All the way back in 2002, the original Mafia game released to great reception among a crowded year for game releases. 2002 saw the release of several huge games, and even launched several franchises like Kingdom Hearts, Splinter Cell, and Ratchet & Clank. While Mafia did garner a lot of comparisons to Grand Theft Auto 3 and Vice City, the game still had a distinct atmosphere steeped in 1920s Prohibition-era America. Now the game returns to life with Mafia: Definitive Edition, and with it a whole new soundtrack to emphasize that era in US history.
This time, Mafia is attempting to take a more unique approach in its atmosphere and ambiance. In an interview with Game Rant, Mafia: Definitive Edition composer Jesse Harlin emphasizes how this remade version of Mafia's soundtrack is avoiding mafia-related media conventions on purpose. Mafia: Definitive Edition evokes a feeling of familiarity along with its unique identity, making the new soundtrack far more impactful compared to the original game's sparse orchestral soundtrack. There's still elements of traditional Italian folk music sprinkled throughout, but they're more tied to character themes instead of blanketing the overall soundtrack with a cliche.
Returning From Mafia 3's Blues To Traditional Orchestration
The last game to come out for the series, prior to Mafia: Definitive Edition, was Mafia 3. It marked a very different direction for the game series, and as a result, the atmosphere and soundtrack to the game followed a very different tone. Whereas previous games had featured the traditional Italian Mob approach of powerhouse criminal families, Mafia 3 took place in the southern bayous of New Bordeaux. With the game set in the 1960s in an adaptation of the real-life New Orleans, Mafia 3's soundtrack evokes a blues rock sound.
Harlin also worked on that soundtrack, and had a strong desire to aim for something very different compared to previous Mafia games. "It was a big shift for sure," Harlin remembers, "Jim Bonney and I moving into a Blues score, we spent two weeks in Nashville recording guitars, harmonica, organs, step dancers, body percussion, that was just great to do something different."
With Mafia: Definitive Edition, returning to Lost Heaven means the tone and dynamic of the game is very different compared to New Bordeaux. With the game set 30 years prior to Mafia 3, it was clear a very traditional orchestral approach was required. Although to stop short at traditional would cheapen the actual music in Mafia: Definitive Edition, which has a very unique identity.
Avoiding Gangster Tropes in Mafia: Definitive Edition
For Mafia: Definitive Edition, composer Jesse Harlin wished to take a different approach with the new fully remade soundtrack. The original Mafia soundtrack had very few original compositions and bolstered its numbers with many licensed period-accurate songs instead. Since the majority of the gameplay in the first game revolved around driving, the use of licensed music on vehicle radios made the most sense. However with Definitive Edition, the game has a lot more variation in gameplay amongst a much more vibrant world and cinematic story.
Harlin wanted to capture the tension of a highly cinematic mafia/gangster story, without taking too much attention away from the gameplay itself. "It was the desire to not fight for the sonic frequency space that is going to be filled in by important player feedback," stated Harlin. "Whether it's gun sounds, reloading, basically what you need to hear while you're playing. Anything that makes people have to reach for the volume slider in the menus is exactly what I didn't want to do."
Instead Harlin wanted to focus on building tension with a traditional orchestral soundtrack in standard gameplay, but highlighting other moments with iconic character themes:
"The game's sound is like classical stage or ballerina music, not sounding like a film score. With characters like Sarah, it's the only time the main character is relaxed, so I should probably pull in some Jazz influences to pair with the cooler vibe. With some of the older characters like Don Salieri, I'd pull in some Italian folk music influences. Striking a single note with the Mandolin, that shakes back and forth and is struck over and over again to build tension."
Reinventing Mafia Goes Beyond Just Gameplay
Reinventing the game for Mafia: Definitive Edition goes far beyond meshing the traditional setting with Mafia 3-like gameplay elements. The atmosphere of the game, and frankly of any mafia-related media, is the most important part. Something that helps contextualize the feeling of Mafia's blood feud between rival crime families makes the story more immersive and believable. Jesse Harlin took that desire to heart when composing the new soundtrack for Definitive Edition, emphasizing character themes in a game where originally they were few and far between.
Mafia: Definitive Edition releases on September 25, 2020, for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.