Spec Ops: The Line

 PC
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1329 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,013 out of 1329
  2. Mixed: 253 out of 1329
  3. Negative: 63 out of 1329
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  1. BMF
    Jun 29, 2012
    10
    This game completel took me by surprise the story is a brutally accurate depiction of just how **** up combat situations can get and what that can do to a soldiers mind. The combat suffers from some consolitys but is still very fun and visceral.
  2. 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    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
  3. 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 throughComparisons 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.… Expand
  4. 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 ;)
  5. GoneFishingX
    Jul 18, 2012
    8
    Spec Ops for me was a harrowing experience. You do not play this game for the purposes of 'fun', you play it to experience what amounts to a character study of the main characters slow trip into madness. The combat is not 'fun'; it can be repetitive, frustrating, and depressing. There is no satisfaction gained by killing waves of enemies. The story is brutal and depressing (catching aSpec Ops for me was a harrowing experience. You do not play this game for the purposes of 'fun', you play it to experience what amounts to a character study of the main characters slow trip into madness. The combat is not 'fun'; it can be repetitive, frustrating, and depressing. There is no satisfaction gained by killing waves of enemies. The story is brutal and depressing (catching a theme?). It creates false choices, a sense of distance from your 'character', a general feeling of detachment from your actions and a nagging sense of hopelessness. So why on earth would you want to play a game that actively tries to prevent you from gathering any amount of enjoyment from it? Because this game is a work of art and a compelling experience. It was conceived as the Heart of Darkness/Apocalypse Now of video games and it uses every tool available inside the medium to create the mood achieved in those works. To put it bluntly, nothing about this game will make you feel accomplished and in the rare points that you do, it takes that away from you, through both gameplay, cinematics, and even the loading screens. Late in the game when you die the loading screens will mock you telling you things like "Do you even know why you are here" and "He would have most likely suffered from PTSD, dying made him the lucky one". This game is not for everyone, especially those who just want to turn off or want to only have 'fun'. This game is for those of us who want to see video games tackle major topics maturely (in this case; war crimes) and do so with respect. If you are sketchy, I would wait until the price drops. With only a 7 hour campaign and almost laughable multiplayer, this game is not going to give you 50 hours of game play. Over all I am very glad I now own this game and really encourage all of you to play it in some way.… Expand
  6. Q8eZy
    Jul 22, 2012
    9
    The gameplay is bog standard cover based shooter, nothing special. But the story is really good, at least when compared to any videogame released in the last ten years, with an ending that lives up to premise. Chuck Palahniuk crossed with Apocalypse now. What I really liked was the fact that they went with the checkpoint system, which doesn't allow the player to simply reload and redoThe gameplay is bog standard cover based shooter, nothing special. But the story is really good, at least when compared to any videogame released in the last ten years, with an ending that lives up to premise. Chuck Palahniuk crossed with Apocalypse now. What I really liked was the fact that they went with the checkpoint system, which doesn't allow the player to simply reload and redo their decision. The first decision you make is the one you have to live with...great stuff. I just wish the actual gameplay matched the rest. But what I'm thinking is that if it had a budget of a Mass Effect 3 or COD, they couldn't have went with the risky story, so maybe the cost of a good story is mediocre gameplay that is limited by budget. Anyway, no regrets on my purchase.… Expand
  7. kartana
    Jun 29, 2012
    6
    Another one of 'those' games. You are in third person, you get swarmed by enemies, you take cover, you shoot the enemies and move on. Rinse and repeat. Very mind numbing even though it is not a bad game.
  8. 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    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
  9. Brumbek
    Aug 10, 2012
    4
    **** GAMEPLAY **** As far as gameplay, the cover-based shooting is below average. The aiming is imprecise and you often get stuck sticking to cover or flailing about out of cover. The squad commands are nice, but more often than not you have to sit behind cover waiting to heal due to stupid AI and faulty cover. It just isn
  10. Isaac
    Aug 8, 2012
    8
    Spec ops: The Line's gameplay is nothing but average, consisting of one killzone after another, and the action is repetitive and generic. But that's the point. Spec ops doesn't try to be a good "shooter", but rather tries to make a statement, and forces you to face the atrocities of war head on. The main character is Walker, a veteran american soldier, which is sent to Dubai with two otherSpec ops: The Line's gameplay is nothing but average, consisting of one killzone after another, and the action is repetitive and generic. But that's the point. Spec ops doesn't try to be a good "shooter", but rather tries to make a statement, and forces you to face the atrocities of war head on. The main character is Walker, a veteran american soldier, which is sent to Dubai with two other soldiers under his command , to find survivors from the 33rd division of the american fleet. The story shows what happened to the soldiers and citiznes during the war. Walker understands that there is more then meets the eye in the city and that the 33rd division has become corrupted as the enemies they were trying do defeat. During the entire game you wil have to perform morally wrong actions and kill thousands of soldiers, and worse. Many people will not last untill the end, for more then one reason. Some will be sick of the terrible choices that the game forces them to make and just quit. Others will find the gunplay repetitive and decide it's not worth playing till the end. Oh but it is. The ending is showing everything you would never think of while playing and makes everything seems logical. It explains everything you questioned and will stay in your head long after you see it. This game exists purely to make you see why war should never be taken lightly, and why the addiction to military shooters such as Call of duty brings out the inner beast in us all. Never before have I played a game that made me feel so bad, and yet made me appreciate it. Only those that will play untill the end will understand the game's true meaning. You won't find a triple A shooter here, nor will you find exceptional production values, but you will find something deeper then you might expect. Don't let the generic shooting fool you, because you won't find anything else like it, once you finished it. So, how far would you go to complete your mission? When will you feel like you are crossing the line? Play and find out.… Expand
  11. 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    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 fabulous, 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
  12. 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.
  13. ave
    Feb 3, 2018
    9
    "You brought this on yourself" - Truth is, I wouldn't have played Spec Ops: The Line if I hadn't heard about what makes it unique in the shooter realm.

