The original Mafia games are undoubtedly among the most successful crime video games ever made.
But there are some interesting alternatives that could also be worth checking out if you didn’t have the opportunity to try them yet. Here are some of the games like Mafia you can play right now.
| Game | Release | Genre | Developer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Grand Theft Auto V | 2015-04-14 | Adventure | Rockstar North |
 | Saints Row The Third Remastered | 2021-05-22 | Action | Volition |
 | Empire Of Sin | 2020-12-01 | Strategy | Romero Games Ltd. |
 | Omerta City Of Gangsters | 2013-01-31 | Simulation | Haemimont Games |
 | Grand Theft Auto Vice City | 2002-10-29 | Adventure | Rockstar North |
 | Assassins Creed Syndicate | 2015-11-19 | Adventure | Ubisoft Québec |
 | La Noire Complete Edition | 2011-11-08 | Adventure | Team Bondi |
 | Sleeping Dogs Definitive Edition | 2014-10-08 | Adventure | United Front Games |
 | Yakuza 0 | 2018-08-01 | Adventure | Ryu ga Gotoku Studios |
 | Yakuza Like A Dragon Hero Edition | 2020-11-10 | RPG | Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio |
 | The Yakuza Bundle | 2019-05-09 | Adventure | Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio |
 | Max Payne 3 | 2012-05-31 | Adventure | Rockstar Vancouver |
 | Blood Truth | 2019-05-29 | FPS | London Studio |
 | Hitman Game Of The Year Edition | 2016-03-11 | Stealth | IO Interactive |
 | Hitman 2 Silent Assassin | 2002-10-01 | Adventure | IO Interactive |
Omerta – City of Gangsters
| Release date: | 2013-01-31 |
| Genre: | Economy |
| Developer: | Haemimont Games |
Although Omerta’s genre is not exactly what you’d expect to find on the list of games similar to Mafia, it’s a great title for any fan of a tactical approach.
Omerta – City of Gangsters is a tactical crime game that focuses on building a crime empire. Starting as a simple man you’ll have to recruit new gang members to ultimately rule the whole city.
From taking over local shops to defeating rival mafia families and claiming new territories, you’ll have plenty of work – and fun – on your hands. The game also comes with sandbox mode that allows players to freely explore the city and immerse in a realistic gangster atmosphere from the 1920s.
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Yakuza: Like a Dragon
| Release date: | 2020-11-10 |
| Genre: | Action, RPG |
| Developer: | Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio |
If a more light-hearted atmosphere with a solid dose of humor is what you’d prefer, Yakuza is most likely the game tailored right for you.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon introduces a new protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga, and follows his story as he tries to solve a certain case and find the reason behind his long imprisonment while trying to become a hero of a kind at the same time.
Gameplay-wise, Yakuza shares a lot of similarities with traditional jRPGs and combines turn-based combat with real-time exploration. The game puts emphasis on melee combat and using powerful melee skills to defeat opponents – utilizing the abilities in a clever way is the key to success.
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L.A. Noire
| Release date: | 2011-11-08 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | Team Bondi |
From a more serious side of the Mafia-like spectrum of video games, we’ve got L.A. Noire – a crime thriller that plays like a good American crime movie.
In L.A. Noire, instead of being a member of a mafia family, you’ll instead become a detective tasked with dealing with such criminals. The game is best known for its facial expressions that play an important role in the gameplay.
When interrogating people, you can try to read the subtle hints from their faces to determine if they’re stressed about certain topics, which may suggest they’re lying or hiding something. While people may occasionally look like they’re overreacting in the most hilarious way possible, the facial motion capture technology used during development deserves praise.
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The Saboteur
| Release date: | 2009-11-19 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | Pandemic Studios |
While not exactly a crime game, The Saboteur is a worthy Mafia alternative that puts emphasis on a silent way of resolving conflicts and issues.
The Saboteur takes place during the Second World War and will take you to Paris, where your task will be to sabotage the actions of the Nazi Germany forces during the occupation of France.
Although you’re not a veteran soldier, you’re still a capable individual who can take on several enemies at once by utilizing the element of surprise. Your actions may turn the tide of war – performing tasks behind the enemy lines and distracting enemy troops may be exactly what’s needed to achieve the ultimate success by the Allies, so keep a cool head and don’t let your guard down.
