When there are already hundreds of shooters like this already available, Spec Ops: The Line manages to offer a whole new experience. A mysterious and unpredictable plot, brand new game mechanics and a decent enough multiplayer, Spec Ops: The Line should manage to keep you busy this summer.

Consequences, Spec Ops is full of them. Whether stemming from moral choices or arising from the misfortunes destiny consequences play a large role in this third person shooter inspired by Heart of Darkness (the novel not the 1998 classic PS1 game). What appears to be at a glance a military affair in Dubai, is quickly a morbid and shrouded character driven fight for survival. The gameplay has slick shooting mechanics and satisfying firearm combat, the brutality of which sells you on the tone this shooter conveys. If only the same could be said for the level design- placing heavy emphasis on killing many soldiers with little deviation other than an occasional gun turret section or a few on rails set pieces. The sandstorms also ratchet up the variety, adding a subtle but unique dynamic. Sand is unfortunately underused though. The presentation of high sky scraper building amidst the ruins of melting hot dessert and the thunderous explosions are exhilerating. Character models look a bit bland but the chemistry between characters is engaging as you really feel the tension and pressure in the game's story. Generally The Line is a decent, functional and brilliantly immersive third person shooter that lacks variety until the very end in terms of mission design. It's a tad more than your typical third person shooter but it's one that portrays the conventions of the genre to the point it feels slightly generic. Even so how often is it do we get a full story driven third person shooter that pushes multiplayer aside? not many.… Expand

Great 3rd person action game and deep dark story. I really enjoyed the original Spec Ops games and the new one combines great story telling, seamless level transition into the game I've been waiting for. Complete with environment effects, environment kill options, and morality choices, this is a sure sleeper hit. Multiplayer was mediocre and felt tacked on but its a solid single player game.

I was kind of looking forward to playing this game. But now that I have finished it on the hardest difficulty setting, I can say that this is the worst game of 2012 so far. Extremely disappointing would be an under statement.

The game is essentially one big escort mission. Your two buddies constantly get killed. I do not think that I died on my own accord at all through the entire two playthroughs. It was always one or both of my buddies getting killed, forcing me to try and rescue them, and getting me killed in the process. When you design a game where your buddies gets hurts, make sure that you can control them so that you can hold them back from harms way. You can't have the buddies rushing forward all the time to get hurt. And make sure that when you are saving them, that you are invincible during that procedure. Also when you rescue your buddy, the camera spins around so much that you become disoriented and gets you killed.

For a game that makes you die so often, and so swiftly, make sure that the loading times are short. The loading time for this game is atrocious, even when it is installed on the xbox 360 hdd. I've spent more time watching the loading screen than playing the actual game.

Do not have unskippable cut scenes. Why do people still make games that forces you to watch stupid cutscenes. I've seen it once, and I don't want to see it again. And do not put forced save points before a cutscene. This is what happens. I die. Watch loading screen. Watch cutscene. I die. Repeat. This is poor game design.

Why does it take a whole clip to take down a baddie, when all it takes is one bullet from a baddie to kill you? The unbalanced nature makes your bullets pretty much useless. Especially when they are in such a short supply. If you are going to make a game that requires lots of bullets to kill a baddie, give us more bullets. If you only provide small amounts of ammo, make it so that the enemies die in one shot. This isn't a 3rd person shooter, it's a 3rd person hider because you spend most of your time hiding behind cover waiting for your buddies to take our the enemies. And why have a cover where your enemies can shoot you? It makes the cover system useless. There are also lots of 'traps' where it looks like you can take cover, but the game doesn't allow you to.

The controls are also super sluggish. It takes forever to take cover, come out of cover or do anything. And it only take one bullet to kill you. This is what happens. I take cover behind something. Enemy throws a grenade. The time it takes for the game to take you out of cover so that you can run away from the grenade is longer than the grenade fuse so you die. Sometimes, the grenade icon doesn't even show so you die anyway. Enemy nade spam was extremely aggravating.… Expand

I loved Spec ops back in the 90's and I was so excited for this game. It's a great 3rd person shooter with a great dark story. If you enjoy shooters it's a great game to have for any gamer.

