Scarface: The World is Yours Q&A

About a month and a half ago, I dropped by a friend's house to go for a soak in his spa. As I entered his den, he was watching a movie that seemed vaguely familiar to me. I asked him, "What is this?" He replied, "Scarface." He didn't look up from the movie, and as I slowly lowered myself into a seat next to him, neither did I for the film's entire duration of over two and a half hours. Though considered a classic, this was the first time I'd seen Scarface the movie. The first time, and yet, that elusive feeling of I've-seen-this-before stuck with me. What was it about this flick that seemed like deja vu--and more importantly, how could it be like deja vu? I'd never seen it before, so how in the...? And then I saw the club scene where Tony dances with Elvira. And I thought, "Holy... this looks just like the place you can purchase in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City!" Yeah, so I'm a bit of a movie "n00b." With renewed interest, I contacted a PR rep at VU Games to learn more about Radical Entertainment's upcoming Scarface: The World Is Yours video game due out later this year for PC, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. Will Tony Montana make a smooth transition from silver screen legend to video game icon, or will Tommy Vercetti be known as the bigger, badder, and better gangster of 1980s Miami? I brought up this and many other topics with Pete Wanat, Executive Producer on Scarface: The World is Yours at Sierra Entertainment. Shack: What's the storyline for Scarface the game? Faithful to the movie, entirely new, or perhaps a blend? Pete Wanat: The game starts off in the very final moments of the film. The player is given control of Tony Montana on the balcony of his mansion with SosaÂ’s men attacking. We allow the player to change the history of the film by shooting his way out of the mansion. But if the player survives he is left with nothing other than his balls and his word and has to rebuild his empire. This is essentially the story of the game. Shack: Have any movie events been altered in order to attract Scarface movie fans to the game? For example, I wish Tony wouldn't have killed Manny; he was cool! Or does the game keep continuity with the movie?

Pete Wanat: While unfortunately Manny does not survive to see life in the game, Steven Bauer still is a part of the Scarface universe by voicing several roles including a new main character, the Sandman, Tony’s chief supplier of yeyo in the islands. Other than the player keeping Tony alive, the game follows total continuity with the movie. Shack: Tell us about what went into designing the city of Miami for the Scarface video game. How many movie locations are featured in the game? Pete Wanat: There are numerous locales that appear in the movie and also the game – Tony’s Mansion, Babylon Club, Lopez Motors, Sun Ray Motel, the bar at Coconut Grove, Freedom Town, Sosa’s Mansion in Bolivia and several others all creating the world of 1980’s Miami from the film. Shack: I gotta admit, I didn't see Scarface until rather recently. As I was watching it, I began to realize where the overall influence for much of the design of GTA: Vice City came from. So many locations in Vice City seemed to draw exactly from locations in the Miami setting of Scarface (e.g., Tommy Vercetti's mansion, the dance club you can purchase, etc.). Even though Scarface as a movie came way before Vice City the video game, the latter has a few years head start on the Scarface game. Because of this, was it difficult making locations in the Scarface game seem more unique to gamers who might have experienced Vice City before anything to do with Tony Montana's world? Pete Wanat: GTA: Vice City pays several odes to the movie Scarface but the story of Vice City is very different from Scarface. And most importantly while Tommy Vercetti may want to be Tony Montana--he’s not. There can only be one Tony Montana. So players that want to be Tony Montana will find a unique story more true to history and mythology of the movie which can only be found in Scarface the game. Shack: Since the game world is undoubtedly larger than the one showcased in the movie, it must have been great fun to think up locations that are unique to the game--and maybe even Miami itself! Details, man! Pete Wanat: While we did create new locations for the game all of them have the feel of being real places in the world of the film. And all have locational and reference points back to the film itself. Such as Gasper Gomez’s penthouse apartment, Nacho Contreras’ Tanker Casino, Angel Dust Donuts, and Oakley’s Drive-in Theatre. All of these locations have exciting missions that take place in the game world. Shack: I think what separates Tony Montana from other ruthless gangsters is that he operates under his own strict code of ethics (e.g., the scene in the movie where he refuses to blow up a politician's car because the man's family is also in the car). How does this moral code factor into the gameplay? Can Tony run around and haphazardly kill anyone he likes, and if so, is the player punished in some way? Pete Wanat: Tony indeed lives by the same moral code in the game as he does in the film. He never fucked anybody that didn’t have it coming. Tony’s moral code does not allow the player to shoot innocent civilians because it wouldn’t be a true Scarface game if he could.

