Metascore
75 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 46 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 46
  2. Negative: 1 out of 46
  1. 100
    With all that is found through out Scarface: The World is Yours, there is a huge amount of things to do and more action than you can shake a stick at.
  2. For those who dare to tug on the tiger's tail, prepare for an experience that will satiate your lust for money, power and women while simultaneously entertaining you almost every step of the way.
  3. All a Scarface game should be - full of action, swearing, sleaze, '80s music, decadence... it's a pure joy.[Dec 2006, p.80]
  4. Looks and feels like "Scarface" the movie. Even though a more solid storyline would have been nice, the game plays great and offers enough things to do. [Oct 2006, p.54]
  5. 87
    It does a whole lot to fix many of the problems with other games in the genre, and it does an absolutely fantastic job of bring the world of Scarface to gamers.
  6. Radical Entertainment did a wonderful job not only keeping Scarface close to the source material, but also creating a sequel to a movie that was never going to see a sequel.
  7. The open-ended gameplay is solid from start to finish, the production values are top notch for a current generation title, and the game just oozes charisma. You don't even have to be a fan of the Scarface film to enjoy Scarface the video game.
  8. With a charismatic and unforgettable lead character and a lengthy and diverse number of missions, the game will hook you into its great story.
  9. It's every bit as profane, violent, and over-the-top as the movie, and delivers not only the gunplay you're expecting, but as much depth as almost any other game in the genre. Like the film that inspired it, it's sometimes a bit clunky, but makes up for it in bravado and style.
  10. Although it is formulaic at times and some of the set missions such as protecting a boat with a helicopter gunship while it catches sharks for a restaurant are a bit cheesy, the challenge of making more money, spending it and gaining greater power are as addictive as the white substance that makes its way up Tony's nose.
  11. A worthy sequel. You get what is advertised - more of Tony Montana. If you want open ended crime gaming, get another game. This is Tony Montana you're dealing with here.
  12. A Scarface fan's dream come true.
  13. The game shines in its attention to details: The licensed music from bands like Blondie and AC/DC sets the right tone, and the game's difficulty and pacing will appeal to both hardcore and casual players.
  14. I am truly amazed at the range of scores Scarface: The World is Yours has been getting. I'm guessing the low scores are coming from people who are either rushing through the game or have no prior knowledge of Tony Montana and the movie that inspired the game.
  15. 81
    Scarface delivers on nearly every front, from its varied and excellent soundtrack overseen by Jay-Z, to its strong characterization, stylized violence, outrageous swearing, and engaging progress.
  16. A game that surpasses EA's "The Godfather." Knowledge of Scarface is not necessary, but you will respect Tony Montana or else.
  17. Given the cliché of terrible movie tie ins, I was most impressed with Scarface on that basis alone, but it does become easier to recommend the game when you consider that Scarface: The World Is Yours would be worth a play through even without Tony Montana.
  18. Plenty of depth, great sound and visuals, copious amounts of unnecessary swearing, oodles of violence and an awesome central character in Tony Montana - it's not quite GTA IV but if you can't wait until next October then you should definitely say hello to this little friend!
  19. The cult gangster movie gets the video game treatment, and we're thrilled at it's more than a shameless cash-in. Solid gameplay and engaging story does the business here.
  20. So while it doesn't break new ground, Scarface: The World Is Yours is one of the best sandbox crime games for the current generation consoles. It's a slick, well-executed and gritty title that'll keep you busy for over 20 hours.
  21. While "GTA" and its imitators keep tongues firmly in cheek, Scarface plays it totally straight throughout - the chuckles come from Tony's increased madness and warped sense of morality, not funny radio stations and fast food joints with joke names. The result is a city full of people that feels genuinely realistic. [Nov 2006, p.76]
  22. It's a game with real ambition, a title that isn't afraid to overreach itself in the pursuit of perfection. Fittingly, it's game with real balls. Tony Montana would be proud.
  23. Although rough around the edges and unspectacular in a traditional GTA sense, the strategy and excessive violence behind reclaiming Tony's empire provides a compulsive and entertaining drive that shouldn't be missed.
  24. Scarface the game is not a classic befitting of the film, but it's an edgy, uncompromising, sometimes humorous and overall positive offering, which makes the blatant cadging from a superior game series just a bit more forgivable.