Going into this game, I was already aware that the story was based on the book, The Heart of Darkness. Knowing this, my interest was piqued as I played through the campaign and was absolutely amazed by the plot of this game. As Delta Squad delves further into the city of Dubai, they are gradually changed by the horrors of war as their mission to save the civilians only gets worse. I'm not going to add any spoilers as I believe this is a story best told through the game itself.

I'll just go right ahead and say this first. The gameplay is NOT the focus of this game. This is a thinking man's game in the sense that it has it's own message and acts as one big commentary on the modern war genre of shooting games. If you're coming at this game thinking that this is some extravaganza of guns and fun in the sand, think again. The gameplay does what it's supposed to and not much more. The guns feel rather "meh" with the exception of a few overpowered hand-cannons that you wouldn't want to drop if it weren't for the scarcity of ammo throughout the game. The AI is also functional but prone to moments of stupidity. You do have the ability to give your squad orders, but it's rather limited for the most part. Everything works fine, but it's easy to tell that it's the story that's the highlight of the game.

As you continue to play the tones throughout the game gradually shift, turning darker, cynical, and more violent to reflect the squads' (especially Walker's) degrading mental states. The executions, which start as basic neck stomps and a quick shot to the head soon turn into savage beat downs and forcing a gun barrel into the struggling victim's mouth. Walker's orders also shift from being a professional to him breaking down to barking orders with no shortage of profanity.

To put things simply, this game gets disturbing. You're often forced into moral choices with no positive outcome and you're made to live with the consequences. And boy, are there consequences. There are moments in this game that hit you like a hammer as the game brutally ( and mockingly) reminds you that everything that has happened is entirely your fault. The game even outright tells you to stop playing if you don't want things to get any worse. The ending in Spec Ops is one of the best of any video game that I've seen in a very long time. Despite being based off a book (that I've read, no less), it's still so well executed that I can't help but be amazed by it. Definitely not something you want spoiled for you.… Expand

A great game with a dark story. After the Spec ops in the 90's I've been waiting for another one, and this certainly delivers. I love Spec ops, all of them. When there's lots of other shooters it's hard to find a difference between them but Spec ops manages to do this. A great game for anyone who like shooters.

War.
War never changes.
Welcome, to Spec Ops: The Line, a new brand of third person shooter that explores the gruesome reality of war itself, that there is no glory of firing one last bullet into your enemies; and this is why Spec Ops: The Line succeeds in what it does.

You are Martin Walker, ably performed by none other than Nolan North, accompanied by your squad-mates Lugo and Adams, and you have been sent to the now swallowed by sand metropolis of Dubai, a city that was once thriving with people, disintegrated into a huge sandpit with refugees populating the city. You have been sent to save survivors and discover the disappearance of the 33rd, a division of the USMC apparently gone rogue.

The story is very original, and very unexpected at times. There will be alot of "Where did that come from?!" moments in the story and that adds a distinctive element to this game, you literally can't mistake this game for another. The story will have you walk through broken airplanes, infested sewers and billion-dollar hotels.
Because the main element of the games setting is sand, you will feel like you've been to some places before, although all of the set pieces still look amazing thanks to lighting effects and the darkness of indoor settings to reflect on the desolateness the Dubai really is. Graphics surprisingly look worse than the game itself due to slow loading textures, but they both look nice in the end.

Another point in the game that really shines through slow textures is it's script; paired together with some realistic voice acting by Christopher Reid (Adams) and Bruce Boxleitner (The Radioman) makes for some scenes that make you feel like you're in the moment, even though you wouldn't want to be.

