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‘Scarface’ much more than ‘GTA’ clone
Game provides better controls, more roaming
By Duffy Hery
Every year video game companies release a game that is a direct copy to the free-roaming, drug-dealing killing spree that is the "Grand Theft Auto" series.
This year was no exception with the release of “Saint's Row,” “The Godfather” and “Driver: Parallel Lines.” This year also brought the release of one that stood out from the other clones. While still a copy of the GTA series, "Scarface" was able to recreate and deliver what other GTA carbon copies could not.
"Scarface" is the first of its kind to finally recreate a good majority of the freedoms in GTA that the other clones failed to figure out. In actuality, the story of Scarface was copied for “GTA: Vice City,” so it could probably be considered an original in that sense.
The game begins where the cult classic left off. Tony is firing his M-16 at a mob of Colombian henchmen in a coke-induced rage. However, instead of falling to his death in the fountain, the first level has Tony shooting his way out of the mansion.
Once out, there is nothing left for the once king of Miami. Now he has to work his way back to the top.
The first few levels lead player by the hand, which may discourage some people from playing the game. However, after all the characters are introduced, Tony is given free range to do what he needs to do to complete his mission. To do this Tony has to buy out all the fronts and sell coke through them. To obtain coke, Tony does side missions for his coke connection Felix, who then gives him the location of his drug runner. At the same time, Tony completes the main missions that progress the story along.
This game is saved from falling into the GTA clone pit by the amount of side missions and other entertaining activities Tony can do. Besides all of that, Tony has his driver, enforcer and assassin to complete missions too dirty for Tony to handle.
Tony's driving skills are also much better than the characters’ in the other clones. Not only is there a large amount of exotic cars in the game, the driving is a lot more fluid and the controls are not a delayed reaction. You can also shoot and drive at the same time, instead of just out the side windows, which makes car chases a little easier to end.
Regular combat is actually better than GTA. The targeting is much easier and the weapons give the enemy a nice blood bath. The good part is whenever Tony increases his "balls" meter, his coke-induced rage begins, making him invincible and his bullets more lethal.
What brings the game over the top is what happens half way through. Just when you think you know how the game works, it changes everything. A new character introduces Tony to the lawless, pirate-filled world of the Bahaman islands.
Now, with very little driving room, Tony completes missions in both Miami and the Bahamas while delivering coke through the ocean avoiding the Coast Guard in the middle of the night.
The boating in "Scarface" is as realistic as ever and features the Cigarette.
The only downside to the game is the destination marker. When Tony gets close to it, it disappears and sometimes it's hard to figure out exactly where it is. It could be behind a building, inside a building or in the front of a building.
Even worse, the building's side entrances may all be blocked off and the only way in is through a street on the other side. This is annoying during a timed mission.
The only other problem is sometimes kind of funny. When Tony speaks to other people, it's very random and doesn't make any sense. Like when the bank teller says, "Thank you for choosing us," Tony might say, "What is that all over your face?"
Copying a great genre like GTA is not a bad thing, especially when it works out well. "Scarface" has a few of its own tricks that Rockstar should think about using in its next GTA series.
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