Say Hello to My "Wii-tle" Friend: Vivendi Games Bringing Scarface to Nintendo's Hit Console

Quick question for classic cinema buffs: what do you think would have happened if Tony Montana, the gangster anti-hero from the Hollywood classic Scarface, had in fact survived the film's climatic mansion shootout scene?

Well, you can soon find out on Nintendo's Wii console -- complete with motion-controlled gameplay to match -- as Vivendi Games brings its popular gangsta adventure Scarface: the World is Yours to the hit videogame platform. The title is currently in production by Radical Entertainment in cooperation with Vivendi's Sierra Entertainment studio.

The release of the game on the popular motion-enabled videogame console marks the latest platform to receive the PlayStation 2 hit, which in addition to its co-release version on Microsoft's original Xbox has sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide on PlayStation 2 and Xbox since their debut, according to IGN. The Wii version of Scarface, in addition to presenting the same storyline and play mechanics of its predecessors, will also include new brand-new controls specific to the Wii platform, as well as enhanced graphics.

"Bringing Scarface: the World Is Yours to Wii is an exciting opportunity to take an already amazing game and add an incredible twist, thanks to the Wii console's unique remote controller abilities," said Cindy Cook, chief strategy and marketing officer for Vivendi Games. "Adding motion-sensitive elements to a game that already includes an incredible celebrity cast, Hollywood production values and non-stop action, delivers a gaming experience unlike any other, truly bringing the world of Tony Montana to vivid life."

In The World is Yours, players take on the role of Montana himself, playing as a rising gangster in Miami during the 1980s. In addition to engaging in all new unlawful activities built specifically for the game, players will also re-enact numerous scenes from the classic film as they carve out a name for the character. Gameplay in Scarface employs an open-ended design much like the Grand Theft Auto series, made complete with all sorts of non-linear-style sandbox elements. More than 50 actors have provided voice acting to the game, which also features roughly 120 licensed music tracks, including the original musical score of the film by Giorgio Moroder, that give the proceedings an authentic 1980s style.

Additionally, because Vivendi wanted the lines between film and games blurred in the final design, the company has partnered with Skywalker Sound for all the in-game audio, and with Prologue Films to create the opening title sequence. The result of these endeavors, according to Hang Luav of The Game Feed, is that players feel like they are literally in the movie itself.

As for the fate of the in-game version of Tony Montana, the result is tied directly to the storyline of the game itself. Instead of falling to his death in the infamous mansion shootout scene from the end of the 1983 film on which the game is loosely based, Tony manages to escape intact and subsequently returns to Miami, Fla. to rebuild his empire, and the rest of the game unfolds from there.

Although the original releases of Scarface: the World is Yours are rated M for Mature by the ESRB, the Wii version is as yet unrated. The tentative release schedule for the Wii version currently holds for summer 2007.

Source materials used for this article include:
http://www.thegamefeed.com/news-d6ac73ed204be951cfa81db7a73180bc.html
http://wii.ign.com/articles/769/769510p1.html