Developer: Yager Development
Publisher: 2K Games
Rrp: £19.99 (Steam), £19.99 (Humblebundle)
Released: 28th June 2012
Available on Steam and Humblebundle
Played Using: A Xbox 360 Controller
The Spec Ops series has always been different to most other games in its genre because it was about tactics rather than sheer bombastic firepower. But in the early 2000’s it became overshadowed by the likes of Call of Duty and Halo. It released its last game in 2002 and then the series went dormant… or so everyone thought. In 2012 Spec Ops: The Line and its very different from both its parent series and others in its genre.
This is a game that is hard not to reveal spoilers about, I’ve done my best but even telling you the protagonists or antagonists name can give a reasonable clue. Just a warning in case some things seem vague.
Spec Ops: The Line isn’t so much a game you play rather than experience. This is the game I point to when I try to give an example of gaming starting to grow up, a kind of ‘We aren’t there yet but we are making our way’. If I had to choose a word for this game it would be ‘harrowing’. This not a game you ‘enjoy’ or have fun playing, it’s one that you experience and hopefully take something away from.
There are a great many things to be said regarding Spec Ops: The Line from the way it portrays combat in video games to the glorification of war. I feel that Extra Credits put it best in their two part video on the game (Part 1 and Part 2), go have a view of them, they’re well worth the watch.
The combat makes the game feel like its from the early 2000’s, this somewhat intentional as the designers knew they didn’t have an engine that could replicate the likes of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare titles. Instead they opted to use the very capabilities of the engine they had to show the ‘gamey’ qualities of those kinds of titles, quite a clever move, turning a weakness into a strength.
You still have the ability to perform some limited tactical maneuvers by commanding the two squad mates that you can have to perform actions like taking out a long range target or using a heavy weapon.
After a short amount of time the game starts turning tropes established by the likes of Call of Duty on its head. The enemies you face cease to be Arab in origin and instead become American… and you can hear the fear in their calls to one another. I wish I could go on but if I do it will spoil the whole game.
The story… ah, that’s something a little special, anyone who is familiar with the book Heart of Darkness and the film Apocalypse Now might find themselves in familiar territory. I don’t want to spoil anything because to be honest its something best experienced rather than read about, but its about a man’s decent into madness due to the rigors of combat.
There are collectibles in the form of intel to be found around the world. Ordinarily I wouldn’t really bother trying to find all of them but in this case they highlight and reveal parts of the story that, while not crucial, really bring the story to life.
There is a multiplayer, but even the developers tell you not to bother as its awful and goes against the whole point of the game. Sadly this game was made at a time when every game ‘had’ to have multiplayer, even when it made no sense not to and unfortunately this game was forced to by the publisher.
So what do I think, well… don’t buy this game, unless its cheap. I know. I’ve raved about it and then not told you to buy it, what’s that about? The logic is actually really simple. The game is short, like finish it in six hours, short. Instead, try and rent it (if you can), it’ll be cheaper than buying it and you’ll still get the same experience.
If this appeals to you perhaps try;
Max Payne
Alan Wake
Mass Effect
