10 Gangster Games to Satisfy Your Mafia: The Old Country Cravings

Summary

Gamescon 2024 featured a surprise announcement: Mafia: The Old Country, a prequel to the Mafia series set in Italy.
While waiting for Mafia: The Old Country, players can explore similar-themed games like Assassin’s Creed Syndicate.
City of Gangsters offers players a unique experience by focusing on managing a prohibition-era gang, highlighting the business aspect of the mafia.

2024’s Gamescon unveiled some intriguing revelations, but the announcement that captivated many was none other than “Mafia: The Old Country”. This series has been relatively quiet since 2016’s “Mafia III”, but now it’s set to make a comeback with a fresh installment. “Mafia: The Old Country” promises something novel and distinct. Unlike its predecessors, this prequel shifts the setting entirely. Instead of focusing on the American Italian Mafia as in the original game, “The Old Country” delves into the early days of organized crime when it was based in Italy. The choice to depart from America and present an underrepresented perspective is certainly intriguing and has the potential to create a fascinating “Mafia” game. Unfortunately, those eager to embark on this new journey will have to exercise patience. “Mafia: The Old Country” doesn’t even have a definitive release date, only expected sometime this year.

The Old Country.

10. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate

Fighting Gangsters With Gangsters

In the world of Assassin’s Creed, crime is not uncommon, but the series takes it to another level with Syndicate. This time around, you’ll follow twin siblings, Jacob and Evie Frye, as they traverse Victorian London – a city infamous for its high crime rate due to severe class divisions. Unsurprisingly, the Templar Grand Master is utilizing a gang called the Blighters to advance his objectives. To dismantle his control and liberate London, Jacob and Evie decide to establish their own gang, the Rooks. A significant portion of Syndicate’s gameplay revolves around Jacob and Evie weakening the Blighter’s influence over different districts of London so they can take them over with their own gang. While it may be more reminiscent of Gangs of New York rather than The Godfather, there’s still plenty of action related to gangs for players to engage in – although instead of shooting them with guns, you’ll likely resort to beating the Blighters with a cane.

9. City of Gangsters

The Less Exciting Side of Crime

Developer: SomaSim
Release Date: August 9, 2021
Platform: PC

When considering the mafia, one might envision the brutal acts associated with it. Typically, this involves a character like Edward G. Robinson puffing on a large cigar and blasting a Tommy gun at a former associate – an image frequently depicted in films and games. However, it’s essential to remember that the mafia is not merely about shootouts and fine dining. At its core, it’s a business requiring a competent leader to run it. This is what sets City of Gangsters apart – it places you in the role of the Godfather, focusing more on building and managing a Prohibition-era gang instead of the usual violence. This entails generating income, supervising production and distribution, hiring staff, and establishing locations to sell alcohol. Since everything is illegal during Prohibition, you must also devise strategies to avoid detection by authorities. As it turns out, being the Don is not as glamorous as it appears.

8. The Godfather

A Chance to Revisit One of Mafia’s Biggest Inspirations

Intriguingly, if you’ve ever wondered about experiencing one of the films that greatly influenced the Mafia series in a game-like format, there’s actually a way! Surprisingly, The Godfather, a classic gangster movie and significant inspiration for the Mafia series, does have its own video games. The 2006 adaptation and its sequel invite players to step into the shoes of an original mobster, whose tale interweaves with the films’ events.

Redwood Shores’ developer took significant steps to bring back some of the original cast members from the movies. They came very close to having Marlon Brando reprise his role as Vito Corleone, but unfortunately, his health issues made the recorded audio inadequate. Despite this setback, Brando’s legendary character found a way back into the game through digital technology. This may seem old-fashioned now, but at that time, the idea of ‘The Godfather’ making an appearance in a video game was highly anticipated. Given the poor reputation licensed games had then, it truly managed to impress many gamers.

7. Grand Theft Auto Franchise

An Icon of Crime Games

Without a doubt, Rockstar’s contentious game series, famously known for its portrayal of crime in video games, stands as one of the most influential icons. It’s no surprise that it served as a catalyst for numerous other games, such as Mafia. The appeal of these games lies primarily in the thrill of grand theft auto, a pastime that Mafia players are likely familiar with. However, what truly sets this series apart is the extensive variety of criminal activities one can engage in. Each game is set in a disguised representation of a significant American city, serving as a virtual playground for individuals yearning to explore their darker impulses without the constraints of “morality” or “consequences”. The series’ notoriety stems from the fact that virtually any crime imaginable can be committed. From kidnapping and murder to theft and property damage, there are few limits. While the authorities might be called, there are strategies for avoiding them.

For enthusiasts of narrative-focused games like Mafia, Grand Theft Auto delves into a biting critique of American society. Its destructive elements serve as a satire for real-world problems such as economic disparity, racial tensions, organized crime, and corporate, political, and governmental corruption. These topics form the core of each game’s narrative.

