Take-Two Interactive is making a big move in the world of video games, just like Michael Corleone did at the end of The Godfather (1972) when he “wiped out” all of his enemies in one fell swoop. We already know that Grand Theft Auto VI will take over the world when it arrives in the fall of 2025, but with Mafia: The Old Country also gearing up for a 2025 launch, Take-Two will soon be shouting: “I did it, Mom! On top of the world!” (White Fire, 1949).
The Gamescom “One More Thing” trailer for Mafia: The Old Country, not officially Mafia 4, left everyone speechless, even though the presentation was pretty strong overall. We’ve all heard the rumors that the next entry might take place in Sicily, so hopes were already high.
Fortunately, Hangar 13's trailer for the upcoming “timey mob simulator” did not disappoint, but exceeded expectations. As soon as it started rolling, leaden words were uttered: “This thing of ours. It's a brotherhood.“At that very moment, the fans knew what was happening before their eyes.
The sacred rite of Omertà was depicted with a knife next to Santa Rosalia, the patron saint of Palermo (the capital of Sicily). The voice in the video also asks an unknown person, probably the player character, “Do you want to commit yourself and your life to this family?“
The last thing we see is a cathedral with two towers that could be a custom representation of the Palermo Cathedral inspired by the Cathedral of Cefalù. Whatever the case, it's obvious that the developers are taking creative liberties with the architecture, as Ubisoft developers do with Assassin's Creed, and that can only be good news.”Never let the truth get in the way of a good story,” as Mark Twain once said.
Photo: 2K
And now, back to our regularly scheduled tinfoil hat conspiracy show! The trailer doesn't reveal much, but the Steam page has a pretty cool collection of in-game “photos.”
Sure, they're beautiful, but one in particular raises more eyebrows and questions than all the others: a period-appropriate vehicle parked in a field at night with a rifle propped up. Its headlights illuminate what appears to be excavated earth and, more importantly, a shovel sticking out of the ground.
Anyone who's ever seen a mafia movie will have immediately understood the assignment. Does this mean there's going to be a gameplay feature where we drive around with dead bodies in the trunks of our cars waiting for the sun to set, only to unceremoniously dispose of them six feet underground? It could be, but it could also mean it's a one-time event during a story mission or something.
The vehicle is not immediately recognizable because it is so dark. However, careful observers say that the grille is from an Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A (1924-1931), while the fenders are from an Alfa Romeo. One could say that there is a resemblance to the ALFA 24 of 1910-1914 CV equipped with a 4.1-liter inline four-cylinder engine.
Jay Leno drove a 1928 Isotta Fraschini Landaulet Type 8A about two years ago, and it is a magnificent piece of craftsmanship. The luxurious carriage was developed specifically for the wealthy denizens of Wall Street and Hollywood.
Photo: 2K
The 96-year-old gem was no joke, caging a 7.3-liter inline-eight mill mated to a 3-speed manual transmission system. Local legend has it that, at the time, it was the most powerful mass-produced inline-eight engine, producing 113-158 horsepower.
The game will likely begin in the early 1900s, when we'll only be driving horses or, at most, a carriage. However, it's not inconceivable that we'll see more vehicles as the decades go by. Perhaps a “20 years later” screen will appear after a job has gone horribly wrong and we'll see the roads filled with motor vehicles.
There is no information at the moment about gameplay, story, or anything else, other than it is a gritty mafia story set in a brutal underworld. But we do know that it will have Sicilian voice acting. For many fans, that means beating the game at least twice, once in Sicilian and then in English. Italian localization will also be available, but only in the form of the UI and in-game subtitles, no voice acting.
The official website says it’s coming out in 2025 on current-gen consoles and PC. Thankfully, we’ll be seeing more of it very soon at Geoff Keighley’s “The Game Awards” on December 12, 2024. Delays aren’t out of the question, but if it hits its release window, we’ll be getting Mafia: The Old Country and Grand Theft Auto VI in the same year, which is incredible. Take-Two is really getting our money’s worth next year (pun intended).
If you grew up on gangster movies, then you may have gone beyond just watching them and picked up games like the Mafia trilogy, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Saints Row, The Getaway, Empire of Sin, and even Scarface: The World is Yours (2006), The Godfather (2006), or The Sopranos: Road to Respect (2006) along the way. Well, Mafia 4 or The Old Country seem like incredible contenders for any fan of period games, although we’ll have to sit tight and wait for more information at the TGA. Fingers crossed for an eight-minute gameplay trailer.
Photo: 2K
In the meantime, keep in mind that Mafia Definitive Edition is free on Xbox or PC Game Pass. The remake is an incredible experience with beautifully rendered, period-appropriate vehicles, modeled after the 1937 Cadillac V16, the 1934 Chrysler Airflow, the 1926 Ford Model T, the 1929 Stutz Blackhawk, the bizarre yet compelling 1938 Phantom Corsair, and the stunning 1933 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow.
You can also bribe the cops if they try to give you a speeding ticket, if that helps move the needle. But all jokes aside, Mafia: Definitive Edition is one of the best third-person action games out there, depicting the 1930s like no other.
While it’s free on Game Pass, there’s one piece of bad news for the console version: it only runs at 30fps because it never received a proper “next-gen” performance patch. As always, the best place to enjoy a buttery-smooth experience is on your old PC, blue screen or no blue screen.
It’s not even that demanding. The recommended specs call for at least 16GB of RAM, 50GB of storage, and an Intel Core-i7 3770 or AMD FX-8350 CPU paired with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 or AMD Radeon RX 5700 GPU.
Mafia 4 is only available for the current generation, and from the official images, it looks like we should be expecting some pretty strict PC specs to run it at 4K Ultra settings and a minimum of 60fps, not to mention ray-traced global illumination, shadows, reflections, and all that “nonsense.” Perhaps it will take advantage of the elusive PS5 Pro.
