Mafia: The Old Country is the fourth game in the Mafia series and the first prequel. It is also the first Mafia game to be set outside of the USA, being set in 1900s Sicily (not counting the first mission in Mafia II). Mafia: The Old Country focuses on Enzo Favara, a young man who starts off working in the brutal sulfur mines and ends up working for the Torrisi family, before being inducted into their family proper. The story follows Enzo as he escapes the mines for hopefully a better life with the Torrisi’s, or that’s the idea, anyway.
This is my ranking of all 15 missions (or chapters) in the game, including the prologue. Which one was the best, and which was the worst? I generally think Mafia: The Old Country is an excellent game with a compelling story, a fantastic cast of characters, and a stunning setting, so I’m excited to go through each of these missions and see which one ends up on top.
For the purpose of this ranking, there will be major spoilers for the story, including the ending, so read at your own risk.
The videos for each mission are credited to Mafia Game Videos and Willzyyy.
15. Chapter 9 – Industria
Mafia: The Old Country is full of stealth-based sequences, probably more so than any other Mafia game. While the stealth sections are pretty tense, some are harder and more frustrating than others. Industria is one of them.
It starts off easy enough; you just have to travel by car or horse to the factory. This is pleasant enough, but don’t be deceived. This is setting you up for a tricky stealth segment. Apart from the final mission, Industria probably has the most difficult stealth section in the game. It’s also very frustrating. If you get caught, you won’t fail, but you’ll be caught in a huge gunfight that usually ends badly. If you die, you have to start the stealth segment all over again!
Why Industria Ranks Low on This List
This was the one mission I really struggled with in Mafia: The Old Country. I’m usually not too bad at stealth, but this one was really tricky. It’s also annoying because when you die, you have to start from the beginning and once again slowly pick your way past each guard. If you screw up or get caught, you’ve practically failed before you die, because it’s so hard clearing all the guards. Once you think you’ve wiped them all out, another dozen appear out of nowhere to catch you out.
However, once you do get past the tricky stealth part, it does conclude with a really cool escape out of the burning factory. There is a shootout segment here, concluded with a knife fight, but it’s not too difficult to do.
Industria isn’t necessarily a bad mission in Mafia: The Old Country, but for me it was the most frustrating.
14. Chapter 6 – La Difesa Siciliana
This mission includes another tricky stealth segment. And this one seems worse because you have to sneak into a jail to free someone and then grab some printing plates. Oh joy.
Sneaking past dozens of guards in a heavily-guarded building at night seems so daunting. I didn’t find this as hard as the stealth part in Industria, but it still wasn’t the easiest. It just initially seemed an impossible task to do, not to mention it was one of the earlier missions in Mafia: The Old Country.
Although I rank this mission low, I don’t outright hate it (or any mission in Mafia at that matter) because I did enjoy walking around the market near the beginning, looking for the informant. I don’t know why, but I guess because I like the slower, quieter moments where you can just explore an interesting normal scene like an Italian market.
13. Chapter 8 – Disgrazia
When doing this ranking, I actually had to look up some of the missions to remind myself what they were, as I’d forgotten. Disgrazia was one of these. You basically travel to a tannery and have to sneak past and fight your way through dozens of guards, in the fog.
With the stealth segments and shootouts (and the car chase), Disgrazia just felt like another mission in Mafia: The Old Country. It didn’t really stick out that much. I suppose the fog making it harder to see did add an edge to it, but otherwise it felt a tad flat, and unmemorable.
12. Chapter 3 – Pizzu
Pizzu is an early mission in Mafia: The Old Country, and admittedly another that wasn’t the most memorable for me. Looking back, it kind of reminds me of that mission early in Mafia: The Definitive Edition, where you go around doing little jobs for the family, collecting money that’s owed around town.
