In the middle of December 2004, EA released the teaser trailer for The Godfather, and we watched as a virtual Brando made us an offer we couldn’t refuse. At the time, details about the game were scant, but now EA have spoken to Weekly Famitsu about the forthcoming title.

The game is set in the 1940s/50s and gamers will take control of a Corleone family member in the Little Italy area of New York and try to earn the respect of the Don. The game is said to be as open as Grand Theft Auto, although we’ll reserve judgement on whether that is true at a later date.

One of the most interesting aspects of the game is that the non-playable characters will have memories, so if you pick a fight on someone, they will remember that the next time you run into them. Not only that, but their dialogue and behaviour changes depending on your precious interactions with them.

In the article, EA have stated that 120 people are currently working on the game, although this may rise to 200 closer to the end of development. The game is set for release at the end of 2005, and we’ll have more news shortly…