Shack: All right, so Tony only takes out guys that have it coming. What happens if there's someone out there I, as the player, would like to see killed off? If Tony can't do it, can I find someone who can? Pete Wanat: While it would have been easy for use to have made Tony in a complete psychopath, it wouldn’t have been true to the movie. That said, the player is allowed to play as three new playable characters (Driver, Enforcer, and Assassin) who don’t have the same moral restrictions that Tony has. Shack: So these assassins I can hire.... Are they playable characters, or NPC controlled? Tell us about the nuances that separate these characters from Tony Montana: what exactly can they do that he cannot, for example? Do they control differently from Tony? Pete Wanat: Each one of these playable characters have attributes different from Tony. The driver for example will find himself with even more control when driving vehicles such as faster top speed. The assassin will be more proficient with weapons and do more damage with each weapon. The enforcer will have more resistance to melee combat and do more damage with melee combat. They also have the ability to lay havoc to anyone that they want but as a caution to the player these characters will attract more cop heat and gang heat. If the assassin should choose to shoot a rocket launcher into a crowd of pedestrians they have the freedom to do so but the player will also have to pay the consequences for such actions. Shack: Are there AI-controlled characters I can bring with me on certain missions? Pete Wanat: Tony has the ability to call in at least one henchman anytime (his driver) that are completely controlled by the games’ AI. Tony is able to give all of his henchmen basic commands such as attack, guard, or defend. And during certain battles Tony have as many as seven different members of his crew fight by his side. Shack: What characters from the movie will make appearances? Also, tell us about new characters that have been created specifically for the game. Pete Wanat: All of the major drug lords from the film are represented in the game and appears as major bosses – Gaspar Gomez, Nacho Contreras, the Diaz, Brothers, Alejandro Sosa. Tony’s lawyer Sheffield and Jerry the banker both make appearances throughout the game. In addition there are numerous references in the story to characters in the film. While Manny and Gina did not survive in the game world the player is allowed to honor their memory by purchasing exotics that directly reference them. In terms of new characters created specifically for the game – The Sandman ... who becomes Tony’s cocaine supplier in the islands, Felix one of Tony’s drug contacts in Miami and many others that player will encounter. _PAGE_BREAK_ Shack: Tell us about some of the missions the player will embark upon. Pete Wanat: During a front mission, Tony returns to the Sun Ray Motel to help the manager get rid of the drug dealer Jimmy Boca. While Tony is talking with Jimmy Boca several gang members attack. The player has to kill these gang members and chase down and kill Jimmy Boca who attempts to flee by car and then by helicopter. While trying to take over Little Havana, Tony helps the manager of Oakley Drive-in clear out a gang that has been creating havoc at the theatre. After Tony talks to the manager the gang members drive into the theatre. To get rid of the gang members Tony has to hop into a vehicle and use vehicle combat mechanics to wipe out the gang. In the end, the player battles the gang leader who is driving around in a pickup truck with a mounted .50 cal gun. Once the player completes they have the option to buy Oakley Drive-in. Once Tony has purchased all of the fronts in a turf and owns 90% of it, the player can begin a storehouse mission. In South Beach, Tony takes over the storehouse Shoreline Storage. In this mission the player has to find a way into the storehouse since the front gate is locked, kill several goons and kill the manager in his office. Once the manager is killed the player has to escape out of the manager’s office killing heavily armed gang members and snipers. Once the storehouse is cleared the player has to defend it from several attack boats which appear at the boat dock behind the storehouse. Once the player completes the mission they will own all of South Beach Miami. Shack: "All I've got in this world is my word and my balls, and I don't break 'em for nobody." Tell us about the Balls meter and Blind Rage system: how it's used, different ways I can fill it up, the whole deal. Pete Wanat: One of the main goals in creating the game was to emulate the feeling that Tony has on the balcony – filled with hatred and cocaine and recreate that same feeling in the game itself. The way that we create this in the game is through Blind Rage. Blind Rage does several things for the player it makes Tony invulnerable for a brief amount of time and zooms the camera into first person thus changing the entire perspective of gameplay. In addition for every enemy that Tony shoots while in blind rage he is also able to regain health for every kill. The player is able to enter Blind Rage by filling up his “Balls Meter.” The player will gain balls for every action in the game that is Tony Montana like – shooting people in the head or testicles, taunting enemies after shooting them, successful drug deals, intimidating gang members and pedestrians, driving recklessly, as well as acquiring property and taking back his empire. This unique gameplay mechanic allows the player to use blind rage often throughout the game to advance through difficult situations differing Scarface from other open world crime games. Shack: Tony Montana differs from many other game protagonists in that his personality is very unique. He's the guy that women want and men want to be. How was this captured in the gameplay? Does Tony shout familiar quips when blasting away his foes? Pete Wanat: The Tony Montana you see on screen played by Al Pacino is faithfully recreated in the game to stunning perfection. The in game