    In a nutshell, it's a third-person shooter set in Dubaï that starts as your everday-shooter... and ends up being a political, social and cultural commentary on war, heroism and videogames - and this last one is the strongest achievement    "You brought this on yourself" - Truth is, I wouldn't have played Spec Ops: The Line if I hadn't heard about what makes it unique in the shooter realm.

    In a nutshell, it's a third-person shooter set in Dubaï that starts as your everday-shooter... and ends up being a political, social and cultural commentary on war, heroism and videogames - and this last one is the strongest achievement of Spec Ops: The Line.

    Both the gameplay and the story are in service of the theme of the game, obviously borrowed from Hearts of Darkness.

    Aside of the super-obvious sequences that puts the theme "in your face", I invite you to appreciate the more subtle work on the verticality of level design, the writing of the lines, and also the evolution of certains ingame mechanics.

    Can't really say more without spoiling too much of it.    … Expand
  14. 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.
  15. 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 USAn 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
  16. Esett
    May 2, 2014
    10
    People said The Last of Us was THE game of its generation. People also said Bioshock Infinite was THE game of the generation. But the truth is Spec Ops the line is THE game you have to play. It is not perfect, the mechanics serve their purpose and thats it. However when i drop the controller because of what i had done in game, and tears of deep sadness appeared in my eyes i realized justPeople said The Last of Us was THE game of its generation. People also said Bioshock Infinite was THE game of the generation. But the truth is Spec Ops the line is THE game you have to play. It is not perfect, the mechanics serve their purpose and thats it. However when i drop the controller because of what i had done in game, and tears of deep sadness appeared in my eyes i realized just how special this game is. Spec Ops the Line is a game every single gamer should play. 10/10.… Expand
  17. MustisTheCat
    Jul 29, 2013
    5
    A typical example of a "graphics don`t make a game". This is actually the 3rd game in the last 5 years I uninstalled before beating it. I got few hours into it before I could make final judgement. 3 hours into this and nothing new comes up anymore. Basicly it`s just a game of shootout cutscene shootout line. There is no variety with the shooting, the sceneries are blend and uncreative.A typical example of a "graphics don`t make a game". This is actually the 3rd game in the last 5 years I uninstalled before beating it. I got few hours into it before I could make final judgement. 3 hours into this and nothing new comes up anymore. Basicly it`s just a game of shootout cutscene shootout line. There is no variety with the shooting, the sceneries are blend and uncreative. The weapons are just fine, but there is too few of them to make a difference in game experience. Ammunition is VERY scarce, so the player often runs around with no ammo, even when he preserves it by scoring single shot headshots repeatedly. The player faces the same 3 vs hordes of AI shootouts which are just silly. The AI is stupid, the wingmen AI is even worse. There is a ton of cheap deaths caused by wingmen not covering you, out of ammo, being stuck in a map corner you thought was interactive. The controls are very simple yet often the player character does exactly the opposite you want him to. The two things in this game that stand out are the story and the graphics. Dialogues are nice, all 3 chars have their own personality. The city of Dubai looks epic, what goes on in its ashes is often brutal and sad. Make no mistake war is hell, as always. However, those good sides would make a good movie, but the game-side of this one is just poor and completely ruins the atmosphere. All in all a very frustrating experience for which good movie-like features of Spec Ops The Line simply do not compensate. 5 out of 10.… Expand
  18. Shig
    Jul 21, 2012
    9
    The story is the strong point of this game, along with the music, and the voice acting. It's an extremely different approach to the 'Modern Warfare' archetype that we've seen become common in video games. The narrative is well thought out and executed, slowly dragging you in and making you feel disgusted, angry, and confused. The gameplay however is not nearly as polished and enjoyable toThe story is the strong point of this game, along with the music, and the voice acting. It's an extremely different approach to the 'Modern Warfare' archetype that we've seen become common in video games. The narrative is well thought out and executed, slowly dragging you in and making you feel disgusted, angry, and confused. The gameplay however is not nearly as polished and enjoyable to sit through. It's clunky at times, and when it's not it's just point and shoot. Very little variety, and it actually manages to take you out of the experience. It's hard to be preachy about the ruthlessness of war and then have special mechanics that give extra ammo for executions. The A.I is also an issue, it can range from decently boring to very broken. Squadmates can sit around shooting a wall that the target is stuck behind for hours if you let them. In spite of that though, I was able to sit through the bland combat and enjoy the journey it took me on. The story and approach to 'shoot'em up' games saved the game from the boring mechanics… Expand
  19. 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 wereA 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
  20. 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 thenI 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
  21. hcookie
    Jun 30, 2012
    8
    Incredible storyline, the Apocalypse Now for the next generation. However, I feel that I've already spoken too much.

    Gameplay is fantastic and a great story. Do not miss this game. However, one major gripe I had for the whole game was the controls. A game should be fun, the difficulty from the challenge on completing the game and each chapter. A game's challenge should not come from    Incredible storyline, the Apocalypse Now for the next generation. However, I feel that I've already spoken too much.

