The Plaza Sniper Attack & Il Merlo’s Death in Chapter 10: La Festa
After the intense raid on the counterfeiting operation, Chapter 10 of Mafia: The Old Country, called “La Festa,” offers a short, misleading sense of calm before everything falls apart. Enzo Favara and the Torrisi crew head to San Celeste to celebrate Luca’s child’s baptism during a huge town festival. This chapter is much more straightforward than earlier ones, focusing on a tight, cinematic action sequence instead of open exploration. What starts as a sunny walk through a lively 1900s Sicilian market soon turns into a desperate fight to survive. The game’s dynamic lighting and destructible environments really stand out as Enzo is hunted by a sniper, leading to a final, bloody showdown with his oldest enemy.
Escorting Isabella to the Baptism
When we arrive in San Celeste, we park our car, and it drops us right into the lively Saint’s Day festival. The town square looks incredible, with detailed crowds, bright market stalls, and huge painted Roman soldier statues. Our main goal is straightforward: walk Isabella up the cobblestone steps and through the busy market to the church. The game slows things down here, encouraging us to listen to Isabella and take in all the details before things get out of control.
Before going into the church, Enzo takes a moment to be charming. We head to the back of the plaza to find a vendor under a beige tarp and buy a flower for Isabella. This short, personal moment highlights his growing feelings and the secret romance with the Don’s daughter. We meet her again at the big wooden doors, give her the flower, and go inside to join Luca and the rest of the Torrisi family.
- Lore Fact: The title “La Festa” directly translates to “The Feast” or “The Festival,” serving as a deeply ironic backdrop where a joyous Catholic baptism is violently interrupted by a calculated, cold-blooded Mafia assassination attempt.
The Sniper Attack in the Plaza
The celebration ends in chaos just as the Torrisi family gathers outside the church for a group photo. Suddenly, a rifle shot echoes across the plaza, sending the crowd into a panic. A sniper in the bell tower is trying to kill Don Torrisi. Since we can’t shoot back from our open spot on the ground, we have to use the stone walls and empty market stalls for cover while the sniper keeps everyone pinned down.
Leaving cover is dangerous and can quickly drain Enzo’s health. We have to time our runs carefully, waiting for the loud sound of the sniper reloading before moving forward. We weave through the scared crowd and push the heavy painted Roman statues aside to clear a path for Cesare. The sound design here is excellent, with the rifle shots echoing loudly off the brick buildings.
- Lore Fact: The juxtaposition of a sacred religious baptism intercut with brutal, orchestrated mob violence is a legendary cinematic trope deeply rooted in mafia fiction, heavily inspired by the iconic climax of Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather.
Breaching the Bell Tower
With Cesare, we push a heavy wooden cart through the plaza to block the sniper’s view so we can cross safely. But as we get close to the tower, the sniper gets a lucky shot and hits Cesare. Hurt and unable to go on, Cesare has to stay behind, leaving Enzo alone to break into the tower and stop the shooter before he can reload and go after the Don.
Climbing the narrow, dark stairs of the bell tower takes a lot of care. We crouch through tight hallways, separated from the rest of the Torrisi crew. At the top, we kick open the door and finally see the sniper—it’s Damiano “Il Merlo” Bastoni. After surviving the fire in Chapter 9, he’s now using long-range attacks to get revenge on Enzo and try to break the Torrisi leadership.
- Lore Fact: Utilizing a sniper rifle from a hidden vantage point was historically considered a highly dishonorable tactic within the traditional rules of the Sicilian Cosa Nostra, perfectly illustrating Il Merlo’s utter desperation after repeatedly failing to kill Enzo in direct, hand-to-hand combat.
Dueling Il Merlo and the Rooftop Chase
Trapped at the top of the tower, Il Merlo pulls out his knife, starting one of the toughest knife fights in the game. Even though he’s desperate, he still uses fast, unblockable attacks from his right. We watch for the red warning, dodge his swings, and hit back with quick counterattacks to break his guard. Once his health is low, Luca bursts in to help, and Il Merlo panics, slams the door, and escapes out the window.
The fight quickly turns into a fast-paced chase across the rooftops of San Celeste. The 4K graphics really show off the city below as we jump over terracotta tiles and leap between buildings. The chase is mostly automated but looks great, keeping up the excitement as we go after the overseer who made Enzo’s childhood miserable in the sulfur mines.
The Final Stand of Il Merlo
After dropping from the rooftops into the alleys, we finally get a long-range pistol and fight a group of Spadaro goons blocking the way. We land headshots and push back a shotgun-wielding enforcer who tries to rush us. Once the alley is clear, we grab a nearby horse and ride out of the city, chasing Il Merlo for one last showdown to end the feud.
Il Merlo’s last stand is another intense knife fight. He’s bleeding and out of options, using nonstop unblockable attacks and trying to block our counters. We have to use strong thrusts to break his guard and dodge his dangerous swings. Landing the final execution move ends Il Merlo’s life, saves the Don, and finally settles Enzo’s oldest rivalry.
