A sequel to the studio's 2002 hit Mafia (PC, PS2, Xbox), Mafia 2 is said to contain no direct connection to the first title's story, and takes place in Empire City, loosely based on San Francisco circa 1950. The city is reportedly twice as big as the original game's Lost Heaven and includes a variety of unique locales and interior spaces.

Mafia 2 will also include a physical destruction model for cars featuring broken glass, exploding gas tanks and detailed body damage. Vehicles will have to be refueled at gas stations, and overtime will develop a thick coat of dirt and dust from your antics on the road, removable at a number of Empire City's car washes.

Players will be able to strengthen their characters by eating at local restaurants a la Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PC, PS2, Xbox), and change clothes at boutiques to evade pursuers. Mafia 2's combat will also feature a cover system similar to that of Epic Games' Gears of War (X360).

The developer, formerly known as Illusion Softworks, was purchased and rebranded as 2K Czech by parent company Take-Two earlier this year. Take-Two later announced Mafia 2 for a release sometime in the company's 2009 fiscal year, which runs from November 1, 2008 through October 31, 2009.