    Gameplay is fantastic and a great story. Do not miss this game.

    However, one major gripe I had for the whole game was the controls. A game should be fun, the difficulty from the challenge on completing the game and each chapter. A game's challenge should not come from the cumbersome Console controls which Spec Ops The Line is from. Instead of life and death struggles, you'll have controlitis struggles, because your very life depends on whether you double clicked the same key for various commands. I understand Consoles have limited buttons, but PCs do not. Once again, Developers fail to polish what is probably one of the better games released in 2012. And for that, what would have been a perfect 10 is now an 8.    … Expand
  22. jst68
    Jun 29, 2012
    9
    I just completed it and it was one of the most intense shooters I ever played. The story is kind of in the line with Apocalypse Now and the ending is a disturbing surprise...
    The gameplay is fun and I really enjoyed that we finally get to play a new environment for a change. The game really gives you a good feeling about the destructive force of sand. The shooting is mostly fun, but, as    I just completed it and it was one of the most intense shooters I ever played. The story is kind of in the line with Apocalypse Now and the ending is a disturbing surprise...
    The gameplay is fun and I really enjoyed that we finally get to play a new environment for a change. The game really gives you a good feeling about the destructive force of sand. The shooting is mostly fun, but, as always, third person shooters can be frustrating from a camera perspective at times.
    What else is there? This is kind of the thinking man of shooters. You have to flank enemy positions a lot and sometimes use different weapons to meet your goals. It is really a lot of fun to play.
    The downside? Well, we are normally used to "fun shooters" that hide the tragedy and violence on civilians. Spec Ops is not doing that. You are always aware that civilians are getting killed because of your actions... Furthermore, it shows how senseless war really is. I mean we players typically just enjoy the clean combat aspect and even if entire street blocks go down (e.g. CoD) we never get to see the consequences...
    Anyhow, this shooter is well worth your time. If you haven't picked it up yet, you probably should. Enjoy!    … Expand
  23. 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.    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
  24. 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!
  25. TheGrindeR
    Jul 7, 2012
    5
    Sounds, storyline and graphics are okay. The only and the biggest problem is that this game is a CONSOLE PORT. The cover system is horrible, i dead a lot becouse i can't take cover.
  26. karmasleeper
    Aug 10, 2013
    5
    Why people praise this game as a model of story telling and a critique of modern shooters is beyond me. The story is super linear and full of scripted events which present the illusion of player choice but are painfully transparent. And a critique this is not. Instead, Spec Ops The Line is full of every stereotype of modern shooters. You have a simple cover based mechanic, corridorWhy people praise this game as a model of story telling and a critique of modern shooters is beyond me. The story is super linear and full of scripted events which present the illusion of player choice but are painfully transparent. And a critique this is not. Instead, Spec Ops The Line is full of every stereotype of modern shooters. You have a simple cover based mechanic, corridor level design even when outdoors, and while I admit the story had some surprising twists and memorable moments, it's all super predictable. Despite the short length I found myself wishing for it all to end so I could go play something else.

    You have your standard military assault rifles and SMGs and the occasional grenade launcher or whatever. You have emplaced turrets that no console shooter would be without. You have rail segments where memorizing the pattern of enemies is the only way to survive. This game is shooter cliche central and NOT the masterpiece other user reviews present it to be.

    Of course, no one is playing multiplayer anymore. If I had a dollar for every game this gen that tacked on multiplayer instead of creating a memorable and replayable singleplayer experience, I'd have a lot of dollars. Avoid this game unless you have a compulsion to play every shooter on the market.    … Expand
  27. HazeSpire
    Nov 2, 2013
    10
    Great graphics with attention to detail (debris, dust, particles, fire, dirt, light), changing appearance of the PCs. Great voice over all voices are spot on, dialogs are very good, soldier chatter and yelling fits the action on the screen. Shooting is very satisfactory. Very interesting plot, grim mood. Awesome music (shooting to the disco music FTW) the music itself makes me want toGreat graphics with attention to detail (debris, dust, particles, fire, dirt, light), changing appearance of the PCs. Great voice over all voices are spot on, dialogs are very good, soldier chatter and yelling fits the action on the screen. Shooting is very satisfactory. Very interesting plot, grim mood. Awesome music (shooting to the disco music FTW) the music itself makes me want to play it again. I don't know where the opinion of a mediocre game comes from Spec Ops should have a place among the best games of this generation, not be pushed aside. I strongly recommend you to play this game if you like TPP shooters and/or games with good plot.… Expand
  28. adammcbomb
    Jun 30, 2012
    10
    Surprised me. I did not expect this game to be anything but average. And yet it has a dope story, and the finest backdrop scenario I've seen in modern gaming. I mean, come on...abandoned Dubai, where half the buildings are under sand the other half blaze high into the sky. It's fantastic, and the set pieces are top notch. I'd say I'm halfway through playing the singleplayer. TheSurprised me. I did not expect this game to be anything but average. And yet it has a dope story, and the finest backdrop scenario I've seen in modern gaming. I mean, come on...abandoned Dubai, where half the buildings are under sand the other half blaze high into the sky. It's fantastic, and the set pieces are top notch. I'd say I'm halfway through playing the singleplayer. The action so far is varied and interesting, despite what some reviewers are saying. I find it rewarding to pop heads, because when you do time slows down for a second allowing you to line up that next shot. Beautiful idea. And when large explosives go off RIGHT NEXT to a guy his body disappears into a mist. Haha, Awesome. Story is interesting so far. Maybe not a perfect 10 game, but there are reviews putting down 0 as the review score.... Saying this game is worth nothing is basically lying and makes you look like a dick.… Expand
  29. 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 storyThe 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
  30. 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, youSpec 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
  31. 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 partnersBought 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
  32. 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 shootingSpec 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.… Collapse
  33. gvazdas
    Jul 8, 2012
    7
    The gameplay mechanics are mediocre. HOWEVER, the storyline in this game is fantastic. It is dark, gritty and sad. Don't expect any happy moments in this game. The sound in the game is also decent, however the gun sounds could use some work (in my opinion). Get this game, it's worth your time just for the great and interesting story.
  34. strelokk
    Jul 3, 2012
    9
    A different FPS where history is of great importance, together with decisions that change events from it. Of considerable duration (about 8 hours in difficult / very difficult)

