Welcome to the Family. Mafia: The Old Country is available now. Before you experience Enzo Favara's descent into the gritty criminal underworld of 1900s Sicily, here's a list of quick, spoiler-free tips to help you on your journey through the Valle Dorata. And don't miss our video series "The Family Code" with gameplay deep dives narrated by central characters from the game.
Don't wait to shop at vendors, equip upgrades, or loot fallen enemies
If you're presented with the opportunity to shop for new items and upgrades—at Pasquale's or Valerio's, for example—you should make sure to spend your hard-earned Dinari on weapons, cars, horses, Charms, and more, as there's no telling where the story will take you next. Items can also be purchased from any wardrobe, garage, stable, or weapon locker.
Charms are especially valuable long-term purchases as they provide passive benefits when equipped. The more Charms you have to choose from, the better prepared you'll be for whatever it takes to get a job done. Assign Charms to slots on Enzo’s rosary via the Charms screen when you collect them; you can enhance the rosary by purchasing extra Charm slots at Pasquale’s store.
This advice for seizing the moment rather than leaving things for later also applies when you're on the lookout for collectibles, looting the bodies of slain enemies, or simply taking in the natural beauty of your surroundings. It's also worth knowing that unlocked items are saved to your profile, so you can access them all on a second playthrough, in Chapter Replay, or in Explore.
Make adjustments in the Settings menu to suit your playstyle
The Settings menu in Mafia: The Old Country includes many options to adjust gameplay to better fit the way you want to play. From Manual Shifting and Simulation Driving toggles to Customizable Aim Assist, an adjustable HUD, a suite of accessibility options, and even a full Sicilian voiceover dub, there are myriad ways to fine-tune this experience so that it best suits your playstyle and preferred degree of challenge. For a quick overview, check out this pre-release Community Q&A, or find the full range of settings in-game.
Take full advantage of each unique knife type
The addition of knife-centric combat mechanics is an exciting new element in Mafia: The Old Country, with three different types of knives that Enzo has the option to wield. Here's a quick overview of each variety:
Scannaturi: These knives can be thrown.
Rasolu: These knives allow for one-hit kills during active combat.
Stiletto: These knives have the highest durability.
For more on the finer points of the game's knife-related gameplay details, such as perks and the ability to sharpen your blade using whetstones, you can find a more detailed breakdown in the above-mentioned Community Q&A.
Become a master duelist with these knife-fighting tips
Mafia: The Old Country's many climactic, one-on-one knife fights are designed to be intense, so staying aware of certain elements might help elevate you from an inexperienced novice to a professional duelist. For example, try to listen for critical audio cues signaling your enemy's next move, and watch for red glints indicating unparryable attacks that must be dodged.
Keep in mind that the timing windows for different inputs (dodge, parry, etc.) are unique, and button-mashing won't get Enzo very far in these dramatic standoffs. The key to winning is variety. Change your strategy often to maintain the upper hand.
The in-game tutorials and mid-fight feedback will communicate everything you need to know, and staying aware of those key audio-visual cues will give you a killer advantage.
You don't have to play previous Mafia entries to enjoy this crime drama
As we said in a previous Community Q&A back in June, there's absolutely no need to make sure you've played past entries in the Mafia series before playing Mafia: The Old Country. As an all-new, standalone origin story for both the franchise and organized crime as we know it, this turn-of-the-century narrative was largely designed with newcomers in mind.
If you have already experienced the journeys of Tommy Angelo, Vito Scaletta, or Lincoln Clay, you'll certainly recognize Easter eggs and subtle nods to what lies ahead on the established Mafia timeline. You can also score in-game rewards for Mafia: The Old Country via 2K Account rewards and the Franchise Loyalty Rewards associated with the Definitive Editions of Mafia, Mafia II, and Mafia III*. And if you do decide to dive into the rest of the franchise after finishing this prequel, not only will you notice connections that extend back to this tale in 1900s Sicily, but you'll have even more reason to eventually revisit the reference-filled Mafia: The Old Country.
Expertly sneak through the shadows with these stealth gameplay tips:
Make use of Enzo's Instinct ability, which allows him to see through objects and detect enemies in his immediate environment.
Remember that there are often places to stash bodies in each area, which will prevent guards from being alerted by the sight of a corpse.
Don't forget to throw coins or bottles to distract enemies so you can sneak by or eliminate them while they investigate the audible misdirection.
Some stealth sequences may have multiple points of entry or exit for Enzo to utilize.
Throw a Scannaturi knife to perform a ranged stealth kill. Just be sure to collect it again afterward!
You can follow the road signs to your objective
Much like in Mafia: Definitive Edition, when traveling by car or horse, you might notice helpful signage popping up alongside roads to point the way. It's a subtle effect, but these road signs are actually reactive to your position in relation to your next objective, so they'll always point you towards progress if you're trying to complete the mission. This "Navigation Signage" feature is toggled on by default in the Gameplay section of the Settings menu, but you're always free to turn it off—or back on, if you'd like some guidance.
Armed with these tips, as well as the information in the linked articles above, you're now better equipped than the average carusu freshly emerged from the sulfur mines. For an even more in-depth look at the game, you can check out a month's worth of exclusive IGN First coverage.
*Rewards require an internet connection and a 2K Account linked to the applicable Mafia title(s). One of each reward per 2K Account. Rewards will be automatically entitled in the applicable game. Void where prohibited. Terms apply