I would like to open this review by saying my experience was on a PS4 PRO and I have played Mafia 2 and Three before this game so I have some experience with the series.
This one's a mixed bag, I'm going to say it now if you like a sandbox game with an abundance of distractions from the main plot, regrettably you're going to have to keep walking, Mafia is a tight narrative focused game that will railroad you from start to finish. The story is well executed and genuinely gave me a few surprises along the way, however at its core is a story that many of us have seen many times before, and probably executed far better (RDR, GTA 4) a man torn between his moral compass, his family, and his duty to his goals. The game play is passable, driving from A to B is reminiscent of Mafia 2 and generally serves its purpose, although anyone looking for fast cars that can drift round corners like GTA 5/Saints Row will be disappointed as these old cars are like driving a whale with an eating disorder. Shooting feels fine and headshots are satisfying, although at times enemies can be absolute bullet sponges towards the end, an the AI have a nasty habit of throwing molotovs out of your field of view usually resulting in a cheap death. The melee combat is laughable with each blow having about as much impact as two action figures slapping against eachother, and again some enemies feel far too spongey to make melee a valid option even with the variety of melee weapons on offer. The game is a relic an old dog with a new coat of paint and that's about it, Mafia Definitive Edition doesn't do enough to stand out compared to its sequels. I can't say I regret playing it, however I will say I bought this as part of a trilogy (having played 2 and 3 prior) and I do feel if I purchased this game alone I would have felt hard done by in terms of price.
7/10 wait for a price drop, or get it via the trilogy