    Technically a great game, where effects such as the sand line at a high level, this is accompanied by a large and a sound optimization It also has multi, being conservative is quite fun when you meet people,    A different FPS where history is of great importance, together with decisions that change events from it. Of considerable duration (about 8 hours in difficult / very difficult)

    Technically a great game, where effects such as the sand line at a high level, this is accompanied by a large and a sound optimization

    It also has multi, being conservative is quite fun when you meet people, plus there is plenty to unlock

    In a few days will also have cooperative, 4 missions to count as I arrive at the overall situation in Dubai

    But all in good obviously not a game that revolutionizes in any respect, that united the multi do not spare the people, it costs     … Expand
  35. 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 gameA 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
  36. 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!
  37. 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.
  38. 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
  39. 410MaXiMuS
    Jun 27, 2012
    10
    The story and voice acting in this game are phenomenal. Couple with solid gameplay and controls, plus the "sand mechanics" and you've got a winner. I haven't tried multipler but the single player is great.
  40. 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
  41. kaicooper
    Jul 3, 2012
    9
    i give it 9 from 10..why i give a smiple game that everybody gives it 7 or 7.5..9?
    this game really short..the next chapters just show up after 10 or 15 minutes..thats true
    but i give it 9 becouse i cant stop playing it..honestly..this lovely great strong story gives me the power to complete the game straigt...really love it..AI is great but somtimes becoms stuiped..thats only somtimes    i give it 9 from 10..why i give a smiple game that everybody gives it 7 or 7.5..9?
    this game really short..the next chapters just show up after 10 or 15 minutes..thats true

    but i give it 9 becouse i cant stop playing it..honestly..this lovely great strong story gives me the power to complete the game straigt...really love it..AI is great but somtimes becoms stuiped..thats only somtimes

    but everything is great guys..story..gameplay..music..sounds..FANTASTIC

    but little PC mistackes and Bugs..But i fixed it wish FXAA INJECTOR from Some Dudes    … Expand
  42. zpoc
    Aug 13, 2012
    9
    a beautiful, brutal surprise of a game.

    immaculately detailed environments draw you in to the game's world, but its the story that will leave the most lasting impression. it's a breath of fresh air to encounter a game that approaches modern combat from moral 'other side': examining the horror and confusion - the fog of war - through the eyes of one soldier attempting, and ultimately    a beautiful, brutal surprise of a game.

    immaculately detailed environments draw you in to the game's world, but its the story that will leave the most lasting impression. it's a breath of fresh air to encounter a game that approaches modern combat from moral 'other side': examining the horror and confusion - the fog of war - through the eyes of one soldier attempting, and ultimately failing, to make sense of it all from within the thick of it. if call of duty is equivalent to 'black hawk down', then this game is 'apocalypse now' (and in fact draws inspiration from the same novel, 'heart of darkness'). certainly not a perfect game (enemy AI is weak, gunplay can get a bit repetitive), but it's so bold, daring and risky an attempt one can't help but applaud the effort.    … Expand
  43. 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.
  44. 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 youI'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
  45. 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
  46. JimCorbett
    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 storyPlay 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
  47. 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 companionsThe 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
  48. 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.
  49. 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    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 good 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
  50. Rockstorm
    Jun 27, 2012
    6
    This game is yet another entry to the hide-behind-all-those-conveniently-placed-covers-and-shoot-from-there category. Graphically it is alright but suffers from being overly way too bright and the game play isn't anything that we haven't already seen before. At least the story tries to explore the horrors of war but unfortunately fails to deliver due to poor execution.

    Overall a very    This game is yet another entry to the hide-behind-all-those-conveniently-placed-covers-and-shoot-from-there category. Graphically it is alright but suffers from being overly way too bright and the game play isn't anything that we haven't already seen before. At least the story tries to explore the horrors of war but unfortunately fails to deliver due to poor execution.

