Spec Ops: The Line PC
User Score
8.0 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 572 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 475 out of 572
  2. Mixed: 58 out of 572
  3. Negative: 39 out of 572

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  1. TheUnbeholden
    May 21, 2013
    9
    +Lots of action
    +Great story that manages to make you feel guilty, no game to date has made me feel that, even if I could find one, it probably wouldn't have the kind of impact we here
    +Characters are pretty fitting, its nice to see even the comic relief becomes more serious & nervous as the game starts to turn awry.
    +Good use of "Nowhere To Run" by Martha and the Vandellas
    +realistic     with the damage characters build on their body over time, and deteriotation of the teams morale
    -by the end you feel as broken and exhausted as the main character.
    -wonky cover mechanics, where a hit and miss 1/5th of the time
    -gameplay mechanics leave a bit to be desired, but there are some sections that break up what up the norm, helicopter ride, sandstorms, launching artillery. Environmental based deaths are to situational and cheap.

    This game is going to have a special place for me in terms of stories, it's like the video game version of a popular Vietnam movie we never had, except set in Dubai. You know if its based on something that it's going to be good in capable hands.    … Expand
  2. SylaxSYN
    May 19, 2013
    8
    I thoroughly enjoyed this game. Story is fantastic, game play is only average. It ends up being repetitive as do most cover+fire games. The story holds the game together and will have you wanting to play more despite the lackluster game mechanics. Definitely not worth full price, but should be a future purchase none the least.
  3. Reinhaert
    May 18, 2013
    10
    Grossly underestimated masterpiece with solid fighting mechanics and a gripping story that ties you along. One of the testaments of the video gaming industry coming to a maturity regarding war games. It might need some tweaking with the mouse acceleration bug, but it's easily fixable in a few minutes.
  4. keeling2008
    May 12, 2013
    9
    Single player review only

    To me, this game is one of my highlights from 2012. The mature, provocative nature of the storyline and characters sees you and your team go through some of the most disturbing horrors of war. There are moments in Spec Ops that make you feel hate like nothing I’ve experienced before. The feeling of loss and the moments for grieving that last all but minutes are    re true to the nature of war and the theme is therefore executed brilliantly with attention to details you may not notice on your first play through. The storyline is the stand out feature with it closely following the short novel “Heart of Darkness” written by Joseph Conrad. If you haven’t read or heard of “Heart of Darkness”, you will be in for a treat playing through the singer player campaign.

    The core mechanics of Spec Ops feature a 3rd person perspective with everything working very well. The cover system which has you popping out and picking off enemies with ease is a joy to use (mainly because it works, unlike RE: Operation Raccoon City). There is also a blind fire option which was valuable during my play through on Fubar difficulty. The guns feel nice with a good selection on offer which all boasts secondary firing options. I felt very at home with the mechanics on offer and felt that, although they were not revolutionary, they worked well and felt tight which therefore lead to no moments of gaming frustration.

    Graphically, the game looks beautiful on the highest settings on PC. Some nice special effects are on offer and you feel fully immersed in the city of Dubai. Although the engine is dated and the game falls short compared to games such as Crysis 3 and Tomb Raider, Spec Ops features impeccable level design that is linear offering only a single pathway to complete levels; but it works because the world you are lead through offers a unique amount of detail and situations that keep it feeling fresh and engaging.

    In conclusion, this game is well worth the purchase. The game can be picked up cheaply now and serves as excellent value for money if you can get it for under £10. Featuring some of the darkest story telling depicted in games and a conclusion that will stick with you long after playing (this does depend on how engross you are playing games) the game is a must buy for fans of story driven third person shooters looking for something that excites on a very mature level.

    Spec Ops gets a brilliant 9/10.    … Expand
  5. MikefromAngus
    May 11, 2013
    9
    I am not into military shooters, but I really enjoy playing spec ops. The action is great, visuals are decent as well, They could of added alittle more detail. Voice acting is professional, the characters sound great!
    Buy this game!
  6. DeathSpankIL
    May 9, 2013
    10
    Seriously, who cares about the mediocre gameplay. It's only there to tell a horrific story of violence and madness. Play it as the modern classic it is.
  7. Orctownorc
    May 8, 2013
    3
    Mediocre or worse in every department, INCLUDING the story. A so-called 'PC game' that feels so totally like it was made for a Playstation 2. A straightjacket of incredibly narrow spaces and choices. A 'Man's game with all men character's, unending-until-you-puke mach- monologuing by all the characters. Terrible camera. Terrible level design. Terrible shooting mechanics. Terrible cover. Terrible controls. Terrible 'moral choices'. The story is pumped full of overbearing male testosterone and its pretensions of moral depth are an exercise in vapid nihilism. Games like this are basically a waste of a time. Go for a walk in the park, read a book, see a concert, climb a mountain, drink with friends. Anything is better than this game. Compared to its genre competitiors, like 'Gears of War', 'Halo', 'Call of Duty', 'Battlefield' or Far Cry this game is complete garbage. An FPS game lives or dies according to its combat controls and these are easily the worst in that department in recent memory. 'Oh but you must play to the end, because the end redeems the horrible game' cry many reviewers. They lie. The journey is the destination. One would have to have a huge separation from the real world to find this story interesting. I'd rather play dating games with my gay squad members-Bioware style than endure another playthrough of this. To kill or not to kill? The answer won't be interesting if the question is not real. And its not real!… Expand
  8. zto101
    May 6, 2013
    9
    Simply an amazing game. Spec Ops: The Line offers high end, fast paced action game play to the player. If you're in it for the story, then this game will give it to you. If you're in it for the game play and mechanics, well...then this is just your average shooter. Overall, I'd say stick to enjoying the story line. It clearly shows that the devs have put a lot of time and effort into crafting such an intense story. It really hits you in the gut at some points in the game. It is not for the weak hearted because there are a lot of disturbing elements that drive you to the edge of your seat. (I won't give any spoilers however).

    As for the game play mechanics, it may not be the best engine used in the world, giving it's only unreal 3, but it is your average low end 'Gears of War' or Ghost Recon Future Soldier.' Main guns are typically the ones used in every military shooter, but why else must you complain? It's post apocalyptic modern military warfare. All in all, great game for what it is. Definitely worth a shot playing it. It will surely leave you questioning, what you just played.    … Expand
  9. crazyboy1234
    May 6, 2013
    7
    Incredible game, I had heard awful things before buying on steam for $8, but this game has blown me away. The story locked me in from the very beginning. Stories really cannot be more under rated now-a-days as most gameplay seems to be discarded for graphics and dlc
  10. Undersky
    May 6, 2013
    8
    Very fun game, great history, keeps you entertained, you want to keep playing to find what's coming next.

    I have no issues with gameplay, its pretty fun to me.

