In order to craft a compelling Mafia narrative, two key principles should be followed. Initially, the sequel should release several years after its predecessor for optimal effect – ideally around eight years, although five can work too, while nine years is quite acceptable. Secondly, the storyline must conclude tragically for all characters involved, with room for survivors but ensuring that there’s plenty of treachery, loss, and heartache along the way. The game Mafia: The Old Country sticks to these guidelines. The curiosity remains: How do they manage it?
The story starts in Sicily, 1904, where Enzo Favara, known as a carusu or “mine-boy,” finds himself with little prospects and an uncertain future. His only glimmer of hope is the possibility of changing his circumstances, accompanied by his friend Gaetano. However, their situation takes a tragic turn when Gaetano dies following a cave-in in the sulfur mines caused by a leak. In an attempt to escape this danger, Enzo encounters Don Bernardo Torrisi, a powerful figure known as Il Merlo who maintains a truce with mine owner Don Sparado. To avoid provoking Il Merlo, he retreats, recognizing the influence and dangerous connection Torrisi has with Sparado.
Embarking on an unforeseen journey, I find myself inducted into the enigmatic Torrisi clan, a family deeply rooted in Sicily’s mafia scene. My life takes an unexpected turn as I forge a clandestine bond with Isabella, daughter of the clan patriarch, and build friendships with her brother Cesare. Under the watchful guidance of Gianluca Trapani, affectionately known as Luca, the underboss of the Torrisi family, I learn the intricacies of their world. Moreover, my path crosses with that of Tino Russo, the wise counselor, adding another layer to this complex mosaic of relationships within the Sicilian mafia.
The narrative follows Enzo as he embarks on perilous tasks for the Torrisi family, including rescuing Isabella and Gennaro (and eliminating the mastermind behind their abduction), and collaborating with Don Galante to thwart Sparado’s money laundering schemes. Unfortunately, Il Merlo attacks the Torrisi, leading to his demise. In the ensuing chaos, Don Galante and Luca also meet their end following a dispute involving Sparado and Baron Fontallena. Initially, Fontallena was a protector of the Torrisi, but he betrayed Bernardo to align with Sparado. Remarkably, Don Torrisi manages to live through it all, commanding Enzo to exact revenge upon both Fontallena and Sparado as retaliation for their treachery.
His compensation for these – and numerous other murders – is the sulfur mines. This realization hits Enzo hard, as he had struggled to escape hell, only to find himself back in a similar position. However, this time, he’s not just a prisoner but the ruler of the Carusi, as Cesare explains it. Yet, this new status comes with a price, as he now appears to be exploiting others. Later, Cesare advises Enzo not to forget about those still suffering below him, which doesn’t sit well with Enzo.
In a quiet conversation, Isabella shares her aspiration with Enzo – to depart Sicily for America, particularly Empire Bay, and eventually start a family with him. True to her words, they decide to leave after Enzo eliminates the remaining threats of the Torrisi clan. However, their journey is disrupted as Tino and his crew intercept them. Distraught, Enzo is forced back to the Torrisi stronghold, leaving Isabella behind. As he returns, Cesare mourns over what he has lost, even harboring a sense of betrayal. In the distance, smoke billows from the nearby Mount Etna.
In this rephrased version, let’s break down the events in a more conversational manner:
First, Enzo makes an early appearance. The Don, who follows shortly after, dishes out a harsh punishment and declares that Enzo will marry the Don’s daughter, Gennaro, the new Baron Fontanella. Afterward, the Don orders Cesare to take Enzo’s life, but suddenly Mount Etna starts erupting. This chaotic event causes Enzo to charge at Cesare through a window, leading them both to tumble downhill.
Even though Enzo tries to avoid a fight, they end up in a fierce knife duel filled with animosity from Cesare towards Enzo. Despite the intensity, Enzo manages to come out on top. Instead of killing Cesare, however, he instructs him to depart and leave behind not only the Don but also his current circumstances.
During the ongoing eruption, Enzo forcefully navigates through fellow Torrisi mob members, even venturing into sulfur mines to find Isabella. Eventually, he confronts the Don himself. After triggering a minor collapse that allows his escape, Enzo and Bernardo engage in their final knife fight, resulting in the Don’s defeat and demise. However, just as Enzo thinks he has won, Cesare arrives, pretending friendship, offering a handshake, then feigning an embrace before betraying him with a fatal stab.