    Overall a very mediocre shooter.    … Expand
  51. 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.....
  52. meediocre
    May 15, 2014
    7
    Apocalypse Now on steroids in the desert. Fairly satisfying gun-combat action, with an above average story loosely based on Heart of Darkness. Not much in the gameplay department other than pushing through linear levels and wiping out waves of enemies. If you like your military shooters, have a shot.
  53. 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 reallyThis 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
  54. 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*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
  55. 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 andHorrible, 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
  56. Panther117
    Jul 8, 2012
    8
  57. chilinomore
    Jul 7, 2012
    9
    one of the best games i've played this year, and certainly the best shooter i've played so far..
    why? not by its gameplay mechanics, which are basicaly the same as most 3rd person shooters you see.. but by the story, which might be the best i've seen in a videogame.
    the soundtrack is also amazing and only brings more depth to the game. one of the few shooting games i actually enjoyed    one of the best games i've played this year, and certainly the best shooter i've played so far..
    why? not by its gameplay mechanics, which are basicaly the same as most 3rd person shooters you see.. but by the story, which might be the best i've seen in a videogame.
    the soundtrack is also amazing and only brings more depth to the game.
    one of the few shooting games i actually enjoyed from the start to the end and the first of its kind i've ended in this year..
    truly a masterpiece based on the "heart of darkness" book with a very competent multiplayer, that proves that any shooter can have a solid singleplayer even better than the multiplayer (which is also great) and still be engaging and worth buying.

    a punch in the guts of major publishers like activision, ea and ubisoft.    … Expand
  58. Predatorium
    Jul 7, 2014
    8
    This is a game that once you've finished it the first time, you will not want to play again because you won't feel good about the killing anymore. So zero replay value due to the emotional effect it has on you. But, that first time through, damn what an experience. It's like a really good, horrifying war movie. If it was a movie you could watch it over and over because you are not the oneThis is a game that once you've finished it the first time, you will not want to play again because you won't feel good about the killing anymore. So zero replay value due to the emotional effect it has on you. But, that first time through, damn what an experience. It's like a really good, horrifying war movie. If it was a movie you could watch it over and over because you are not the one pulling the trigger. However in the game it is you and the game forces you to make your character do things you don't want him to do. You want to tell your character, "don't do this".… Expand
  59. Resplendent
    Jan 5, 2014
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Do not play this expecting anything great. Repetitive, tedious gameplay is a series of tightly enclosed shooting arenas strung together by a story that at least tries to be different from your average COD-BF-War-Campaign. That said, inconsistencies in how it is presented gave me a headache. Do my choices matter? Do I actually even have choices? The answer to both of those questions is unfortunately- No. Giving players the illusion of choice is frankly annoying, especially when the character I play is then berated for going through with what the writers forced him to do anyway. The main character/anti-hero seems to be completely incompetent at his job, and his lack of imagination is constantly demonstrated by his rationalizing at his supposed lack of options, which are rigidly enforced as we, the players, sit through as he bumbles his way through massacring what seems to be the majority of Dubai. I really have a hard time understanding why this is a story one would want to tell. There are plenty of situations where people are forced to make terrible choices, and war is an obvious way to highlight that. Unfortunately, the way that is presented here is both incredibly contrived, and frankly a bit silly. You're also left in the dark as to what exactly is happening here. What's going on with all of the sand? Why did the 33rd go crazy? Why is there no backup? Why is there suddenly tons of water at the end when we were told we'd destroyed the last of it in that long truck escape? Maybe I missed some explanation somewhere, but there's a bit too much mystery left here.

    tl;dr If you like sand, this is your game.    … Expand
  60. AkshayPowalee
    Jul 15, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Spec Ops the line, an Awesome game. This game is one of those games where you just get into it and and play as yourself feeling every thing that is going on in the game and as you keep going further and further it starts getting real intense as it plays with your mind (screws with your mind in a good way), brings out all the emotions and leaves your with this Mind Blowing end. The game has some real great pros and some cons making it a 9 star game according to me. The good things are that the graphics are very good and the setup where all the story takes place is also designed very beautifully with some great moments and awesome views of the city (Dubai). Also the game-play is also really great as a third person shooter nothing extraordinary but the creators have done justice. The battles or fights are good with some great in-game moments. The plot is really good and the game definitely is worth the buy ! The game may have some issues like when it comes to cover taking, its not very efficient and quick. Also the story line sometimes is a little confusing and some parts lack proper explanation, but otherwise it is really great. "Now finally i will tell you need to buy this game and how it is worth the money you spent. The best thing in this games was the Mind-Screwing, Breathtaking and really well written story-line. The story is so good that it makes you think how brilliant are the writers to come up with such an Extraordinary story. The story plays with your emotions, it leaves you with some really hard choices and takes you into an intense madness as you play the game. The end is the best part of the game where everything, every decision you make, everything you have done, finally makes sense but i'd tell you that what makes sense screws with your mind more....... So it leaves you to think a lot and there are not many games that do that.. The game tricks your mind so much that you think this all doesn't make sense, but it does...... So final summation, the game is really good, and I assure you, that you will certainly like it. ( SPOILER : The other best thing about the game, it is not like other games where you get a fun joyous ride and get a really happy end, but this game just shows you how a game can also be so intense and exciting with a serious and not so happy ending, or i'd call it a maddening ending. And that's the beauty of it, that it is such a different game that has somewhat " The Fight Club " movie kinda experience that you never get in other games...... SO the end was wicked , n so was the game..... )… Expand
  61. Lionhearted
    Mar 31, 2018
    6
    I wanted this game since release in 2012, since I had heard rave reviews from Extra credits. And honestly it wasn't bad after finally receiving a free version from Humble Bundle. The controls really weren't that bad, the gameplay was fair, if not redundant for the most part. My contention however is the story being a load of contrived garbage. at first I was all in with the sotry and II wanted this game since release in 2012, since I had heard rave reviews from Extra credits. And honestly it wasn't bad after finally receiving a free version from Humble Bundle. The controls really weren't that bad, the gameplay was fair, if not redundant for the most part. My contention however is the story being a load of contrived garbage. at first I was all in with the sotry and I knew there would be a twist having heard a little about the outline/plot. But what was supposed to make this game exceptional was it's self examination, not just about 'war is bad' but also you as a player feeling uncomfortable actually playing the game.