The reason I ranked Pizzu so low was because it just seemed to drag on a bit. It’s variable enough; you threaten a lemon farmer and then have to crack a safe code (I wish we had more of this in Mafia: The Old Country), there’s a knife fight, and then there’s a stealth section. Finally, there’s a big shootout at the end. This is all in a day’s work, I guess, but like I said, it just felt too long for a mission. I felt that one section could have been cut out to make it a bit shorter.
There’s also a minor moment worth mentioning. When Enzo and Cesare dispose of the bodies after the shootout, Cesare stops Enzo tossing one body down the well. I thought maybe the guy was still alive, only for Cesare to cut off his finger with his knife! Eurgh! I wasn’t expecting him to do that and it actually made me feel a bit queasy. I’ve seen much worse in video games, but it just caught me off guard.
11. Chapter 5 – Vendetta D’Onore
This is another mission in Mafia: The Old Country I forgot about and had to jog my memory by looking it up. This involves another big stealth section, which is to be expected, and it takes place at night. It’s not the hardest one I’ve done, and you won’t fail if you get caught. It’s also not too hard to defeat the enemies if they do spot you. You have to do a big shootout at the end anyway, but it’s not really hard. The ending of this mission is also quite interesting, if a bit disturbing, showing the man’s body at the end (did they cut off his fingers as well?)
This is another mission that’s not bad, it’s just not terribly memorable, and from memory, the stealth part does go on for quite a while.
10. Chapter 1 – Famiglia
Famiglia is the first chapter in Mafia: The Old Country that takes place right after the prologue. Since it’s a very early mission, it’s a bit slow – but that’s what I like about this one. After the chaos of the prologue, it’s quite nice to slow down before you get going again.
After an easy-enough stealth segment at the beginning, the rest of the mission involves doing some menial tasks around the Torrisi estate, but I kind of like the slower paced gameplay. It reminds me of the segment in Red Dead Redemption II where as John Marston you do chores around the ranch.
It’s not the most exciting or action-packed gameplay by any means, but it is quite relaxing. You also get to know your way around the Torrisi estate and meet the people who work there, the same people you’ll be dealing with throughout the rest of the game.
9. Chapter 4 – Il Barone
I quite like Il Barone for a number of reasons. It’s got a lot jammed in it, but it doesn’t feel rushed or feel too much like it drags on. You ride by horse with Isabella to some ruins (and there’s a little race, I believe). Then you unlock the camera and take your first photo, which is one of my favorite collectibles in Mafia: The Old Country. After this, you get to drive a car for the first time, and then there’s a race around the ruins, which is good fun.
It doesn’t end there. Isabella and her companion, the baron’s son, get kidnapped, prompting a gunfight through the ruins (not the hardest in this game, thankfully), followed by a really cool chase in the car. It’s not over yet though! You still have to rescue the baron’s son from his kidnappers. I was expecting this to go into the next mission, but it turned out to be the final part of this mission. There’s a lengthy stealth/shootout segment, concluded with a knife fight.
All-in-all, this is a pretty good chapter. It’s got slower moments, fun moments, and tense action-packed moments. It is quite lengthy, but it’s so good I don’t actually mind in this case.
8. Chapter 10 – La Festa
This is another jam-packed mission in Mafia: The Old Country, but boy is it a good one. It starts off nicely enough, with a gentle car ride and then a blissful walk around the city of San Celeste. And then just like that, the atmosphere changes dramatically, and it’s time for some good old-fashioned action.
Action-wise, La Festa is a very good mission. You have to dodge the deadly bullets of a sniper by working your way up to him, then there’s a knife fight at the top of a tower. Following this is a chase across the rooftops and through the buildings until there’s another round of knife dueling. The next round has you chasing him, shooting goons along the way. The final stage has you chasing the assassin by horse through the countryside, popping off enemies trying to stop you, culminating in a final round of knife fighting.
It’s a satisfying ending, and a satisfying mission all round.
7. Chapter 11- Mattanza
In terms of story impact, Mattanza hits hard. In this mission, you’re forced to say goodbye to a good friend: Luca. The premise is that the two feuding mafia families are meeting to make some kind of deal. You can probably see where this is going.
