---
title: "Mafia II: Definitive Edition: Complete Guide"
game: "Mafia II: Definitive Edition"
game_url: "https://qna.gg/games/mafia-ii-definitive-edition"
author: "Qloud"
author_url: "https://qna.gg/players/Qloud"
topics: ["Achievements", "Collectibles"]
summary: "A full guide to Vito Scaletta's rise through Empire Bay: how the game works, police and money, chapter-by-chapter highlights, collectibles, the three DLC campaigns, and every missable achievement worth knowing about.…"
url: "https://qna.gg/g/mafia-ii-definitive-edition-complete-guide-f61f2a8e"
published: "2026-09-27T17:25:51.662Z"
updated: "2026-09-27T17:25:51.662Z"
source: "QnA.GG"
---

# Mafia II: Definitive Edition: Complete Guide

A full guide to Vito Scaletta's rise through Empire Bay: how the game works, police and money, chapter-by-chapter highlights, collectibles, the three DLC campaigns, and every missable achievement worth knowing about.

*Researched September 2026 — current as of the Definitive Edition (released May 19, 2020) and its inclusion in Mafia: The Omertà Collection (August 14, 2026). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.*

> **Edition note:** Mafia II: Definitive Edition (Steam app 1030830) is the remaster by Hangar 13 and D3T. It includes the main story and all three story DLCs (**Joe's Adventures**, **Jimmy's Vendetta**, **The Betrayal of Jimmy**) plus the style packs. It's also part of **Mafia: The Omertà Collection** (with Mafia: Definitive Edition, Mafia III: Definitive Edition and Mafia: The Old Country Definitive Edition), launched August 14, 2026. Owning Mafia II: DE unlocks Vito's leather jacket and car in Mafia: DE and Mafia III: DE.

## Quick Start

1. **This is a story game, not a sandbox.** Empire Bay is an open city, but the campaign is linear across 15 chapters. There's no free-roam mode in the main story; Jimmy's Vendetta is the closest thing to one.
2. **Use the speed limiter.** Police chase you for speeding and crashes. Toggle the limiter on for normal driving to avoid pointless police trouble.
3. **Change clothes and plates to lose police recognition.** If cops know your face, change outfits; if they know your car, change plates or repaint at a garage.
4. **Sell cars for money.** Mike Bruski's scrapyard and Derek at the docks buy cars. This is the main early income.
5. **Buy guns at Harry's** and clothes at clothing stores. A luxury suit is an achievement.
6. **Health partly regenerates**, but eating at diners and drinking in bars fully heals Vito.
7. **Save points are automatic** at chapter checkpoints. Don't quit mid-mission if you want to keep progress.
8. **Pick up collectibles as you go:** 50 Playboy magazines and wanted posters. Many are only reachable during specific chapters.
9. **Some achievements are chapter-specific.** See the missables list below.

## Core Systems

### Difficulty

Easy, Medium and Hard. **Made Man** requires finishing on Medium or higher; **Tough Nut** on Hard. Hard makes enemies deadlier and police more aggressive.

### Police and notoriety

| Offence | Result | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Speeding, reckless driving | Police try to stop you, and you can pay a fine | Use the speed limiter, pay the fine or flee |
| Car identified | Cops look for your plates | Change plates or repaint at a garage |
| Vito's face identified | Cops recognize you on sight | Change clothes at a store or at home |
| Shooting, violence | Police escalate to lethal force | Flee, break line of sight, hide |

Being arrested costs time and can fail a mission. **Hard to Kill** asks you to survive 10 minutes with the police wanting you dead.

### Money

| Source | Notes |
|---|---|
| Mike Bruski's scrapyard | Sell cars; **Proper Scrapper** for 5 |
| Derek at the docks | Sell cars; **Exporter** for 5 |
| Story payouts | Big chunks at certain chapters |
| Robbing stores | Aim at the clerk and take the cash; draws police |

Spend on guns (Harry's), cars and upgrades (garages), clothes and food.

### Cars and garages

- **Tuning** upgrades speed and handling. **Tuned Ride** is an achievement for one level; **Dream Handling** for max.
- Garages also repair, repaint, and change plates.
- Store cars at your home garage.

### Combat

- Cover-based third-person shooting. Stay in cover; peek to shoot.
- **Headshots** matter; **Hairdresser** requires 5 headshot kills in rapid succession.
- **Melee:** light and heavy attacks plus dodge and counter. **Knucklehead** for 30 melee kills.
- Grenades and Molotovs are strong for groups.

## Story and Chapter Highlights

The story follows Vito Scaletta from a WWII soldier in Sicily (Chapter 1) to a mafia career with his friend **Joe Barbaro**. You'll work with and against the three families: **Falcone** (Carlo Falcone), **Vinci** (Frank Vinci), and **Clemente** (Alberto Clemente), with **Henry Tomasino**, **Eddie Scarpa**, **Leo Galante**, and **Derek Pappalardo** as major characters.

Chapter 1 is the Sicily WWII tutorial, Chapter 2 (Home Sweet Home) brings Vito back to a snowy Empire Bay, Chapter 6 (Time Well Spent) is set in prison, and the second half of the game jumps to the 1950s. Every chapter completion has its own achievement (Chapter 15's is **Finish Him**).

