As a long-time fan of the series, Mafia 3 was unnecessarily bloated. For me, Mafia was never an "alternative GTA," as it's often called, nor do I think it should go in that direction. Instead of reinventing the wheel or trying to break an already established identity forcefully, Hangar 13's new installment, Mafia: The Old Country, demonstrates that it understands why we love Mafia and what its strongest assets are.

The plot starts before James becomes an agent. After a failed mission in Iceland, Bond ends up under MI6's wing, goes through training on Malta, and gets his first real assignment with future colleagues. The training lasts longer than expected, as shown through a cinematic montage. It works as Bond's origin story and a tutorial. I wish this approach had been executed even better this time.

The premise is that people who managed to escape Raccoon City begin dying under unexplained circumstances almost three decades later. This sends a young FBI agent, Grace Ashcroft, into the investigation, followed by Leon Kennedy, who finds the case highly personal.