It might seem predictable, but there are two things I didn’t see coming. First was the sudden and shocking death of Don Galante, the grandfather of long-time Mafia regular Leo Galante, who I really like in this game. Second was the sad demise of Luca, who unfortunately fell foul to a nasty bullet wound. I hoped he would be saved, but it was not to be.
What was really tragic about Luca’s death were a few things. One was that he’d just had his baby son baptised. The other was he had another young son, Samuele Trapani (yes, that Sam Trapani from the first Mafia game). The biggest thing though was his final words to Enzo: get out of the mafia life. This obviously meant something to Enzo, as that’s exactly what he planned to do.
Mattanza was a great mission in Mafia: The Old Country, but also a sad and tragic one that left me reeling.
6. Chapter 13 – Capiregime
Capiregime is the penultimate chapter in Mafia: The Old Country, and there’s a definite sense of the beginning of the end. At this point, in light of Luca’s death and Isabella’s pregnancy with Enzo, you feel disillusioned about being a part of the Torrisi family. Even with Don Torrisi giving Enzo the role of leading the operations at the local mine, it feels so meaningless. Working your way up the mafia doesn’t seem important anymore. This mission is very reminiscent of the final chapters with Dutch’s gang in Red Dead Redemption II, when everything feels like it’s falling apart around you, nothing’s the same anymore, and you basically want out.
Gameplay-wise, this mission involves going around and finishing off the last of the Torrisi’s rivals. You have to clear out gangs of enemies, involving shootouts and stealth sections. These actually weren’t frustrating to do compared to other parts of the game, but perhaps at this point, when you know you’re so close to the end, you suddenly feel more invested to just get stuff done and over with. You just want to deal with these guys and then go.
5. Prologue – Tremori
The very first mission of a game is always an interesting one. It usually gives you a good taster of what’s to come, plus introducing the setting, the story, the theme, and the main character you’re controlling. The prologue of Mafia: The Old Country, fittingly titled Tremori, doesn’t disappoint there. For me, it’s probably the best opening mission in all the Mafia games.
In this mission, you control Enzo as you work through another torturous day in the sulfur mines, alongside your companion. This scene is just set so well. You really feel the plight of not just Enzo, but the other hard-done-by workers. You can almost feel the sweat on your own back, feel claustrophobic as you navigate the dark cramped dangerous tunnels. You’re not just watching, listening, and playing through this chapter; you are right there yourself, stepping right into Enzo’s shoes. It’s certainly a banger of an opening for Mafia: The Old Country.
4. Chapter 2 – Palio
Palio, one of the earliest mission in Mafia: The Old Country, ranks high for me. There’s just something I really like about this mission. Maybe it’s the horse riding – and racing! It’s the only horse race in the game, which is kind of a shame because they did it really well here and it was surprisingly good fun, if challenging.
I also like that you get to explore the town a bit before the start of the race. The creators behind Mafia: The Old Country did a fabulous job of bringing the world to life with these different events. It feels like you don’t know where to look first because you don’t want to miss anything. The attention to detail is just gorgeous.
In this mission, you also get a tutorial from Luca on knife fighting, a big feature in this game. It’s conducted very well so you can pick up several tips, which is extremely helpful for the rest of the game.
3. Chapter 7 – Spirito Sportivo
I’m not normally into racing games, or just racing segments in games. I don’t hate them, I just don’t generally buy racing games. But there’s something so exceptional about how Spirito Sportivo was done that I actually seriously enjoyed this mission, enough for it to make it into my top 3 missions of Mafia: The Old Country.
After a slightly slow start of towing a car and then a stealth section to get a photo for blackmail, it’s time to get racing. First, you get to have a quick race with a train, which in itself is pretty cool (I love trains in video games). Then there’s the actual race. It’s long, it’s tricky, but it is such good fun. It’s great to do something really fun amongst all the sneaking around and shooting. Plus, you get Cesare as your co-driver, so it’s nice to have someone for company, rather than just driving alone.