    Only reason I don't give a 9 or 10 is because of the miserable console port....
  11. Necrotaur
    May 5, 2013
    8
    Spec Ops: The Line is a psychological deconstruction of the shooter genre masquerading as a third person shooter with mediocre mechanics. I don't want to go into too much depth talking about the story, but it's very, very dark, and very, very good. Level design and atmosphere are top notch, but the shooting, controls and weapons are awkward leave a lot to be desired. The shooting portions seem to drag on even though you can complete it in about 5-6 hours, and I guess there's an obligatory multiplayer mode too. Don't get this game to shoot stuff, get it because of the story.… Expand
  12. willza99
    May 4, 2013
    10
    In a field overly saturated how does one shooter stand out against another? In Spec Ops The Line the addictive story is what makes it stand out above the rest. Too long have I been bombarded with over the top cool ads for the latest Call of Duty Zombie Warfare 10 with extra death on the side, it’s all too much. I don’t pretend that CoD 4 didn’t in some way however small or large revolutionlutionise or more rather galvanise the market, I’d be a fool to deny that since CoD 4 I have noticed a large increase in the amount of shooter’s, which isn’t necessarily good for Gaming in general. If we want to be taken as serious people with a love of a hobby we shouldn’t turn to behemoths such as CoD where human beings are ripped up with machine gun fire and dismembered with motor fire. Such games are the Fast Food equivalent of the Games industry, sure it may be nice but it’s not good for you and it lacks sufficient sustenance.
    However as I said Spec Ops The Line manages to keep above the tidal wave of, when you actually think about it, poorly written games or just straight up plain violence for violence sake. For me Spec Ops The Line asked one major question and its one that has been rattling around my brain when it comes to shooter’s: How do you live with the actions you take?
    It’s interesting, think about most of the games that are sold en mass to the general market, not the people who have a love and passion for games who dig deep to find that one indie game that speaks volumes to them. No, I mean the incredibly popular mainstream titles where, if you dare to go online, you get abused by Bro’s or a 12 year old with a surprisingly colourful vocabulary. So with those games in mind, I’ve often thought these are characters that are, I imagine in some cases, loved. These are men that shoot and kill vast amounts of people and overcome incredible odds and they just shrug it off. These are meant to be people with real feelings and emotions, not blank, impersonal drones with a gun in hand.
    Spec Ops The Line follows 3 men as they are sent into Dubai to find an old friend of the protagonist who was originally sent in to evacuate survivors of a terrible storm that ravaged Dubai’s beautiful landscape and skyline. You play Captain Walker a man with a mysterious past in Kabul where he met your target Konrad, a celebrated War Hero. Through some initially confusing story you begin to discover what happened here in Dubai, all is not well as 2 factions’ war it out against each other (and you) and through it all a crazed DJ plays tracks like its Vietnam 2.
    Even in a linear game such as SOTL it offers choices to the player, choices that at the end are reflected upon and for good reason, because of the question it askes. How do these men whose jobs are to kill upon command survive what they encounter, or even do they? The player gets a feel for how maybe the command you’re given isn’t the command that you should carry out, this becomes especially clear as you progress through the game and through the actions you make. It is because of the actions you make and how you’re 2 man squad reacts that give the player a true immersion, on a personal note I had to pause the game at several crucial moments to decide what I should do, is there a right and wrong here? Does the easy way ever meet with the right way of doing things?
    If like me you get swooped up in the story you may find the loading screens become more eerie. It’s one of the many minor things that I love about this game and that is the game itself askes questions of you and prompts you with things like “Can you even remember why you came here?” “You are still a good person” “Do you feel like a hero yet?” and also “This is all your fault”. People have incorrectly called this taunting, but I feel it’s supposed to make you think about not necessarily the genre of games that people just seem to buy into but also the real life actions of people who do this and as a result end up with PTSD.
    Now I’ve love to say more, it’s been a while since I’ve played a game and truly couldn’t get enough of it, and with a story that has many layers and possible choices to take, it’s definitely worthy of more than one play through, but I feel if I write much more I’d give away some major points.
    A little tip though, if you want the most from the game, unlock the FUBAR setting (never has this acronym felt so appropriate) and play through it, sure it’s harder but as I just said, the loading screens can get eerie and give you some sort of insight. Now I’m off to play some more. Cheers for reading.
    Cheers for reading, for more reviews see willza99.wordpress.com    … Expand
  13. frast2012
    May 4, 2013
    8
    Rzadko zdarza się aby gra aż tak wciągała fabułą, klimatem. Rzadko zdarza się że przed wyborem w grze naprawdę długo zastanawiamy się a potem aż tak żałujemy swojego wyboru. Naprawdę świetny klimat i odczucia towarzyszą tej grze. Co prawda sama rozgrywka nie jest na medal i sama gra mogła by zrobiona lepiej, to jest to dobra fajna gra, w którą warto zagrać. Moja ocena 7,5/10
  14. aznassassin
    May 3, 2013
    7
    Outstanding story, presentation and voice-work that is unfortunately brought down by mediocre, generic third person gunplay with clunky controls all wrapped up with repetitive level design. Spec Ops: The Line could've been so much more but ultimately, it's a decent, satisfactory shooter that'll entertain if you're sick of FPS titles and crave something a little different.
  15. nitai007
    Apr 30, 2013
    7
    spec-ops the line is overall a good game but a lot of the time your really bored from the uninspired story and gameplay. the gameplay in this game is boring. from a gameplay perspective it doesnt do anything new. the controls are a bit weird as well.
    the story isnt particularly bad, but it really generic in the first half of the game. the game starts good, and the dubai concept is cool, b    ut then it gets bad and boring. after the first half though things start to get better. the story gets really deep, mature and touching. the story turns epic in the second half. so overall the story is good but it takes time untill you get there. the game also has player choice which make it really good. the game shows you the consequinces of your actions,even if they are bad(which makes the game much more mature and good)
    if you want a mature game that takes you seriously and shows you the consequinces of your actions, then you should buy this game. just expect few boring hours along the way.    … Expand
  16. LoboTommy
    Apr 26, 2013
    10
    The game is good, it's well made and it's visually stunning. But this pales compared to the actual experience of the GAME itself. The story and the way it is presented are a testimony that the game industry matures. Comparing this game to others is like comparing "The Shawshank Redemption" to the early black and white comedies. I really find it hard to express the depth of it and what a thought provoking experience it is.… Expand
  17. R4mr0D
    Apr 17, 2013
    10
    Yes, I am late to the party, but I want my two cents worth.
    On face value, The Line isn't much.
    A stock standard, overly-macho, cover-based military shooter that will only excite the imagination of those who do not understand what makes a game good.
    This is not the case. What is really inside is possibly the most poignant and emotionally affecting plot I have ever experienced in a game.     And I love it.
    Admittedly, the gameplay isn't much. On that front is relatively what you expect. Bad guy in front of you, kill him. Lots of bad guys in front of you, duck into cover and kill them, but not before a bit of fiddly negotiating with the cover system. This game is made for controller, but it is still easy enough to play with key board and mouse.
    The AI tend to overwhelm you with sheer numbers rather than outthink you, but this only a minor niggle, and if you're playing at a harder difficulty you'll be too busy kicking yourself for dying again to criticise their semi-suicidal behaviour.
    Graphically speaking, it wasn't jarring. The lighting was fine and I only spotted the occasional low-res texture (during gameplay that is, the cutscenes were riddled with them). Character detail was mildly fantastic, and Nolan North and Co. did a top-notch job with voices. Level design could have been better, but nothing felt too linear, and there were only a few vehicle sections which were really not too shabby in execution. Overall the gameplay presented about as much depth as one could expect from a linear shooter.

    But were it not for the plot, I probably would not have bothered finishing this game.
    The thing that impressed me most about the plot is the connection it creates between the game and the player. Many games choose to have a silent protagonist in order to have the player imprint themselves on the protagonists identity. Yet The Line has an incredibly vocal main character and still I found I started to see a lot of myself in him. This is probably due to responsibility The Line forces you to take. Without giving too much away, I will say the game puts you in a few situations where you may hate yourself for the outcome you chose. The brutality of some of these moments are brilliantly portrayed, and there is one infamous moment in the game that distressed me so much I exited and did not play it again for a few weeks. The gigantic waves of enemies that you will eliminate unthinkingly throughout the game may seem out of place at first, but by the end their purpose is blindingly clear.
    The thoughts that The Line will plant in your head are disturbing, exhilarating, and nothing short of a gust of fresh air in terms of plot themes.
    And if you are somehow not convinced about the astounding depth of The Line, know this.
    A man by the name of Brendan Keogh wrote a 50,000 word critical analysis of the game. 50,000 words.