6. L.A. Noire

Change Things Up By Playing as a Cop

In contrast to Rockstar’s notorious car-theft adventure, this detective simulator adopts a unique spin by placing players as law enforcers instead of criminals. The game delves into the complexities of maintaining order in a city teeming with corruption and violence. Conducting investigations, uncovering clues, and engaging in high-octane action sequences against assorted criminals are integral parts of the experience. Despite being on the side of justice, players will often find themselves entangled in various criminal underworld problems such as organized crime, petty crime, police corruption, and illicit business dealings. Interestingly enough, many of the crimes that could occur in a typical Mafia game are present here, albeit from a different perspective.

5. Payday Franchise

High Stakes, Big Payouts

Perhaps some gamers aren’t overly interested in the narrative, but rather, they enjoy the excitement of breaking into a place and making off with a large sum of cash while evading the authorities. If you fall into this category, then there’s a game for you – Payday. This series of multiplayer shooters (comprising currently three installments) places players as professional burglars who collaborate to execute heists with substantial payoffs. There are various methods to achieve this objective. Players who prefer a more subtle approach might opt for stealthily infiltrating the premises, disabling security systems, and evading guards, while those who are less patient can go straight for the guns. Regardless of the chosen method, the game’s heists are known for becoming chaotic and explosive. A crucial aspect of a successful heist is knowing how to react when the police arrive, whether it’s to open fire or attempt to stall with hostages. It’s an intense experience, but when executed correctly, the “heroes” (though they may be called that loosely) can make their escape with a considerable amount of money.

4. Red Dead Redemption 2

A Game About Western Outlaws in a Changing World

In another instance of games from Rockstar, Red Dead Redemption 2 delves into the sorrowful tale of a bandit group battling to endure in the twilight years of the Wild West. Although it may not be the crime-syndicate narrative players typically encounter, it still presents a grim account of protagonists ensnared within a world that is tightening around them. A significant portion of the narrative revolves around their attempts to grapple with their looming demise. This theme should resonate with fans of Mafia or even gangster movie enthusiasts, as it shares striking similarities with the denouement of most gangster narratives. This is essentially the part where everything the hero has built comes tumbling down and they face their imminent end. Naturally, there are ample opportunities to engage in criminal activities, offering choices on how honorably these actions are carried out. Given the setting, players won’t be able to perform conventional grand theft auto, but they can swipe horses, wagons, and even trains if they wish.

Surprisingly, even though Red Dead Redemption 2 leans heavily on its western setting, Mafia players might find a specific plot twist intriguing. There’s a segment featuring a character named Angelo Bronte, who essentially heads up an early form of the mafia. In other words, he is the precursor to the powerful mafia families that would later rise to prominence during Prohibition.

3. Scarface: The World Is Yours

The Infamous Trigger-Happy Drug Lord is Back From the Dead

Some individuals may appreciate gangster films yet find “The Godfather” a bit complex and hard to grasp due to its intricate storyline. Instead, they might gravitate towards the 1983 classic film “Scarface,” starring Al Pacino, which has had significant impact on Mafia-themed games. Remarkably, the notorious mobster Tony Montana is a playable character in “Scarface: The World is Yours.” This 2006 sequel offers an alternate ending where Montana survives the film’s climactic gunfight, and he then sets out to reclaim his criminal empire and seek retribution against his arch-nemesis.

In this game, you play as the character known for exclaiming “Greet my small companion” while wielding an M16, a persona associated with much violence and chaos. However, what sets it apart from other crime games is that it also allows you to manage the syndicate, a role often overlooked in such games. Unlike many crime titles where the player character typically clashes with an established boss, here you get to be the one calling the shots as Tony Montana, the boss himself.

2. Sleeping Dogs

Action and Adventure in Hong Kong

In “Sleeping Dogs,” players find themselves in an exhilarating scenario, assuming the role of a covert police officer tasked with penetrating a Triad gang in Hong Kong. This setup creates a captivating dilemma as the protagonist, while seemingly working for justice, must also engage in illicit activities to preserve his cover. The unique Hong Kong backdrop offers a stark contrast to the “Mafia” series, given the Triads’ notoriety in cinema, particularly in portrayals of their operations in Hong Kong. With Hong Kong action films forming a genre unto themselves, it’s peculiar that they haven’t been extensively represented in video games. However, “Sleeping Dogs” is an exceptional case, offering a peek into a criminal underworld seldom delved into in detail. Although the gameplay may differ slightly, with more focus on hand-to-hand combat over shooting, it still provides ample opportunity for destructive car chases and a morally complex journey through the world of organized crime.

1. Yakuza Franchise

The Wackier Side of Organized Crime

This game titled “Mafia: The Old Country” transports players into the early era of the Italian Mob, yet some might hesitate due to its criminal theme. If you’re open to exploring other cultures, consider diving into the Yakuza series instead. Unlike the Mafia games, the Yakuza series doesn’t emphasize car theft and gunplay; rather, players engage in more hand-to-hand combat. However, it shares many similarities, such as navigating a morally ambiguous underworld filled with corruption, betrayal, greed, and violence. The series primarily focuses on different characters trying to make their way through the complex world of organized crime in Japan, a place where these negative aspects are all too common. A key aspect of the games is the constant struggle to uphold moral values amidst an environment that consistently challenges your sense of right and wrong.

2025-02-11 14:35