Update: HD-Trailer on gametrailers.com: watch it!

It has been one of the many GTA clones of the last couple of years, and although Godfather didn't come close to GTA San Andreas in early 2005, it was still a very decent game. While car physics and missions were a bit lame (at least compared to GTA and Mafia), the open world was quite convincing, especially since you could shoot from the inside of, let's say, a café out into the street, seamlessly, that is. Wiping out one of the enemy families really was a showdown, you had to storm their stronghold and bomb it to smithereens. And while the Oscar-heavy film trilogy by Francis F. Coppola or the original book by Mario Puzo (there was only one part in writing, by the way, but Puzo was involved in the movies' scripts, too) certainly play on another level, it was nice meeting characters like the Don Corleone and his familia "in person" in the video game.

Now, EA has announced that Godfather 2 will be released for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC in February 2009; it's being developed by EA Redwood Shores. The game seems to follow the second movie, but it is no longer limited to one city: Locations will be in Cuba, Florida and New York, the time setting is the 60ies. Michael Corleone has promoted the player to the Don of New York, now, you want to enlarge your empire. After all, the Corleones want to be the most powerful familiy in the United States!

The game will feature a strategic map where you will see your current city and the activities of the rival Mafia families. EA promises an open, fully explorable world and also mentions that you will be assisted by a team of other characters: Each familiy member has special talents like engineering or First Aid. Or is very good with two canisters of gasoline and a match...

The HD trailer shows a little bit about old (e.g. extort fees from shop owners) and new (selecting your bomb expert) game mechanics. It also shows the isometric strategic city map, which actually looks quite nice.

Executive Producer Hunter Smith:

Which means that Godfather 2 will still be a traditional action/sandbox game like its predecessor, but this time with a twist. We're looking forward to it!