    And the reason why I have given it 10 is because I do not acknowledge the multiplayer as part of the game. If you don't know the meaning of the words "tacked-on", play the multiplayer of The Line.    … Expand
  18. LE_OCAT
    Apr 13, 2013
    8
    Spec Ops: The Line is a 3rd person modern military shooter. I know what you're thinking, "another generic shooter". Yes, the game follows the established pattern of big explosions and cinematics, but its done in an entertaining manner. Where the game really comes to life is in the narrative and the cast. If you don't mind trudging through a scripted shooter for a great story, then I would recommend this game to you. I finished it on "insane" in about 6 hours. So it is fairly short, but worth the entertainment if it is on steam sale or bundled with another game.… Expand
  19. sinadoom
    Apr 12, 2013
    8
    A high quality title in every sense. Controls are excellent even on the PC version, gameplay is solid, has a good story and on highest settings it's one of the most graphically vibrant games. The lighting is better than Battlefield 3 (and certainly the best lighting of any third-person game), textures are crisp, facial detail is excellent and it's not too demanding. Not only does the game look great, it plays well too. Think of it as a military Gears of War with more realistic story, characters & context. This is undoubtedly amongst the greatest third-person shooters on PC. It lacks in innovation and doesn't do anything particularly interesting or new, but it's a great game. One thing to be wary of is that although it's a story-heavy game, it isn't well-explained and can be hard to follow. Even if you don't understand what's going on though, it's still a good story regardless because of the way it's presented and paced. Multiplayer is not even worth considering, since there's nobody playing it online. It's a good job all achievements for the game are offline!… Expand
  20. Arctic_Banana
    Apr 4, 2013
    10
    Spec Ops: The Line is not a fun game, but it is perhaps the finest example of a drama video game. Without spoiling anything the game is somewhat bland until the main character unwittingly does a bad thing. If you go into playing Spec Ops: The Line with the mindset that it is a run of the mill shooter you will be disappointing, but if you play it looking for a game that's story is both gripping and thought provoking try this out. I do not give Spec Ops a 10 because it is fun, but because it deserves it.… Expand
  21. GPReS
    Apr 2, 2013
    10
    One of the best games I've played: breathtaking plot (4 alternative endings and the story itself are so deep), top-notch graphic, superb control (idk about others i play the game on 32" screen with XBOX joypad), mesmerizing ost all this makes the game one of my favorite!
    I stumbled on the game while looking for smth similar to another brilliant game "Binary Domain", first I watched a g    ood review, than I was glad to see there's a demo tried it and after that I was totally in love with the game and decided to buy it.
    Now I am on my second round of completing the game it's so cool and interesting that I can't stop playing it. Thx Yager for such a brilliant game! I'd wish nowadays game were more like this one.    … Expand
  22. Sirolos
    Mar 28, 2013
    10
    Perhaps containing one of the best storyline in gaming, Spec Ops the line is an experience that comes along extremely rarely and is a must have. While the gameplay admittedly falls flat and fails to be anything revolutionary, the Heart of Darkness inspired story really shines though with its themes and inglorious war and really gives you an emotional experience as you witness the slow spiral down Walker experiences though the game.… Expand
  23. Qahnaariin
    Mar 16, 2013
    8
    Fun game. The story didn't impress me too much but gameplay was fun. Only eight hours is a little bit short, and multiplayer is bad but you should give it a try.
  24. Chapa9dj
    Mar 7, 2013
    9
    If you are still on the fence about this one, wait no more and buy it. This was for me one of the best games i've played in 2012 and one of the most underrated too. Storyline is fantastic and quite a (in a good way), i think you'll enjoy it. The voiceacting is perfect (Nolan North, a.k.a Nathan Drake from Uncharted). The gameplay is good, a little repetitive but not a big problem. Visually amazing and Dubai looks incredible in this game, even if it is in ruins and covered in Sands. :p… Expand
  25. Xarxan
    Mar 5, 2013
    10
    Anyone who reads this and has yet to play this game needs to correct that ASAP. This kind of experience comes extremely rare in video games and quite frankly that needs to be fixed. I will admit that the gameplay itself could probably have been better. Either though giving your squad mates more options for u to take advantage off or making them more useful overall by improving their AI so as to make them more than distractions.

    In conclusion if u want a excellent or at least different story that would make up for the average gameplay then go for it. Also that aspect alone makes it a 10 for me personally.    … Expand
  26. sayedstafa
    Feb 19, 2013
    8
    This game is worth playing for the story. If you can get this game for a few dollars, play it on easy mode and you can blast through the campaign in about 4 hours. But it's definitely worth experiencing. Gameplay is nothing special but they definitely got a great story in this game.
  27. p360assassin
    Feb 19, 2013
    6
    Before you read the following, remember this: the games story IS incredible and mature. Basicly, the games gameplay is awful. It is a worse version of gears of war, but with tons of massive difficulty spikes that cause frustration. It is the frustrating at points, I ended up shoving a gamepad (gamepad controls ARE worse, the people are just retarded) and turning aim assist and easy mode on (aim assist seems broken with mouse and keyboard) because even tho I am a good gamer, the difficulty is just BS at points. The story however is great, starting off by appearing to be a generic shooter story, it quickly progresses into a very dark story which constantly makes you second guess your actions. And aside from one point, the main character does not seem to just randomly do something evil to give this feeling, it feels very realistic, and gritty. The story is based loosely off heart of darkness, and I have heard from people that you will guess the shock twist if you have read it. But if you havn't, it is VERY shocking but makes sense. Basicly, I recomend either rent the console version, or buy it when you can get it for cheap, since the gameplay sucks. Oh, and the multiplayer is god awful, don't take it into account.… Expand
  28. TemplarVaxus
    Feb 15, 2013
    9
    This game takes the generic shooter game and turns it on it's head. An amazing story sets the pace with many unexpected twists and turns. This game not only critiques the genre of shooters it even leaves you, the player with a greater perspective with gaming. However it does come with it's faults which is specifically the way it handles combat and ai systems. This can be discounted though as it critiquing the shooter genre and tricking you into thinking this is an ordinary game. Despite all odds this game has detoured away from the Call of Duty shooter that we know today and set things straight.… Expand
  29. Siegfriedm
    Feb 9, 2013
    6
    An average game. Not a masterpiece, but actually a good game. This game has a good story (not so great or impressive as someone says), but sometimes seems to be a little confused. The graphic is not bad but also not great, just average and functional. The sound is maybe the worst part of the game. Weapon sounds are too dull and quiet. The soundtrack is anonymous and banal with only the US anthem that "stands out". Gameplay works good, but the game as some annoying bugs, like the stupid penetration of some surfaces (sometimes you can be hit also if are beyond a concrete wall), and there is a unresolved bug about sound in cutscenes.
    In the end, is a good game, worth money if you buy it for less than 15€. Sometimes frustrating, but is a good game.    … Expand
  30. bdy0003
    Feb 4, 2013
    3
    Positives: Storyline and some of the choices are very good, not excellent. No other positives.

    Negatives: Controls are terrible!!! I've never seen so many buttons to do stupid things. Also, some buttons don't respond when you press them. Programming is shotty as getting the first shot on an enemy does nothing some of the time; absolutely horrible. Achievements or buildups to achie    vements are just given at random.

    I am very disappointed with this game. I want my money and my time back.    … Expand
  31. UzairH
    Feb 2, 2013
    9
    I am a veteran shooter player, and Spec Ops: The Line gave me an unexpectedly psychological/emotional journey. For this reason more than any other I would highly recommend all military shooter fans to play it. Finishing Spec Ops made me realize how series like Call of Duty, Medal of Honor, and Battlefield have utterly dumbed down the psychological aspect of warfare. Spec Ops puts you through some crazy and while the gameplay is enjoyable the overall game's story experience is most definitely one of psychological discomfort. I don't see this is a failure, since there are already too many feel-good games out there; I am not dissing those games either, just making the point that as serious adult gamers we do need to get an experience like Spec Ops.

    Lately there has been a lot of debate about whether violent games cause real world violence. Again as a veteran gamer I think this is a nonsense argument, it is guns in the hands of insane people who cause the problems. But for anyone who think games glorify killing and violence, they need to have a look at Spec Ops The Line.

    So, story-wise and character-wise the game is extremely good, gunplay-wise I'd rate is good but not great. I generally prefer first-person to third-person combat, but I understand that in a story-focused game the developer may want to present the game from a more cinematic perspective. However I would still have vastly preferred the ability to use ironsights on all the guns, third-person combat at all times (except for the rare scoped guns) made for inaccurate shooting way too often, where you rely on the gun's random accuracy to hit the enemies. Greater accuracy (that would be afforded through iron-sights coupled with smart burst-firing) would have made the often-tough battles more manageable.

    I would give the game a 10 if the combat were fixed (aiming down ironsights allowed on all guns), so overall its an 9 for me.    … Expand
  32. wintersonline
    Jan 30, 2013
    9
    At first I tried the demo. It was a pleasure to play with, I felt it very unique, so I bought it.
    I like it for it's big open Dubai maps, story, gameplay, cutscenes, 3rd person view, variety of guns, graphics, it's worth for me. Unreal engine is okay, it's beautiful and fast.
    I do not like it for it is very heartbreaking scenes.
  33. evild4ve
    Jan 30, 2013
    3
    I played the first few levels of this, up to a point where a civilian dressed in a burqa ran into my line of fire and I accidentally shot her. The game had been heavy-handedly building up the civilian tragedy aspect and the justifications for this sort of thing happening - but it seemed completely out of character for the morally ambiguous protagonist to yak on and on in the cut scenes about stuff like how "it's okay not to follow orders if we can save an American life" and then not have anything at all to say for himself after mowing down an innocent woman with a machine gun. And I was left thinking "oh well, I guess that probably happens all the time in Iraq" - and decided I had probably felt guiltier the first time I ran over a pedestrian in Grand Theft Auto.

