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MAFIA
review | XBOX
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Publisher: Gathering of Developers.
Developer: Illusion Softworks. Released: March 2004. Genre: Open world. Other versions: PC; PS2. Posted 26th June 2026. By Shane Battams © 2026 |
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Amidst a glut of early-2000s sandbox games spurred on by the success of Grand Theft Auto III, Mafia proved an odd outlier. While the likes of True Crime were console-first with perhaps a PC port to follow, Illusion Softworks did the reverse with the critically acclaimed PC game being ported to consoles 19 months later. It was interesting to see, as Mafia was a hugely ambitious game that earned a level of praise not far short of its biggest competitors, and bringing all of that to the Xbox would remain a challenge despite the system’s grunt. The result proved an offer you should consider, with caveats.
Tommy Angelo is a taxi driver plying his trade in the 1930s. His day job becomes complicated when he assists two mobsters of the Salieri family in escaping a rival family, and although hesitant to join, Angelo soon becomes part of the Salieri’s to avoid a hit taken out on him. It’s a really well-structured story, seeing Tommy telling of his ascent into the criminal underworld to a Detective in the present, adding a layer of intrigue and tension. It’s bolstered by excellent writing and a ton of quality performances elevating the script: be it Michael Sorvino as leading man Angelo, George DiCenzo as Salieri or John Dorman’s intimidating turn as Morello. A few lines come off as clichéd, and some voicework is very poor during certain scenes, but these faults are fairly rare in an otherwise quality story.
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Like nearly all sandbox games of the period, Mafia comprises of third-person action and driving missions
Mafia proves an interesting spin on the formula, as while it boasts a large open world in the form of the fictional Lost Heaven, its 20-plus missions are fairly linear. These usually see you equipping weapons and choosing a vehicle in the Salieri compound before departing. Driving between key points, entering sub-locations and taking down foes is typically the name of the game, with multiple checkpoints between missions at least proving more palatable than competing titles. It takes a little under 20 hours to beat the game, and while most missions are fairly simple, a few outliers do stand out. Some boast greater complexity, such as a later mission involving the theft of crates from a warehouse using a stolen truck. While you can open fire (and have a tough time in the process), you can also play it cool and opt to move crates for a demanding boss, and gift yourself short windows to load the truck without confrontation.
Mafia’s mix of mechanics vary in quality. Driving remains enjoyable, with the older-style cars still offering a decent sense of speed and playing nicely into police mechanics. Speeding or minor crimes will see players pulled over, and after paying a fine (though disappointingly, money systems aren’t present in the story), you can continue on, though repeated offences and serious crimes can see you fail a mission if arrested. Cars can also display some decent visual damage, be it a dented headlight or damaged trunk. Shooting, unfortunately, feels worse for wear, not helped by the generally awkward movement, which feels like a holdover from the PC version. Tommy’s walk and rotations both feel stiff, and though shooting allows you to aim freely, hitting targets can be a crapshoot thanks to inconsistent collision detection. You can snap aim onto foes, which helps somewhat, but it’s still not great. Sometimes, you’ll die quickly as a result of being unable to appropriately defend yourself, turning lengthier shootouts into a chore.
Mafia’s mix of mechanics vary in quality. Driving remains enjoyable, with the older-style cars still offering a decent sense of speed and playing nicely into police mechanics. Speeding or minor crimes will see players pulled over, and after paying a fine (though disappointingly, money systems aren’t present in the story), you can continue on, though repeated offences and serious crimes can see you fail a mission if arrested. Cars can also display some decent visual damage, be it a dented headlight or damaged trunk. Shooting, unfortunately, feels worse for wear, not helped by the generally awkward movement, which feels like a holdover from the PC version. Tommy’s walk and rotations both feel stiff, and though shooting allows you to aim freely, hitting targets can be a crapshoot thanks to inconsistent collision detection. You can snap aim onto foes, which helps somewhat, but it’s still not great. Sometimes, you’ll die quickly as a result of being unable to appropriately defend yourself, turning lengthier shootouts into a chore.
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Mafia’s transition to Xbox is also visually disappointing next to other PC-to-Xbox ports, with noticeable limitations. The texture work is lacking in both the environment and character models, fogging and pop-in are quite prevalent, and performance can dip seriously during open world driving and intense shootouts. It’s a shame, as Lost Heaven remains pretty big and features a mix of landmarks and architecture from different cities of the time, and some of the cut-scenes look impactful despite their dated appearance – though intermittent loading can interrupt these. The audio is still great, with a strong sense of atmosphere through ambient background effects, potent weapons, and touches faithful to the period, such as car horns. Occasional music heightens this further, be it jazzy driving tunes or bombastic strings.
Completing Mafia rewards players with some fun extra modes, to keep you playing a little longer. Races are made available, allowing you to use a few of the dozens of vehicles to compete in single events and championships. Interestingly, they run at 60fps with almost no slowdown, which is good. Free Ride lets you enter any part of the city, using cars unlocked throughout the story missions, and earn cash through a myriad of means. Performing taxi fares, killing mobsters or speeding builds up cash to buy health and weapons, and though it’s not the deepest thing ever, it can offer some fun sandbox sessions outside of the linear story chapters.
Completing Mafia rewards players with some fun extra modes, to keep you playing a little longer. Races are made available, allowing you to use a few of the dozens of vehicles to compete in single events and championships. Interestingly, they run at 60fps with almost no slowdown, which is good. Free Ride lets you enter any part of the city, using cars unlocked throughout the story missions, and earn cash through a myriad of means. Performing taxi fares, killing mobsters or speeding builds up cash to buy health and weapons, and though it’s not the deepest thing ever, it can offer some fun sandbox sessions outside of the linear story chapters.
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Mafia’s reception on console would prove more muted than the lauded PC original, and while some may see it as a downgrade, it’s still fairly enjoyable next to competing sandbox titles. Held up by its fantastic storytelling, atmosphere and handful of memorable missions, it offers a decent amount of playtime for those wanting to become a Mafioso. Unfortunately, clunky gunplay and a weak presentation can hinder the fun, and some technical woes make it harder to recommend than the original version. However, those wanting a solid alternative to the heavy hitters might want to try this out.
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VERDICT
"Though it suffers from clunky gunplay and weak presentation, Mafia is held up by its atmosphere and fantastic storytelling, while also providing a handful of memorable missions." OVERALL: 6/10 |
OTHER 2000s OPEN WORLD GAMES REVIEWED
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002, PlayStation 2)
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Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (2008, Xbox 360)
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