fan base and enhance gameplay.
Mafia: The Old Country is an upcoming title from 2K set in the iconic Mafia franchise that’s expected to release in 2025 for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X|S. Now, the game is seemingly a spin-off title and not a sequel to Mafia 3 or even part of the mainline franchise. So, there might be some drastic differences in this one, like the lack of an open-world map.
Nevertheless, there are several additions, changes, and improvements that fans would love to see in Mafia: The Old Country. So, we’ve made a list of such things in this article that long-time fans of the series might appreciate. This includes both new features and returning ones, so check them out down below.
Essential Gameplay Features That Should Be Present in Mafia: The Old Country
1. Empire Management
Empire Management is something not usually found in the Mafia series, but Mafia III was the outlier. In this game, you can assign the various neighborhoods you take control of (and the businesses they offer) to one of your underbosses. This gives you different perks, weapons, and so on. Now, this empire management system could be expanded upon as a core gameplay feature in Mafia: The Old Country.
Of course, such a feature would really work if the upcoming game is set in an open-world map. While it’s been confirmed that Mafia: The Old Country will be set in the fictional Sicilian town of San Celeste, we still don’t know if it will be an explorable open-world map or not. If 2K decides to go with a restrictive chapter-based system, we could only get to explore certain sections of the town, like in level-based games.
2. Weapons Customization
Mafia: The Old Country is set in the 1900s, so when we’re talking about gun customization as a gameplay feature, we don’t mean Bubbaing weapons and adding all kinds of attachments to them. Instead, what the game can do is offer some visual alterations, like in Red Dead Redemption 2. You could maybe have some intricate carvings or add some minor upgrades like a longer barrel.
These could then have some perks associated with them that offer gameplay bonuses. For instance, a specific type of decoration may offer accuracy or damage bonuses. Now, while this might not be the most realistic of features, it would definitely make the gameplay more interesting.
3. More Suits and Modular Clothing
One of the coolest aspects of the Mafia franchise is the ability to wear some dapper suits. The Mafia games are all set in the past, depicting time periods with memorable fashion styles. Now, the clothes you can wear in these games come in sets, or specific outfits. Mafia 2 offers you different colored variations, but that’s about it.
You can’t modify each individual clothing piece, nor can you mix and match your own look, like in some of the Grand Theft Auto games. This aspect should be improved in Mafia: The Old Country, and clothing customization should finally be made into a unique new gameplay feature.
4. Customizable Character
The Mafia franchise has always focused on linear narratives, and the main protagonist has always been central to this. Now, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be able to decide what your character looks like. In fact, the Saints Row and the Godfather games are good examples of linear storytelling with customizable protagonists, especially in this genre.
If 2K decides to go the Grand Theft Auto route, they could instead opt for a fixed character with different hairstyle options instead. This wouldn’t hurt the story and would make for a truly unique gameplay experience for each player.
5. A Hub Area
One interesting and well-appreciated improvement to Mafia: Definitive Edition was the transformation of Salieri’s Bar into a hub-like area. The Salieri Crime Family HQ is always changing in the remake, with subtle details being added in every mission. You also have the ability to interact with some story characters when you’re in this area.
It all leads to an immersive feel that makes you, the player, part of the story and the fictional world. This aspect should be improved upon in Mafia: The Old Country with new mechanics, like the ability to modify the hub area.
6. Emergent Gameplay
What makes the first Mafia game still a classic, even after all these years, is the emergent gameplay it offers. Now, the missions in the game are split into chapters, with each level requiring a specific course of action to follow. There’s still a lot of freedom involved. A major downgrade in the Definitive Edition remake was that many of these missions were dumbed down and made more linear.
This shouldn’t be the case with Mafia: The Old Country. If the upcoming game doesn’t feature an open-world map, then so be it. However, it definitely has to offer emergent gameplay to the player, where you decide how to carry out a certain action. For instance, instead of forcing a gunfight or a stealth section in a particular mission, the choice could be left entirely to the player.
7. Multiple Endings
2K has described Mafia: The Old Country as having “a deep, linear narrative with that classic mob movie feeling.” They’ve explained their decision to return to the roots of the franchise with the storytelling. However, this doesn’t mean that there can’t be alternate endings. For example, the Witcher game series provides a fleshed-out narrative experience, but it also includes branching storylines and meaningful choices that influence the game world and the endings.
While the new Mafia game doesn’t need to have multiple storylines and too much decision-making, having a few different endings will certainly be a welcome new change.
8. Changing Times
The Mafia games are all set in the past, as they all explore the pinnacle of the Mafiosi’s power. Unlike GTA or Saints Row, the story in each game advances the time, which is reflected in the game world. Whether it’s the new vehicles, weapons, or even advertisements, you’ll definitely feel the drastic changes taking place in society.
In Mafia 2, for instance, you go from exploring the US during WW2 to witnessing the post-war economic boom. This should be further cemented in Mafia: The Old Country, as it’s taking place during the height of the industrial era.
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