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Gangsters: Organized Crime
| Release date: | 1998-11-30 |
| Genre: | Strategy |
| Developer: | Hothouse Creations |
Sometimes to find a good game you have to turn to the classics, such as this little jewel from 1998.
Gangsters: Organized Crime is another example of a game focused on building a crime empire. Starting from small jobs and gradually going for more audacious ones, your ultimate goal is to control the entire city’s crime scene.
It won’t be easy, as you’ll have to take care of both police and rival gang members, but you won’t be out there alone – you can always hire more people to make your life a little bit more manageable.
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Empire of Sin
| Release date: | 2020-12-01 |
| Genre: | Strategy |
| Developer: | Romero Games Ltd. |
On the topic of strategy crime games, Empire of Sin is also worth being mentioned. It’s a quite recent release, so the visual layer is also more pleasant to the eye if that’s the thing that’s important to you.
Empire of Sin takes place during the Prohibition era in a mafia-controlled Chicago. As one of the crime bosses, your job will be to lead your men and take control over the entire city, neighborhood by neighborhood. Rival gangs won’t go easy on you, so make sure you’re well prepared to face the resistance – money and influence are at stake.
It’s a strategy game, so a smart approach is necessary. Sometimes it may be wiser to form a temporary alliance with your enemies to get rid of other threats instead of fighting everyone at once. Think two steps ahead and you may have a chance at the upcoming mafia war.
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Sleeping Dogs
| Release date: | 2014-10-08 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | United Front Games |
Those who favor more action-oriented games similar to Mafia would surely enjoy their time in Sleeping Dogs.
In Sleeping Dogs, you will play the role of an undercover agent tasked with infiltrating a certain Triad organization. As such, the story quickly gets quite interesting, twisted, and exciting to follow, but it’s not the only thing that makes the game good.
You will be able to explore an open-world environment at your own pace and level up your character to make him more efficient at carrying out given tasks. Use vehicles to travel, train your melee abilities, and improve your Triad and Police standings to get additional perks.
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Max Payne 3
| Release date: | 2012-05-31 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | Rockstar Vancouver |
Good old Max Payne. People who liked Mafia will most likely love this one as well, and there is a variety of good reasons that lead to that conclusion.
Max Payne 3 is a continuation of the very popular Max Payne franchise, best known probably for its use of the so-called “bullet time” that makes the world around you run much slower for a short period of time, allowing you to, for example, dodge enemy bullets – hence the name.
The game puts emphasis on dealing with issues directly, so you can expect a lot of shooting, explosions, and Hollywood-style action going on.
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Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
| Release date: | 2005-06-06 |
| Genre: | Action & Shooter |
| Developer: | Rockstar North |
The entire GTA series is also worth considering if you’re looking for games similar to Mafia – San Andreas is just one of the possibilities.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas focuses on the character of CJ, a simple man from the hood, who returns home and gets drawn back to his former criminal life. As the story progresses, CJ will have to deal not only with the cops but also some of the most influential and dangerous people in the city.
This is a story about crime, corruption, and betrayal. GTA: SA features a huge open world and gives players a lot of freedom and side activities, so you’re guaranteed to have a lot of fun, even if you’re not currently playing the missions related to the main story.
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Hitman 2: Silent Assassin
| Release date: | 2002-10-01 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | IO Interactive |
Lastly, if you’re into stealth games, Hitman shouldn’t be overlooked.
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin is a stealth game that puts emphasis on using clever strategies and keeping a low profile in order to get closer to the target, eliminate it, and leave the crime scene before anyone gets suspicious.
As a contract killer, you’ll be tasked with assassinating a variety of important – and dangerous – people. But don’t worry, you’re not an inherently bad guy – sure, you kill for a living, but your targets are usually the actual villains. Sometimes trying to capture them and bringing them to the court would be too much of a hassle and that’s where you step in.
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Conclusion
There are plenty of mobster video games like Mafia to choose from. They come in all shapes and sizes, so there’s something for everyone – from strategy games to role-playing and games focused more on the action.
Depending on what you value in Mafia games the most, you’ll want to try different types of alternatives. Hopefully, with the help of our list, making the right choice will be a bit easier for you.