Best Games Like Mafia

With the Mafia Trilogy available in its definitive form, it is the perfect time to get into the series and experience the saga at its best. Even though the games are set in an open-world environment, their main focus is telling a character-driven story with shocking twists and a powerful narrative. RELATED: Best Third-Person Action-Adventure Games Of All Time, Ranked In addition to being crime sims, theMafia Trilogy is also a period drama set during the 1930s, the 1940s-50s, and the late 1960s. For veterans of the series looking to dive into another series with a similar setting or characters while they wait for the Mafia remake, this list takes a look at other games that fans they may love in the meantime. Updated May 22, 2023, by Michael Llewellyn: The Mafia games set themselves apart from the open-world crime genre with their character stories and authentic take on the past. From streets of the Chicago-inspired Lost Heaven to the New Orleans-inspired New Bordeaux, the trilogy offers world-building not often seen in the genre. With rumors of a sequel in the works, it is the right time to catch up with the originals so players can live out their best Michael Corleone fantasies in video game form. Luckily, Mafia isn’t the only series that feature mobsters, honorable outlaws, and outright villains. This list is updated to include more games that fans of the Mafia Trilogy will enjoy. 23 GTA 4: Lost And The Damned & Ballad Of Gay Tony Released: 2009 Platform: PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 Developer: Rockstar On its own, Grand Theft Auto 4 is a fantastic crime game with an interesting protagonist and a gritty storyline. However, criticisms were aimed at the pacing and repetition of events and side missions, most notably Niko’s cousin and his phone calls. The fourth entry in GTA came full circle with the Episodes From Liberty City expansions, The Lost and the Damned, and Ballad of Gay Tony. The Lost and the Damned put players in the shoes of a high-ranking biker gang member called The Damned named Johnny in one of GTA’s darker stories. There is a greater emphasis on gang warfare, territories, and character development. The Gang Wars side missions show Johnny and his gang taking control of the city piece by piece. The Ballad of Gay Tony is a lighter and more colorful take on the drab yellow and brown visuals of GTA 4, making it somewhat reminiscent of GTA Vice City. In Ballad, the protagonist is Luis, a bodyguard to a nightclub owner and ex-gangster. The player can take on side missions called Drug Wars, similar to Lost and the Damned’s Gang Wars content. The best side content is the Club Management missions which see Luis operating as the head bouncer for the Prince Nightclubs. The Episodes From Liberty City are shorter, but the pacing and character development are better executed than in the main game. Moreover, they add value to Niko’s story as all three narratives are intertwined and cleverly told. 22 Red Dead Redemption Released: 2010 Platform: PS3 and Xbox 360 Developer: Rockstar Launched in 2010, Red Dead Redemption is a spiritual follow-up to the cowboy shooter Red Dead Revolver. Taking the series into a vast open world in the Wild West, Red Dead Revolver takes inspiration from some of the most iconic Westerns with a protagonist with more than a passing resemblance to Clint Eastwood, much like its predecessor. As the protagonist John Marston, players participate in shootouts, duels, and more as he must take down his old gang. Marston can either be an honorable gunslinger or an outlaw that causes citizens to run away in terror. Mafia fans will appreciate the character-driven story and a protagonist with realistic motives as a man forced back into the life of a gunslinger. 21 Cartel Tycoon Released: 2022 Platform: PC Developer: Moon Moose Cartel Tycoon is a real-time strategy game and a business sim set during the 80s and 90s narcos trade. Players that would prefer to take control of the business aspect of running an empire of crime should give this crime sim a chance. RELATED: Roblox: Best Tycoon Games You Can Play For Free Where the Mafia games take inspiration from gangster movies like TheGodfather, Cartel Tycoon is the perfect game for fans of the true-crime Narcos series on Netflix. The game has a sandbox mode that is procedurally generated for replay value and a story mode to unlock lieutenants and more. 20 American Fugitive Released: 2019 Platform: PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One Developer: Fallen Tree Games Many gamers in the 90s were introduced to the crime genre with the original top-down Grand Theft Auto games. Even though the GTA series experimented with their critically acclaimed Chinatown Wars game for handhelds, the classic style has been forgotten in favor of the 3D open-world spectacles from GTA 3 onward. Fallen Tree Games has created a love letter to the classics with American Fugitive. Players take on the role of a fugitive from the law after getting framed for his father’s murder. To survive, the protagonist must infiltrate and work with the criminal underground to find the actual killer and prove his innocence. Of course, it wouldn’t be a GTA clone if there was no carnage and crime of all descriptions to partake. 