Mafia II: Definitive Edition similar games & best alternatives

Mafia II: Definitive Edition

PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One • 2020

Should you play it?

War hero Vito Scaletta becomes entangled with the mob in hopes of paying his father’s debts. Vito works to prove himself, climbing the family ladder with crimes of larger reward and consequence.

What works
  • Engaging story and characters
  • Immersive 1940s-50s atmosphere and music
  • Solid driving and combat mechanics
  • Includes all dlc and classic version
  • Good value especially on sale
Things to keep in mind
  • Technical bugs and performance issues
  • Limited open world and side content
  • Linear mission structure restricts freedom
  • Some graphical glitches in cutscenes
  • Dlc missions repetitive and less engaging

What to play next

Similar games, hidden gems, and fresh directions from this game.

Top picks

Games that feel the closest overall

  • Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered

  • High On Life

  • Walking Zombie 2

  • Call of Juarez

  • BioShock™ Remastered

  • Crysis 2 Remastered

  • Crysis Remastered

  • Metro: Last Light Redux

  • The Vagrant
Hidden Gems

Less popular games with surprisingly high similarity

  • Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered

  • It Comes In Waves

  • Thorne - Death Merchants
If you liked…

Recommendations by what you enjoyed most

  • Story

    A Plague Tale: Innocence
  • Escapism

    Reverse: 1999
  • Violence

    Marauder

Similarity map

Explore nearby similar games and see why they’re close.

How to use the graph
Similarity map

Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Why this game works” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

  • Purple star: this page’s game — everything on the map is relative to it.
  • Coloured chips: click to highlight games that mainly differ on that motivation; click again to reset.
  • Dotted line: link between this page’s game and the one selected for comparison.
  • Hover a dot for a screenshot preview, score, and top score gaps; click to compare in the panel on the right.
  • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers (hidden on purpose).

Mafia II: Definitive Edition: Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Strategy, Experimenting, Competence, Survival. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Violence, Survival, Competence.

Why this game works

A motivational profile of the game, with the closest similar game for each player motivation.

  • Autonomy

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  • Competence

    Game with the same Competence vibe

    3

    "Players engage in varied tasks including driving, shooting, stealth, and hand-to-hand combat with some skill challenge and feedback."

    Capsule for Mafia II (Classic) Mafia II (Classic)

    "Players engage in varied combat, driving, and stealth mechanics that require skill, though some find combat easy or dated."

  • Competition

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    "No competitive elements; focus is on single-player narrative experience."

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  • Continuation

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    "Players often replay the game multiple times due to its scares and story, but some find backtracking and controls frustrating, limiting long habitual play."

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  • Cooperation

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    "Entirely single-player with no cooperative gameplay."

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  • Creativity

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    "Limited player creativity beyond tactical choices; no building or extensive customization, but some vehicle and weapon variety."

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  • Domination

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  • Escapism

    Game with the same Escapism vibe

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    "Strong narrative immersion and atmospheric world provide escape from real life; players appreciate story and music for relaxation."

    Capsule for Reverse: 1999 Reverse: 1999

    "Strong immersive atmosphere and story provide escape from real life; players enjoy the 1940s-50s setting and music."

  • Expectation

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    "Players engage voluntarily driven by interest in the story and experience rather than obligation or external pressure."

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  • Experimenting

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    "Limited experimentation due to linear missions and lack of open-ended mechanics."

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  • Exploration

    Game with the same Exploration vibe

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    "Limited open world; exploration mostly confined to small maps and story-driven areas rather than free roaming."

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  • Expression

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    "Some character clothing and gear customization but limited self-expression features."

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  • Fantasy

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    "Players experience a stylized 1920s gangster world with fictionalized elements and roleplay opportunities."

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    "Engages players in a stylized, fictionalized 1940s-50s mafia world with cinematic storytelling."

  • Fellowship

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  • Growth

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    "Players develop skills in driving, shooting, and combat; story progression reflects character growth."

    Capsule for Mafia II (Classic) Mafia II (Classic)

    "Players develop skills in combat, driving, and stealth; story progression provides character development."

  • Health

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    "No physical activity or health-related gameplay elements; traditional sedentary gaming."

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    "No physical activity or health-related gameplay elements; traditional sedentary gaming."

  • Idle

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    "Requires focused attention during combat and missions; some downtime in exploration but not idle play."

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  • Intimacy

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    "Limited to narrative character relationships; no social or emotional player-to-player intimacy."

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  • Leadership

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    "No player leadership roles; story-driven character interactions."

    Capsule for Mafia: Definitive Edition Mafia: Definitive Edition

    "No player leadership roles; story-driven character interactions with no player authority over others."

  • Progression

    Game with the same Progression vibe

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    "Players accumulate money, weapons, outfits, and vehicle upgrades as they progress through story."

    Capsule for Mafia II (Classic) Mafia II (Classic)

    "Players accumulate weapons, clothes, and cars; story progression advances character status."

  • Relaxation

    Game with the same Relaxation vibe

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    "Some players find driving and exploration relaxing, though combat and grind can create tension."

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  • Sensation

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    "Enjoyable audio-visual atmosphere with period music and stylized graphics, but not intense sensory stimulation."

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  • Status

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    "No social recognition or multiplayer ranking; focus is on individual play."

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  • Story

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    "Highly praised narrative with strong emotional engagement and character development."

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    "Highly praised narrative with strong character development and emotional engagement."

  • Strategy

    Game with the same Strategy vibe

    1

    "Some tactical elements in combat and mission approach, but mostly straightforward mission design."

    Capsule for Mafia II (Classic) Mafia II (Classic)

    "Some tactical elements in combat and stealth, but overall straightforward mission design."

  • Thrill

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    "Some suspenseful moments and action sequences provide excitement amid investigative gameplay."

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  • Value

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    "Generally considered worth the price, especially with DLC and replayability; some recommend waiting for sales."

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  • Violence

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    "Combat and killing are central gameplay elements with realistic gunplay and brutality."

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  • Survival

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    "Some resource management and combat challenge, but overall low-risk environment."

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Last update: 01/06/2026