The racing mission in Mafia: The Definitive Edition is fun in itself, but this one from Mafia: The Old Country comes out on top.
2. Chapter 14 – La Merica
As far as finale’s go, La Merica in Mafia: The Old Country is just epic! It’s a lengthy final mission and there’s a lot I want to talk about, so buckle in.
The Hopeful Ending That Didn’t Last
First off, Enzo and Isabella are leaving for Empire Bay in America (aka the setting for Mafia II, where Leo also ends up). There’s an drive up to the train station that’s full of nervous optimism – but of course, it all goes wrong as Enzo and Isabella are caught by Tino and Cesare. Watching Enzo and Isabella get physically torn apart from each other is genuinely heartbreaking, and brilliantly acted.
Cesare takes Enzo to the sulfur mine, where it all started at the beginning of Mafia: The Old Country. Listening to Cesare chew out Enzo is also hard to swallow. You know as Enzo, you’ve really gone and done it now – but can you hardly blame him? It’s scary to watch as Don Torrisi unleashes his rage on Enzo, declaring that he will finish Enzo off for his betrayal. If that wasn’t bad enough, he’s arranged for Isabella to have an abortion! It’s just gut-wrenching.
Although Enzo was initiated into the Torrisi family, many factors made him want to leave.
Another Chance to Escape?
There’s a glimmer of hope as Enzo manages to briefly break free, challenging Cesare to a knife fight. There are plenty of boss fights in Mafia: The Old Country, but this is different. You’re not fighting some goon or even a formidable enemy: you’re fighting your old friend. If anything, that’s much worse.
Oh, and did I mention that the nearby volcano actually erupts and spews fiery lava rocks in this chapter? It’s just so awesome to watch! It makes an already electric atmosphere twenty times better!
After this, you fight your way through endless swarms of Torrisi’s men in a grueling gunfight, culminating in Enzo escaping through the tunnels of the mine where he once worked. This setting is just so fitting. You race through the tunnels, at one point having to battle your way through a section with deadly gas.
After you manage to finally get out, there’s one final confrontation: with the Don himself! This fight is fierce, but also the most meaningful. After finally defeating him, it seems like it’s all over. But it’s not.
I actually saw this next bit coming. When Cesare appeared and extended his hand to Enzo, I knew exactly what he was going to do. Poor Enzo. He had so much to look forward to. His demise was so tragic. Why Cesare? Was it out of loyalty to the Torrisi’s? Did he hate Enzo? Was he that jealous and resentful of him? I guess so. Anyhow, Enzo’s death was shocking and haunting, watching his final moments as he bled out on the ground, never getting his happy ending.
And so ends the story for Enzo Favara.
A New Playable Character for the End
It doesn’t end there. What’s next is just so well done, in my opinion. For the final part of La Merica and Mafia: The Old Country, you assume the role of Isabella. At this point, she’s at her lowest. Her escape is thwarted, she doesn’t know if Enzo’s dead, her home is being destroyed by the volcano eruption, and she’s being forced to abort her baby. It’s time for Isabella to take her fate into her own hands.
During this stage, Isabella must sneak her way through the estate. This is especially difficult because she doesn’t share Enzo’s useful gift of being able to scope out nearby enemies, neither does she wield any weapons. You do manage to obtain a knife eventually, but essentially, it’s all about stealth now. You get spotted and it’s game over.
Although this part of the game is difficult, it’s also incredibly awesome. Sneaking through the Torrisi estate as lava rains down, setting the place on fire, slowing creeping through the inferno that you once called home, now being destroyed right before your eyes. It’s pure symbolism for the fall of the Torrisi’s.
Even after his death, the Don’s reign is still felt in the final moments with Isabella.
