Scarface: The World is Yours (PlayStation 2, 2006)

OK, we all know the story from the movie, but this is the game we're talking about. All too many folks in love with the movie will give this game glowing reviews regardless of how good it really is. Not me.

GOOD: On foot, this game rocks. Smooth controls, great weapon selection, and THE most overlooked feature of a third person shooter - shoot from cover. Games like James Bond Everything or Nothing, kill.switch, and precious few others have this function whereby you can tuck up to a corner/object, aim from behind it, and pull the trigger to lean around/pop up and fire. Makes for great small arms fights, instead of the Rambo-esque running into harm's way, firing, and running back. Sooo unrealistic. Also great is the depth to which you can interact with other people. Buying of properties, controlling underworld commerce...that's all in there too. By now, a freeroam driver/shooter requires these things, like a car with a radio, it's now just assumed to be standard.

BAD: The driving. If you really don't care about the driving physics, controls, and interaction with other vehicles, and just want to write the driving portion of this game off as a way of getting from point A to point B, well then great. Not me...if you can drive in a game, they better well get it right, because what are you gonna do when you finish it? Right...DRIVE AROUND AND EXPLORE! The driving in Scarface is pitiful...controls are illogical and you pretty much need two thumbs on your right hand to do it at all. Steering is L stick, and side views are achieved by use of the R stick, and gas and brake are X and Square. Can you see the trouble here? And the side views do not center themselves quickly. Camera follow is decent in turns, but with all the games that have done better with the layout, couldn't they have just followed on this point? The Driver series comes to mind...although they all share (save for the close-chase cam from GTAIII) the same problem of not enough height perspective to the chase cams. You really need to see the tip of your hood and things right in front of you in games like this - not the back tires! Also poor is the completely digital feel to the gas pedal...it's nearly impossible to maintain a consistant speed, very annoying when speed limits are enforced by AI cops. When you coast down to less than about 10 MPH, Tony slams on the brakes, also very annoying. Kinda like driving with Grandpa...all or nothing on the gas and prone to too-quick stops. Overall feel is like you're playing Outrun on Sega again.

I really had a hard time with rating this one, being the two parts are so different in value. On the whole, the game's worth it, due to the stellar on-foot play. Just don't forget your ol' pal shooterpro70 warned you about the crummy driving when those missions are driving YOU nuts!