    But I didn't feel that at all, I felt nothing post the unfortunate accident because the choices were entirely forced. that works for movies sure, but not for games which need agency, no matter good the story is it destroys the the interplay to force such contrivances on the player.
    So, guilt free I felt cheated of my time. In fact the only point that game me pause at all wa sa portion the openly asked me if I was having a good time murdering Americans>>
    that in an of itself was an interesting thought to ponder for juxtaposition, but the central theme of the game I feel failed to deliver an adult conversation. It honestly felt like a childish attempt to 'catch' me enjoying murder and then going 'Aha! don't you feel ackwardly ashamed... but I don't and when confront by this idea of murdering for fun, I came to the identical conclusion as the main character except with less autonomy (there were zero options to continue watching the game story unfold than to plod along in a another narrowly focused game design) than the game personality I was pigeonholed into an inescapable narrative, that had nothing to do with me. E for effort I guess. How about a 6 out of 10 for bang up game design other than story.    … Expand
  62. ShadowofZexa
    Sep 27, 2014
    10
    after completing spec ops the line i have to say this is the best of games i've ever played easily one the grayest story's in video game history you play martin walker a rescue team man with 3 others you start by killing people and more people however then you play this game i can't talk about this game but its a third person shooter the story is amazing without spoilers its not easy toafter completing spec ops the line i have to say this is the best of games i've ever played easily one the grayest story's in video game history you play martin walker a rescue team man with 3 others you start by killing people and more people however then you play this game i can't talk about this game but its a third person shooter the story is amazing without spoilers its not easy to explain much this game is just amazing… Expand
  63. 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    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 the 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
  64. wizegamer
    Jul 9, 2012
    1
    could have been a great game but the lack of strategy , story ideas , and my ability to play it in 7 hours. leaves me wishing i had waited for it to drop in cost.
  65. Dvoraak
    Jan 18, 2016
    9
    The story I got wasn't at all what I expected. This game deserves an 8 for no other reason than trying their hardest to give a great single player campaign experience.... something far too rare in FPS games. My only regret is waiting so long to play it, but a Steam sale finally convinced me.
  66. bartreligion
    Aug 17, 2012
    10
    Great singleplayer experience. A breath of fresh air in a stale genre. Way better than popular games like Call of Duty. Not the multiplayer though. This is a pure singleplayer game with a great story.
  67. 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.
  68. nexxuno
    Jul 15, 2012
    8
    Nice atmosphere adn plot. Shootouts are somewhat fresh and fun. Characters are good. Graphically is more than decent with some great spots. It made me think about heart of darkness in modern times... Overall a solid quality game. 8.
  69. 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.
  70. 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 modeBefore 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
  71. 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    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 spoiler, 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
  72. gruia
    Jun 28, 2012
    7
    Weak mechanics. I've played this in parallel to Future soldier. Man this game is broken .. AI sucks, level design is awful.
    The feeling is ok, ending redeems itself somewhat. But the lack of options throughout the game really disconnects you from the main char. So I don't think it will be very memorable. it probably needed half a year of work to be a 8.5. That's where game design limits it.
  73. Shartrais
    Nov 14, 2014
    3
    El juego es aburrido, injugable, en varias ocasiones quise desinstalarlo, pero normalmente si empiezo un juego lo termino. Algunos dicen que solo por el final merece la pena las 8-10 horas de tortura, que hagan una película si quieren, pero como juego es basura.

    Si le doy un 3 es porque en el apartado gráfico tiene buenas texturas y la arena está muy conseguida (que menos en un juego de    El juego es aburrido, injugable, en varias ocasiones quise desinstalarlo, pero normalmente si empiezo un juego lo termino. Algunos dicen que solo por el final merece la pena las 8-10 horas de tortura, que hagan una película si quieren, pero como juego es basura.

    Si le doy un 3 es porque en el apartado gráfico tiene buenas texturas y la arena está muy conseguida (que menos en un juego de arena), además hay algo de interactividad con el terreno, pero cuando el juego quiere, no cuando tu lo decidas.

    Por el lado contrario está la IA, insufrible, tus aliados se ponen en tu línea de tiro o te sacan de cobertura, y de vez en cuando se les ocurre ponerse en medio de campo abierto a que los fusilen.
    Los comandos de pelotón que tan bonitos quedan son simplemente un adorno, que no funciona, o que para funcionar hace que te maten a ti o a tus compañeros. Los silenciadores son un elemento estético del arma, ya que solo cuando el juego quiere (2 o 3 enemigos en todo el juego) te deja seguir un camino más sigiloso, que rápidamente se acaba.