One Last Boss Fight
Then there’s just one final boss section: Tino. One word: urgh! This part, while very cool and atmospheric, is also incredibly difficult. You really do need to rely on your wits now. One wrong move and you have to start again. Basically, you have to hide from Tino while he stalks the yard, ducking behind crates and barrels. There’s no set pattern to Tino’s movement. The fear comes not knowing where he’s going, whether he’s going to catch you. The few moments where I briefly lost sight of him was honestly so tense. When he did catch you, the implications were too terrifying to bear.
By the time I was on my fifth attempt, I was so ready to finish Tino off. I really felt like I was fighting for my life, my freedom. I felt the same way as Enzo in the prologue. I really felt like I was in that burning yard, this moment determining my fate.
The worst part wasn’t just sneaking up on Tino to attack, but the QTE prompts. Fortunately you only have two of these (with three attack prompts), but because I was so fueled by adrenaline due to fear and the fact I was so close to the end, my thumb would occasionally falter, which is fatal when you have a brief window to mash that attack button. I was probably one button hit away from getting it, meaning I had to start over. Fortunately, with much teeth gnashing and determination, I did it.
With Enzo’s role over, it’s now Isabella’s turn to try and escape her fate.
The Final Cutscene
The final scene was so powerful. A dazed Cesare arrives, breaking the bad news to Isabella. He doesn’t have to say it. Isabella’s reaction is just heartbreaking. Then Cesare does the one decent thing: he lets her go. He states there’s nothing left for her there anymore, and he’s right. Her father’s dead, and the estate’s been destroyed. And with that, Isabella makes her escape, not with Enzo sadly, but at least with her baby. Seeing her by herself on that boat, reading that final letter from Enzo, and then seeing Empire Bay for the first time was so well done, sad but also filled with hope. I really hope Isabella got her happy ending, and her baby. Enzo would have wanted that.
It’s the perfect end to Mafia: The Old Country. Frustrating at times (I’m talking about you, Tino), but still so awesome. For me, it’s probably one of the best moments out of the whole Mafia franchise.
1. Chapter 12 – La Forza Del Destino
So, we’ve come to the end, the top of the ranking. The big question is: what is my favorite mission out of the 15 in Mafia: The Old Country? When it comes down to it, apart from the concluding chapter, it’s this one: La Forza Del Destino.
A Night at the Opera
I don’t know what it is about this particular mission that makes it my favorite. I think it’s the fact it’s set in an opera house, which I think it a really cool setting. Getting to go to an authentic 1900s Italian opera house while there’s an actual opera taking place? Hell, yes! I just adore all the attention to detail at this place. Yes, the stealth segment is a little tricky in places, but the setting totally compensates for that.
I think for me personally I have a fascination with old theaters, so I think this is why this particular mission resonated with me, and the fact that it wasn’t an abandoned building, but a completely functioning facility in its heyday. My favorite part was getting to go backstage and even above the stage at one point. You even get to see the scenery moving about! The attention to detail in this game is just incredible.
Then there’s the big shootout at the opera house. Watching the place go up in flames was just so cool, I wasn’t even that bothered when I died and had to restart, as I was enjoying it so much.
That’s not all. To get in and out of the opera house, you have to go through some old catacombs, another really cool part of this mission, not to mention the final confrontation taking place here.
Why Is La Forza Del Destino My Favorite?
It might seem odd after my raving about La Merica that I put La Forza Del Destino as my favorite mission in Mafia: The Old Country, but I think one reason is I found Tino’s segment so hard (but then it is the final boss fight, so what do I expect?) The main reason though is I just love the whole setup of this mission, being at a fully-functioning opera house with a very cool conclusion. Therefore, La Forza Del Destino is my favorite mission in Mafia: The Old Country.
Conclusion
That rounds off my ranking for the missions in Mafia: The Old Country. If you feel differently about this ranking or have your own favorite or worst missions, let us know in the comments.
If you haven’t yet, be sure to read our reviews for Mafia: The Old Country, one for the PC version and the other for PS5. You can also read our series of guides for the missions.