As a fervent admirer recounting the tale, let me share how I, witness to the unfolding events, experienced the heart-wrenching demise of Enzo. Stricken, he bled out and breathed his last. In a swift transition, we find Isabella, evading Torrisi’s mansion guards as it was engulfed by flames ignited by Mount Etna’s eruption. With grit and determination, she confronted Tino, defeating him. Before departing, Cesare appeared, instead of hindering her progress, he handed over a letter from Enzo and watched as the Torrisi estate was reduced to ashes.
In the sequence of events, we transition to show Isabella perusing Enzo’s message aboard a ship, expressing his inability to change his past yet helping her overcome it. Upon concluding the letter, the scenic cityscape of Empire Bay unfolds before us, signaling the game’s conclusion.
The initial query revolves around the relationship between this new game and previous Mafia titles, particularly Mafia 2, as they share the same city setting, Empire Bay. So far, Isabella has not been introduced in the series, but some enthusiasts speculate that Enzo Conti from Mafia 3 could be her son, given their similar names. However, a hurdle with this theory is Enzo’s age, being 58 years old, which makes it challenging to fit within the proposed timeline since The Old Country ends in 1907 and Mafia 3 takes place in 1968, implying he would have been born between 1909 and 1910.
The story is quite flexible and serves multiple purposes, providing intriguing insights into different characters. For instance, we delve deeper into the background of Leo Galante, who, following his grandfather’s demise (the Don), joined the Vinci family in Empire Bay and later trained Vito Scaletta, the protagonist of Mafia 2, in boxing. Frank Vinci, initially with a minor role in The Old Country, eventually rose to become a prominent crime boss in Empire Bay, mainly due to Leo’s influence. Characters like Giuseppe Palminteri, an arms dealer who migrated from Sicily to Empire Bay, also make brief appearances. Here, Joe Barbaro seeks his assistance to help Vito escape military service.
In light of the numerous ties to “Mafia 2,” Hangar 13 might be preparing for a possible sequel centered around Isabella and Enzo’s child, whose influence on Empire Bay remains uncertain due to the city’s devastation caused by Vito and Joe’s rampage. However, it’s also plausible that their narrative could precede this event and diverge as it progresses, leading to a fresh crime storyline altogether.
Is there a possibility that Cesare, now left to take charge, might target Isabella and seek to eliminate Enzo’s entire family? Perhaps this is due to his uncle’s expectations, whom he had difficulty winning over. Yet, considering the Torrisi clan may no longer be fully intact, could Cesare align himself with a different family to carry out such a vendetta? Regardless of his actions, it seems his redemption is out of reach now. And if history teaches us anything from this series, it’s that overweening pride often precedes disaster.
Despite the unpredictability of where the narrative may lead in the future, “Mafia: The Old Country” distinguishes itself as more than just a prequel. Contrary to initial speculation, it didn’t deliver Don Salieri’s origin story as anticipated, but it wasn’t necessary. Instead, it offered a fresh perspective on mafia life, depicting a scenario where achieving happiness and all one could desire, even without controlling an empire, would still result in a tragic, bloody end. Whether this cycle of violence will eventually be disrupted or persist, as in reality, remains to be seen. For the time being, Enzo’s influence lingers on.
Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.
Read More
- ENA PREDICTION. ENA cryptocurrency
- Minecraft lets you get the Lava Chicken song in-game — but it’s absurdly rare
- Gold Rate Forecast
- Wrestler Marcus “Buff” Bagwell Undergoes Leg Amputation
- Lewis Capaldi Details “Mental Episode” That Led to Him “Convulsing”
- PS5’s ChinaJoy Booth Needs to Be Seen to Be Believed
- Yungblud Vows to Perform Ozzy Osbourne Song “Every Night”
- Cyberpunk 2077’s Patch 2.3 is Here and It’s Another Excellent Overhaul
- Elden Ring Nightreign’s Patch 1.02 update next week is adding a feature we’ve all been waiting for since launch — and another I’ve been begging for, too
- Microsoft is on track to become the second $4 trillion company by market cap, following NVIDIA — and mass layoffs
2025-08-17 12:48