Money can be used to dress up the mansion (with items that can be moved anywhere in the house through a clunky interface), buy businesses to take over turf, or bribe cops and gangs to keep them off your back. The more turf and fancy items you have, the higher your respect and the quicker the story moves along.
The interface for buying is clean and simple enough to understand. Unfortunately, the on-screen map definitely needs some work, often confusing while failing to point out obvious short cuts. Driving through each area a few times is a better way to grasp the lay of the roads.
This is especially critical when trying to evade police. If you're within their sights when caught for a period of time, you'll have no means of escape and be killed. Cops are inconsistent, appearing in a matter of seconds during one battle with a gang and failing to show up at all during another.
Knowing when you're in trouble would be helpful since dying causes you to lose all cash currently on Tony. All cash must be deposited into a bank (which doubles as a save point) or you're at risk to lose it.
With such a focus on cash, Scarface meanders around in dull side missions that become grating in later hours. Dealing drugs, laundering money, bribing cops, and intimidating gangs are all performed through a weak interface that mimics classic golf games.
You simply press a button and time it correctly so you've filled it to the correct spot. These are the types of acts that need performed well over a hundred times each at minimum when playing through the full game.
That said, Scarface is saved by satisfying shooting mechanics and a sense of taking one of the truly great film characters under your wing. Watching the empire grow, local gangs cowering in fear and owning businesses is enough to carry this title to success. The World is Yours ends up being nothing more than Miami, but there's plenty to do and most importantly, it's entertaining even with the quirks.
Scarface - The World is Yours is rated M (Mature) by the ESRB for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs, and a record number of uses for a word starting with "f." This game can also be found on: PC, PS2, PSP, Mobile Phone.
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