Another annoying thing while you have to deal with through the ENTIRE game, are the controls. Buttons like X and B feel over used and sometimes unresponsive, resulting in your death. For instance, B is melee and vault. Doing one while the game recognizes it as the other is stupid and a really annoying factor to the game.

Adding to the disappointing end of the scale, the multiplayer is unimaginative and just plain boring to play. You have your standard Free-for-All and Team Deathmatch, with classes to pick from. It just feels like a CoD clone, and you're best off playing CoD instead if you're just here for the multiplayer. Although one part I liked about the multiplayer were sandstorms interfering with the match: despite sounding untimely, it actually gives the boring multiplayer something that heats up the battle.

Closing Comments:

Spec Ops: The Line is pretty average, in terms of the gameplay, with cliched fights and forgettable, repetitive setpieces. The A.I is challenging and the gunplay is fun, but the narrative is mentally moving, and it really tests you as a soldier; would you follow your orders, or do what you think was right.

Would you walk the line?… Expand

A refreshing take on your standard third person shooter. Keep in mind you have to play at least half way through the 6 hour campaign before things really get interesting. Up until that point your just shooting and covering a lot telling your team to do as much of the work for you as possible. What gives this game a high score is its eventual story arcs and plot twists. I do not want to have this review contain spoilers so I will go no further. Hear the full review on the podcast;
http://liquidgamer.podbean.com/… Expand

I really like this game. The campaign is interesting, challenging, and brutal. The AI is pretty good with flanking. Multiplayer is fun, the maps are well designed and the cover system works. Although a separate button for melee and vault would be nice. It is not without flaws but still a good buy.

Spec Ops won't wow you with its graphics or gameplay. Instead it shows how much of a beat it is with one of the best stories a video game has ever crafted. Without spoiling anything I will say this. You will feel for the characters and be moved by the story. Games can make good stories but few can stand head to head with books, T.V shows and even movies. Spec Ops can, and while the gameplay is decent the A.I is intelligent and the sand adds some interesting moments. The multiplay is decent enough as well. But be warned, this game is short and with that in mind, it is worth the price of admission.… Expand

Awesome game especially on pc. Tilting gameplay accompanied with astonishing field of view (well on hd6950 @ 3x fullhd) that is and thre sound quality (asus xonar essence) is upmost adding to this brilliant game-experience. Try it on pc as well.

This is a great game and I hate to see its score be lowered by people who cant spell, put together a proper sentence or contradict themselves in thier own reviews!!!! Example: one guy gave this game a failing grade because it was to easy, that he didnt die once but three sentences later said he hated how he kept getting killed over and over!!?? These types of reviews should not be allowed on this site, opinions are one thing but when there are obvious contradictions in said review then it is not worth hearing. The low scores may keep people away from a great game and fan boys over rate games that should be avoided. This game has a mature story for us ADULTS who play games. I wish just one first person shooter would have one, thats why COD still isnt nearly as good as fan boys, and even most professional critics, say it is: if you want to just mindlessly shot stuff play duck hunt or better yet try growing up.… Expand

Spec ops the line is just one of hunders rpg ported from consoles into pc.
Gameplay wise its pretty boring and to easy since basicly console gamers arent that fast compared to pc gamers.
Graphics are average even on pc.
So if this game would cost 20 or so on steam it would be a good price for it, only 50 in steam is just overpriced to hell.
Therefor a 6 , its not that bad its just nothing special.… Expand

I will ask you something... Is it worth pay 60 dollar for a game that the only thing is good is the story and nothing more? This game is too short (about 5 or 6 hours long), too linear, extremely generic (if you played gears of war 1,2 or 3 , army of two, kane and lunch you already played this game) and have a multiplayer that dont bring nothing new to the table. Overall a deception.

