Last year, Scarface: The World is Yours was released for the Xbox and PS2. It told the story of what would have happened to Tony Montana had he survived the mansion battle at the end of the legendary film. This year, the same game appears on the Nintendo Wii, with new motion and Wii pointer controls. What may have been “just another GTA clone” on its old platforms has been redefined for Nintendo’s newest system.
First things first- I never played the versions that came out last year, so I came into this game completely fresh. As for the film The World is Yours is based on- I love the movie, but I can’t say that I know every line off by heart like some folks I know.
The first thing you’ll notice about Scarface are the visuals. While the Xbox 360 and Playstaton 3 can crank out tremendous looking HD enabled graphics, this Wii game’s aesthetics get the job done. When you see Tony, you’ll know it’s Tony, and when other old characters return, they are immediately recognizable. However, it’s not all gravy. While the character models look good, Scarface suffers from some rough jaggies, and the occasional pop-up can also occur. For the most part, it didn’t distract me from the experience, but it is there. Other than that, the visuals definitely get the job done.
While the visuals are decent, Scarface’s real presentation highmark is with the game’s sound. Songs like Rick James’ Superfreak (among others) put you in the perfect mood to cruise the streets of Miami. Other artists, such as Kurtis Blow, D12, and Public Enemy add to what is quite possibly the best licensed soundtrack of all time. The other various sound effects, like guns blazing and patrol cars blaring, are about what you would expect. However, the voice acting is where the sound really stands out. André Sogliuzzo, who voiced the title character, is perfect as Tony Montana. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought that Al Pacino himself reprised his old role as the Cuban gangster. André delivers classic one-liners from the film, as well as soon-to-be-classic new ones, such as, “That’s gonna be a closed casket!”
Of course, if a game isn’t fun to play, none of this means anything. No worries, though, as the Wii’s special controller comes through. While the motion sensing controls (used to punch and taunt) aren’t the best innovation ever, the Wii’s pointer is where it’s at. I’ve never played a game where I was able to consistently pop off headshots whilst running sideways. Throw in some cool missions, sweet unlockables, and some fun sidequests, and you have a winner. The story is kind of one dimensional (although one twist earlier on in the game surprised me), but it does its job- it gets you interested enough to keep playing. Basically, the first level is the last scene in the film. Tony must escape the mansion, and then rebuild his empire by selling drugs, acquiring businesses, and doing a few hits. The game plays out in classic GTA fashion, but the lameness of that series’ targeting system is soon forgotten when Scarface’s is put to the test.
Scarface: The World is Yours for the Wii probably won’t change the world, Other than using the Wii’s pointer to aim, it doesn’t do much that the Grand Theft Auto series hasn’t done in the past, but it does what it does extremely well. Being able to play as Tony Montana after the events of the film is definitely worth it for any fan of the movie. If you liked the film, or just want a cool free roaming game for the Wii, look no further than The World is Yours.
Gameplay- Forget motion controls. The Wii’s pointer is Nintendo’s ace-in-the-hole.- 9.0
Graphics- Some issues occur, but the visuals are adequate for this type of game.- 8.0
Sound- Explosions boom, Tony Montana sounds perfect, and the soundtrack is an instant classic.- 10.0
Value- You’ll get hours of fun out of this title, and the various unlockables you can buy add to the replayability.- 9.0
Curve- While the Wii hosts the game based on Al Pacino’s other classic gangster film (The Godfather), and the new Driver is available, Scarface is the best of the bunch.- 10.0
-Mike Shaeffer