Why I’m Desperate For A New Mafia Game

To turn back time and go all the way back to early 2010, I fondly remember firing up my PlayStation 2 and sinking my teeth into the cascade of entertainment that the first couple of Mafia games were. Fantastic environment, a great storyline, terrific voice acting, and enjoyable gameplay—an all-in-one package that seldom disappoints, save for a few hiccups here and there. 

Now that we’re into 2024, it bears mentioning that a new iteration in the Mafia series came out about 4 years ago and that too was a remake of the original Mafia 2. Go back 4 years more, and that’s really when a continuation of the franchise happened in the name of Mafia 3. So since 2016 — that’s when the latter was launched — players such as me are longing for a resurgence in this regard, and rightfully so. 

So what do the Mafia titles exactly have that make them stand out significantly as compared to their counterparts, even in the day and age we live in today? Let’s cast a lens on just that ahead. 

The Originals Pack Such A Novel Experience 

Although Hangar 13 — the developer that got onboarded by 2K, the publisher, for Mafia 3 — took the liberty of creating a trilogy pack of all three Mafia games in remade format, save for the last game in the franchise which already came out on relatively modern platforms, the originals still feel fairly relevant to this day, even with their dated graphics and gameplay mechanics.

That’s a reason why I recommend going through the icon that Mafia 2 is, holding its ground perfectly to this day and date. The general consensus on this title according to the r/MafiaTheGame subreddit proves why we need a new franchise rendition now more than ever.

Mafia 2 is an excellent game, and this is coming from a fan of the original Mafia.
byu/Rodeo4613 inpatientgamers

I mean, it’s not going to bulk up and tackle GTA 6 straight-up, which is taking a colossal $2 billion to make reportedly, but for those of us who prefer a more laid-back experience with a classic 1970s setting and the pertinent atmosphere, Mafia 4, or anything of the sort, would work wonders if it arrives in tune with today’s tech and times. 

Easily an all time top 3 game for me. The storytelling is from another planet, it is so easy to follow yet it is detailed, witty, rich. The city is big and alive, there are a lot of stuff to do, it looks good and smooth, the music choices are spot on. I could go on for hours,” says one Redditor. 

The Definitive Editions Are Worth Picking Up As Well

But this isn’t to say that Hangar 13’s work on the Mafia Definitive Editions has to be swept under the radar in any shape or form. If you played the first Mafia back in the day and would love to revisit it in a remade condition, the Mafia Trilogy Pack is your best bet, with fans and critics praising the first Mafia remake the most out of the trio. Personally, I agree with the sentiment. 

However, when it boils down to the third title in the remake trilogy, Mafia 3 hasn’t been remade from the ground up like its two counterparts—it’s more of a bundle that comprises all the DLC expansions released for the third-person shooter.

All things considered, I found that title to be the least preferable among the big three, because, as the reviews point out, its gameplay is its most uninspired element, followed by lackluster performance that just fails to deliver at the end of the day both on PC and consoles. The UI elements are quite on the down low as well, and it’s just got that arcade-y vibe coming from it that the first two Mafia games are simply exempt from.   

Despite its misgivings and the label of having mixed reviews, don’t let anyone fool you into thinking that Mafia 3 does not have an amazing storyline that needs to be experienced.” 

And you seem to be in luck as well. All three Mafia remakes are on sale over at Steam right, letting you grab the Definitive Editions for somewhere around $7 each. 

Is A New Mafia Coming?

For the uninitiated, a new Mafia game is indeed coming, and I couldn’t be happier. News of a new Mafia game being in official development went viral back two years ago actually, when 2K took to its official website on the occasion of Mafia’s 20th anniversary and affirmed, 

I’m happy to confirm we’ve started work on an all-new Mafia project! While it’s a few years away and we can’t share anything more right now, we’re really excited to keep working on this beloved franchise and to entertain our players with new stories,” said Hangar 13’s General Manager Roman Hladík.

Now it’s been a fair while since that happened, so you must be wondering how things are proceeding on that front. It seems we’re not too far out from a new Mafia game, as known leaker Kurakasis posted on their X account lately, teasing that Take-Two — 2K Games’ parent company — is making moves to make a new announcement regarding the Mafia IP. Let’s wait and see how this turns out. 

I can tell you that a few days ago, Take-Two began preparations for an announcement regarding the Mafia series

It's hard for me to determine the timeframe, but with Judas I've seen them gearing up for the new trailer about 3-4 weeks before it dropped, so…

Soon™️ 🙂

— Kurakasis (@Kurakasis) April 16, 2024