**Story achievements to watch for (several are missable within their chapter):**

| Achievement | What to do |
|---|---|
| Big Brother | Protect Francesca (early, Home Sweet Home) |
| A Real Gentleman | Help the woman fix her car in Home Sweet Home |
| Back In Business | Do your first job for Mike Bruski |
| He Who Pays The Barber | Improve the dockworkers' haircuts |
| The Professional | Obtain the ration stamps without raising the alarm |
| Mail Man | Sell all the gas stamps before the time runs out |
| A Lesson In Manners | Show that you know how to treat a lady |
| Wake Up Call | Help Leo out of a tricky situation without getting caught |
| Hey Joe | Clean up after Joe |
| The Mafia Never Forgets | Pay a visit to an old friend |
| Out for Justice | Learn what it means to be a Scaletta |
| End of the Rainbow | Settle the score with the Irish once and for all |

Stealth-based ones (The Professional, Wake Up Call) are the most commonly missed; save your aggression for after the objective.

If you miss a chapter-specific achievement, the **chapter select** in the main menu lets you replay chapters after you've reached them.

## Collectibles

| Collectible | Achievement |
|---|---|
| Playboy magazines (50) | **Ladies' Man** for all |
| Wanted posters | **Card Sharp** for all |

- Any collectible gives **Collector's Item**.
- Many collectibles are in buildings only accessible during certain chapters. Use a chapter-by-chapter collectible guide if you want them all in one run, or clean up via chapter select.

## DLC Campaigns

### Joe's Adventures

Plays as Joe during the years Vito is in prison. Missions are linked by a score-attack free-roam with jumps, drifts and velocity runs. Achievements: **What Witness?**, **Dockyard Discord**, **Five Finger Discount**, **Mind the Goods**, **Arctic Grave**, **Jacked Jumper**, **Driftin' Daddy-O**, **Hypersonic**, **Jack of all Trades**, **Same Shirt Different Day**.

### Jimmy's Vendetta

Arcade-style score attack campaign as the hitman Jimmy, taking revenge across Empire Bay. The first mission unlocks **First Step** and finishing it unlocks **Revenged**. Many achievements are grindy: **Massacre** (1,000 kills), **Explorer** (1,000 miles), **Millionaire** (1,000,000 points), **Fireworker** (100 vehicles), **Armament King**, **Carnapper** (all Car Dealer missions), **Faster than Light** (10x multiplier), **Sharpshooter** (100 headshots).

### The Betrayal of Jimmy

Another Jimmy campaign of gun-for-hire missions across Empire Bay.

## Achievement Tips

- **Pedal to the Metal:** 125 mph needs a fast car and a long straight road.
- **Get Rich or Die Flyin':** all four wheels off the ground for 20 meters; find a ramp or a hill.
- **Cruise Control:** keep at 30 mph or more for 5+ minutes. Use a highway loop.
- **One Careful Owner:** 50 miles in one car; do it naturally over a long playthrough.
- **Petrol Head:** drive 30 different vehicles. Steal a variety of cars as you play.
- **Stuck Up:** rob 5 stores in under 5 minutes; plan a route.
- **Sharp Suiter:** buy your first luxury suit.

## Common Mistakes to Avoid

- **Speeding everywhere.** Constant police chases waste time; use the speed limiter.
- **Ignoring clothes and plates.** Police recognition lasts until you change.
- **Missing chapter-specific achievements.** Read the chapter list above before you start each chapter.
- **Expecting open-world side content.** The main story has few side activities.
- **Wasting money early.** Keep enough for guns and a suit; cars can be sold for more cash.

## Advanced Tips

- **Hide in cover and use grenades** in big shootouts on Hard.
- **Drive carefully during missions** to avoid police aggro interfering with objectives.
- **Headshots** end fights fast; aim high.
- **Use chapter select** to farm collectibles and missables after completion.
- **Jimmy's Vendetta** is the best place to grind general kill and driving stats.

## FAQ

**Is Definitive Edition better than the original?**
It's the only version sold now and includes all DLC with remastered visuals. Owners of the original on Steam received the Definitive Edition for free at launch.

**Is there free roam after the story?**
Not in the main campaign. Jimmy's Vendetta and Joe's Adventures offer open-world style score modes.

**How long is Mafia II?**
The main story is roughly moderate length for an action game; DLC adds significant time.

**Where do I start the DLC?**
From the main menu; each DLC is its own campaign.

**Do I need to play Mafia first?**
Not required, but the Mafia trilogy has connections. Mafia III and The Old Country have further links.

**What's the best way to get Mafia II now?**
Buy it standalone or as part of Mafia: The Omertà Collection (launched August 14, 2026), which includes all four Definitive Editions.

## Sources

- [Wikipedia — Mafia II](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mafia_II)
- [Steam — Mafia II: Definitive Edition achievements](https://steamcommunity.com/stats/1030830/achievements)
- [Steam store — Mafia II: Definitive Edition](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1030830/)
- [Steam news — Mafia: The Omertà Collection announcement](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1030830)