Mafia Definitive Edition PS4 - Review

Mafia Definitive Edition is a complete remake of the original game from 2002, with performance and visuals up to par with other PS4 games. However, don’t expect anything groundbreaking from this third person shooter/crime thriller. Mafia Definitive Edition feels safe and familiar. Its gameplay relies heavily on safe and tried formulas while its biggest strength lie in its story and storytelling. It's a real thriller.

The game follows Tommy Angelo’s rise and fall in the Salieri crime family. From doing small jobs for the Mafia he soon becomes a respected member of the family. With this promotion comes bigger jobs and a smaller conscience. What is right and wrong becomes more blurry over the course of the game, but one thing is for sure, family is forever.

The sequel, Mafia 2 had a great story and decent gameplay. The third installment, Mafia 3 was a bit different but good in its own way (apart from some annoying repetitive missions). Mafia Definitive Edition resembles Mafia 2 in gameplay, style and story. It features an open world but you rarely get to explore it. The world is primarily there to bring you the illusion that you are in a big city. Most of the time you just drive from one mission to the next admiring the city from a far. But that's okay. I played the game for the story and the occasional shootouts. 

Mafia Definitive Edition doesn’t overstay its welcome and is balanced in its storytelling. It is exactly the right length for this kind of game, about 10-15 hours of play. While I wouldn’t say that it is an essential must play game, I can recommend it.