While open-world, sandbox adventures might be all the rage still, a lot of developers are beginning to realise that not many gamers have the hundreds of hours of free time required to put away more than a couple of massive experiences per year. Linear, shorter games are becoming more appreciated, which is something Mafia: The Old Country's developer Hangar 13 took notice of.
Speaking to IGN ahead of their preview with the game, Hangar 13 president Nick Baynes mentioned how he and his team wanted players to finish the story of this prequel. "Mafia 3, though very good, went full open world, and the developers seem to feel similarly about it in hindsight as players did," said IGN's Ryan McCaffrey. "It just didn't fit Mafia well."
Baynes apparently also suggested the positive reception to the remake of the original Mafia gave the team a desire to return the franchise back to its roots. Something accomplished both in the gameplay and story of Mafia: The Old Country.
Mafia: The Old Country launches on the 8th of August for PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PS5.