A Short Return To The Old Country
There is something fundamentally tricky about watching prequels in films, or playing prequels in games. The problem is that you already know the end of the story, and the prequel’s purpose is to fill in the gaps and explain how and why the conclusion has been met. Sometimes this is the reason a prequel loses some of its tension, because you know certain characters won’t die, for example.
Mafia: The Old Country is a game we loved back in 2025, and we were excited to play a new piece of story DLC. But does Man of Honor suffer from the prequel dilemma?
With Mafia: The Old Country – Man of Honor, we are given some new items to play with, including knives, guns, hats, outfits, charms, horses, and vehicles. In Free Ride mode, there are new stunts to have some fun with and wanted posters to collect. But the main draw is that of the two new missions found in the story mode.
An Intermission In Enzo’s Story
The missions are set in the middle of the main campaign and serve as an intermission from the main narrative. Set between Chapters five and six, they see our main lead, Enzo, and his partner in crime, Caesar, take on some more high jinks with a new character, Salieri. We say “new”, but for keen fans of the Mafia games, Salieri is a mob boss from the original Mafia.
Of course, with this being an expansion, it is tricky to remember where things sit with Enzo’s story, what with it being a year since launch of the base game. That meant many questions circled in my head – How deep was my relationship with the boss’s daughter? Where was I in terms of my relationships with the family? In one way, none of that matters because these two chapters (or missions if you will) stand on their own. Salieri is out of prison and comes back to the family after keeping his mouth shut for years. But he is looking for revenge against the people who stole from him, so he involves Enzo and Caesar in a couple of daring missions to seek revenge and earn some money.
What happens next involves escapes through the Sicilian countryside, taking in factories, a post lodge, and some farmyards. It’s a story involving horses, drugs, and high-society gambling. But overall, it’s a story that is exactly what it sets out to be… an intermission.
Good Characters, But A Quiet Finish
It’s enjoyable in terms of what you do on these missions, and it’s nice to see the relationship between the three protagonists and the conversations they have on the drive there. Of course, the writing is still on a par with the main game, with its high-quality dialogue and cinematic feel. I just felt that this time, the story finishes with a bit of a whimper. There is a big ending set piece, but not any proper showdown that I really wanted. However, I did appreciate the fact that there is a small side mission with Isabella where you chat and take photos. But I guess I wanted more.
Gameplay is much the same as the main game without any new surprises. That’s not a bad thing because Mafia: The Old Country already plays very well indeed. There is nothing more fun than driving around the Sicilian countryside in one of the many different cars; twisty, turny roads with no sat nav is always a lot of fun. Still, if you want to avoid the journey and skip to the mission, that option is there. But why would you do that?
More Guns, Cover And Stealth
Combat is the same as before too, heavily based around guns and cover. There are a couple of stealth sections with the ever-annoying mechanic that if you get spotted, you have to start from the same checkpoint. Yet there is no sign of the boss knife fights from the main game, which is a little bit of a shame.
It goes without saying that Man of Honor looks impressive as well, especially when driving around the sun-soaked roads. It’s the period details in the interiors, along with the documents and posters you find, that are fantastic. Character animations and cutscenes look amazing, and I liked some of the new locations used for these missions. The score is equally as impressive; sweeping, dramatic strings and superb voice work from the cast. It’s great to see Salieri make an appearance as well.
Man of Honor Is A Pleasant Return
For the most part, heading back to Mafia: The Old Country after a year is a success. But I wanted more from Man of Honor. Yes, it lives up to the high production standards of the main game, and it’s great to see a connection to the American series through Salieri. The story feels good too, but never amazing, and it fails to take the game in any surprising or new direction.
But if you just want to soak up the Italian sun and get involved in some shady work, then Mafia: The Old Country – Man of Honor will deliver the holiday you need.
Important Links
Mafia: The Old Country – Man Of Honor Continues Enzo’s Story – https://www.thexboxhub.com/mafia-the-old-country-man-of-honor-continues-enzos-story/
Buy from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/mafia-the-old-country-man-of-honor/9nmk0jgphht6?ocid=storeforweb