What may seem like a rather generic Third Person Shooter set in an interesting location you've played dozens of times, Spec Ops: The Line quickly turns into one of the most engaging and thought provoking shooters and/or video games in general in recent memory. The developers purposely play on this fact and mentality only to pull the rug from underneath your feet and show you the other side of the genre which has seldomly been explored. Even after finishing the game you'll sit wondering about the choices you made, the consequences of those actions and whether or not what you did was truely 'right', as there is no clear line in the proverbial sand on the issue. Spec Ops: The Line is one of the most engaging and totally enthralling titles to come out this generation, and one that should not be left unexperienced by any gamer wanting more out of this interactive medium.… Expand

This is the best story-based shooter I have ever played, and in fact, probably top ten of all time for stories. It forces you to take some truly gruesome actions, all under the guise of having to do the job, to protect the masses. You find yourself emotionally invested as a result, and as the story progresses, you start to feel bad about your decisions, just in time for the next moment of heroics, to build your ego back up. Well thought-out, interesting characters, and with several twists throughout, you will have no idea what happened once you achieve one of the 4 (yes 4) different endings. With the ability to replay the game at the Chapter level, you can experience all the endings without putting 4 playthroughs in, which is also nice. The only gripe is the AI on Normal mode is a little goofy at times, but overwhelmingly firefights are exciting, fun, and have you looking forward to the next one. The game is beautiful, animation is quite good. This is quite simply a fantastic game.… Expand

what a great game. the actual gameplay is standard 3rd person shoot with nothing new, but all the controls work well. the story is where this game shines bright like a becon of hope for games every where. they say they drew inspiration from heart of darkness but thats where it ends. spec ops is its own unique take on it and is in no way similar to a Apocalypse Now. I have never played a game through twice but this i have. the multiplayer is very basic but it is unique to this game but still enjoyable. anything else will ruin it, so this is a game you need in your collection… Expand

Spec Ops: The Line is a loose adaptation of Conrad's Heart of Darkness. It starts off like any other shooter: guns ablazing. But, somewhere between the second and third chapter it comes into its own. A thinking man's shooter with a well-acted and introspective script, it's is only let down by conventional shooter tropes. Linearity and waves of enemies serve to break the sense of immersion so expertly crafted by the engaging plot. Ultimately, this is a fun and unique experience in a sea of MWs and BFs. Give it a shot... and you might find one of the more memorable shooters in recent memory.… Expand

Cuando la guerra deja mella en tí Yager Development pone el dedo en la herida con este titulo de acción en tercera persona Estamos acostumbrados a jugar sin pensar en las consecuencias, pasamos nivel tras nivel dejando una estela de destrucción y muertes que no nos paramos un momento en pensar que puede haber tras nuestros pasos mortales. ¿Nunca te has parado a meditar que ese escuascuadrón de “enemigos” podían tener familia?

http://www.elgamer.es/spec-ops-the-line/… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Spec Ops: the line is a great game, fantastic storyline and very playable, easy to pick up gameplay. Alright the visuals are not stunning but they still look very good. Although Spec Ops doesn't really bring anything new to the table it is well worth the purchase, the 3rd person genre has plenty to offer and Spec Ops will never be top of the pile but if you like army of two or gears of war, you won't go wrong picking this up.… Expand

Although the story wasn't really a choice by choice scenario, it was still surprising. A first person shooter now a days with a story that is better than modern day RPG games like Skyrim is a welcomed experience. Yes, it is a generic cover based shooter and no I did not play the multiplayer. Playing once through on the second hardest difficulty was challenging towards the end. I dislike how you have to play it once to get the hardest difficulty but that adds some replay value for me in the future. Getting back to what I said early about the choices in Spec Ops there really aren't any until the later parts of the game and they are few. I won't go into any spoilers but with the sequel that I am sure they are already planning it would be nice to have the player impact the game more. With that said though, I think the writers did a nice job with the twists and turns. I would recommend to a person who is looking for a bit of a challenge, would have to play the hardest difficulty available, an interesting story, and light FPS elements.… Expand

Spec Ops: The Line will change you. If you have the capacity to fully immerse yourself in a narrative, to buy into the questions asked, and to allow even a moments thought on who and why you are killing, then Spec Ops the line will forever make impotent any high action shooter on the market. Immerse yourself, and enjoy. (Disclaimer: combat is not that great, but your not SUPPOSED to enjoy it. Convenient no?)… Expand

God damn browser!
I gave it a fxkking 10/10!!!
Good luck I did check.

