Mafia: The Old Country launches later this week. Taking us back to the early 20th century, the latest game in the iconic franchise sees Enzo Favara, played by Riccardo Frascari, work his way up through the ranks of a crime family in the age of the establishment of the Mafia.
For Frascari and Johnny Santiago (who plays Bernardo Torrisi), this was their first video game, which brought its own unique challenges. "In many ways it's like doing theatre and shooting a movie at the same time," described Santiago. "Once you're on the sound stage, you're just on. There's no hiding—there are cameras very close to your face, there are cameras all around you, and every single movement you're making is being picked up at all times."
"That was really interesting and, in a way - at least for me - made me feel that I had to focus a bit more, which is fun. We're on a set, we're in green suits, headgear, and we have all these markers on ourselves. And there's no walls; there might be a stanchion, and you're told, 'That's a wall, and that's a field.' So you really have to lean into your imagination. It's something that you adapt to very quickly. In a way, it was kind of freeing," he added.
Frascari also said that there was a feeling of authenticity to the events and cultures depicted in the game. "I have to say that I was very surprised by the authenticity of everything. The more we read about the story of the game itself and then compared it to what was actually happening in Sicily during that time, it became clear that it was accurate," he said. "It was how the Cosa Nostra, the Mafia, was created back in those days, and many of the characters - as well as the situations - in the game could have been real. Even I, as an Italian, didn't know certain things about Sicily and the Sicilian language, so it was a great experience to learn more."
Mafia: The Old Country launches on the 8th of August for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. You can read our full interview with its stars here.