In the early era of copycat open-world crime games, Illusion Softworks’ Mafia stood out as a unique take on the fresh new genre. Instead of borrowing the balls-to-the-wall action and tongue-in-cheek tone that the Grand Theft Auto series popularized (as many other games did), Mafia took on a more subdued, simulation-like approach. The result was a crime adventure that felt far more grown-up than Rockstar’s blockbuster series, even if its more tedious elements deterred players looking for a more rambunctious good time.
Despite two successful sequels, the 2002 cult classic went overlooked for 18 years. Thankfully, developer Hanger 13 (the team behind both Mafia sequels) decided to rebuild the first game from the ground up, giving it the long overdue facelift and gameplay update it deserved. And now, this exceptional remake is making its Game Pass debut.
Mafia: Definitive Edition is a high-production remake that is totally faithful to Illusion Softworks’ original game. Players assume the role of Tommy Angelo, a taxi driver from the fictional city of Lost Heaven scrapping by during the Great Depression. During a chance encounter, he crosses paths with members of the Salieri crime family. Instead of being spooked by the rogues who almost cost him his life, Angelo parlays the encounter into an opportunity to dig himself out of poverty. Angelo works his way up the ranks of the Salieri family, telling the story of the syndicate’s meteoric rise and its inevitable catastrophic unraveling.
Like the original, Mafia: Definitive Edition tells one of the more well-rounded and mature stories in the medium. While Mafia isn’t doing anything you haven’t seen before in classic Italian gangster flicks, it tells an emotional, exquisitely written story across its 11-hour runtime. The original game’s script has been enhanced even further in this remake, as Hanger 13 re-recorded all of the game’s dialogue with an all-new voice cast, complete with motion capture for all of its cutscenes. In many ways, Mafia: Definitive Edition feels like Hanger 13 is finally doing justice to what Illusion Softworks set out to accomplish more than two decades ago.
On the gameplay front, Mafia: Definitive Edition also retains the divisive open-world simulation of the original. When driving through the New York- and Chicago-inspired city of Lost Heaven, players are expected to obey the law or face consequences. If patrolling police catch you running through a red light or breaking the speed limit, for example, they’ll attempt to pull you over. Failure to comply, and you’ll incite a chase across the city. More heinous crimes will net you a more severe response. Firefights are standard third-person shooting fare and are equally tough on players who aren’t paying attention.
While these punishing features can be turned off in the remake, I highly implore players to give these classic mechanics a shot. It may sound oppressive to folks used to the more carefree murderous approach of other games, but what these mechanics do for the player’s sense of immersion is unlike anything else in the genre. Mafia was never trying to be a GTA clone, and thankfully, Hanger 13 didn’t shy away from Illusion Softworks’ original vision.
Nowhere is this felt more than in the open-world design. Mafia: Definitive Edition’s version of Lost Heaven is one of the most beautiful urban environments ever crafted for a game. Streets bustle with traffic and pedestrians, weather effects like snowfall feel like the real thing, and buildings are incredibly detailed inside and out.
But Lost Heaven isn’t brimming with activities and side missions. Aside from some optional taxi missions and races, the city serves as a hub world players can drive around in between its linear story missions. In that way, Mafia: Definitive Edition is closer to something like Mass Effect 2 than it is Sleeping Dogs or Grand Theft Auto V.
The pared-down scope of Mafia: Definitive Edition is what sets it apart from the rest of its contemporaries. While other open-world games focus on overwhelming the player with optional content and meaningless freedom, Hanger 13’s remake is an antithesis of the bloat that plagues the genre today. The game pours all of its efforts into delivering a Scorsese-inspired mafioso tale and creating a convincing, immersive city set during the golden age of American organized crime. For players looking for a slower-paced, more mature alternative to games like Saints Row or Grand Theft Auto, Mafia: Definitive Edition is a must-play adventure worth checking out.
