Calling Mafia 3’s release “a bit rocky” would be an understatement.
The hype surrounding the pre-launch was huge, but once people got their hands on it, it didn’t turn out to live up to most people’s expectations.
Regardless of the mixed reviews, I dare say that Mafia 3 isn’t all that bad. I mean, if you enjoyed GTA5 and happen to be a fan of the mafia genre, then of course this game has appeal.
And whatever you think this game doesn’t do too well, you can always look to mods for help. That’s the goal of this list: ranking all the best mods for Mafia 3 that you can get your hands on.
But before you get started, you’re going to want to get the Mafia 3 ScriptHook which is required to run most of these.
I like to start off with some graphical mods since I’m sure most of you are OK with making the game look better.
Nyclix’s Colour Correction/Blur Removal ReShade preset is by far the best visual upgrade you can get for Mafia 3, especially if you aren’t playing the remastered Definitive Edition.
The mod just makes everything look much more realistic and removes some of the blur effects to give you a much clearer image overall.
One of the biggest complaints people is about the driving mechanics.
Compared to the realistic approach they took with Mafia 2’s driving system, everything feels much more arcade-y this time around.
While it’s fun to drift around and make some of the craziest turns while being chased down the streets of New Bordeaux, it hardly ever feels quite as rewarding.
There are tons of driving mods for Mafia 3 to address some of these issues, and the first you’re going to want is the No Rear View Mirror / Speedometer mod.
This simply removes the rear-view mirror and speedometer from the HUD, removing much of the clutter and adding to the immersion of the game as well.
If you’re looking to take Mafia 3’s driving even further, Budzilla’s Manual Transmission is a great way to do so.
It adds a totally new level of realism and makes driving all the more thrilling, having an extra set of controls to manage while trying to get away from the bad guys.
While it does make driving more difficult overall, it definitely ups the sense of accomplishment you get once you get out of those sticky situations.
The mod adds controls to enable/disable manual transmission, and assigns each gear a separate button so you can switch while driving. Immersion at its finest.
If realism isn’t really what you’re after, Dirty Dan’s Boost might be a better fit.
While Mafia 3’s cars already feel a bit too fast for their time, recklessly speeding through virtual worlds without consequence always seems like a good idea.
Boost helps you do that, making every car run even faster than in vanilla.
What’s better is that the boost function is completely controllable, as if you added nitrous to your vehicle – so you’ll be able to get a quick boost at the push of a button.
Mafia 3’s lack of garages is just another way it separates itself from similar games like GTA5. But this also means collecting and customizing cars in this game isn’t really a thing.
Well modder KNGR aims to fix that with his Car Customizations mod.
This opens up a new set of options for vehicles in Mafia 3, allowing you to choose between different sets of tires, body kits, window tints, decals, and more.
Unfortunately, you still won’t have any garages to store your cars in… so if you lose any of them it’s tough cookies, unfortunately.
Taking vehicle customization even further, Modded Games brings back one of the features from the previous Mafia game, allowing you to completely customize your license plates as well.
I’m not exactly sure if custom license plates were a thing in the 60’s, but with this mod installed, you’ll be the only one in town with one.
It’s really simple to use – all you do is open up the included Lua script and encode whatever you want your plate to read, and there you go!
I’m sure you won’t run out of creative ideas for this one.
If you’re looking for an even more unique way to modify driving, I recommend giving MrGTAmodsgerman’s First Person Mod a try.
While driving in first-person is possible in GTA5, it unfortunately isn’t a default option in Mafia 3 – but this mod fixes that.
It gives you a completely functional first-person mode for driving around New Bordeaux, making it even more interesting to cruise around and take in the sights of the city.
Here’s one of the few times keeping the rear-view mirror on actually makes more sense.
Stealing vehicles is rather common in these open world games, and is an especially convenient way to grab a car at the drop of a hat.