    The gameplay mechanics are atrocious - there are no consequences for getting shot so long as you can hide behind a conveniently placed rock for a few seconds until the bloodstains clear from the side of the screen. Red Steel on the Wii (!!!) had a similar depth of realism and tactics. It's completely linear - the guns all feel and sound the same - which is a complete mistake in the case of the AK47 and M14.

    A rail-shooter is pretty much the last sort of game that should take on moral questions.    … Expand
  34. Nataraja
    Jan 27, 2013
    9
    This game has, unlike other shooters, a very strong story in the campaign. The voice acting is fabulous, the art style is excellent, the sound is amazing. I have yet to try the coop and the multi-player but I thoroughly enjoyed the campaign. My only issue was the length - completed it in around 11.5 hours. It has some replay value since the game does alter with the decisions you make. And although the campaign was short, I am at a loss as to how you could have extended it without making it laborious. Since I picked it up on sale for $7.69 you really can't go wrong!… Expand
  35. awdrifter
    Jan 26, 2013
    1
    The game mechanics in this game is severely flawed! I don't care how good the story is, the moment to moment gameplay is a torture. Who the f though binding the sprint, cover, and action button to the same key is a good idea?! I died countless times snapping into cover when trying to run away (and you get shot in cover too!). This game is a broken pos hiding behind it's story. AVOID!
  36. TheProphet
    Jan 25, 2013
    9
    I truly believe this is the best game of 2012. I loved every minute of the story, and the gameplay is solid enough to me to forgive any slight technical shortcomings. It's a beautiful commentary on glorification of violence in games, and I love it to pieces.
  37. Shtiggy
    Jan 24, 2013
    10
    Very detailed environment. So far the story is very entertaining and it has grabbed my attention. I like it as a single player game. And for $5 on sale, it's a tremendous value. Looking forward to the next installment. Great job by the developers.
  38. azrael888
    Jan 17, 2013
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. No, Just no. If you play a game for a thrilling story line and an engaging back story like I do then **** THIS GAME. I cannot believe the rubbish of a story this game has and then you got all these people painting it like it's a top notch novel that just blows you away at the end. The ENTIRE STORY just seems like a bunch of gun hating, soldier bashing, liberals, got into a room and just start throwing **** at a wall until they came up with a game that would only interest you because of the hype they drummed up. This game totally paints all soldiers/people who like guns as retards and in the end kill everyone because it's sooo awesome. I mean FFS, I didn't try it, but at the end of the game you have the choice to shoot yourself or if you don't then you have the option to KILL MORE ****ING SOLDIERS as they come to RESCUE you! WTF?! I think it's just one big social experiment to see who the **** would want to do it. There is no DLC and there never will be because there's no way they can continue this crap story.

    One other thing. Again at the end. (and I think they mention it near the middle as well) They keep telling you all you had to do was stop. All you had to do was just stop pushing forward. WTF?! Why would I pay 60 bux for a game just to stop playing it? I feel really bad for those that paid FP for this game cause they got ripped the **** off. In fact I think most of those people that did buy it at FP probably got on here and reviewed it as awesome just so dumb ****s like us would be like, **** it can't be all that bad. Look how many good review it got!" No they just wanted us to drink the GD kool-aid too cause they didn't want to be the only ones...

    If the game was just me running around shooting /randoms with no story I'd give it a 5. It's not a HORRIBLE shooter, but JFC, I cannot for the life of get over the fact that the story was so utterly terrible. Charles Barkley tuurrribel even...    … Expand
  39. kane148
    Jan 16, 2013
    8
    Spec Ops combines mediocre gameplay with impressive visuals and a compelling story to create a must-play experience. The 3rd-person shooter gameplay is pretty unimpressive: the cover system is temperamental, the aiming sucks, the weapons are boring, and stealth is rarely possible. Moreover, the two squad mates which you are obliged to work with are rarely more than a liability. Thankfully the game makes up for these major shortcomings by placing you in a truly impressive setting: the sand-covered city of Dubai. Not only does this uniquely-opulent city serve as eye-candy (the attention to detail is as impressive as the models themselves), but it creates a truly memorable geography: the sand-dune you're fighting on might turn out to be on top of a skyscraper, or you might take refuge from a sand storm inside a hotel with a giant aquarium beneath your feet. Finally, the narrative told through the game and the emotional impact of the events as they unfold are very good. Spec Ops does a surprisingly good job of not only telling a compelling story, but of making you empathize with the characters and internalize your actions. It's a game that will make you question your own actions within the game and by extension, your attitude toward such military/shooter games. Despite its flaws, this is a game which I wholeheartedly recommend.… Expand
  40. MrScratch
    Jan 16, 2013
    8
    Game which is not so fun to play, you probably could find better 3rd person shooter, but the message it has to bring is so powerful that can blow away CoD/Battlefield ideology in a snap. If you liked Apocalypse Now, you'll probably like this game.
  41. Trokur
    Jan 15, 2013
    6
    I'm changing my review because I pulled a rookie move. If you are like me and have an xbox controller plugged into the PC, the game controls & tutorial want to focus on that controller, not keyboard settings. I play only certain types of games with a controller. FPS is not one of them. Even if you tell it to not use a controller in the options, it still does the entire tutorial with controller bindings. So it stinks that you have to remove the controller in order for the game to talk to you in PC speak (WASD)... so to speak.… Expand
  42. drevan2006
    Jan 15, 2013
    9
    this game includes everything you dream of playing shooters: tough battles, good animation of movements, not bad AI, really fresh setting and many other things. The only thing I found irritating was the placement of checkpoints. Once you face a "hard to get through" episode and fail - you have to repeat a 5-minute fighting before this - it's completely disastrous. But yet I found this game extremely emotional. While playing, I felt like it was a real combat.
    So that, taking into consideration all the bad-placed checkpoints, my overall mark would be 9 out of 10 as all the other things I enjoyed a lot!    … Expand
  43. post_hardcores
    Jan 14, 2013
    8
    Perhaps the only moder military shooter about war, you know actual war and not heroism fairy tails, props to the guys at yager for try to do something different in a genre as stale as this one
  44. DaedricDave
    Jan 12, 2013
    7
    I shall list some good and bad points about this game. First of all, the gameplay, the cover mechanics are average, however, the game does have some really nice slow motion effects in the gun-play. I wouldn't exactly call it bullet time, because there is not that much of it. For instance, after shooting an enemy in the head the game will go in slow motion for about one or two seconds. The graphics are really nice, but if the game had anti-aliasing they would look a lot better! In the game you can make choices, however they do not have a big effect on the game. The storyline is very good, but some people may find it a little confusing. One of my MAJOR criticism's of this game is the fact that the gameplay time is only FOUR HOURS! (the campaign) Sure, you can replay it to experience the effect of different choices, but it's four hours! The multiplayer certainly isn't this game's strong point, as it is quite bad to be perfectly honest. With all of these points taken into consideration, I believe this game deserves a 7/10.… Expand
  45. Harrier
    Jan 11, 2013
    9
    The MP is not as well as the SP,I love the cover system,and the story of the game is good,but the MP just make me feel down,it sucks.that was bad,yeah,really bad.If Yager can give me a better MP,I think the scores of the game can be better.
  46. MrSniker
    Jan 11, 2013
    5
    Bought the game for the story was pretty disappointed, I called the ending and story half way through and the game only lasts 4-6 hours. Gameplay mechanics are average, there's nothing really to comment on about them as they're really just average, you enter a room then you clear it. Gun variety sucks, and the only useful guns are Assault rifles. AI is stupid, often times your partners will just run in your line of fire or shoot people from out of cover and die. Level design is your typical TPS fare, you see cover you know there's an encounter soon. The game is overall underwhelming the story while different, isn't all that great and the game does nothing to set itself apart from it's peers other than story.… Expand
  47. medical_dom
    Jan 10, 2013
    8
    Bought the game after reviews talked about its involving storyline and controversial nature. The gameplay is so, so not as slick as COD or BF titles but adequately playable. The strength of this game is in the story and the transition of the mental state of the characters and how involved you feel in the decisions you have to make, It is refreshing for someone to take a more realistic look at war and its impact.… Expand
  48. darkcerb
    Jan 9, 2013
    5
    A game who's sole claim to fame is it's story, As someone who already knows war hero fantasy and or the "realistic shooter" genre is ridiculous and anyone who takes it seriously is equally ridiculous I found the story unnecessarily preachy. It's methods for displaying visuals and sounds as metaphors for the "heroes" mental state was clever but not groundbreaking. The action elements were much worse, the AI is average at best and so the gun play gets repetitive. All in all this title should be played for it's story, and even then it's preachy and self righteous overtones are going to annoy some people.… Expand
  49. Masterhummel
    Jan 8, 2013
    9
    I am still wondering why this game got just an average score. If you get trough the first hour where the game still tries to disguise itself as conventional Hooray! - Shooter, you will be rewarded with average-to-good gameplay, good atmosphere and a really amazing experience which sucks you in (if you let it). Everything else would be too much spoiler, but let's say it breaks here and then with the usual shooter mechanic and leaves the player slightly baffeled about his own actions.… Expand
  50. Ezekial
    Jan 8, 2013
    10
    The story in this game is Oscar worthy, and overcomes any flaws with gameplay.