  25. There are some questionable gameplay choices and it can be confusing at times, but the sharp script, solid voice acting, and uncanny atmosphere show an appreciation for the source material like few movie games do.
  26. It may not be perfect, but the combination of movie authenticity, solid action, and exploratory gameplay adds up to one hell of a good time.
  27. 80
    A long-lasting experience that's simply a lot of fun. Part guilty pleasure, part blazingly successful experiment in game design, Scarface: The World is Yours is definitely worth a shot.
  28. As in the film, every other word is a four-letter one, and although the graphics can be a little choppy, the game is at least engrossing, with levels short enough to demand that they be replayed.
  29. There are flaws with the Heat meter and Balls system (yes, Balls system), and the graphic engine could've used some more polishing, but the game has hours of entertaining chaos to spare, and it nails down the movie's atmosphere and Tony's attitude perfectly.
  30. They do a good job placing you in the Scarface atmosphere, and Tony Montana is as big a badass as ever. With all that music, with all that attitude, and with all that charisma and panache, it can't help but hook every avid fan of the movie.
  31. About as good as movie-to-game adaptations get.
  32. They nailed Tony Montana's voice and attitude and packed a banana boat's worth of blood and violence into hours and hours of open, GTA-style gameplay.
  33. 71
    This has the most swearing we've ever encountered in a videogame so if that appeals then pick up a copy. [Issue#146, p.91]
  34. This is a big game, a good 40 to 50 hours long, and those hours are almost all good. But like the over-the-top voice actor gamely imitating Al Pacino, Scarface falls just a little short. [Nov. 2006, p.116]
  35. For those of you diehard fans who can quote Scarface the same way other people quote Monty Python, Scarface: The World Is Yours is exactly the game you've been waiting for for the last quarter century.
  36. 70
    Scarface: The World is Yours may not do anything new but it does it somewhat well.
  37. Like the film, Scarface is brutal and often ridiculously over-the-top. It uses the GTA template effectively but may feel too familiar for Vice City veterans.
  38. "GTA" cribbed from Scarface and Scarface returns the favor, except Scarface has better controls on-foot, in-car, and in-boat. [Nov. 2006, p.122]
  39. Once you get over the whole rewriting-the-end-of-the-movie thing, Scarface: The World Is Yours is a competent but usually uninteresting action game.
  40. The drug dealing aspect is really the game's only defining feature, and with the rest of the game being merely competent in all areas, the Scarface licence is left to do all the hard work.
  41. 60
    Worth a tour if you really loved the movie, but maybe less so if you've already played the hell out of Vice City. We can't really blame Scarface for the familiarity of the setting, but the fact remains that we've been here before.
  42. The only thing I didn't like was the chainsaw melee engine. On one mission, you're forced to use the chainsaw in a revenge situation and the control is just difficult to get used to. The range is very short as it should be, but you can't move quickly while sawing so if you accidentally start sawing too far away you really get messed up.
  43. It's a game trapped in the past. Not the 80's as such, but in a time long before GTA showed the world what spatial freedom was all about. Freedom is a word that Radical has toyed with, not exploited. Ergo, in the case of Scarface, the world is never truly yours.
  44. The game just fails in so many areas. [Nov. 2006, p.82]
  45. Say hello to our little friend, great disappointment. [Oct. 2006, p.60]
  46. Brian De Palma's film was an indictment of violence and capitalist greed; here they are your primary goal – the developer is relishing in the brutality and profanity and severely missing the point in the process. [Dec 2006, p.123]
User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 79 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 18
  3. Negative: 3 out of 18
  1. I found the game annoying to play. Missions were annoying especially when it tells you to do two different things at one time. "Lose the cops" "protect so and so" flee the cops fail the mission protect the person you risk getting screwed by the cops. Lost a few good lump sums of money and drugs because the game messed up. Driving and targeting is great but I rarely play the game now because the programming sucks. Full Review »
  2. CorinneS.
    10
    Scarface: The World is Yours picks right up from where the movie ended. Like The Godfather: The Game, Scarface let's you control the actions of the man you are playing (In this case, Scarface). The buildings and even Tony's mansion are exactly portrayed as they were in the movie. I recommend this game to anyone who played The Godfather!! Full Review »
  3. DD
    10
    SWEET game. Best console game I have EVER played. You can do almost anything!