Violence. Arguably the one thing video games are (in)famous for. However, there is mindless violence, and there is controlled chaos. Structures of crime that seep into every strata of society. That influences homes and shops, businesses and individuals. Where crime has a life of its own, and rears its surprisingly organized head to leave its mark in the society it seeks to dominate.
Organised crime has a long and rich history in video games, with developers eager to depict their own milieu, their subculture that is such a huge part of the worlds they lived in, and continue to, to this day. From ruthless mob bosses to up-and-coming guys looking to make a mark, these organisations consist of all kinds of people. Their formidable influence on the goings-on of their cities makes for compelling storytelling. Here is the list of top mafia games ever on organized crime, and it should be noted that ‘Mafia’ is used here as a common shorthand for all the organisations involved in such activities. On this list, you will not find Mafia card games or Mafia board games. You can play most these games on PS4, Xbox One, PC or online.
15. Dead to Rights (2002)
- Mafia City H5 is a new underworld crime strategy MMORPG web game. In the game, player will act as a Mafia Boss in a crime family,recruit gangsters and create a powerful criminal empire, fight to resolve the clashes between gangs and compete to become the real Godfather! Compared to Mafia 3 video game, you will more like Mafia City H5, No download, No Platform limited,such as PC, mobile, mac!
- Set up: Choose one person to play “narrator”. Then make up small pieces of paper with the following letters on them. “M” – which stands for Mafia. (2 slips) Depending on group size you might want more then 2 mafia. “V” – which stands for villages – enough slips to cover everyone else in the group.
‘Dead to Rights’ is a gripping action thriller game that centres around police officer Jack Slate and his canine companion, Shadow. Together they patrol the streets of the crime-filled Grant City and are set on the course of uncovering a conspiracy after a harrowing tragedy befalls our protagonist. With great use of ‘bullet time’, admirable puzzle mechanics, and versatility in utilising Shadow to our use, ‘Dead to Rights’ has slipped under the radar now, but should certainly be given a chance.
Read More: Games Like Civilization
14. The Getaway (2002)
Set up: Choose one person to play “narrator”. Then make up small pieces of paper with the following letters on them. “M” – which stands for Mafia. (2 slips) Depending on group size you might want more then 2 mafia. “V” – which stands for villages – enough slips to cover everyone else in the group.
The mafia has been portrayed left, right, and centre, in video games, so much so that all of organised crime with its many organisations is commonly known by its Italian counterpart. There has been a dearth of London gangsters in video games, but ‘The Gateaway’ is an excellent example of an attempt to balance the scales. With great driving mechanics, and a detailed environment removed from the US for a change, it is a must-play for sure.
Read More: Games Like Club Penguin
13. Saints Row: The Third (2011)
As a series, ‘Saints Row’ started off quite seriously, compared to what would transpire later. ‘Saints Row 2’ had a modicum of seriousness whereas its predecessor was downright sombre in presentation. However, with its third installment, the series gave up any links to such sobriety and unleashed a chaotic joy. In ‘Saints Row: The Third’, players enact the role of a super-powered crime lord. Instead of attempting to explain what its hilarious plot is, let it be known that there are airstrikes, unlimited explosive ammunition, and baseball bats shaped like male genitalia. You should just play ‘Saints Row: The Third.’
Read More: Games Like Clash Royale
12. L.A. Noire (2011)
With Team Bondi’s proprietary facial motion-capture technology, Rockstar Studios delivered what turned out to be one of the most underrated gems of recent times. In an astonishingly recreated Los Angeles set in the 1940s, players take on the role of Cole Phelps, a LAPD detective who searches for clues, interrogates suspects, chases criminals and much more, to uncover a massive conspiracy in the rampantly corrupt city. Rife with film noir influences, this is a mafia game we should all play.