19 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Released: 2002 Platform: Android, iOS, Fire OS, macOS, PC, PS2, PS4, and Xbox One. Developer: Rockstar First released in 2002 for the PlayStation 2, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is still one of the most popular titles in the GTA series and one of the best mafia video games. The 1980s setting, the fully voiced characters, and the music made for one of the most iconic open-world games ever. In terms of story and atmosphere Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is about as mobster as it gets for fans of the Mafia series. Goodfellas actor Ray Liotta stars as the protagonist Tommy Vercetti and is backed up by an outstanding supporting cast. Vice City also takes inspiration from films and TV shows like The Godfather, Scarface, and Miami Vice. 18 The Warriors Released: 2005 Platform: PSP, PS2, and Xbox Developer: Rockstar Games First released in 2005, The Warriors video game is an action beat-em-up with more in common with coin-op fighters like Streets of Rage than it does the Mafia series. However, for a different take on gang warfare, The Warriors is an excellent alternative with a great story. The story works as an expansion of the movie and follows the same script. However, it allows the characters of the 1979 movie more time to develop as the film is renowned for its relentless pace as a chase movie. The voice cast is excellent, with most of the original cast reprising their roles from the movie to make it feel as authentic as possible. 17 The Getaway Released: 2002 Platform: PS2 Developer: Team Soho Released on the PlayStation 2 in 2002, The Getaway was a Grand Theft Auto clone inspired by British gangster movies like Get Carter, Lock, Stock, Two Smoking Barrels, and Snatch. Unlike the Grand Theft Auto series, The Getaway is set in modern-day London. As a result, the setting is a nice change of pace from the sometimes overused modern-day New York and Los Angeles settings. Furthermore, players will also have to deal with rival gangs like the Yardies, the Bethan Green Mob, the 14K Triads, and others. 16 Max Payne 3 Released: 2012 Platform: PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 Developer: Rockstar Released in 2012 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and the PC, Max Payne 3 is a third-person action shooter that once again puts players in the shoes of the iconic and titular Max Payne. Unlike the Mafia series, Max Payne is a linear shooter focusing on character development and keeping the story and its momentum moving. However, it is very story-driven, and many fans have argued that the Mafia games should lose the open-world setting and employ a more direct and focused approach to the story. Visually, the game still holds up, and surprisingly, there is no remake, remaster, or 60FPS boost on the Xbox Series X/S. 15 Blood & Truth Released: 2019 Platform: PSVR Developer: London Studio Released in 2019, Blood & Truth is a first-person shooter created exclusively for the PlayStation VR. It is an on-rails cinematic shooter. Stylistically it is a different experience compared to the Mafia games. However, the story is about London mobsters in the vein of a Guy Ritchie movie or the television series Gangs of London, which would appeal to fans of the story-driven games with narratives that have similar twists and betrayals seen in the Mafia series. The Cockney stereotypes and dialogue get a bit tiring, but the action in Blood & Truth is the closest players will get to star in their own action/gangster movie. 14 Sleeping Dogs Released: 2012 Platform: macOS, PC, PS3, PS4, and Xbox One Developer: United Front Games First released in 2012, Sleeping Dogs was eventually released as Sleeping Dogs: The Definitive Edition on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2014, with improvements to its graphics, framerates, and lighting. The game still stands as one of the best mafia video games available, and it is a Hong Kong movie-inspired thriller that martial arts fans love. RELATED: Best Combat Systems In Open World Action Games, Ranked The game puts players in the shoes of an undercover Chinese-American cop Wei Shen. He has infiltrated the Triads in Hong Kong. Unfortunately for Shen, many of his childhood friends are in the Triads, and he struggles to separate his job from his emotions. 13 Omerta: City Of Gangsters Released: 2013 Platform: PC and Xbox 360 Developer: Haemimont Games Released in 2013, Omerta: City of Gangsters is a tactical strategy game set in Atlantic City during the 1920s Prohibition era. Players have to step into the shoes of a low-level mobster, climbing the ranks to become the most powerful crime boss in the city while controlling speakeasies and fighting off rival mobsters. The gameplay in Omerta is split between its XCOM-like turn-based combat and running businesses throughout the city. It may not have a quality narrative like a Mafia title, but Omerta will allow players to become a Made Man in control of their empire. 12 The Hitman Series Released: 2000 Platform: PC, PS2, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series S/X Developer: IO Interactive The Hitman series first launched in 2000 and put players in the shoes of the titular Hitman, also known as Agent 47. While the series is more of a sadistic James Bond/Mission Impossible stealth game than a mob game, Agent 47 will still be up against the Sicilian mob, the Yakuza, Triads, and Eastern European gangsters more than once throughout the series. Additionally, fans of the Mafia series that enjoyed the open-world nature of the series will find some of the best self-contained sandbox missions with their own stories and a level of immersion that is yet to be matched. 