Spec Ops: The Line

Plot synopsis:
=== Setting ===
Six months prior to the game's events, the worst series of sandstorms in recorded history began across Dubai. The city's politicians and wealthy elite downplayed the situation before evacuating secretly, leaving countless Emiratis and foreign migrant workers behind. Colonel John Konrad (Bruce Boxleitner), the decorated but PTSD-troubled commander of the "Damned 33rd" Infantry Battalion of the United States Army, was returning home with his unit from Afghanistan when the storms struck. Konrad volunteered the 33rd to help relief efforts, defying orders by the Army to abandon the city and its refugees and deserting with the entire battalion. The storms intensified and a massive storm wall engulfed Dubai, disrupting surveillance, air travel, and all but the strongest of radio broadcasts. Struggling to maintain order amid 80 mph (128 kmh) winds, riots, and dwindling resources, the 33rd declared martial law and began committing atrocities on the civilian population. Aggrieved by this, some members of the 33rd staged a coup d’etat against Konrad but failed and were exiled. The CIA then sent in a black ops unit to investigate, and as part of their plan organized the locals into insurgents to attack the 33rd, eventually resulting in a ceasefire. The last communication from Dubai stated that the 33rd was attempting to lead a caravan out of the city. The caravan never arrived, and soon afterward, the United Arab Emirates declared Dubai a no-man's-land. All travel to the city was barred, the 33rd was publicly disavowed for treason, and no further news left the city.
Two weeks before the start of the story, a looped radio signal finally penetrated the storm wall. Its message was brief: "This is Colonel John Konrad, United States Army. Attempted evacuation of Dubai ended in complete failure. Death toll... too many." The United States military decides to covertly send in an elite three-man Delta Force team to carry out reconnaissance, captained by Martin Walker (Nolan North), who served alongside Konrad in Afghanistan and views him as a hero. Walker, First Lieutenant Alphanso Adams (Christopher Reid), and Staff Sergeant John Lugo (Omid Abtahi), are ordered to confirm the presence of any survivors, then immediately radio for extraction.
=== Plot ===
The game begins in medias res with Walker, Adams, and Lugo flying in a helicopter past the skyscrapers of Dubai, shooting down several pursuing helicopters until a sudden sandstorm forms, causing one of the pursuers to spin out of control and crash into the trio. The story then jumps back to the start, with Delta traversing the storm wall to the outskirts of a mostly buried Dubai, being taunted on broadcasts by the Radioman (Jake Busey), a DJ and former journalist speaking for the 33rd. After coming across refugees being rounded up by the 33rd and engaging in a firefight, Walker elects to disobey orders and find Konrad.
Receiving a broadcast of CIA agent Daniels being interrogated by the 33rd, the team chooses to interfere. Tracing the signal's origin, they find Daniels already dead and the broadcast was a trap set for fellow CIA agent, Gould. Gould helps Delta escape, but is later captured and killed while assaulting a location called the Gate. The team heads there and continues the attack. Finding it heavily guarded by the 33rd, the team employs white phosphorus to obliterate their opposition and advance further into the city. While walking through the aftermath, they realize they accidentally killed 47 civilians moved to the Gate for shelter by the 33rd. Walker blames the 33rd and vows revenge.
Finding Konrad's executed command team, Walker uses a small radio to communicate with who he believes to be Konrad himself, who challenges the morality of his actions throughout the story. Konrad then manipulates Walker into executing an Emirati survivor or a 33rd soldier, who both committed serious crimes. Delta subsequently meet CIA agent Jeff Riggs, who is leading a raid on the city's last water supply. Delta aids Riggs with the aim of crippling the 33rd's operations, but Riggs destroys the supply instead, admitting he wanted to wipe out the remaining population of Dubai to cover up the atrocities of the 33rd.
With the city's residents now facing death from dehydration, Delta heads to the radio tower to silence the Radioman. After Lugo kills the Radioman, Walker informs the city of Delta's planned evacuation effort. Adams commandeers a Black Hawk helicopter to escape the building, and Walker destroys the radio tower as they flee the scene, leading to the helicopter sequence from the opening of the game (which Walker seems to remember). After the aforementioned crash, Walker awakens in the middle of the desert and reunites with Adams, but is too late to stop Lugo from being lynched by a mob of civilians. Walker and Adams make their way to the Burj Khalifa tower to confront Konrad, but are soon pinned down by the last of his men. Walker, who surrenders, is pushed to safety by Adams, who fights to the death. Walker stumbles inside the tower, where the remnants of the 33rd surrender to him.
Walker finally meets Konrad at his penthouse. Konrad appears to be the charismatic, villainous force behind the atrocities that Walker was hoping for, until Walker finds his decaying corpse on the penthouse deck. Walker finds that Konrad committed suicide after his failed evacuation effort, and he has been communicating with a traumatic hallucinatory Konrad created in his mind as a dissociative disorder upon the aftermath of the white phosphorus strike. Rationalizing the actions he had witnessed and carried out, Walker distorted many subsequent events of the game to make Konrad look responsible. With this revelation, 'Konrad' forces Walker, at gunpoint, to decide once and for all if he is to blame for his actions in Dubai.
=== Endings ===
There are four possible endings. If Walker allows 'Konrad' to shoot him or he shoots himself, the game ends with Walker's corpse being shown next to Konrad's on the penthouse deck and Konrad's original broadcast playing as the camera pans over to a burning Dubai. If Walker instead shoots 'Konrad', he disappears, consoling Walker that he can still return home despite what he has done. After the 33rd surrendering is shown to be a figment of Walker's imagination, Walker uses Konrad's radio to request extraction from Dubai.
A post-credits epilogue shows a convoy of Army rescue Humvees locating a shellshocked Walker sitting near the Burj Khalifa wearing Konrad’s uniform and brandishing an AA-12. Walker can either concede to the patrol or open fire on them. If Walker relinquishes his weapon, he evacuates with the patrol, and has a hallucinatory conversation with one of the soldiers where he questions his status. If Walker is killed by the patrol, he dies in a pool of blood, recalling a conversation between himself and Konrad during the War in Afghanistan where Walker casually remarked about returning home, but Konrad criticized him, claiming soldiers "do what's necessary" and then die. If Walker kills the entire patrol, he uses their radio to greet Army command with "Gentlemen, welcome to Dubai", one of the first statements Walker said to his team as well as one of the first statements 'Konrad' said to Walker. Walker then returns to the Burj Khalifa as the camera pans to a ruined Dubai.