    En definitiva, el juego es un mata-mata lineal de recreativa al más puro estilo Time Crysis.    … Expand
  74. 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.
  75. freesta
    Jul 16, 2012
    7
    This game has it's strengths and weaknesses. I wouldn't call it a master piece, but it creates a distinct and interesting world that made me want to learn more about what's going on in the devastated city of dubai.
    It's story is different to what one would expect from a typical military shooter and that makes it worth playing.
  76. BigRieg
    Jul 18, 2012
    0
    All cutscenes and no play. Just as it starts to get fun and you get into it, you guessed it, another cutscene comes up that you're not allowed to skip. Not worth even 10 dollars. I got about a dime's worth of play out of it. Wish you could sell PC games like you can console games.
  77. Zocress
    Jul 11, 2012
    9
    The gameplay doesn
  78. 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,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
  79. ZaPaAl
    Aug 27, 2016
    8
    Interesting story, but the insanity part seems a bit far stretched. Anyway, makes you think a lot. Very emerging presentation. Gameplay is good enough for a military shooter and feels very plausible, as far as that can go in a game. It's a bit short, < 10 hours on normal / hard. A few nice visuals, but a lot of sand.
  80. ROMshinobi
    Jul 1, 2012
    5
    This game has a great story based on the "Heart of Darkness." The graphics for the characters and weapons are pretty good but the environments are very bland without too much texture or shadow effects. It was clearly meant to run smoothly on the current generation of consoles. The game is a third person shooter and the cover mechanics work well. But, any shooter is about the guns andThis game has a great story based on the "Heart of Darkness." The graphics for the characters and weapons are pretty good but the environments are very bland without too much texture or shadow effects. It was clearly meant to run smoothly on the current generation of consoles. The game is a third person shooter and the cover mechanics work well. But, any shooter is about the guns and this is where the game really is dissappointing. The guns sound very tinny and not even close to real life weapons. You know how people make fun of shooter games by saying: "Pew pew" and so forth. These guns actually sound like that!! Ha ha. It draws away from any immersive feel you were supposed to get. It may be worth a play through for the story but as a rental only. Check out Ghost Recon Future Soldier if you like this type of game. Ubisoft knows how to make this type of game.… Expand
  81. 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....
  82. 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'sthis 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
  83. topgear93
    Jun 26, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I love the game. Its very different from what I've ever played on the computer. If your into graphics and want a full HD experience then you might have a bad time with this game.The game is naturally bright and will cause some pixelation problems during cut scenes. Make sure to turn the brightness down just a bit. The gamma setting is tricky to use though. Game might end up too dark or too bright. The controls take awhile to get used to. I recommend playing with a controller. The cover system is interesting. It's similar to Ghost Recon but more defined and stable. The multiplayer is OK. It's extremely rare that you will find a match. If you do find one there's a guarantee that there will be cheating. Only play it if you have nothing better to do after you finish the main story. The main story is raw. There are a few scenes that show a lot of death. As a warning, The "White Phosphorus" mission will make you sick to your stomach and probably make you feel depressed. I made the mistake of getting too attached to the story. It felt is if i was feeling the character's pain and suffering during that gruesome segment.
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Pros:
    Amazing story. Many twists and turns.
    The setting is new. not the same old locations

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Cons:
    AI is frustrating at times. AI tends to push you into fire fights.
    No revive system for your character in the main story. Controls are clunky. Might accidentally get stuck on the wrong wall for cover
    Multiplayer is almost dead already and its only day one.
    Way too many exploits on MP maps. Lighting is way too heavy. Reflections and major light sources will cause lag on occasion.    … Expand
  84. DenzNoble
    Jun 26, 2012
    10
    A shooter with a proposal completely new, excellent graphics, customizable keyboard mappings remarkable multiplayer, a campaign full of surprises and sudden changes, with some bit of tactics, a game well done
  85. Xeroday
    Jun 28, 2012
    9
    This game is a great tribute to Heart of Darkness. The storyline and plot is riveting. Voice acting is superb and enhances the game greatly. My only gripe is the clunkliness of the controls, even for a 3rd person shooter. Overall, you won't get any better of a plot from a shooter.
  86. xDTrammell
    Jun 29, 2012
    9
    The campaign for this game was amazing. The cover system is the only thing that really needs work. (I need some more characters)
  87. Grpc
    Jul 1, 2012
    6
    I think the story was quite engageing and I fast felt like I was a part of it. One of the best features in this title is the story because it's quite deep and well writen. The graphics are pretty solid and what you would expect from a multiplatform game. However the things that drag this game down is the shooting part. The controls are quite bad and atleas I don't get any flow in myI think the story was quite engageing and I fast felt like I was a part of it. One of the best features in this title is the story because it's quite deep and well writen. The graphics are pretty solid and what you would expect from a multiplatform game. However the things that drag this game down is the shooting part. The controls are quite bad and atleas I don't get any flow in my movement due to a clunky cover system. But mostly it's the shooting part that doesn't tickle my fancy. To me it feels soulless and there are no feel of the weapons. But the game is atleast according to me a solid action experiance with a good and wellwriten storyline.… Expand
  88. markomarkogame
    Jul 2, 2012
    9
    While modern games offer a simple shooter with cinematic effects, Spec Ops: The line differs from it in one way. It's interesting, unlike other third person shooters out there lately. Making offer here makes an impact on you, makes you sad or happy. A game that everyone should buy this year.
  89. 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    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
  90. 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 aSpec 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
  91. xXVASSXx96
    Jul 12, 2012
    10
    I have played a lot of third-person shooters across a wide variety of platforms, and i can honestly say with the up most accuracy that Spec Ops: The Line is one of the best I have ever played. A good story line is hard to find these days in shooter games of all types, however Yager have put a great amount of time and effort into to creating this story masterpiece. From start to finishI have played a lot of third-person shooters across a wide variety of platforms, and i can honestly say with the up most accuracy that Spec Ops: The Line is one of the best I have ever played. A good story line is hard to find these days in shooter games of all types, however Yager have put a great amount of time and effort into to creating this story masterpiece. From start to finish the story kept me hooked and did something that no other shooter has ever done for me, and that is make me feel what the soldiers are feeling. This is the first shooter which really reveals the true horror of war and what it can do to a human being. Graphics are amazing, the post-apocalyptic Dubai is astonishing. Gameplay is enjoyable and flows beautifully. People in the PC community often complain about controls when it comes the third person shooters. Frankly, the mouse and keyboard is not suited for these kinds of games, that is why I bought a controller to use for my computer specifically for these games. In these other reviews people recognize the game as a console port and bring down their scores as a result. I think the PC community should stop complaining and realize that the mouse and keyboard is not the best thing to control great third person shooters. despite this I would recommend this game to anyone who wants to have a great shooter experience that people have never seen in a war game before.… Expand
  92. orthas
    Jul 23, 2013
    1
    Well made shooter, but the story is not entertaining, it's disgusting in the most negative sense of the word. I stopped playing it and uninstalled it after a certain horrible scene. This is not how I want to spend my free time, however realistic it might be, if I wanted this I could turn on the news.