Read More: Games Like The Sims
11. GTA: Vice City (2002)
‘GTA: Vice City’ smashed all conceptions of an open world game when it released 16 years ago. With its richly detailed world that had a life of its own, ‘Vice City’ captured the essential feel of a Miami rife with sex, drugs, and crime. Featuring a brilliant lead performance from Ray Liotta, the game brought in buying property and earning income as well. ‘Vice City’ remains one of the most significant games of this generation as they grew up, and its depiction of crime cartels paved the way for later video game depictions of the mafia as well.
Read More: Upcoming Horror Games
10. Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne (2003)
As the follow-up to the genre-defining ‘Max Payne’, ‘Max Payne 2’ continued the tragic story of the eponymous NYPD detective with considerable panache. With refined shooting mechanics and the glorious return of ‘bullet time’, Max’s story gained considerable complexity as it intertwined with a conspiracy of betrayal and destruction. In the likes of Vladimir Lem and Vinnie Cognitti, the game offers a realistic depiction of the mafia in New York and well-drawn antagonists that act as a highly effective foil to our protagonist.
Read More: Upcoming Xbox One Games
9. Yakuza (2005)
The first game in what would go on to be a storied franchise, ‘Yakuza’ was unique both in its Asian open world and for being a mainstream depiction of a mafia that wasn’t really the Mafia. The game brought in half decent gameplay mechanics and an engrossing plot. However, it is how the game brought a much deserved spotlight on a wider representation of crime and a culture removed from America, that is more significant in the long run. The story, that of a yakuza wrongly imprisoned for a decade who protects an orphaned girl from the criminal underworld, is heartrending, and makes its case for players to give it a go. With ‘Yakuza Kiwami’, its excellent current-generation remake available now, playing it has become even easier.
Read More: Upcoming Nintendo Switch Games
8. Mafia III (2016)
The third instalment of the series everyone is expecting to be on this list might not have lived up to every one’s expectations, but it is very much an excellent game on organised crime. The game follows Lincoln Clay in the very unique premise of him aiming to take down the Mafia instead of being a part of it. The open world is sprawling, and the game steers clear of the hackneyed Italian-American stereotypes that are rife in these games.
Read More: Upcoming PSVR Games
7. GTA III (2001)
‘GTA III’ is one of the most important games of all time. Its foray into a 3D open world was monumental for video games, and would change the medium forever. Liberty City might have aged a bit by 2018, but the city of crime and corruption will make its way onto any list, especially where the mafia is concerned. The plot of an outsider making his way up the criminal ladder, only to face a stark realisation is handled wonderfully by Rockstar, and makes this game a must-play.
Read More: Upcoming PS4 Games
6. Yakuza 4 (2010)
While the ‘Yakuza’ games will make obvious entries onto this list, what is special about ‘Yakuza 4’ is how far it takes the depiction of life’s tiniest details. From accurate Pachinko simulators to its casinos, the game makes us believe in its fiction. This is so heightened that we are fully immersed by the time we fight corrupt stock traders, and even lead an economy where garbage is money. All this, and a gripping plot to boot.
Read More: Best Adult Video Games
5. Mafia (2002)
The game that started it all. The first ‘Mafia’ gave us the beautiful city of Lost Heaven, incorporating elements from Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. The story follows Tommy Angelo in a poignant story about his rise and fall in the Mafia, in the 1930s. With over 50 classic American cars, plus 19 bonus ones, along with trams that can be ridden, the game consists of staggering damage physics in relation to these vehicles as well–making the driving a veritable pleasure too.
Read More: Games Like Tetris
4. Scarface: The World Is Yours (2006)
There haven’t been too many great video game adaptations of movies, but ‘Scarface: The World Is Yours’ bucks this trend. Al Pacino continues his spectacular turn as Tony Montana, as the game begins from right where the film ended. With a detailed world, and amazing mechanics such as the “Blind Rage” system, this is a rare game that offers something for Pacino fans as well as movie buffs too.
Read More: Games Like Call of Duty
3. The Godfather (2006)
Speaking of video games based on movies, there aren’t many better than ‘The Godfather’, building upon stories of both the novel and its cinematic namesake. There were hindrances in its portrayal, with Pacino going over to the game previously mentioned, and Marlon Brando shortly passing away after recording his lines, most of which were unusable due to his ill health. Despite all this, the game’s representation of New York is stylised and a treat to the eyes, with the process of gaining control over the city and defeating the rival families delightfully deliberate. The game continues the tradition of the book and film, and is one of the best mafia games of all time.
Read More: Games Like Ark
2. Mafia II (2010)
The backdrop of crime makes for some splendid, grounded storytelling that deals with crucial social, and political themes. With a list that delves deep into this, it is imperative to mention ‘Mafia II.’ The game is centred around Vito Scaletta, a young Italian, and how he breaks through the ranks of the Mafioso. The Golden Age of America blends wonderfully into the visceral narrative, with excellent shooting mechanics, and authentic vehicles.
Read More: Games Like Counter Strike
1. Sleeping Dogs (2012)
Set in Hong Kong, ‘Sleeping Dogs’ emerged out of nowhere to stun the world with its level of detail in capturing the open world of the city. The story follows an undercover police officer and his efforts to infiltrate the Sun On Yee Triads. Its excellent driving mechanics were influenced by the ‘Need for Speed’ series, as some of the series developers worked on this one too. The fluid combat system was another high point, evoking Rocksteady’s ‘Batman: Arkham’ series. All in all, the game nailed every aspect wonderfully. ‘Sleeping Dogs’ is the most mafia you can get without actually playing the series, and then some more.
Read More: Games Like Pokeman
What it is: A group game best played late at night, often at sleepovers. Players try to discover the identity of a secret “mafia” amongst the group before they’re all eliminated.
Best for: Teens or older in a group of at least 8.
What you need:
- Traditionally you play with a deck of cards, though you could accomplish the same thing with some slips of paper and a pen. And that’s it!
How to play: This game is a little involved (though probably not the most complex game I’ve posted), so I’ll do my best to explain it.
First of all, choose one player to be the narrator. This player will volunteer to sit the game out and be the moderator, running the game so everyone else can play.
After you pick a narrator, you start by handing out parts. In this game, each player is given a role to play. Let’s run over the roles real quick.
- Mafia member: A player who tries to kill all other players and eliminate them from the game before his or her identity is discovered.
- Detective: A player who has a special skill in guessing who the mafia is and tries to protect the citizens.
- Citizen: Anyone else; players who just play the game, hope not to die, and try to help discover who the mafia is.
Games with large groups will often have two detectives and two mafia members.
So at the beginning of the game, you’ll have players draw cards to determine who are mafia, who are the detectives, and who are the citizens. You can accomplish this by pulling out cards from your card deck. Assign the different roles to cards: so Kings could be detectives, Jacks would be mafia, and anything else would mark a citizen. If you have a smaller group, put one detective card and one mafia card in your deck. If you have a larger group, try two of each.
Mafia Game Download
Once players have picked their roles, it’s important they keep them a secret. No one should know who had what role. But tell players to hang onto their cards and keep them hidden; eventually during the game, everyone will end up revealing his or her card.
So now that you have your players and you have your roles, the game can start. The narrator starts the game, usually by telling a story, if you’re really into the game like that. The story is about the players and a scenario they’re in and might start out something like this:
“It was a dark and stormy night, and the members of the Jones family were gathered together on a camping trip. That night as everyone gathered around to roast hot dogs and tell ghost stories, the clouds gathered and lighting flashed ahead. Spirits were high around the campfire, though, but no one knew that someone in the party had evil intentions…”
Each round the story is different and it doesn’t really matter; it’s just part of setting the mood for this kind of creepy game. (That’s why it’s good to pick a narrator who can pull off this mood-setting story-telling role.)
So let’s set up a sample game. Say James is the narrator and is starting the game. He starts telling his story, setting the scene, and ends the first segment with the end of a day, saying something like
“…so everyone finished eating their hot dogs and returned to their tents to sleep.”
