Every Mafia Protagonist So Far, Ranked From Worst To Best

Mafia: The Old Country’s Enzo Favara is the newest addition to the expanding list of the Mafia series protagonists. His story throughout this incredible game sees him rise from some of the harshest realities to a made man in the Torrisi family. The game lets go of the Mafia 3 models and takes a shape that more closely resembles the first two games in the series.

Like every other Mafia protagonist, Enzo’s journey is full of deception, violence, and a fair amount of ups and downs. Still, we can all agree that every protagonist differs vastly from the others, with factors such as the world around them, how their stories unfold, and the internal conflicts that make them so interesting and lovable. How do Enzo’s story and character rank amongst the protagonists who came before him? This list ranks every protagonist from the Mafia series to see who is the best Mafioso in the series so far.

Lincoln Clay (Alex Hernandez) – Mafia III (2016)

Mafia 3 and Lincoln Clay’s story make for a great game and character arc, just not a great Mafia game. Lincoln’s story is one of revenge, vendetta, and non-stop action. Lincoln wages a one-man war against the entire mob in 1968 New Orleans. In concept, it is a fun idea to go from base to base as the unstoppable Lincoln Clay, wiping out whole squads of armed enemies in brutal fashion. 

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Still, with how different the game is from its predecessors and its successors, and with other issues like repetitive missions and a flat story, it’s hard to fall in love with Lincoln Clay as a character. Ultimately, Mafia 3 is a fun, action-packed third-person shooter with a fun and interesting open world, and Lincoln Clay is an awesome main character. However, as a Mafia game, and compared to the other Mafia games and their protagonists, Mafia 3 and Lincoln Clay fall short and miss the mark.

Vito Scaletta (Rick Pasqualone) – Mafia II (2010)

Mafia 2’s Vito Scaletta fits the series’ protagonist model to the finest margin. A man with little to no prospects, a strong desire to make something of himself in a cruel and unforgiving world, and the resolve and willingness to do whatever it takes—even if that means getting his hands dirty. The Mafia 2 story follows Vito as he makes his way up the ranks of the Falcone crime family. His story is one of betrayal, strife, duty, and violence.

Vito perfectly fits the mold of a good protagonist, and the Mafia 2 story is great. However, Vito doesn’t quite hit the levels of depth, character growth, and introspection that we see in Enzo Favar (Mafia: The Old Country) and Tommy Angelo (Mafia/Mafia Definitive Version). Vito is an incredible Mafia protagonist, but compared to the other two higher on this list, he falls just short.

Enzo Favara (Riccardo Frascari) – Mafia: The Old Country (2025) 

Mafia: The Old Country’s Enzo Favara has a lot of things going for him, and the character benefits greatly from the story as well. His rough start to life as a laborer in the sulfur mines of Sicily in the 1900s. Enzo’s harsh start to life, rough climb up the Torrisi family ranks, and his doomed romance with the Don’s daughter Isabella all make for a very compelling story.

The game itself is incredible and action-packed but very much story-driven, with several unique mechanics and gameplay elements that vastly differ from Mafia 3 and more closely resemble the first two installments in the series. Enzo’s desire to become more than what he was at the start of the game and the internal conflict between his loyalty to his brothers in the Torrisi family and his love for Isabella make him an interesting character to follow. The emotion, drama, and action of Mafia: The Old Country, seen from the perspective of Enzo Favara, a former miner turned Made Man, make Enzo one of the best protagonists we’ve seen in a Mafia title so far.

Tommy Angelo (Michael Sorvino and Andrew Bongiorno) – Mafia (2002) / Definitive Edition (2020)

Tommy Angelo is the first and best Mafia protagonist in the series so far. The main character of Mafia and Mafia: Definitive Edition starts as a humble taxi driver dragged into the mob world, very different from all the other protagonists who sought out a life as an alternative to the one they already had. Tommy’s journey from reluctant criminal to regretful survivor is a deeply human, completely captivating, and altogether well-executed story.

Tommy’s arc is full of internal conflict and moral reflection. His initial aversion to the violent and crime-laden mobster lifestyle and his eventual hardening due to necessity make him the most emotionally resonant protagonist in the series. Even the way he’s dragged into the life is so natural and so properly executed that you can’t help but feel for him as his life quickly spirals into something he has no control over.