    It's unfortunate I need to expand this sentence to 150 characters.....
  51. AlexandrRosca
    Jan 8, 2013
    6
    Story is ok, but nothing really special. Graphics and sound mediocre. Gameplay is not entertaining at all. I would recommend to buy on sale, or skip entirely ;)
  52. mostepicgamer
    Jan 6, 2013
    10
    If you want a great single player experience, this is the game you must buy. It's different form other shooters who glorify war and praise war hero's. Spec Ops the Line makes you question your morals and principles. the game forces you to make choices at some points. These choices are not labeled "right"or "wrong" the choices you make are horrible. this game also uses some visual tricks and there are a lot of easter eggs. so maybe the mp sucks, but this game was never meant to have a mp. The mp is made by a different developer because the original dev refused to put a mp in it because this game is all about the sp experience.… Expand
  53. El_Barto
    Jan 5, 2013
    3
    This game is a console based game and although keys are functioning the entire game is made for game-pad.
    This game has a refreshing storyline and environment, what went wrong?

    - 1 : because third person view (f.ex the game Hitman let you switch between first to third-person which is a missed opportunity in this game)
    - 2 : bad aiming, this is just terrible and let not even talk about     the sniper rifle
    - 2 : save points, I am an adult, I decide where I want to save, some pieces of fights take up to 8 min, you die you can start all over again and let's not even talk about the 'skip movie', enter is not working so when you die you can watch over and over the 2 min movie before you can start playing instead of doing savepoints after the movie.
    -1 : cover/vault seems to have a mind of it's own, sometimes you are stuck to a wall in cover mode which you can not get out of.
    - 1 : Squad has a mind of it's own, move forward and decides to get shot, you have limited time to heal them or they just stand do nothing while you fight and die.    … Expand
  54. poundmysnatch
    Jan 4, 2013
    9
    Play it for the story, as it is the most emotionally engaging gaming experience I have ever had. The controls are a bit clunky, the AI is a bit weak, and the campaign is short (6 hours). The graphics are pretty average for a 2012 game and the gameplay itself is enjoyable. The biggest task you will have is playing it for the first two hours as they are insanely boring. After that, the story really picks up and draws you in and you will be glad you trucked through those first couple hours.… Expand
  55. malexe
    Jan 3, 2013
    8
    Pretty good short Single Player experience. I had one or two laughs but this game is mostly very dark, people die and cry, and mostly it's because of your actions. That's also why I liked this game, you are no hero just a soldier in war.
  56. Forum15LTJ
    Jan 1, 2013
    10
    One of the most truthful story i have ever experienced. The story alone is worth the purchase. Action is fun but not the best, but that's not why you should buy the game. If you want have a meaningful emotional experience buy this game!
  57. Freezeman10
    Dec 31, 2012
    10
    Spec Ops: The Line. Only took me four hours to complete the campaign. I very much enjoyed this game and it had a great story line, there were very many parts in this game that are stunning. The visuals are fantastic, but the mechanics and some of the little things are weird. I found myself taking many screen shots of awesome landscapes and gruesome sights. Another plus, the main character is voiced by none other than Nathan Drake. I highly recommend this game.… Expand
  58. survivor_686
    Dec 31, 2012
    9
    Spec Ops the line is one of the rare gems in modern gaming. It twists the entire shooter genre on its head, introduces a storyline evocative of "Heart of Darkness" yet does its own thing.

    Spec Ops the line does on thing one and it does it superbly. The storyline is and should be the reason to buy this game. While the developers suggesting "Heart of Darkness" as inspiration may be a spoi    ler, the storyline goes places where few works of fiction dare. That being said there are a few caveats. For those whom come off FPS such as COD, the controls can take some getting used to and ammo is scarce (a brilliant reinforcement of the storyline). Buy, buy now and never look back.… Expand
  59. Harumpel
    Dec 30, 2012
    8
    The most remarkable thing about this game is its truly dark story and its high level of unnecessary violence. I thought it would be a straight shooter game, but the "Apocalypse Now" - like story added greatly to the gaming experience, although I don't like things that brutal. The setting of post-apocalyptic Dubai is rather unique and interesting. The opponent A.I. is rather bad and predictable, controls are also bad. Overall I give it an 8 because it was an enjoyable experience and well worth the money.… Expand
  60. tacklinfuel
    Dec 30, 2012
    9
    Delightfully stunned... I picked this up on a Steam sale and expected to put it down after a few hours like I do most games. I can't speak for the console version of this game, but the PC version, at least as of right now is polished and smooth. The story was deep and dark with a great twist at the end. Absolutely awesome game and worth the money. Truly a great surprise.
  61. Silverian
    Dec 28, 2012
    8
    Spec ops: The Line is a really great game if you are looking for a deep and well-told story. As a shooter it is mostly average: the controls work in most situations, there is a reasonable amount of different locations the graphics are nice although sound is a bit lacking.

    So if you are looking for a shooter and don't care about the story you will get a few hours of decent entertainment     with the campaign but for you it will probably be something 5-ish.
    If you are looking for a good multiplayer experience you might just rage-quit the game and look for a way to rate it below 0.
    But if you play games mostly for their story, like I do, you will love it and for you it may very well be a 9 or 10.    … Expand
  62. scoutwags
    Dec 27, 2012
    10
    In a field of games that are created to build the player up to a godly status of superhero, Spec Ops: The Line dares to fly in the face of that, deciding instead to actively fight the player and their sense of heroism. Based on Heart of Darkness, the same story that inspired Apocalypse Now, It is set in a destroyed Dubai, where a squad is sent to rescue survivors. This is a game that is built on traditional mechanics, a samey brown fps that most gamers that pick the title up will identify immediately and become comfortable with. This is the moment Spec Ops chooses to throw the player into disarray, forcing them to question their very motives for even playing a video game, as well as the characters choices. The player, in the end, is drawn into a state of distance from the character, a sort of last shred of sanity and conscious that the character has left. By the end, you are changed in parallel. You are a different person.… Expand
  63. agustincabero
    Dec 26, 2012
    9
    Spec Ops no es un juego perfecto, pero tiene más ideas, en términos de historia y de ambientación, que la enorme mayoría de los fichines del género. Es esencial para el que disfrute de un sólido juego de acción y sienta que ya lo vio todo.
  64. SeanMartinRevw
    Dec 25, 2012
    7
    Spec Ops The Line is a perfect example of the 'opposite' of what games normally are today. Typically there would be great game play with an average story in the shooter market. Spec Ops boasts an incredible story which is immersive and... well that's all I can say without spoilers. Just know your going to get your moneys worth especially off steam when it comes to singleplayer. Multiplayer at the current date (26/12/2012 AUS) is dead but it is worth noting that Spec Ops has been selling quite well on steam as of late. Unfortunately I haven't gotten a fair go with it so I cant say much. Technically this game looks spectacular and is possible to run on lower end systems. Control wise Spec ops falters a little with clunky sprinting and cover mechanics both being things you will be doing a lot in the game. Shooting however does work well just remember to adjust your sensitivity. Overall I can't say I regret buying spec ops. The singleplayer while very short (4.2 hours for me) was worth the admission. In fact its so good I may play it again! If you can get it for less that $15AU then do it! I'm giving Spec Ops The Line a 7/10… Expand
  65. MayhemMike83
    Dec 22, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. After having read all those reviews I expected more from the story.
    It has something to it but the choices you get don't really have an impact. Often the game forces you to "accidentally" kill civilians and then plays the morality card on you. For example: -take out the army base with a mortar, last target is close to a civilian camp. Abort the mortar fire and go in on those remaining 2 soldiers? Nope, not allowed.
    -decide if a soldier or a civilian has to die! Go instead for the snipers that force you to make this decision? nope
    ....
    Besides the game is very repetitive. Enter a room, clear all enemy-waves, while being constantly low on ammo, proceed to the next room and do it again....

