Games about mafia, gangs, and crime syndicates let players experience the thrill of heists, intrigues, and showdowns. Whether it’s the Italian mafia, street gangs, yakuza, or corrupt cops, these games offer a variety of criminal worlds to explore. And while playing them, you feel as immersed as in the most profound best bitcoin casinos australia or bestselling thriller novels. Here’s a list of the best games dedicated to the criminal underworld, ranging from realistic dramas to over-the-top action.
Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven
A classic in the crime action genre. Players take on the role of Tommy Angelo, a taxi driver drawn into the mafia life, as he rises from a rookie to a key figure in the Salieri family.
The game combines an open city, shootouts, car chases, and a detailed story reminiscent of The Godfather. It also stands out for its realistic car physics and the dark atmosphere of 1930s America.
In 2020, Hangar 13 released a remake titled Mafia: Definitive Edition, featuring updated graphics, refined gameplay, and a slightly reworked story.
Grand Theft Auto 5
Three main characters, each with their own criminal background: Michael (a former bank robber), Franklin (a street gangster), and Trevor (a psychopath). Their paths cross in a vast open world where players can commit heists, work for the mafia, and engage in large-scale shootouts.
GTA 5 became one of the most profitable games in history and remains popular thanks to its online mode. Analysts predict that GTA 6, set to release in 2025, will be an even bigger event in the gaming industry.
The Godfather
A game adaptation of the iconic film. Players take on the role of a soldier in the Corleone family, climbing the criminal hierarchy. The story runs parallel to the film’s events, and players can encounter familiar characters like Vito Corleone and Michael.
Players can extort businesses, participate in gang wars, and build their own mafia empire.
L.A. Noire
Not strictly a mafia game, but deeply tied to the criminal underworld. Players step into the shoes of detective Cole Phelps in 1940s Los Angeles, solving murders and uncovering mafia schemes.
Developed by Team Bondi, the game impressed the industry with its MotionScan technology, which created realistic facial animations, making interrogations particularly engaging and intense.
Sleeping Dogs
A Hong Kong-inspired take on GTA by Square Enix, with a focus on martial arts. The protagonist, Wei Shen, is an undercover cop infiltrating the triads. Players must balance loyalty to the law and their criminal family while completing dangerous missions.
The game’s unique combat system, exotic setting, and gripping story made it a cult classic. A film adaptation starring Marvel’s Simu Liu is currently in the works.
In 2014, a remastered Definitive Edition was released for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, featuring all previously released DLC and improved graphics.
Yakuza 0
Set in Japan during the economic boom of 1988, Yakuza 0 follows two protagonists: Kazuma Kiryu, who gets caught in a family conspiracy, and Goro Majima, seeking redemption after being exiled from the yakuza.
The game blends deep crime drama with absurd humor, offering a mix of brutal showdowns, side quests, and mini-games. Combat is in the beat ’em up style, allowing players to use environmental objects, switch fighting styles, and perform flashy finishers.
The entire Yakuza series is worth playing, but Yakuza 0 serves as the perfect starting point for the franchise.
Payday 2
A heist simulator where a team of four criminals executes meticulously planned (or chaotic) robberies targeting banks, jewelry stores, casinos, and even secret labs. Unlike most crime games, Payday 2 emphasizes cooperative gameplay, requiring players to coordinate, use gadgets, and assign roles.
Players can choose stealthy approaches, silently neutralizing guards and cracking vaults, or go in guns blazing, engaging in epic shootouts with police forces.
Notably, Payday 2 remains more popular than its sequel, Payday 3, which was criticized for its lack of content and technical issues.
Scarface: The World is Yours
Unlike most movie-based games, Scarface: The World is Yours offers an alternate scenario where Tony Montana survives the shootout at the end of the film and begins rebuilding his empire.
Set in 1980s Miami, the game gives players full freedom to create their own drug empire. Instead of a linear story, the game focuses on expansion mechanics: Tony starts by reclaiming street dealers from rivals, then takes over warehouses and gradually rebuilds supply routes.
Saints Row: The Third
A parody-driven, outrageously stylish crime sandbox where realism is thrown out the window. Unlike earlier entries in the series, which were influenced by GTA, the third game fully embraces absurdity.
Set in the city of Steelport, the game follows the Third Street Saints, a gang turned global brand with its own energy drinks, sneakers, and fans worldwide. After a clash with an international crime syndicate, the Saints must reclaim their power in the city.
Empire of Sin
A strategy game by John Romero (DOOM), where players take on the role of a crime boss during Prohibition-era Chicago in the 1920s. There’s no single protagonist—players can choose from 14 bosses, including real-life figures like Al Capone and Stephanie St. Clair. Each leader has unique abilities that influence how they manage their criminal empire.
The gameplay combines economic management (running illegal bars, casinos, brothels, and workshops), diplomatic negotiations with rival gangs, and tactical turn-based combat reminiscent of XCOM.
Interactions with competitors can lead to alliances, betrayals, or all-out wars. Loyalty plays a key role, as underlings may b