New Xbox Games Launching This Week Including Mafia The Old Country and Witch It

This week brings a pair of compelling new releases to the Xbox ecosystem, offering distinct experiences for players seeking narrative depth and chaotic fun. Both Mafia: The Old Country and Witch It are launching, providing a diverse array of gameplay that caters to different preferences.

Prepare to immerse yourself in the gritty origins of organized crime with Mafia: The Old Country, a narrative-driven action-adventure that transports players to early 20th-century Sicily. Alternatively, engage in lighthearted, yet intense, multiplayer mayhem with Witch It, a unique hide-and-seek game that pits witches against hunters in a magical world.

Mafia: The Old Country – A Return to Form

Mafia: The Old Country marks a significant entry in the beloved franchise, developed by Hangar 13 and published by 2K. This installment serves as a prequel, delving into the foundational years of the Sicilian Mafia and offering a stark contrast to the more open-world experiences of its predecessors. The game places a strong emphasis on its narrative, steering back towards the more linear and cinematic approach of the original Mafia titles.

Set in the fictional town of San Celeste and its surrounding Sicilian landscapes in the early 1900s, the story follows Enzo Favara. Players will witness Enzo’s transformation from a young carusu, indentured to work in the harsh sulfur mines, into a rising figure within the fictional Torrisi crime family. The narrative explores themes of loyalty, love, and survival in a brutal and unforgiving era.

The game’s setting is meticulously crafted, with the Sicilian environment presented in rich detail, making it a visually stunning backdrop for the unfolding drama. The commitment to authenticity extends to the inclusion of Sicilian voice acting, aiming to fully immerse players in the historical and cultural context of the story. This dedication to detail is a hallmark of the Mafia series, and The Old Country aims to uphold that legacy.

Gameplay in Mafia: The Old Country is primarily third-person and narrative-driven, aligning closely with the structure of Mafia and Mafia II. While the experience is largely linear, there are opportunities for players to explore environments and pursue optional objectives within certain story chapters. This design choice prioritizes a focused, story-centric experience over the sprawling open-world exploration seen in Mafia III.

The gameplay mechanics include familiar elements such as cover-based shooting and stealth. While reviews suggest that these mechanics are functional and entertaining, they may feel somewhat dated compared to modern action titles. The stealth elements, in particular, are described as basic, with less challenging enemy AI. However, the solid gunplay and satisfying headshots offer their own form of engagement.

Knife combat also plays a role, with several boss encounters featuring this close-quarters engagement. The game offers a variety of knives that can be unlocked and customized, each with unique properties to suit different combat preferences. The combat system allows for thrusts, slashes, parries, and dodges, drawing comparisons to the combat found in the Batman: Arkham series.

Despite its linear nature, the game offers a 10-15 hour campaign, which is often praised for its tight pacing and lack of filler content. This shorter playtime respects the player’s time, delivering a compelling narrative without unnecessary padding. The focus remains squarely on the story, with cutscenes and character development being key strengths.

The visual presentation of Mafia: The Old Country is a standout feature, with the Sicilian setting being beautifully rendered. The Unreal Engine 5 allows for a high level of visual fidelity, bringing the intricate architecture and landscapes to life. The game’s atmosphere is further enhanced by its authentic Sicilian soundtrack and strong voice acting performances, which contribute significantly to the emotional weight of the narrative.

While the core gameplay mechanics might not break new ground, the game’s strength lies in its storytelling and atmosphere. The narrative is praised for being emotionally resonant and believable, with sharp dialogue and potent moral conflicts. Players looking for a deep, character-focused crime drama will find much to appreciate in Enzo Favara’s journey.

The game launched on August 8, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC. It is available in Standard and Deluxe Editions, with the latter including additional cosmetic packs and digital extras. For those interested in exploring the world further, a ‘Free Ride’ update was released in November 2025, adding additional activities outside the main story.

Witch It – A Whimsical Hide-and-Seek Adventure

On the other end of the spectrum is Witch It, a multiplayer hide-and-seek game that offers a much lighter and more chaotic experience. Developed by Barrel Roll Games and published by Daedalic Entertainment, Witch It has been available in Early Access since 2017 and officially launched on PC on October 22, 2020. It has since expanded to consoles, including Xbox Series X|S.

The core premise of Witch It is simple yet engaging: one team plays as witches, and the other as hunters. Witches have the ability to transform into almost any object within the game’s vibrant and whimsical maps, allowing them to blend seamlessly into the environment. Their goal is to hide effectively and survive until the time runs out.

Hunters, on the other hand, are tasked with finding and eliminating the hidden witches. They are equipped with a variety of tools and gadgets to aid their search, such as a loyal chicken that can detect nearby witches or a body slam skill for area-of-effect damage. The dynamic, physics-based prop movement adds another layer of depth, enabling both witches and hunters to traverse the maps with ease.

Witch It features fifteen diverse official maps, each with unique playstyles and prop layouts. Beyond the official maps, the game also supports community creations through the Steam Workshop, offering a near-endless variety of environments to explore and hide within. This extensive map selection ensures that no two matches feel exactly the same.

Several game modes are available to keep the experience fresh. The standard ‘Hide & Seek’ mode is the core experience, while ‘Mobification’ sees eliminated witches joining the hunter team. ‘Hunt a Hag’ disables all skills and projectiles for a more classic game of tag, and ‘Fill a Pot’ offers a 2v2 competitive challenge where witches must fill cauldrons with specific props.

Customization is a significant aspect of Witch It, with countless options available for both witches and hunters. Players can unlock and craft a wide array of cosmetic items, including outfits and brooms, allowing for personalized character expression. This progression system encourages players to level up and showcase their hiding and hunting abilities.

The game’s art style is described as crisp yet lo-fi, with a distinct PS1 aesthetic that contributes to its charming and humorous atmosphere. This visual style, combined with the lighthearted gameplay, makes Witch It a suitable party game for players of all ages. The game supports up to 16 online players, making it ideal for playing with friends.

Reviews often highlight the game’s fun and accessible nature, noting that it offers a less rage-inducing multiplayer experience compared to more competitive titles. While some critics find the gameplay can become repetitive, the core hide-and-seek loop, combined with the unique prop-mimicking mechanic, provides hours of entertainment, especially when played with friends.

Witch It is available on Xbox Series X|S, with its release on the platform occurring around August 5, 2025. The game has been praised for its creative take on the hide-and-seek genre and its ability to deliver consistent fun through its diverse maps, modes, and customization options.