But it isn’t quite as simple in Mafia 3, because breaking into a car usually means that if a cop doesn’t see you and immediately chases you down, a witness will see and call them to report it.
Gone are the days when you’d have to break through windows.
Now you can efficiently break into vehicles with a slim jim, easy and quick.
What’s easier than spawning cars? The ability to teleport yourself around the map!
BabaRaw’s Teleport Between Districts lets you do exactly that, alleviating the need to steal or spawn in cars, or even drive at all for that matter.
Instantly jumping between the 10 districts of New Bordeaux is without a doubt the fastest way to get around. And is especially useful for when your next objective happens to be on the opposite end of the map.
This mod was actually created as a solution to the game’s lack of a fast travel system, which I honestly don’t understand why one wasn’t included.
Now that you don’t have to worry about running out of ammo, let’s get you instant access to all the guns in the game.
Not only does this unlock every gun the game has, but it allows you to carry everything around with you. So you can pick and choose a weapon anytime you want.
Screw backpacks and weapon holsters (that’s right, I’m looking at you Last of Us 2). Your inventory is deep with this mod installed.
Toggling between weapons is as simple as a button push, allowing you to scroll through the game’s different handguns, shotguns, SMG’s, and rifles.
You’d typically spend money in Mafia 3 on vehicle upgrades, weapons, or clothing.
There’s really not much to buy in the game to begin with, and with ammo and weapons already covered, I don’t imagine you’re going to need any more money anyway.
That’s not the point though.
The point is you want to have everything… and if you can, then why not?
This Money Script basically gives you $9,999 every time you hit F1. If you don’t have anything else to buy, at least you’ll be the richest person in New Bordeaux.
With invincibility as the last piece of the puzzle, you’ve probably spent hours running around making a mess of New Bordeaux.
I mean, you have to get tired of it eventually, right?
Well if you’re done messing around, there are other mods that make Mafia 3 more interesting, and Vito Scaletta is one of them.
This mod brings back our favorite gangster, letting you play Mafia 3 as the Mafia 2 protagonist Vito Scaletta. A small but notable change for fans of the series.
If you happen to prefer Lincoln over Vito, we have some character customization options for him as well.
This particular set is one of the best by far, as it gives you access to some of the game’s most exclusive cars and outfits.
For those who aren’t aware, the Definitive Edition’s preorder actually came with a few cosmetic items, which you otherwise would never be able to unlock.
And thanks to Modded Games, you’ll be able to get your hands on those sets.
This mod gives Lincoln a proper mafia outfit with Tommy Angelo’s Pinstripe Suit, gives a nod to the previous Mafia game with Vito Scaletta’s Leather Jacket, and has you riding around in style with two shiny new Shubert cars to drive around in.
If you’re looking to give Lincoln a more unique look, alexnoncreeper’s Punisher Outfit might do the trick.
The mod makes Lincoln look like the badass killer you want him to become, having him dressed in the Punisher’s black army coat with the signature spray-painted skill underneath.
It’s definitely a unique concept. And is a cool alternative in case you’ve gotten tired of Lincoln’s default appearance in vanilla.
3. It’s War Time! Realistic Damage + Difficulty Mod
This next mod is one of the more original add-ons I came across, and just couldn’t leave it off the list.
As with any third-person open world game, you could choose to aggressively approach missions with guns blazing, or take a more discreet approach and tackle them more stealthily.
But what if you had more options?
Modder Sladernimo adds in some Hitman flare to Mafia 3 by adding the ability to make car bombs.
With this mod installed, you’ll gain the ability to attach bombs to vehicles and detonate them remotely with a push of a button. Good times.
Now here’s a mod that takes direct inspiration from the Max Payne series.
Bullet Time was one of the coolest features of those games, for sure. And with this mod from Sladernimo, you can have it in Mafia 3 as well.
The mod adds the Bullet Time effect to Mafia 3, so you can slow down time on command. Get those cinematic moments as you’re driving or fighting, and live Neo from The Matrix.
