Is Mafia Definitive Edition worth playing in 2025?

Mafia Definitive Edition was released in 2020 to a positive reception from fans of the series. The game is a remake of the 2002 original Mafia with more realistic character models, an open world, and an improved storyline. The Definitive Edition became one of the most memorable mob narratives in the video game industry in no time. However, most titles tend to get outdated after some time. But does that hold true for Mafia Definitive Edition as well?

To answer the question, the game is still worth playing in 2025. This article explains why.

Note: Parts of this article are subjective and reflect the writer's opinions.

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The storyline is masterfully written

The narrative is the game's highlight (Image via 2K)

The narrative of Mafia Definitive Edition revolves around Tommy Angelo, a cab driver who, under desperate circumstances, joins a world of crime by shaking hands with the Salieri family. Over the years, he proves his loyalty by doing odd jobs for them and rising through the ranks. However, he realises his choices are taking away peace from not just him, but his wife and child, too.

Soon, Tommy is betrayed by Salieri and chooses to take revenge and leave the organization safely with his family while he still can. What makes the narrative amazing is the way it explores the highs and lows of being in a crime family by showing how every action has consequences.

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The gameplay has been completely overhauled

The gameplay is quite smooth (Image via 2K)

Mafia Definitive Edition is a remake built from the ground up, meaning everything from the original was improved upon, including the gameplay. Here, we see a more realistic third-person cover-based shooter that provides weapons, such as shotguns, rifles, and even a Thompson submachine gun. Enemies can draw the protagonist out with Molotovs, which can get challenging.

Gamers will spend most of their time driving from one location to another, but can skip the section by pressing the designated button upon entering a vehicle for a mission. The open world feels empty outside of the main story, as there are no side missions — only collectibles that might be useful to those seeking 100% completion.

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Mafia Definitive Edition is a technical marvel

The visuals are still impressive (Image via 2K)

Mafia Definitive Edition was released as one of the last major titles on the previous generation of consoles. The developers were able to make the game run at a 4K resolution with a locked 30 FPS. The title features stunning visuals with realistic character models and environments that make the open world feel like a fever dream.

However, the locked framerate of 30 FPS sometimes feels like a drawback while playing on console. For a better experience, it is recommended to play on a PC to achieve higher framerates with a similar or better visual quality. The PlayStation 5 is highly capable of running the game at a locked 60 FPS, but 2K has not released a next-gen patch yet to increase the framerate.

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Is it worth playing in 2025?

Mafia Definitive Edition still holds up in 2025 (Image via 2K)

Mafia Definitive Edition is definitely worth playing in 2025. The game is a masterclass in storytelling, with actors breathing new life into the characters compared to the original from 2002. The gameplay is also amazing, with satisfying gunplay segments that encourage taking enemies head-on instead of hiding for too long behind cover.

The driving sections can feel a bit too much at times, but thankfully, they can be skipped by a simple button press. The visuals and performance are also top-notch. However, a locked 60 FPS would make the gameplay experience even better overall.