Shooters aren’t typically known for the emotional depth they possess, but rather the brutal, yet celebratory nature of the action. Sure, the storylines are often dark, gripping tales of the physical cost of war, but few touch on the other side of the coin. Spec Ops: The Line goes where most shooters fail to by taking a much-needed magnifying glass to the psychological and mental effects that being in a war zone can have on a soldier.
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The sandstorm-ravaged city of Dubai acts as an excellent setting for this title.
Spec Ops: The Line — War is hell
In the past, we’ve seen other shooters attempt to show a character’s descent into insanity, but none have gone to the lengths that Spec Ops: The Line does. Without getting into any spoilers (because trust me, there are many that could be discussed), some things don’t turn out to be quite as they initially seem, and it results in some serious mind games for both the character and player. It goes beyond that, however, as the game does a superb job of touching on the impact that turning oneself into, as the game says, “a hardened killing machine” has on the human psyche. The overall story is well-written, and the scenes that explore this depth are very nicely handled.
One thing I noticed, though, is the achievement system sort of conflicts with the thematic elements of the game’s story. The title has a firm focus on the negative psychological impact that war can have on an individual, but nearly every achievement focuses on how many kills the player amasses during a playthrough. It’s an odd dichotomy to have the main character seemingly growing more desperate with every brutal kill he performs, meanwhile there’s a counter in the upper left-hand corner notifying the player is five more headshots away from earning an achievement.
Also coming into play with the story is the element of player choice. While the presence of player choice may not rival that of the Mass Effect series, the player must decide how to react to certain situations throughout the story. Those decisions can impact something as small as how certain conversations will go following the events, to which ending the player will receive. Of course, like any good decision-driven story, the character making all of the big decisions might not have all of the information at the time of the decision, so in many cases, the player will be making “on the fly” decisions.
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Haunting scenes such as this one help the player understand what the characters are going through.
Story is king, but gameplay is no slouch either
This excellent story wouldn’t be quite as impactful if Spec Ops: The Line didn’t tell the tale through strong presentation. The graphics are impressive — not the best we’ve seen on consoles — and the colors found throughout give this shooter a unique look. The city’s tendency to kick up a blinding dust storm at a moment’s notice helps Dubai become as much of a character as any of the people found in the squad. It’s also interesting how some of the battles are supplemented by an eccentric DJ and his rock and roll playlist. It’s a unique twist on a soundtrack for shooters, but it’s one that works more times than it doesn’t.
The voice acting perfectly compliments the story. Through the duration of the story, the player will notice subtle nuances that hint at the aforementioned psychological impact on the main characters; the desperation increasing in their voices as each chapter progresses, the language becoming more explicit and conversations becoming more and more stand-offish.
In the end, however, it would all be for naught if the game played poorly. Luckily, the title consists of well-executed squad-based controls, mixed with a good cover-based shooting system. The firefights become intense rather early on in the title, particularly on the more difficult settings. On normal or above, even the smallest mistakes can see the player dying and heading back to the last checkpoint, which can be quite a ways back in some cases. On any setting, however, Spec Ops: The Line can prove to be quite difficult, even for seasoned shooter veterans.
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The sandstorms not only make the city of Dubai feel alive, but they add an extra element to the firefights.
Impressive, but not overwhelming
The chapters are paced well, too. The title consists of fifteen chapters and, depending on some key choices, an epilogue. Many of the chapters are short, but action-packed, allowing for players to experience the superb story alongside the gameplay, rather than as an afterthought. For those who are concerned by the campaign’s length, I found myself finishing the story between the eight and ten hour mark, but I was not opposed to the idea of starting the campaign over right away.
The artificial intelligence can prove to be very hit or miss. There were times where my squadmates (and enemies too, for that matter) would literally just stand in the middle of the battlefield as bullets filled them with holes. On the flipside, there were also several times where squadmates or enemies would pull of the most coordinated flank-based assault I had ever seen. The inconsistencies can prove frustrating, but they are far from the most extreme I’ve seen.
Rounding out Spec Ops: The Line is a somewhat robust multiplayer offering. While the lack of co-op in the campaign mode is puzzling (particularly due to the fact that these missions seem tailor-made for cooperative play), I can see why the story wouldn’t quite hold up with a second or third player assuming a role outside of the main character. While co-op isn’t an option, there is a good mix of the typical Deathmatch and objective-based competitive multiplayer modes that we’ve come to know in shooters over the years. Unfortunately, there were some stumbling blocks along the way, as lag proved to be an issue during busier gaming times, and long wait times between matches seemed to encourage players to quit and find a new lobby. It’s clear that the main focus of this game was the campaign, but multiplayer developer Darkside Game Studios still provided a mode that has addicting potential.
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For those not interested in the story, fear not; there is plenty of solid shooting to go around.
The verdict
Spec Ops: The Line takes what appears to be a run-of-the-mill shooter and brings it to the next level through excellent storytelling and very strong writing. While the multiplayer has a few missed opportunities here and there, it supplements the superb campaign mode nicely. With previously unexplored themes being examined in depth, the story of Spec Ops: The Line is one that fans of shooters should not miss. Luckily, the story brings with it strong gameplay and excellent pacing, making Spec Ops: The Line one of the most pleasant surprises of 2012 so far.
- Release Date: June 26 2012
- Genre: Third Person Shooter
- Platform: PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
- Developer: Darkside Game Studios, Yager
- Publisher: 2K Games
- ESRB Rating: M
- MSRP: $59.99
Our Score: 4.5/5
Review Statement: An Xbox 360 copy of the game was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.
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