In Miami during the 1980s, gangs, narcotics, and hookers ruled the scene. A Cuban man named Tony Montana rose to become the most prominent drug dealer in the city, and he controlled the entire city. This is the plot of the movie Scarface from 1983, in which Tony Montana passes away following an attack on his mansion carried out by an opposing gang in the final scene. The player will now assume the role of Tony only a few moments before the gang storms his office in this new part of the game.
The rest of his kingdom is in ruins despite the fact that he was able to successfully defend his house. But Tony wouldn’t be Tony Montana if he just gave up, and the player’s objective is to retake Miami once more, therefore this is the player’s primary focus. To achieve this goal, he must first acquire both wealth and respect. In Miami, the only option to make money is to sell illegal substances to customers. In the beginning, the goods are purchased in relatively small quantities and then resold directly to the dealers. However, eventually Tony will be able to establish what is known as “Fronts,” which are seemingly lawful businesses (like a car dealership) that actually engage in the business of selling drugs in very large quantities. Tony will have a greater degree of authority over the current district of Miami as a result of his conquest of “Fronts.” To totally gain control of a section of the city, it is necessary to wipe out all of the hostile gangs that are dispersed around the area in smaller groupings.
Tony is required to “wash” the money at the neighborhood bank and then have it wired to his account after the transaction is complete. After that, he will be able to purchase “exotics” for his mansion, such as a costly vase or a brand-new car that comes with a driver.
A minigame must be played whenever the player is attempting to negotiate with a drug dealer or reduce the amount of heat Tony has with the police. The outcome of this game will determine whether Tony is successful in his negotiations and, if so, how much money he receives for the drugs or how much heat he loses.
Gaining respect requires expanding Tony’s area, purchasing exotic vehicles, and accumulating “balls” through victories in battles and while driving. When an enemy is hit in a specific target zone, the enemy will drop a specific number of balls depending on that zone. This also causes Tony’s “ball meter” to increase. Once this is completely full, he will be able to enter a kind of god mode in which he is immune to damage and has an infinite supply of ammunition. When Tony kills an enemy in this mode, he will also receive some health. When he is behind the wheel of a vehicle, he shows off his balls by performing stunts such as driving on the wrong side of the road or avoiding an oncoming vehicle.
The player is free to wander the streets of Miami, just like they were in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Additionally, there are several side quests that include racing competitions.
