BETTER than GTA! Don't listen to Gamespot REVIEW. He is way biased. I've played both games and Scarface is superior.
If you were to compare this game to GTA vice city it is by far more fun. The cars are tougher, better designed, easier to control. The graphics aren't the best but far better texture, and modeling than GTA. But these are just minor points. The main focus of the game is Tony. You are Tony, biggest baddass in cult film history. In fact, taunting, yelling, talking, and overall just bullying your way is not only part of the game but essential. It is his character alone that brings ScarFace the game above others in its class.
Now I must mention if you you've played a lot of GTA, you will find this game frustrating at first because the controls are a little different but once you get the hang of it, its no problem.
The addicting factor of the game is trying to get the Coke to get the Money. "Don't underestimate the other guys GREED!" You find yourself getting excited to get a huge deal of Coke and then trying to collect the money from your fronts, where you'll undoubtedly get greedy and bite off more than you can chew and find yourself in an explosive situation before you can deposit your money.
My only regret is that the game didn't have more missions, or better side missions. Though you can play as a henchman, assassin, etc. I found there characters to be boring compared with Tony, and there missions didn't reap the same rewards.
The biggest flaw of the game is the menu screens. I have the xbox version and found I had to use the directional pad for the menu, but you get used to it. The weapons screen is also confusion. Though you do have a variety of weapons, I found my self just using the Carbon Rifle (M-16) for almost all the missions once I was able to purchase or steal it.
Just a quick mention on the Gamespot review. He said Pimp my Mansion doesn't fit in the world of Scarface, and I agree to a point. I actually hardly toched it and it isn't essential to the game at all, but for anyone who's seen the movie, (and you better watch the movie before you play the game) knows anyone who has a hot tub in is bedroom and tiger in his back yard is begging to pimp is mansion with all kind of bull crap.
Oh, and the Balls. "All I have in this world is my balls,and my word, and I don't break them for nobody." Tony Montana often referred to his balls, and his ability to intimidate people and prove that he could get what he wanted with enough time. So as lame as it sounds it fits in the world of Scarface perfectly. You'll find yourself talking to people and taunting them from your car just to fill your rage (Balls) meter so that you can wipe out gang with your BLINDRAGE, which adds a new level of fun and a different approach to fighting.
Overall, I would have given this game a 9 but because if found myself playing it so much I gave it a 9.5 Go ahead, buy the game, and see what its like to be Tony Montana.