Spec Ops: The Line
About the Game
Spec Ops: The Line is a military third-person shooter. It is an entry in the long-running Spec Ops series but with no reference to the story or gameplay mechanics from the earlier games. The game is set in Dubai where a series of sandstorms has ravaged the environment. After serving in Afghanistan, colonel John Konrad volunteered to lead the 33rd battalion to evacuate the city.
Story & Setting
The overall story draws inspiration from the book Heart of Darkness , also known through the film adaptation Apocalypse Now , and therefore it is no coincidence that the colonel's last name is Konrad, in reference to the book's author Joseph Conrad . The game is introduced with a flashforward of a frantic fight in the air between two helicopters in the prologue and then starts off in the first chapter when the squad enters the city.
Gameplay & Core Systems
The squad consists of Captain Martin Walker, Lieutenant Adams and Sergeant Lugo, and players only controls the first while the other two are controlled by the AI. They need to employ tactical squad-based maneuvers combined with shooting and seeking cover to progress through the missions. Initially the entire area is abandoned, but they quickly find some bodies of the 33rd and are attacked by locals insurgents. The different missions then lead the squad through sandy Dubai mixed with modern buildings and palaces now in decay. As only the main character is controlled by players, team mates act on their own but can also be given different orders.
Standout Features
- These are not only general, as Walker can for instance ask to engage a specific target, move to a specific area, throw a flashbang or heal each other.
- Next to different weapons such as regular guns and grenades, there are melee attacks and brutal executions.
- At a certain point mortars can be used along with a camera to shoot with a gun controlled through a laptop, there are static turrets, and a mission shooting from a helicopter.
- Weapons can be picked up from killed enemies.
- Many objects can also be used for alternate attacks, such as shooting a roof holding a lot of sand or targeting windows to rain down glass on opponents.
- Sand can bury people, blind vision in a storm and a grenade explosion can cause it to kick up in the face of opponents.
- These choices do not directly affect the mission outcome, but lead up to four different endings in the finale.
- Multiplayer modes includes regular (Chaos) and team deathmatch (Mutiny), and it is based around two factions: The Exiles and The Damned.
Modes & Ways to Play
In the singleplayer mode there are 15 chapters in total. Other game modes focus on objectives, such as Rally Point, which is similar to a King of the Hill game mode. Variations in game modes are provided through playlists, such as Combat as a combination mode or Attrition where there are no respawns.
Player support includes Free-for-all / One-on-one (VS) and Team.
Presentation & Atmosphere
The environment plays an important roles because of the obstacles, sudden sandstorms and the influence of sunshine.
Display support includes HDTV 720p, HDTV 1080i, and HDTV 1080p. Audio support includes Dolby Digital.
