Spec Ops: The Line
Release Date: June 26, 2012
Action, TPP, modern conflicts, tactics, TPS, multiplayer, singleplayer, internet
Steam
A dynamic TPP action game created by Yager Development. The game provides a continuation to the Spec Ops series started by Zombie Studios in 1998. The action takes place in Dubai, which is devastated by sand storms. The Delta Force team reaches the place in order to find the missing American soldiers who remained in town to protect its inhabitants. The plot of the game presents the player with grave moral dilemmas on more than one occasion.
Last Update: July 9, 2012
Spec Ops: The Line Game Guide & Walkthrough
The unofficial guide to Spec Ops: The Line contains a very detailed walkthrough of all missions in the game.
Videos and Screens
[1:18] Spec Ops: The Line launch trailer
[1:00] Spec Ops: The Line E3 2012 - TV Spot
The main pros of the game
- Complex and Deep Narrative: Many users praised the game's story for being unique, thought-provoking, and a deconstruction of the modern military shooter genre. It challenges players' perceptions of heroism and morality in war.
- Emotional Impact: Players noted the game's ability to evoke strong emotional responses, making them reflect on the nature of war and violence.
- Atmosphere and Setting: The game is set in a hauntingly beautiful, decaying Dubai, which enhances the overall experience.
- Cultural Relevance: The game remains relevant even years after its release, with discussions about its themes continuing among players.
- Memorable Characters: Users appreciated the depth of the characters and their stories, which resonated with them long after playing.
The main cons of the game
- Gameplay Mechanics: Several reviews pointed out that the gameplay can be repetitive, with some describing combat as boring or simplified. There were complaints about clunky controls and poor optimization.
- Delisted Status: The game has been removed from digital storefronts, making it difficult for new players to access it, which many users lamented.
- Difficulty Spikes: Some players experienced frustration due to extreme difficulty spikes and bugs, which detracted from their enjoyment.
The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users
- Multiplayer Mode: Users noted that the multiplayer aspect is dead, which limits replayability for those seeking a multiplayer experience.
- Improved Gameplay Mechanics: Some players expressed a desire for more refined gameplay mechanics and better optimization to enhance the overall experience.
- Cultural Context: A few reviews mentioned the absurdity of some cultural elements in the game, such as locals speaking Turkish in Dubai, suggesting a need for more contextual accuracy.
Summary
- Overall, "Spec Ops: The Line" is hailed as a masterpiece for its narrative and emotional depth, but it faces criticism for gameplay mechanics and accessibility issues due to its delisted status.
Summary generated on:
GAMERS Score
Average score from 2060 votes. 380 players anticipated the game.
Spec Ops: The Line Description
Spec Ops: The Line for PC, PS3 and X360 is a dynamic, TPP action game created by Yager Development – a company popular for a futuristic simulator Yager. The game brings a continuation to the Spec Ops series initiated by Zombie Studios in 1998.
Plot
The player is taken to one of the richest places in the world, namely Dubai. The city is devastated by sand storms. Facing a natural catastrophe, a group of American soldiers led by Colonel John Konrad remains in town in order to protect the inhabitants unable to escape. Contact with the squad is cut however, and the army sends a rescue team after receiving an alarm signal.
Accompanied by Martin Walker and the Delta Force squad, the player travels to sand-covered Dubai. It soon turns out that it is not an ordinary rescue mission, for John Konrad and his loyal soldiers do not wish to be rescued. During the mission, the player's sense of morality is tested more than once - one is required to make difficult choices affecting the lives of many.
Mechanics
The player explores subsequent locations and fights enemies, while leading a team of three skilled soldiers. Sand is an important element of the game (generated by dynamic weather conditions), because it becomes the player's ally or foe more than once. The player explores both streets covered with sand and interiors of multi-floored buildings.
Spec Ops: The Line for PC, PS3 and X360 stands out with spectacular visuals and its specific, sandy colors. The player observes bizarre-looking landscapes consisting mainly of skyscrapers surrounded by dunes. Apart from the singleplayer campaign, the game offers a multiplayer component.
Last updated on August 8, 2016
March 20, 2021
The Problem With Games Isn't Politics - It's Lack Thereof
Why the social issues? Why the politics? Hands off our favorite medium – I read under half of the news from the gaming world. And each time, I think to myself that someone obviously missed the moment when video games became political.
November 30, 2020
10 Most Powerful Game Endings
Sometimes, a poor game with mediocre plot suddenly becomes something amazing. Everything can change with an extraordinary ending. Here are the 10 most powerful ones!
July 22, 2020
10 Cruelest Things We've Done to NPCs
Players can be heartless. Often carried away by impulses, venting off their emotions on the screen. The victims of these behaviors are the innocent NPCs. Here are 10 special atrocities committed to them.
August 31, 2016
Why games avoid contemporary armed conflicts – political corectness or industry's immaturity?
Video games allow us to experience, whether truthfully or not, frontlines of the past and the future alike. But why are there so few video games dealing with present-day wars? Why do developers seem to consistently avoid this subject?
5
GAMES
in Spec Ops Game Series
Game Series
Spec Ops Series
A series of tactical shooters with FPP or TPP view. The initial installments of the series were created by Zombie studio in cooperation with Ripcord Games. Currently, the brand is owned by Take-Two Interactive, and its development is handled by development teams Yager Development and Darkside Game Studios.
5 video games
Spec Ops: The Line Summary
Platforms:
PC / Windows
PlayStation 3
Xbox 360
Spec Ops: The Line System Requirements
PC / Windows
Recommended: Quad Core i5 2.4 GHz, 2 GB RAM (3 GB RAM - Vista/7), graphic card 512 MB (GeForce 9800 GTX or better), 10 GB HDD, Windows XP(SP3)/Vista/7, Internet connection
Breaking Geneva Conventions in Games. Can We Even Help It?
Games are known for their reckless episodes of violence, but this is just one of their sins. Indeed, many titles allow violations of international laws on armed conflict. But is it even possible for them to abide by such rules or even give us a choice?
Opinions
Darius Matusiak
March 6, 2023