Scarface: The World Is Yours Review: The Perfect Movie-To-Game Sequel

“Say hello to my little friend!”

If you don’t know who Tony Montana is, I’m going to assume that you live under a rock. Either that, or you’re just not a fan of classic cinema. 1983’s Scarface is revered as one of the greatest movies of all time. In 2006, the classic film got a “what-if” inspired video game sequel Scarface: The World Is Yours, which turned into one of the most incredible movie-to-game scenarios in entertainment history. Let’s play through this gem and see if it deserves the 4.9-star rating it has received since its release!

Introduction: What If Tony Montana Survived?

The concept behind Scarface: The World Is Yours is absolutely amazing. It’s truly something any Scarface fan has pondered on some occasions. The whole idea behind the game is based on Tony Montana making it out of the attack at the end of the movie. Instead of going down in a blaze of gunfire, Tony fights his way out of his mansion to safety. Though, in the end he still loses his empire.

The player takes control of the man himself, and guides Tony through his goal of redeeming everything he lost. I think not only was this idea an amazing one to have, but the fact that they made it into a video game and let us become Tony Montana made it that much better. From the second I first picked up a copy back in 2006, I was hooked, and it instantly became one of my all-time favorite titles on the PlayStation 2.

The Story: Everything A Scarface Fan Could Want

As I stated above, the story is a what-if scenario of Tony Montana surviving the end of his iconic movie. You start out fighting your way through rival gangsters and the police to get out of Tony’s Mansion. A few months pass, everyone assumes you’re dead, and Tony Montana makes his epic return to the streets of Miami. All hell breaks loose after that, and it’s finally time to take “the world chico, and everything in it!”

As you kill people, sell drugs, and buy out local businesses to take the city back over, you progress through a very movie-like story. Starting with nothing but some old contacts, and a personal vendetta against Sosa, Gomez, and Sheffield, Tony will stop at nothing to earn back his respect. The further you get in the story, the more money and respect you earn. With money comes all of Tony’s best perks. You can buy property like the Malibu Club, a plethora of vehicles (like a personal limousine that serves as a fast travel mechanic), weapons, hired mercenaries, and much more.

Interacting with in-movie characters adds an element of nostalgia to the game. By the time you get most of your power back, it’s time to set out and get your revenge. Tony takes out his enemies, gets back everything he feels he’s owed, and finally gets what he always wanted, “The World”. Being able to control the fate of one of the 1980s most iconic characters and take him back to the top is truly a fantastic thing and it makes for the perfect movie-to-game sequel.

The Gameplay: Exceptional Controls and More

The ease of playing Scarface is as smooth as any Grand Theft Auto-like game on the market. Back in ’06 the PlayStation 2 was already 6 years deep in its lifespan. Developers learned early how to utilize the Dualshock 2 properly, creating easy-to-play games and effortless control mechanics. Scarface took full advantage of this, and the results were a seamless flow that rivaled its main competitor in GTA at the time: San Andreas.

Utilizing a meter with the circle button to sell drugs, launder cash, and more was a unique addition to The World Is Yours. This added an element of difficulty to the way you make and save your money. The closer you get to a full meter, the better the benefits of the action. If you hit the crossed-out zone, though, be prepared for some negative results.

The overall difficulty of Scarface: The World Is Yours was nothing to scoff at. Though it’s far from the hardest game I’ve played, they made parts of the game challenging to get through. This usually comes before you unlock another set of items or new content on the map. Taking over the city is no easy task, but as the great Tony Montana himself said… “I work hard for this, I want you to know that.”

The Graphics and Sound: As Good As They Got In ’06

I have to say back when Scarface: The World Is Yours came out, I was utterly blown away by the quality of graphics and the quantity of great music showcased within. To be entirely honest, I think this game has the third-best soundtrack of any video game in any time period. The graphics were top-notch as well, on par with any top title of the PlayStation 2 era.

Let me throw in some key highlights on the graphic quality before I go off about the fantastic music options. The character designs in the game were impeccable. At no time did I have to question who a known Scarface character was. Tony Montana looked precisely like Al Pacino. Any other main story character like Gaspar Gomez or Alejandro Sosa also hit the nail on the head. Everything from the voice acting to the character movements was on point. I couldn’t find anything to complain about about the looks of this 2006 masterpiece if I tried.

The music in Scarface: The World Is Yours is one of my top favorite soundtracks ever. From 1970s dance hits, iconic rap classics, catchy Latino vibes, and even some modern (for 2006) hits thrown in round out what I consider the third greatest music soundtrack in gaming, period. Classic songs like “The Breaks” by Kurtis Blow and “Breaking the Law” by Judas Priest are just small examples of the great tracks found in The World Is Yours. A lot of the songs I learned from this game still find themselves in playlists of mine even today.

Replay Value: Worth It Every Time

Now, I’ll admit Scarface: The World Is Yours doesn’t have much to do besides beat the story time and time again. There are a few things here and there to do on the side, and a bunch of items to collect, but overall the story is the main draw. With that being said, the story is so good, as well as long and engaging, that it makes each playthrough well worth it.

I’ve played this game countless times since its release and will probably forever go back to it. It’s one of my all-time favorites and one of the better games of its era. There’s no doubt the replay value could be improved, but it’s a statue of a game, here to stand firm for a long time.

Conclusion: The World Is Yours

Taking control of Tony Montana alone is enough to earn approval for any game. Let us take him from the bottom back to the top on our terms, and it makes for the perfect movie-to-game sequel. No wonder this magnificent title has earned a whopping 4.9 out of 5-star reviews online. In my eyes, this game is an icon and classic, and I won’t ever get rid of my copy of this masterpiece.

Scarface: The World Is Yours was developed by Radical Entertainment. This “what-if” sequel to the hit 1983 film Scarface was released on July 25, 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and other systems.