    Overall it is not a bad game but it does not shine either    … Expand
  66. LordSithis
    Dec 16, 2012
    9
    Really liking the game so far. Controls are great on a 360 gamepad, it took a bit to get used to the cover-system but after ten minutes or so it became a breeze. The weapons I found fun to use and its nice that there isn't 1028203920 ammo crates throughout the game, you have to spare your ammo. Graphics are very solid for a console port, I loved the little details like the bugs crawling all around the corpses and the particle effects were nice. Headshots are also very satisfying. The story is very gripping, compelling even. Truly one of the few games that actually demonstrates the horror of war rather than glorify it.… Expand
  67. noxteryn
    Dec 9, 2012
    10
    This game is mind-blowingly brilliant. Just buy it. The people who say they didn't like this game are the very people whom this game criticises. It is perfect. It's one of the extremely few games that deserve a 10 out of 10.
  68. RealMuthaF
    Dec 7, 2012
    10
    First of all, I must say that it's a great shame that this game is overlooked by many because it looks like a generic military shooter, while it's not. From the gameplay side, everything is quite familiar, yes - cover, weapons, health regeneration, grenades. But from the story side, it's a whole different thing. When regular shooters make you a hero, this game makes you not just a villain, it makes you feel doing good things ultimately revealing the main character - and you, with him - to be a madman, a criminal who tries to justify his horrible actions. And it succeeds in that, the plot is gripping, the characters are believable, the violence you witness is just horrific and the ending (4 of them, actually) is straight-out shocking. Trust me, you'll be left thinking of what just happened during the course of the 6-or-so hour campaign and you will want to play through it again just to see things clearly this time. The Line is a definite must-play for any action game and mature, dark storytelling fan. Are you ready to cross it?… Expand
  69. Dementing
    Dec 5, 2012
    8
    This was a good game, though it could have been a bit better. The story was there, as long as you can draw the line between fantasy and reality. If you can't do that, keep on browsing for a different game. If you can do that, then you will get to the game play. It is a bit sloppy, but all in all if you are careful, it is possible to actually like it. Not the greatest game out there, but it is solid.… Expand
  70. ArthurS
    Nov 30, 2012
    9
    Its been a while since shooters have been taken by crappy pointless games geared towards multiplayer addiction. SO:TL is none of this. I didn't care about the multiplayer (which I heard sucks), but the campaign has one of the best stories in a video game I've ever seen. Its woirth it because of the memorable single player experience.
    The mechanics are cometimes flawed, true, and you may d    ie sometimes because you didn't got into cover when you should, but its nothing that breaks the game. It plays nicely, IMO.… Expand
  71. Snarky
    Nov 27, 2012
    1
  72. Minogusti
    Nov 24, 2012
    10
    This game needs to have a high metacritic score, just for it's boldness. It's just incredible how interesting and compelling it gets to be, without being "fun".
  73. Stungray
    Nov 22, 2012
    9
    Spec Ops: The Line is one of those games you play purely for the story, probably just once, and love. The mechanics are nothing special, often sub-par, but other than a few bugs and some frustration with the cover system, I can't complain. It's one of those strange little games you buy on sale, don't expect much from but you enjoy, despite its obvious flaws and when you look back, you realize it was one of your best gaming experiences in quite a while.

    As has been said in pretty much every other review, the story is pretty much a modern twist of Apocalypse Now but does a good job at adding some original twists. Don't know why everyone including the writer says it's based on Heart of Darkness, it's certainly much more of a departure from the book than Apocalypse Now was and only really resembles the latter. Either way, it's a wonderfully dark, grim experience that leaves you feeling slightly insane at the end. Oh, great soundtrack too.    … Expand
  74. Shasow
    Nov 21, 2012
    10
    This game is AMAZING. The story is very captivating and very exciting. I can say without a doubt that Spec Ops: The Line is the best video game I've ever played, and I've played many games. The graphics are amazing, and the best I've ever seen. I strongly recommend this game to everyone.
  75. PlayerReview
    Nov 20, 2012
    8
    Mature single player game with fantastic smooth graphics and unique shooter gameplay. We need more shooters like this and less of the same old formula other companies are churning out. For a shooter with a story, albeit a dark one, look no further than Spec Ops:The Line.
  76. sid12
    Nov 17, 2012
    10
    I must say this is one of the best games of 2012 and it have one of the best stories of all time, Hard to forget the ending and the ruined Dubai
  77. explodingness
    Nov 11, 2012
    9
    This is the first true game that isn't necessarily as fun as it is moving but that, in no way, is a bad thing.

    By this point, I hate modern shooters. Call of Duty and Battlefield are doing the same thing over and over with knockoffs spawning every year. When I first saw this game I counted it off as another knockoff/clone but I was so incredibly wrong. This game brings so much more to t    he table. This game tells an emotional story based around Joseph Conrad's literary masterpiece Heart of Darkness. Yes, the reviews are correct, the FPS shooter mechanics aren't top notch. The multiplayer feels (and according to the developers was absolutely) tacked on last minute so it could say it had multiplayer, making producers happy. I got frustrated with the 3rd person cover system at times as well. But none of these are the point of the game. The developers even said in interviews they wished in was a standalone campaign without a multiplayer, because it's the campaign that breaks radically new ground in the games industry.

    The point is the narrative. PAY ATTENTION TO IT.

    After playing FPS clones, we are used to worthless dialogue that doesn't mean anything or hold any value. This game is different. If you pay attention you might see the massive twists before they are spelled out for you. The game also shines in the little things. There are even creepy highly metaphorical scenes near the end of the campaign that don't repeat if you die and have to go through the same section again. The overall level design (it doesn't make sense for a reason), the artwork and the mechanics work together to share an emotional story about PTSD, what war is like and how pathetic we are for wanting to be a part of it.

    Overall this game took me completely by surprise and I couldn't be happier.    … Expand
  78. Soturi
    Nov 6, 2012
    8
    The Line isn't for the most fanatic arcade shooters, but it is not meant to be. It has little bit better tha average 3rd person cover shooter mechanics and makes up it weaknesses with superb story telling (even though loading screen "motivation" texts little bit kills the mood. Game looks nice and isn't too shiny which supports the story. Enemy AI works well enough but your own companions are suicidal if ordered to do anything else than snipe or take out enemy's strongpoint.… Expand
  79. TycoonXD
    Nov 6, 2012
    8
    Although Spec Ops does not recreate the genre it adds some new things to it:
    First of all: The Story! What starts like generic war story in Dubai turns out to be a moving history about the bad and awful sides of war that games like Battlefield and CoD tend to forget. We get to see how the protagonists suffer from the terrible events they go through. And let me tell you this, there are ple    nty!
    Secondly : The Atmosphere: The game has a very emerging atmoshpere that draggs you right into to the action.
    Thridly: The Sound: The weapons and the screams of your enemies sound all pretty good.
    The generell gameplay is pretty standart solid thirdpersone shooter stuff.