Best story ever If you played a lot of Call of Duty and Battlefield, which makes you feel like a hero and is always right You have to try this game Feeling the cruelty of war, consequence of your action Making you think Am I always right? This is surely a must play for those who like to play a game for it's story 10/10

Spec Ops: The Line may look like a normal third person military shooter but, if you delve deeper into the game, the more you will notice it isn't your usual game. Spec Ops is a game that really makes you think about the decisions you make throughout the game. The story in Spec Ops is one of the best stories I've seen in a game. The characters and voice acting also make the game really come to life. I think that the setting of Dubai was a great design choice for the game and really offers a different feel than most games. The action and shooting mechanics all feel great, some of the set piece moments are really awesome. Spec Ops is actually a thinking mans game and is one of the few games that actually made me feel sorry or regret some of the things I did in the game. Yager did a great job on this game and I hope it sells well enough so they could possibly make a sequel. If you like story oriented games and a bit of good action, Spec Ops is the perfect game to play during the summer drought.… Expand

Although not from a mainstream blockbuster franchise, Spec Ops: The Line is a surprising solid shooter in all departments. Graphics are excellent with superb lighting and good textures one of the best looking Unreal Engine 3 games on the Xbox 360. Framerate is smooth and rarely drops even at very intensive parts. The campaign is of good length, with the highest difficulty being just right. The setting of it being in Dubai manages to mix a perfect blend between realistic and intense warzone-looking parts with beautiful scenery. Level design is fairly generic but it's not too repetitive, and is generally high quality. The story isn't your conventional military shooter; it's actually written by an author so you can expect higher than average entertainment value in that department. As for the most important part in a shooter the mechanics and controls they are very impressive. Those who have played Gears of War or even Uncharted will feel right at home here. Controls are responsive, fluid and consistent for the most part. The game mechanics are your typical third person shooter, but executed with perfection. The cover mechanic is not a hassle, aiming both in and out of cover is simple and fast, you can swap shoulders etc. All the common sense stuff is here, with logical button layout. The gunplay is similar to Uncharted's mechanics; however since the weapons are fully licensed you can take advantage of selective fire for some weapons. You should not be put off buying this excellent title if you're after a solid single-player third person shooter simply because it's not branded. Be assured that this is a high quality game with few mistakes, and excels in all areas. It doesn't push the boundaries or do anything new there's nothing 'special' or unique but it does do everything very well. The only minor setback is your teammate AI. They will not position themselves well at all in combat, and whilst you can order them to attack, you can't move them into cover. There is very little you can actually order your teammates to do, but there doesn't feel like anything's missing. All in all, this is a robust third-person shooter in all aspects.… Expand

I'd be lying if I said that this game was the best thing since sliced bread. The gunplay, while serviceable, is fairly average, the cover system needs a bit more work and the sand mechanic is simply too contextual to be of any interest. However, the game contains what is quite possibly the most profound story I have EVER experienced in a game. This is story that won't just make you question the motives your character has for fighting, it will ask you in quite a lot of different ways "Why do you enjoy playing these sort of games? Do you enjoy butchering and slaughtering people on screen?". It is a game that will ask you, the player "Do you feel like a hero yet?". Couple this with fantastic environments and you will be in an experience you will NEVER forget. It may not be game of the year, but Spec Ops: The Line might be the most important game of our generation in terms of its story and the questions it asks.… Collapse

The psychological aspect of this game is one of the best in a long time, the gameplay isn't amazing, but get through the first half hour of the game and you are playing one of the best games ever,