Mafia: The Old Country DLC Transforms Open World into a Grand Theft Auto Experience

Mafia: The Old Country’s upcoming Man of Honor expansion is set to enhance the game’s previously sparse open world, aligning its Free Ride mode more closely with the expansive environments found in titles like Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2.

While the Sicilian backdrop provided a solid foundation for the linear single-player narrative, the Explore mode initially fell short due to a lack of engaging activities. However, Hangar 13 addressed this with the Free Ride update last November and is now expanding it further with Man of Honor.

In a gameplay overview trailer, design director Josh Zammit highlights how Salieri, a returning character pivotal to the new story chapters, serves as a key driver for fresh open world content. Players can take on jobs from Salieri, unlocking side quests that delve deeper into the Sicilian experience.

Beyond these jobs, Salieri also opens up various challenges in Free Ride mode, including standoff, assassination, circuit races, time trials, and road sprints scattered throughout Sicily. For those who prefer to explore independently, there are opportunities to hunt down outlaws, complete stunt jumps, and earn Dinari to unlock new weapons, charms, vehicles, and outfits for Enzo.

I’ve always viewed the narrative as Mafia: The Old Country’s standout feature rather than its open world. While I’m eager to dive into the new story chapters introduced in Man of Honor, it’s impressive to see how much Hangar 13 has enriched the Free Ride aspect over the past year. Although it may not be as ambitious as a title like Grand Theft Auto 6, these enhancements make Mafia: The Old Country a solid choice for fans awaiting the next Grand Theft Auto release in November.

Man of Honor launches on PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X on August 14, featuring two new story chapters and additional Free Ride content.