    So as I said at the beginning Spec Ops does not revolutionize the genre BUT it tries to go new ways in storytelling and that is its strengh. At the end of the campain I sat in front of my PC staring at the screen and asking myself what I have done. Because there is no good or bad, it's only bad or worst.
    If you want something new try it...and don't try the demo it's terrible!    … Expand
  80. winj3r
    Nov 1, 2012
    9
    The game-play is nothing special, but don't let that fool you, this game packs some puch, aimed right at your head. The story starts out has a mere, banal, military shooter, only to give you a sense of familiarity, but them it starts to question you, it starts to play with you in ways that are rarely seen on a video-game. The character development is absolutely fantastic, mind blowing, to the point were you question yourself as a gamer and as a person. The story is so profound and so full of moral ambiguity, that you have to play through a second time just to see what you have missed. This is not so much as a game, but rather an experience one feels through the telling of a story and it's characters.… Expand
  81. mobious125
    Nov 1, 2012
    10
    If you love your shooters then this game gives you everything, great action, game play and a great story. I am a FPS person myself but this kept me gripped until the end. An underrated Gem if I ever did see one.
  82. thenthomwaslike
    Nov 1, 2012
    9
    it's shooter mechanics are nothing to write home about, and the controls seem odd and unintuitive. melee is bound to the vault over cover button but taking cover is bound to the sprint button? doesnt make much sense. thankfully spec ops brings a well paced and brain melting story. every gamer should play this for that alone
  83. DaltonCarl
    Oct 27, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I really enjoyed this game, the single player had me making moral choices often and at times just wanted to put down the controller and stop fighting. Which is what I choose for my ending, no longer could I handle all this bloodshed and killing of those that were once on my side. At times I would be yelling at the game for having me do something that was very opposite of what i wanted. But in a good way, made me really thing about the environment I was in and what you would have to do if you were them. I never touched the MP, but that was cause I wasn't interested it in, so no thoughts there.… Expand
  84. mi-go
    Oct 18, 2012
    9
    A must play.
    2 first hours of gameplay seems like a normal action game with good atmosphere, even sometimes little boring, but after that... the game become to a great experience because an awesome and unusual plot on shooters.
  85. lefiath
    Oct 16, 2012
    1
    Horrible, from beginning to the end. Awful controls, abysmal story (whoever things this is a good storyline should go check a doctor, because this is hardly D movie material), mess from beginning to the end, worthless and pathetic characters (I believe main hero is a terminator), ridiculous on every moment (many situations were written by 6 years old) and it looks like **** as well. Oh and it's a very limited corridor shooter. There is nothing redeemable on this one - not even worth 10 dollars.… Expand
  86. dumle
    Oct 12, 2012
    8
    Spec Ops is an interesting game. Its cover-based shoot and duck gameplay works pretty well and the developers have put some interesting ideas involving sand into the game that i really enjoyed. The gameplay do have some of the issues that duck and cover games often have. Regenerated health can get really annoying, a ridiculous amount of enemies at every shoot-out room, the shooting gets a little bit repetitive after a while. Despite this i would say that the gameplay is pretty good, but that is not where the game shines. What makes this game shine is its story and atmosphere and how the game presents them. Spec ops has a very unique story and a very unique way of presenting it. The games story and presentation is just amazing and something that i have never seen in a military shooter before and i wholeheartedly recommend this game for every shooter enthusiast out there simple for the games narrative.… Expand
  87. frast
    Oct 6, 2012
    8
    It is rare that the game sucked so plot, atmosphere. It is rare that a choice in the game a long time and then we wonder so regret your choice. Really great atmosphere and feelings that accompany the game. It is true that the gameplay itself is not a medal, and the game could be made ​​better, then it is a good fun game that is worth playing. My Rating - 7.5 / 10
  88. The-Crow
    Oct 3, 2012
    10
    I am just going to put this out there right up front: Spec Ops: The Line is going to be 2012's most underrated & overlooked game of the year. Which is a shame because IMHO it is a must play, that and it is a game that is firmly made for adults. Single Player: Im not really going to recap what the game is about but in brief: You are the leader of a 3 man Delta Force team dropped into Dubai to find out what happened to the US 33 Regiment who were sent in to evacuate the city after it was swamped by hellish sandstorms. The game is a third person cover based shooter and you can give orders to your 2 squad mates of various types but you must keep them alive, thought in this when they get incapacitated you can revive them or order the other squadie to revive them. If you need to know more you can probably check other reviews.

    Ok right up front, the single player portion of the game should be held up as a prime example of how companies should approach single player. Spend some money, bring in great writers from day 1 and use great voice actors. Then rely on your story as the primary focus and build all your mechanics around the story & setting to compliment it.

    It has probably not been since Halflife 2 or possibly halflife 1 that I got so deeply immersed and invested in a games story. I cannot talk about the story too much without spoiling it but needless to say there are at least 3 endings & the game forces you to make complex moral decisions that not only affect the ending but also the ongoing story & dialogue within your squad (A sign of good character writing). I also cannot recall ever feeling genuine remorse for accidentally killing a civilian in a game until now and the kicker there is this game doesn't even punish you in any way for doing so. There are moments in the story where you do an action or pick a course of action, then the game seems yo make you question what you have done and in some cases the game does an excellent job of leading you along a sense of foreboding like **** WTF have I just done" and then revealing perhaps what I can only reveal as the ugliness of war. There have been some moments where my blood has turned to ice or ive had a cold shiver down my spine and some truly gut wrenching moments where I have felt physically ill.

    Other publishers truly should look at the single player portion of this game & really consider where they go with future titles.

    The Cover based shooter mechanic is solid, its basically the tried and true mechanic thats been around since gears of war with a few tweaks here & there. The Sand: Dubai is in a desert & has been smashed by sandstorms & so Yager have seen fit to use this in the game. This comes in the form of firstly sandstorms that kick up during games where you have to hold one hand over your face which makes firing a 2 handed weapon more innacurate, cuts visibility distance to varying degrees (some storms are worse than others) makes it impossible to hear much and can be generally quite disorienting. Secondly what I call sand traps, there are places acrross the game where you can see sand running out like you might see from an hourglass, shooting these usually unleashes a torrent of sand of various sizes that can entomb or stun enemies and block pathways.

    All the game play I found solid and the story is excellent while the firefights are intense but not constant and the scenery is stunning.

    Multi Player:

    Not the most important part of this game & certainly not the focus but its a solid effort limited only by a small community.

    The Good:
    - Solid cover based shooter.
    - Unforgiving (Realistic ?) weapon damage, 2-3 shots to the body = death. headshots of any sort = death.
    - Good map design, theres realy only 1 map that can be a sniper fest and even then it genrally doesnt happen
    - Great spawn system. Not sure how this actually works but I have never seen or experienced spawning too near or infront of enemy players.
    - Lots of Weapons, Perks, armour etc to unlock and a lot of possible loadouts to experiment with
    - 5 classes to play as
    - Five Interesting game modes, one of which I have not seen in a shooter before.
    - Latency I have found to be good even when playing Americans & Russians.
    - Gameplay remind me oh so much of the early days of Counterstrike but WITHOUT the having to sit out the rest of th round after you die since SO:TL lets you respawn.
    - Custom games can be setup.

    The Bad:

    - Peer to Peer only. I usually really hate this but my experience has been not to bad. I hosted some weekend games for Americans & Russians and the US Players thought I was in the US in the end. When I said I was Aussie they said they were surprised the latency is so good. - Games are limited to 4 Vs 4, though I dont know if this is really that bad as the maps, gameplay modes and more tactical gameplay are kinda made complimentary to 4 vs 4.    … Expand
  89. Anderen2
    Sep 23, 2012
    9
    This is an awesome game, I recommend everyone to try. I guess its the GOTY of 2012. The story in this game is one of the most **** and great I've ever seen in a game. The only downside of this game is the generic gameplay
  90. JudgeHolden
    Sep 20, 2012
    7
    Great atmosphere, incredible immersion (yet with a bit foreseeable final)... and terrible, unbalanced shooting mechanics. This game combines very realistic plot with unrealistic gameplay, where you just have to kill a swarm of enemies and proceed forward. Oh, with a lot of reloads from time to time, as the controls are disastrous. Kill, go forward, reload, kill, go forward, reload. *Sigh* If Battlefield 3 had a similar story, it would be the best game of all times. Unfortunately, Spec Ops: The Line is not Battlefield 3. It's just another shooter, albeit with a GREAT story. Yager! Improve the shooting mechanics and make a sequel!… Expand
  91. DelleAlpi
    Sep 18, 2012
    9
    this is an anti-war advocating game.no true hero exists in this game,nor the real world.the point made in the story line is sharp,revealing what kind of thing the war is.i mean theres never truth nor justice in wars. i still remember a guy in Skyrim said that theres no honor in the war; the honor was made up by the elderly.to be honest never in y wildest dream could i imagine the story's idea was sided towards pacifism,coz in every single games,such as CoD whole series,BF3 and MoH,they are have some kind of Superman-ish people.… Expand
  92. 0235
    Sep 17, 2012
    8
    Im going to against my gut feeling so I can produce a reliable review. why this score. Well to rebalance the morons who gave it a red score.
    Some are right. If you bug this game for multiplayer or groundbreaking gameplay mechanics. Or cutting edge graphics, this game isnt for you, but if you love a story. Its unbetable. first, im a PC gamer therefore a graphics whore. The graphics arent f    abulous, but every scene has detail, good lighting, and there is a huge variety (of unfortunately mediocre quality) textures. Many are used only once, very uncomon for a game. gameplay. For a cover based third person shooter, there is nothing new, but it certainly does alot better than most game. Sometimes a bit clunky, but only a few times making me angry. The shooting is nice. Head shots are deadly, and body shots do the damage they should. story. The key feature. People says it is copying heart of darkness and apocalyps now would be correct. It certainly is. But thats a good thing. For a game to be able to capture such a magnificent storytelling feat is monumentous. Never has a developer gone so brave in a video game, yet pulled it off so well. My hats of to all who worked on the game. Thankyou investors for going brave (even if you did fore a generic tac on multiplayer as a contiingency) overall this is yet another game tha makes me want to go and rate every other game I have said has a good story down a point, and yet another to add to my hillariously big list if "games you must play" with this one sitting very near the top with such beasts as red dead redemption and assassins creed.… Expand
  93. puxili
    Aug 31, 2012
    3
    The main selling point of this game seems to be the story, especially how mature it is. Well...its not. But first a few words about the gameplay: The mechanics are extremely generic and weak, the shooting feels flimsy and gets tedious extremely fast. The weapon sounds support the weak feel of the guns and there is nothing fun or exciting about it. But most critics will tell you the story saves the horrible gameplay, but honestly, its just crap. It might be mature, but that doesn't make it any good, for the first 14 chapters the story just drags on and on without resolve anything or keeping you engaged, and the last mission is supposed to resolve anything, which makes the first 3 hours and 50 minutes even more pointless. It blatantly rips off Heart of Darkness and any generic psycho-thriller movie. Its just a generic boring shooter with chest-high walls that hides its crappy gameplay mechanics under a story that most critics find "mature" and "interesting".… Expand
  94. skulltac
    Aug 30, 2012
    8
    I found this game to be very good. The story was incredible and the gunplay was decent. The game is pretty short though which is pretty unfortunate. I believe that the game should've been released for like 40 or 30 dollars with no multiplayer and it would be much better.
  95. AdamR
    Aug 29, 2012
    9
    Comparisons to Call of Duty and the like are inevitable, and at its core, here is how that comparison breaks down: Compared to Call of Duty, Spec Ops: The Line has half the fun and ten times the balls. Competent but Mediocre gameplay, dated but well realized graphics and above average writing and voice acting may be a recipe for a decent time killer, but the narrative as realized through play, and the way that the narrative punches the player right in the gut makes Spec Ops: The Line as different from other Military Shooters as Paintball is from the real life Normandy landings. With very few misses, Spec Ops deals with the idea of war in a way that maybe no other modern military shooter before has: With heart-wrenching, deadly seriousness. That, "Mature" title can be taken literally. This game deserves your time and money, and even a GotY nod.… Collapse
  96. Chrispy92
    Aug 27, 2012
    9
    I'd be lying if I said that this game was the best thing since sliced bread. The gunplay, while serviceable, is fairly average, the cover system needs a bit more work and the sand mechanic is simply too contextual to be of any interest. However, the game contains what is quite possibly the most profound story I have EVER experienced in a game. This is story that won't just make you question the motives your character has for fighting, it will ask you in quite a lot of different ways "Why do you enjoy playing these sort of games? Do you enjoy butchering and slaughtering people on screen?". It is a game that will ask you, the player "Do you feel like a hero yet?". Couple this with fantastic environments and you will be in an experience you will NEVER forget. It may not be game of the year, but Spec Ops: The Line might be the most important game of our generation in terms of its story and the questions it asks.… Expand
  97. JayK212
    Aug 27, 2012
    10
    fantastic, thought provoking game. Narrative is king in this game, no other game I've played was as well thought out or intelligently presented. It makes "would you kindly" look like a quote from dora the explorer. finally a game that deals with some challenging issues, finally a game has a set of balls, a well constructed idea, and a dev team that can put it all together.
  98. Kenmei
    Aug 25, 2012
    8
    This game was quite a bit different than I was first expecting. First, the good: This game has the most original storyline in a shooter in a long time. It's super engaging and the voice actors really do a terrific job selling it to the player, especially Nolan North, who plays the main character of the game, as he delivers one of his most impressive performances in a long time. It's really engaging and will have you guessing till the end. Now the bad: The gameplay is average at best. It's a cover based style shooter, much like Gears of War, but the cover system is nowhere near as sound as that game was and the controls in this game are pretty bad. The controls themselves will cause a few deaths in the later stages of the campaign mode so just prepare yourself for some cheap, unavoidable deaths toward the end. The multiplayer is not very good, mostly because of the same problems as above. I had problems staying in the few games I tried playing, and only finished one of the matches I went into cause of connection issues. But this game is single-player focused and you should buy it for the single-player.....but not right now. Spec Ops is not worth the full price most places are asking for it right now. This game would easily be worth 20-30 bucks, and I wouldn't hesitate to jump on it if I were to see it at that price. However, the flaws and the fact that there's plenty of better shooters to play if all you is multiplayer, keep this from being a game that is worthy of your average person's hard earned cash. I can personally see this game being in that price range toward the end of the year so wait till then unless you see some sort of special deal. But wait on this game and go buy Gears 3 and the DLC for the 360 if you REALLY have to fill a need for a 3rd Person Shooter right now.… Expand
  99. Petras
    Aug 25, 2012
    10
    First off, the game play itself is good, not great. Combat can be a bit of a slog, and I always found myself wanting to just turn the game off.
    But here's the beautiful thing: this works perfectly towards the narrative. By far, this is the most effective and engaging story I have experienced in any medium. Its unabashed deconstruction of the modern shooter genre is near perfect, and it al    ways feels like the game is yelling to you: "Is this really what you want? Is this your idea of fun?" There were so many moments where I just had to stop- it was that moving.
    If you're looking for something fun, this is not your game, but if you want to see what a mature game can do, play on.    … Expand
  100. SnQQpy
    Aug 23, 2012
    10
    No Spoilers - First off this is a stunning looking game. Some have commented on it being bland visually but they're missing the point IMHO. You get a real sense of being in a sand decimated environment so much so you feel like you've got sand in every orifice. I know I felt the need to drink iced Cola all the time. Its beautifully done. It feels more like you're in a movie than a game (in a good way) you move constantly from action to cut-scenes that blend so seamlessly that you think its you holding conversations. Its gritty and you feel like you're in a dirty war & worldly ones of us will empathise with that feeling. There's nothing glamorous in that sense! You're making tough calls throughout and it wrenches sometimes. The end game is one of the best endings of a game I have ever played of all time. Some might not get it I did and it made so much more sense and gave meaning to my gameplay as a result. Control system (like most games) took some adjusting to and thats the only reason I didn't give it 10. edit couldnt give half scores so gave it 10 otherwise it would be 9.5… Expand
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Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
76 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 13, 2012
    80
    Spec Ops: The Line tries new and interesting ground on storytelling, but falls short on the action department. Still, it's worth playing through for the atmosphere and few different endings alone. [Aug 2012]
  2. PC Master (Greece)
    Aug 31, 2012
    89
    Were it not for some technical issues and console-related shortcomings (gamepad controls and no anti-aliasing), Spec Ops: The Line would be one of the best games for 2012. But, things being as they are, it remains merely a diamond in the rough, destined for wicked crazy status within the following years. Definitely superior to the related series of Kane & Lynch, it proves that, with a steady vision and soul, a genre so clichéd like military shooters, can not only surprise us pleasantly, but totally overwhelm us. [August 2012]
  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Aug 10, 2012
    70
    Expectations were greater than game could have achieved. Yet the new Spec Ops game is a good excuse to stay home and play. [Issue#220]
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