    If you want to be forced to feel like crap for playing a FPS, get this. Otherwise get    Well made shooter, but the story is not entertaining, it's disgusting in the most negative sense of the word. I stopped playing it and uninstalled it after a certain horrible scene. This is not how I want to spend my free time, however realistic it might be, if I wanted this I could turn on the news.

    If you want to be forced to feel like crap for playing a FPS, get this. Otherwise get something else.    … Expand
  93. Snarky
    Nov 27, 2012
    1
  94. desicrator
    Jul 5, 2012
    7
    Like many have said, the Shooting and cover mechanics are clunky and NOT the strength of this game. The game shines through in its narrative, the great story was the reason I continued to play. As someone who can quickly tire of a single player campaign this one kept me focused until the very end. However since there is a lack of replayability and multiplayer is nothing exceptional so ILike many have said, the Shooting and cover mechanics are clunky and NOT the strength of this game. The game shines through in its narrative, the great story was the reason I continued to play. As someone who can quickly tire of a single player campaign this one kept me focused until the very end. However since there is a lack of replayability and multiplayer is nothing exceptional so I cannot recommend this at full price. I picked mine up for $25. If you are looking for a single player game that is completely different from most "Rah! Rah! Go America" shooters, check this out. Finally having never seen "Apocalypse Now", I cannot compare the stories, however others have.… Expand
  95. doctormexican
    Jul 6, 2012
    5
    There is only one way to describe this game: An average shooter. There is no innovation in game play. It is the same exact run and shoot anything that moves game. The campaign is forgettable and the characters bland. Multiplayer is mildly entertaining for a while but do not expect to be entertained for more than a couple of days. It is not the game so much as the genre that is at fault.There is only one way to describe this game: An average shooter. There is no innovation in game play. It is the same exact run and shoot anything that moves game. The campaign is forgettable and the characters bland. Multiplayer is mildly entertaining for a while but do not expect to be entertained for more than a couple of days. It is not the game so much as the genre that is at fault. All shooters are the same and this one, being no different, is not worth recommending.… Expand
  96. theguy871
    Jul 6, 2012
    9
    Overall, an excellent, dark story. Heavily influenced by Conrad's Heart of Darkness. The gameplay is standard issue for a military style shooter, not poorly designed, but not exceptional either. What truly sets this game apart from others in this genre is it's story. The player is forced to make difficult decisions that make this game have an emotional impact. This is rare in any game, letOverall, an excellent, dark story. Heavily influenced by Conrad's Heart of Darkness. The gameplay is standard issue for a military style shooter, not poorly designed, but not exceptional either. What truly sets this game apart from others in this genre is it's story. The player is forced to make difficult decisions that make this game have an emotional impact. This is rare in any game, let alone a shooter in this day and age. Definitely worth buying.… Expand
  97. zecopala
    Jul 14, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Incredible story, CIA vs US Army vs Delta very dramatic story that bring me a total different felling of TPS game. This game is not a good game, (suck control, bad AI of teammate, worst point that enemy swap), but every scene, step-by-step bring you stress on it. It makes you feel you are really in Dubai, and deal with those problem.
    At last, "There's always a choice!" but in the game "There is really not"    … Expand
  98. IrradiatedNun
    Oct 2, 2016
    6
    If you want to feel smart without the effort, and also blab about how underated this vastly overated turd is, then by all means play this game. But I can sum it up for you pretty quickly, killing is bad and will hurt the poor little soldiers feelings.
  99. seanj1514
    Jul 16, 2012
    9
    This game has an outstanding story! Yes, some of it could be a little quirky....but it is still one of the best fps stories I've ever encountered. Also, the game has excellent character progression. The gun gameplay, is simple cover and shoot... Nothing special. The level design, visuals, and AI are mediocre to downright awful. Conclusion: get it for the story, but don't buy it for fullThis game has an outstanding story! Yes, some of it could be a little quirky....but it is still one of the best fps stories I've ever encountered. Also, the game has excellent character progression. The gun gameplay, is simple cover and shoot... Nothing special. The level design, visuals, and AI are mediocre to downright awful. Conclusion: get it for the story, but don't buy it for full price. There are a ton of places to get it for $25… Expand
  100. SimonErik
    Jul 16, 2012
    10
    Best game i have played so far this year.The story is very interesting. Never played a third person cover shooter with so deep story before. The characters are easy to relate to and you acually start caring for them.
  101. 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 shootingSpec 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.… Collapse
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Awards & Rankings

81
#81 Best PC Game of 2012
25
#25 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
13
#13 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
76

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]
See all critic reviews »