Scarface: The World is Yours

• Platform: PC, Xbox, Playstation 2
• Published by: Vivendi Games
• Developed by: Radical Entertainment
• Release Date: October 2006
• Genre: Action
• Multiplayer: No
• Online: No

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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 Sosa’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.

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