At that point, all of the players close their eyes and keep them closed until otherwise instructed by James, the narrator.
Then James will say something like:
“But late that night, two members of the mafia woke up with a dark and evil plan. Mafia members only, open your eyes and look at me.”
Then the two players who drew Mafia cards open their eyes and silently nod to James to show who they are. Let’s call the mafia Steve and Marco.
So Steve and Marco open their eyes. James will go on:
“Now the two mafia members will silently agree on one person to kill tonight.”
Then Steve and Marco point, shake their heads, and nod until they agree on one person to “kill.” Let’s call her Lara. After they have, James resumes narrating:
“Now mafia, close your eyes. Detectives only, open your eyes.”
The detectives open their eyes — we’ll call them Katie and Chloe. The detectives then silently point, shake their heads, and nod until they agree on one person to accuse as a member of the mafia. Say they point to Joe. Once they do, the narrator silently shakes his head, indicating that Joe is not a member of the mafia. Katie and Chloe close their eyes and James resumes narrating.
“The next day dawns cool and misty, and everyone wakes up and opens their eyes…”
Mafia Definitive Edition
(everyone opens their eyes)
“…to find that last night, there was a MURDER.” Duh-duh-duh.
Then James can explain that as everyone wakes up, they find that Lara has been murdered in the night. He can go into as much gruesome detail as he wants in describing the murder; it just depends on the narrator and how into the game he or she is. At the least, he needs to announce that Lara died. Lara can also dramatically act out the death if she so chooses.
At this point, all the players get a chance to discuss out loud who they think the mafia members might be. Then they can accuse one player of being a mafia member. If they’re right, that mafia member is eliminated and the citizens and detectives are one step closer to winning the game. If they’re wrong (say if they think Joe is a member of the mafia), Joe is eliminated and the mafia is one step closer.
The discussion period is where the bulk of the game takes place, and where things can get pretty heated. (Also, this often argumentative phase of the game is why I think many people either love or hate this game.)
So how does the discussion phase look? Anyone can talk, anyone can voice an opinion, and everyone must come to an agreement (or at least a majority vote) about who to accuse. The one rule is, no one is allowed to say what their role is. James, the narrator, plays the role of mediator, keeping people focused and reigning in any too-heated discussions.
As for the two mafia members, they’ll want to protect themselves, of course. The trick is, they don’t know who the detectives are, and if the detectives are onto them or not.
After everyone agrees on who to accuse, that person must reveal their card and their role and then exit the game. Then the narrator starts another nighttime phase of the game, where everyone closes his or her eyes, the Mafia gets another chance to kill someone, and the detectives get another guess at who the mafia are.
Say during the next round, the detectives guess that Steve is a member of the mafia. The narrator nods his head yes. Now the detectives are at an advantage: they know a member of the mafia. But during the next discussion round, they have to carefully use this knowledge. They can’t outright say they’re detectives, you see. They can’t state that they know Steve is a mafia member. But they can persuade and lead the discussion, hoping to sway the citizens their way.
If anyone speaks out too vocally against a member of the mafia during one round, the mafia always has the option of killing them during the next night phase of the game, so the detectives will want to be careful. But the mafia members can’t make the murder too obvious or everyone else will be onto them… See how it’s a game of mind tricks, deceptions, and secrets? It often evolves into backstabbing and throwing people under the bus, which is all part of the fun.
One last thing: what happens to the players who die? They become “ghosts” and can stay in the room, watch the game, and even keep their eyes open during the nighttime phase, but they’re not allowed to make a sound. If they don’t have that much will power, kick them out of the room. 😉
Mafia Game Series
The game ends when either the mafia are both killed, or when they’ve killed both the detectives (or is it when they’ve killed everyone? Maybe you could play either way). What a creepy game for your Halloween party this year!
Mafia Game Online
Variations: Along with the murder theme, there’s a murder: winks version game and a hand-squeezing version that are both a lot of fun.