Mafia: Definitive Edition - The City of Lost Heaven

Lore & Background

The City of Lost Heaven is a sprawling metropolis inspired by 1930s American cities like Chicago and New York, recreated in meticulous detail for the Definitive Edition. Its districts range from the affluent Oakwood, with its manicured lawns and silent mansions, to the industrial docks where rust and salt spray cling to every crane, and the seedy Chinatown, where neon signs flicker over cramped alleys thick with the smell of opium and cooking oil. Each district reflects the era's social divides—a map of who has power and who doesn't. The campaign uses this setting to ground its story in a world of prohibition, speakeasies, and organized crime, where every street corner can hide a threat or an opportunity, and the rumble of a flathead V8 might be a getaway car or a hearse. Tommy Angelo's journey begins when a chance encounter with two Salieri family members leads him to become their driver, then a made man. Over the course of the campaign, players witness his rise through the ranks—from running hooch in a beat-up coupe to holding a tommy gun in a warehouse shootout—his growing disillusionment with mob life, and the personal costs of his choices. The narrative is framed by a present-day interrogation scene, where an older Tommy recounts his story to a detective, adding a layer of reflection and fate, as if every bullet he fired is now echoing back at him. The campaign's missions are varied, including car chases through rain-slicked streets, shootouts in smoky jazz clubs, stealth sequences in moonlit warehouses, and long drives across the city with the radio crackling period tunes. The Definitive Edition expands on the original with new dialogue, cutscenes, and gameplay refinements, while preserving the core story beats that made the original a classic—like a restored film print that keeps every scratch and shadow.

In Their Own Story

The rain hammers the windshield of Tommy's taxi as he pulls over at a red light. Two men burst from a alley, guns drawn, shoving a third man into the back seat. 'Drive, pal, or you're dead,' one growls. Tommy floors it, tires screaming on wet cobblestones, as police sirens wail behind. He loses them in the maze of docks and warehouses, earning the gratitude of Paulie and Sam—soldiers for the Salieri family. That night, he's offered a job he can't refuse: driver for the family. Tommy looks at his worn-out cab, then at the wad of cash in his hand. 'Alright,' he says, and the engine of his new life roars to life.

Reader's Guide

The campaign of Mafia: Definitive Edition is a linear story told across 20 chapters, each a self-contained mission. It begins with Tommy Angelo, a taxi driver, who helps two Salieri family members escape a police ambush. Grateful, they bring him into the family as a driver, and Tommy quickly proves his worth in jobs ranging from bootlegging to assassinations—each job a step deeper into the mud. As Tommy rises, he befriends Paulie and Sam, but tensions grow as the family clashes with the rival Morello gang. The story's midpoint sees Tommy's marriage to Sarah and a brief attempt at a normal life—a quiet apartment, a kiss goodbye—but he's pulled back when the violence escalates, dragging him from the kitchen table to the barrel of a gun. Key missions include a daring bank robbery where the vault door groans open like a tomb, a betrayal within the family that stains the floorboards red, and a final confrontation at the Salieri mansion, where loyalty is measured in bullet casings. The campaign ends with Tommy testifying against the family in exchange for witness protection, a choice that buys him a new name but no peace. The final scene shows him in a quiet suburb, watering his lawn, as a black sedan rolls slowly past—a reminder that in Lost Heaven, no one ever really leaves.

Did You Know?

• The campaign's framing device, with Tommy being interrogated by a detective, was inspired by classic film noir and the original game's opening cutscene.
• The Definitive Edition's Lost Heaven is built from scratch using the Mafia III engine, but retains the original's mission structure and key locations.
• The campaign's length is roughly 15-20 hours, depending on player skill and exploration.