11 Grand Theft Auto V Released: 2013 Platform: PC, PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S Developer: Rockstar Games The Grand Theft Auto series has always been at the top of the heap when setting a benchmark for the open-world genre. Grand Theft Auto V was groundbreaking in 2013 and still has one of the best single-player campaigns in the series, with an immersive and dynamic open world. While it’s not a period piece like the Mafia series, the character stories are from the point of view of three very different protagonists Michael, Trevor, and Franklin. The world of Los Santos is vaster than anything in the Mafia series and is complemented by tons of side missions to participate in. 10 Red Dead Redemption 2 Released: 2018 Platform: PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One Developer: Rockstar Games Released in 2018 and created by Rockstar, the same studio behind the Grand Theft Auto series, Red Dead Redemption 2 is an open-world action-adventure game set in the American Wild West. Despite its very different setting to the Mafia series, Red Dead Redemption 2 players will be operating on the wrong side of the law. RELATED: The Hardest Trophies In Red Dead Redemption II (& The Easiest) In addition, gamers that love diving into a gaming world set in a different time as an outlaw will love RDR2. It was one of the most beautifully crafted and dynamic gaming worlds ever created and is loaded with content. 9 Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate Released: 2015 Platform: PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One Developer: Ubisoft Released in 2015, Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate is an action-adventure game set in London during the Victorian era and at the tail end of the Industrial Revolution. While the game maintains all the staples of what makes the Assassin’s Creed series popular with its fans, there is a considerable emphasis on gang warfare and taking over territories from Templar-controlled gangs. In addition, to fighting rival gangs in the streets, players will also work toward sabotaging their businesses and weakening their grip on London. 8 Yakuza: Like A Dragon Released: 2020 Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S Developer: Ryu Ga Gotaku Studio Released in 2020, Yakuza: Like a Dragon is the eighth mainline entry in the long-running Japanese crime saga. Like a Dragon begins a new story arc with a new protagonist, so new players can comfortably jump in without having prior knowledge of its predecessors. RELATED: Best Rockstar Games Villains, Ranked The game also employs a turn-based combat system reminiscent of old JRPG classics from the 80s and 90s. The latest entry of the seriesshows the studio’s capability of delivering an emotionally charged storyline balanced out with humorous and heartfelt side quests. 7 Empire Of Sin Released: 2020 Platform: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and macOS Developer: Romero Games Released in 2020, Empire of Sin is a turn-based strategy that plays like the XCOM series – and Omerta mentioned above. While it plays very similarly to Omerta, it is a far more polished experience that looks and plays more like a AAA game. Players will be responsible for running casinos, speakeasies, and brothels. RELATED: Grand Theft Auto: Funniest Characters In The Franchise Empire of Sin was developed by the husband and wife team of John and Brenda Romero, best known for their work on Doom and Wizardry, respectively. The game is set during the Prohibition era in Chicago, and players will be dealing with mobsters inspired by the infamous gangsters that ruled the streets during this period. 6 L.A. Noire Released: 2011 Platform: PC, PSVR, PS3, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One Developer: Team Bondi First launched in 2011 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and the PC, L.A. Noire was remastered and relaunched in 2017 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and the Nintendo Switch. This time, however, gamers are on the right side of the law as they play as a detective in Los Angeles. Like Mafia 2, L.A. Noire is set just after the Second World War. It is a setting in time that will appeal to fans of the mob genre. The world has been beautifully recreated, and the developers have put a lot of work into making 1940s Los Angeles as authentic-looking as possible. 5 Judgment Released: 2018 Platform: Amazon Luna, PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, and Xbox Series X/S. Developer: Ryu Go Gotaku Studio As a spin-off to the Yakuza series, Judgment is a standalone open-world action game set in the same universe but featuring a brand new cast of characters. As a result, players won’t need any prior knowledge of the mainline series, and in many ways, Judgment is to Yakuza what Persona is to the Shin Megami Tensei series. In addition to featuring many of the same mechanics as Yakuza, Judgment is a neo-noir detective game where players take on the role of a former lawyer turned private detective, Takayuki Yagami. Players will still encounter Yakuza clans and low-level gangs, and the developing crime story is one of the best in gaming. 4 Scarface: The World Is Yourself Released: 2006 Platform: PC, PS2, and Wii Developer: Radical Entertainment Released in 2006, Scarface: The World is Yours, like The Godfather video game, is a sequel to the 1983 film starring Al Pacino. This time the game puts players in the shoes of Tony Montana by retconning the gangster’s fate by having Montana survive and overpower the assassins at his mansion. Even though Pacino didn’t reprise his role as Montana, he handpicked the voice actor to play his iconic character. The story expects players to suspend their disbelief due to the movie’s violent ending. However, as a game like the Mafia franchise, fans will find a lot to keep them entertained. Like the movie, the game is set in 1980s Miami, and Montano must work to take control of all the regions and build his empire.