Scarface: The World is Yours PlayStation 2

It's time to "make way for the bad guy" in this adaptation of Brian De Palma's 1983 film starring Al Pacino as Cuban drug dealer Tony Montana. The game picks up where the movie left off, albeit with the stunning revelation that Montana isn't dead. Montana survives the assassination attempt and vows revenge on the kingpin who nearly put him out of commission: Alejandro Sosa. Players assume the role of powerhungry Montana in his bid to reclaim his cocaine empire and extravagant lifestyle. This, of course, means resorting to graphic violence and colorful profanity as a means of "persuasion."

Montana can freely explore 1980s Miami and its surrounding islands as he tries to amass a fortune by smuggling drugs. Along the way, players must purchase fronts for laundering money, defeat rival gangs, elude capture from the DEA, and discover creative uses for a chainsaw. One notable feature is the ability to target individual body parts, with stylish moves rewarded in "balls points." As Montana flexes his machismo, he will gradually build to a blind rage, a temporary state that switches the default thirdperson view to a firstperson perspective with timeslowing effects, allowing players to inflict heavy damage.

Another key element is the lack of loading screens while visiting different areas of Miami, including such familiar haunts as Freedom Town, the Babylon Club, and Lopez Motors. As he earns respect and power, Montana can use a satellite phone to hire henchmen, request vehicles, weapons, and other tools of the drug trade. The game also features Al Pacino's likeness as Tony Montana, and several film actors have lent their voices to the project, including original cast members Robert Loggia and Steven Bauer. Screenwriter David McKenna, whose film credits include American History X and Blow, penned the game's original storyline. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide