Scarface: The World Is Yours

"I am invincible! *Gets shot* I was only kidding!"

I know people rent this game thinking it's a GTA clone and therefore will have massive chaos, but if you're looking for a great free-roam experience, then shy away from this title that reinvents the classic film.

Sure, creating a game that is a continuity of a very popular film usually means major bucks, but some fans will be depressed to learn that they scrapped the ending of the film, while others will be jumping for joy that the merciless Tony Montana has returned, tommy-gun blazing.

The free-roam is probably the biggest LET-DOWN of Scarface: The World is Yours. When I first popped the game in, my first instinct was to test out ways I can create massive chaos on the streets. However, first I had to go through a tutorial-mission and I was fine with that, and after about ten to twenty minutes of playing I was finally read to take the streets of Miami by the balls (as Tony would say). However, I pointed my pistol at a civilian to find that Tony wouldn't shoot! I was so irritated that one of the main selling-points of the Grand Theft Auto franchise (the series that Scarface is totally ripping off, but then again the story from Vice City totally ripped off Scarface) was taken out, but the rest of the game makes up for the neutered free-roam I promise.

The game isn't too hard; except some of the missions are way too long and if you are a victim to a cheap-death then you are forced to go back through the trivial mission. Obviously, a lot of gamers picked up this title just to sell drugs and interact with the people on the streets. Selling drugs and having conversations are based by a bar where you hold a button and let go just in time. Anyone familiar with the kick-off systems in any football game would recognize this system. This makes conversations and drug-selling extremely easy, which is a sort-of letdown, because this entertaining little mini-game could've done much more for the title.

Lovely is the word I would use to describe the controls. Everything is easy to remember and you'll be gunning down crowds of gangsters gracefully with only a little bit of practice. The action in Scarface: The World is Yours is explosive and my heart was racing with each firefight. An interesting aspect of the game is the subtitles that pop up when you shoot someone that tells you WHERE you shot them. Driving is also way better then the driving controls in GTA and everything is top-notch.

Ah, of course…another classic gang story. Those not familiar with Grand Theft Auto: Vice City will probably enjoy this game a lot more because the stories are a lot alike (this also goes with the actual movie and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City). If you love movies like Good Fellas or The Godfather then Scarface shouldn't disappoint. There are drugs, women and swearing…any man's dream.

Graphics are way better than the graphics in GTA (why am I comparing so much to GTA? Because that was the inspiration for making this game in the first place). The environments are beautiful, but the character models aren't the prettiest thing ever. All-in-all graphics are a little above average.

The voice-acting isn't too bad, but there is a little too much cussing for my taste. Also, many will be disappointed to learn that Al Pacino doesn't reprise his role as the notorious gangster Tony Montana.

The game is pretty short, but that's okay as the gunfights are so unbelievably fun that you'll be compelled to replay the game over and over, racking up hours of playtime for the person that spent fifty bucks.

If you are a fan of GTA, rent this game before you buy as it may disappoint in some areas. If you are an action fan, then buy this game and cherish it like a child!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 10/30/06