I’m aware of the intention behind Untouchable’s level design. I simply disagree with that intention and its execution as the culmination of the WoA trilogy.
Yes, I agree. And I believe that was a safe assumption for players to have made, given the trilogy’s overarching sandbox-centric identity and how the previous two games ended (i.e. Hokkaido and Isle of Sgail). It’s completely reasonable for so many to have been disappointed.
We want sandboxes, not train carts.
Ok, so I did a quick search and found an example of what I personally would consider an implication of sandboxes from one of the December 2020 news (Introducing HITMAN 3 (Gameplay Trailer) - IO Interactive):
“As you explore each mission and complete challenges, you’ll rise through 20 Mastery tracks that will unlock new tools, weapons and even Starting Locations …” etc. etc.
The article also mentions that “HITMAN 3’s sandbox locations give you complete freedom to approach your objectives in any way you want.” which also to me implies that all 6 locations should be sandboxes.
Now, I´m not sure if this is the exact info bit that gave me the “all 6 locations are going to be sandboxes with 20-level mastery” impression back before release. I think it was mentioned elsewhere (if someone can find and post it, be my guest) as well, but like you mention, it´s been a loooong time, so it´s hard to remember. However I do believe that there was actual IOI implication rather than just fanbase assumption.
As I recall, it was an interview or a video preview or something that was done in 2020. The person on camera (don’t remember if it was Travis or someone else) actually said 6 maps, each with 20 mastery levels.
That is really the only reason that anyone was truly disappointed in Carpathian Mountains. As a level, it’s fine. It does what it needs to do and it’s fun to play once or twice. It just isn’t a Hitman sandbox map.
I’d argue those are general statements, more than confirmation or implication. Trying not to reveal the end level is kinda marketing 101.
That’s why Mendoza was made. it’s basically one massive love letter to levels past, and has enough continuity nods to make any fan blush. They anticipated that reaction.
You don’t need sandboxes all the time, especially if the goal for one of the levels is to have more of a focus on story, not on gameplay. It makes sense for Untouchable to be as linear as it is. Some levels just don’t need to be complicated.
Mendoza is mid doe
To me, it seems like they might have wanted to do more with Carpathian Mountains, maybe even make it a whole sandbox level, but given the budget issues they faced they couldn’t afford to do it and went with the smaller, linear train instead
I don’t know about that. The design of Mendoza, with all of the nods to previous maps throughout the trilogy, seems to be a fitting “last” level. The train level doesn’t feel like it’s a truncated or otherwise shortened level (from some larger initial design). I think it was just a matter of someone mis-speaking back in 2020 and the community running away with it.
I know that when the game first came out, people outright said that IOI had lied to them about the mastery levels. The community was upset about that particular thing. It wasn’t (to my mind) a level that was redesigned - it was just miscommunication.
“Carpathian Mountains, Romania” is how Untouchable was marketed (at least immediately prior to Hitman 3’s release). So we’re gonna have our “dramatic conclusion” in Romania, the place of Agent 47’s origin. Splendid! … Except, FUCK YOU! You thought you were gonna get some thoughtfully designed, open-ended sandbox gameplay? Probably wanted a trippy, memorable crackpot plot to cap it all off (like what @Fleur envisioned). You actually believed we were gonna make Romania central to the mission? HAHAHA! No… No, you get Thomas the Tank Engine on a loop from Zagreb, Croatia to Irkutsk, Russia.
…
Now, I’m of course being hyperbolic, but I imagine that’s how some people felt.
Oh I definitely wouldn´t go as far as to call them a confirmation, but the first one does feel like an implication to me (upon review, the second one actually is more of a general statement that certainly applies to the fact that H3´s (five) sandbox locations do that 
). And I mean sure, trying not to reveal the end level is fine of course (and it worked in this particular instance), but this kind of wording is a bit of a double-edged sword.
Anyways, I don´t mean to dig in this further. My point was merely that there was information in the pre-release marketing that could have been interpreted as “all six locations will be sandboxes” 
To me, Mendoza is the finale, Untouchable is an epilogue, I don´t have an issue with that. (My issues with H3 lie elsewhere, but I´ll leave that to a separate post if I feel like it)
Now, let´s all look forward to Ambrose Island and hope that those who felt “robbed” by Untouchable will feel compensated enough 
If you ever happen to stumble upon it, do post it.
As much as I was hoping for that level to be a proper snowy sandbox map (which we still haven´t gotten, cough cough), I find that deliberate misleading quite brilliant actually.
If I recall, Carpathian Mountains was deliberately kept off of marketing to preserve the surprise.
Well, Untouchable has as much to do with Romania as Freedom Fighters had to do with Colorado. It’s just the name they gave it, even though the location would have been more accurately described as “train” or “farm”.
Blood Money had 12 maps not including Requiem. That’s the problem.
There was a blog post and a video (https://youtu.be/pIrNz7v4xrc?t=128 for the video - time stamp 2:08) that specifically said 20 mastery levels per map. There was a whole thread about it back in January last year (linked above).
Dubai is not that huge
That skyscraper is standing in for something.