character looks like Tony with Al Pacino’s likeness, sounds like Tony, moves like Tony and most certainly acts like Tony. He is equipped with over 300 unique taunts in the game. And the player uses them by hitting the taunt or “fuck you” button. In addition Tony’s love for the ladies has not gone unnoticed in the game either. Tony has the ability to flirt with numerous women and even bring some of them back to the mansion and become fixtures in his residence. Shack: What sort of voice over work has been done for the game? Any actors reprising their roles, or are we starting from scratch? Pete Wanat: Numerous actors who appear in the film have been brought back to appear in the game such as Robert Loggia, Steven Bauer, and Al Israel. All of these actors have prominent roles in the game. We have more than 50 famous actors, musicians and other celebrities performing voices for the game. It’s surprising how many people just WANTED to be involved with Scarface… people ranging from Tommy Lee to Jillian Barberie. Shack: How do I go about rebuilding Tony's massive empire? Take over business, launder money, stuff like that? Pete Wanat: Tony starts out with nothing after being run out of his mansion by Sosa’s goons. He has to rebuild one gram at a time at the beginning of the game and work his way up to bigger and bigger drug deals. Eventually Tony buys fronts so that he can move massive amounts cocaine faster. Tony buys numerous locations around Miami including many locations from the film on his way to rebuilding his empire. Tony with the help of Jerry the banker works out a way of cleaning his dirty cash which becomes an ongoing gameplay mechanic. Tony is constantly his cocaine and cash assests as he expands his empire from Little Havana to Downtown to South Beach and eventually North Beach. He takes over all of Miami and some of the islands. Shack: What about the mansion system? Can you have more than one house? What options are available in order to make Tony's place the best on the block (e.g., are there decorating themes, or just random items you can buy, or both)?

Pete Wanat: While Tony does not have multiple houses (because he has the most fucking badass house to begin with) the player is able customize the mansion to the largest degree in open world games. In almost SIMs-like fashion, the player is able to purchases numerous decorating themes to redo the mansion as well as tons of furniture and unique collectables all creating a mansion that suits the player’s Tony Montana. Shack: How does the vehicle system work? Meaning, what can I operate, how do the vehicles handle, are there specific missions that focus on different vehicles, etc. Pete Wanat: There over 100 vehicles in the game all with completely unique and individually tuned control mechanics from sports cars to trucks to limos, as well as a large selection of watercraft. Some of these offer unique abilities and some are unique collectables that only Tony Montana can purchase. Through two of Tony’s henchmen (driver and boat pilot), Tony is able to have any vehicle brought to him anywhere in the world. This eliminates the need for Tony to rip people from their vehicles in order to drive them. Tony does have the freedom to take any vehicle that he sees fit, but after all, he is not some nameless street thug that steals hatchbacks from old ladies, which appear in so many other open world games. He is a kingpin, and we let the player act like a kingpin if he chooses to do so. Numerous aspects of the game were designed for the world to come to Tony as opposed to Tony having to bother with mundane activities such as stealing cars and boats. Shack: How does the game's respect system work? Do you have to have more respect to get different reactions out of people, or perhaps try different missions? Pete Wanat: As Tony reputation level increases (there are 8 levels of Reputation in the game each corresponding to a letter in the word Scarface) NPC’s throughout the world will treat Tony differently. As Tony reputation increases through rebuilding his empire, NPC’s that were once aggressive or failed to recognize Tony will have greater respect and more recognition for who they are talking to. A great example of this, at reputation level one if Tony tries to taunt an NPC out their car the NPC will shout profanities and attempt to drive over Tony. At a higher reputation level the same NPC would get out of the car and offer it to Tony, recognizing who they are talking to. Shack: What differs in the different versions of the game that will be released? Pete Wanat: The game on each system it appears on (PS2, Xbox, and PC) will all have the same game elements but from a technology stand point each will make the most of the hardware systems they are on. So no player will feel that they get less of a experience on any one system. It really comes down to personal preference. Shack: The game's looking awesome. Anything else you'd like to add? Pete Wanat: Even though SF will be compared to the GTA and other open world crime games – it offers many numerous game play mechanics and experiences not seen before. The whole approach of the game was to make the world come to Tony whenever possible – gone are the numerous commuter missions that proliferate the other games of this genre. SF is about being Tony Fucking Montana – a King Pin who lose it all and the player fights and climbs there way back and eventually – attempting to get their revenge on Sosa for trying to take it all away from them. We also have eliminated things like “load times” entering and exiting buildings – open world games are great – but when half of those game play hours are filled w/ load times and backtracking to get needed weapons/ammo and vehicles – SF: The World is Yours – innovates by making a game that’s true to the title character – its not a wannabe – it’s the fucking original. Radical Entertainment's Scarface: The World is Yours ships October 2006 for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC. A related PSP game, Scarface: Money. Power. Respect., is also due this October.