Both games below are remastered rather than remade from scratch in spirit, faithful rebuilds of two distinct crime stories set a generation apart. If the appeal is period detail and a slower, story-driven pace rather than an open-world sandbox, this is the pairing.
Mafia: Definitive Edition, $20
A full remake, not just a remaster, of the original 2002 Mafia, rebuilding the story of a small-time driver drawn into a Prohibition-era crime family from the ground up with modern visuals and expanded dialogue, while keeping the same period setting and narrative beats that made the original notable. Set in the 1930s, built around loyalty, ambition and consequence rather than open-world freedom.
Mafia II: Definitive Edition, $20
A remaster of Mafia II, following a returning WWII veteran pulled into organized crime through the 1940s and 50s. Built more around linear story missions and period atmosphere than open-world freedom, closer to a crime drama than a sandbox, same as the first game, just a different decade and a different protagonist's fall.
Which one to start with
Neither requires the other, each tells a complete, self-contained story with different characters and a different decade. If you only want one, pick based on setting, Prohibition-era 1930s bootlegging for the original, post-war 1940s-50s organised crime for the sequel. If the genre appeals at all, both are worth it, they do not repeat each other's story or structure.
Get either of these
Both are genuine global Xbox digital keys, delivered by email. New to redeeming a digital Xbox code, our redemption guide covers console, phone and browser methods.
More to explore
See the rest of the game key catalogue, or our other roundups: military shooters, retro throwbacks, and horror and thriller picks.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to play Mafia before Mafia II?
No, each tells a complete, self-contained story with different characters and a different decade. Playing in release order is a nice touch but not required to follow either story.
Is Mafia: Definitive Edition a remaster or a full remake?
A full remake, rebuilt from the ground up with modern visuals and expanded dialogue, rather than an upscaled version of the 2002 original.
Are these open-world games?
Both lean toward linear, story-driven missions with period atmosphere rather than open-world freedom, closer to a crime drama than a sandbox game.
What time periods do the games cover?
Mafia: Definitive Edition is set in the 1930s during Prohibition. Mafia II: Definitive Edition covers the 1940s and 50s, following a different protagonist entirely.
Are these genuine Xbox keys?
Yes, every title is a genuine global, region-free Microsoft or Xbox code, delivered by email and redeemable on any account regardless of country.