Tags: insanity, violence

Review:
The writer of this title did a damn good job, creating an interesting tug-of-war that we rarely see in games.
Like I've heard elsewhere, Bioshock may have been the last game I've played that has these types of interesting thematic elements.So the story side is great; graphically and gameplay-wise is it also great?
Much like playing BF3, Gears of War, or COD feels familiar every time you play it, in that "comfortable" way.
Similarly Spec Ops is pleasant, you can dive right into the narrative without fumbling with controls for the first couple of hours.The music and score throughout the game are pretty nice as well, however the sound effects feel lackluster.
Having been in the army, I can tell you that when you fire a weapon, it's a powerful thing, but in Spec Ops (as with many games), these sounds are glaring because of their lack of impact.Overall though, this is a fun to play, harsh to consume game.
Spec Ops: The Line is a third-person military shooter that, despite its appearance, is a game that has never been done in the video game medium, or at least to this affect.You become Captain Martin Walker.
The game is so well done in the way it makes you and Walker merge into one figure.
His problems become your problems, which isn't the best thing since the troubles he faces are quite heartbreaking.The game focuses on Walker as he and two of his men are sent to Dubai, six months after a deadly sandstorm practically crushed the city.
Dubai was thought to be dead until a message was picked up two weeks prior to Walker's mission.
And one gunfight leads to another and now your main mission has gone way of course, all thanks to Captain Walker.Now, to be blunt, this is one of the best stories to be put in the video game medium and one of my favorite stories ever.
It's based on the book 'hearts of Darkness' by John Conrad and the argument could be made that this game is superior to both that book and Apocalypse Now, since for those two you were just a witness, but in this game, it is very much all your fault.
Think of the most disturbing movie you've seen I almost guarantee this game will be even more so.
But, even though this game is the fuel for night terrors, it is so, so well written, directed, acted and told that it's an experience I'll guarantee you'll keep and want to keep forever.
I cannot put into words my feelings for this story, I guess it is just too good for words.Now from the strongest part of the game to the weakest: the movement and combat system.
We've seen all these mechanics before in such games as COD and Gears of War, but here it isn't as smooth.
But, this game isn't about the guns or the controls, so that is a small problem (unless you play on hard, then you'll be throwing any objects at your TV).The visuals of the game are stunning.
I might be exaggerating a bit (I don't think so though) but I think Nolan North's (the voice of Captain Walker) voice acting is some of the best vocal work I've heard.
He starts with the proper war talk "Enemy down" or "target is neutralized." But as the game goes on and you and your character get more devastated and broken, Walker's dialogue turns to "Kill is f***ing confirmed!" and "Got the f***er!." But alongside North are his two comrades, Lugo and Adams, both voiced brilliantly from Omid Abtahi and Christopher Reid respectively.
Jake Busey is another voice that is brilliantly used as the character called 'the radioman.' This character along with Konrad has some of the best lines.
It's rare to find a game with this caliber of voice acting.The soundtrack is one that really makes you feel like a hero, which you'll find, is something very important to the story.
With the inclusion of the song blaring around the stadium and enemies trying to viscously kill you, it make for one of the most tense moments I've witnessed in recent memory.If only Spec Ops had an at least solid control system, then the game would have been absolutely flawless, but still, Spec Ops: The Line has one of the best stories in video games and it is one one of my favorite stories ever.
It shoves so many disturbing things in you face and is saying "Do you feel like a hero yet?
I have played video games for ages and played lots of them.
I like games a lot but every time someone claims that video games and movies are kindred spirits I laugh.
To compare games and movies are, in my humble opinion, to give games way too much credit.
The story lines are always juvenile at best, boasting scripts that wouldn't even fit the worst b-movies.
In order for games to elevate themselves, the developers really really need to dare write mature stories and present plots that engage us on a deeper level.And along came Spec ops: the line, a seemingly run off the mill shooter with nothing new.
The story is one of the best i have ever experienced in any video game.
Ever.The voice work is excellent, and does not get worse by the fact that Bruce Boxleitner plays the colonel.
I still have a soft spot for him since Babylon 5.I will not comment on the visuals, except to say that they have used it do present some of the most horrendous scenes i have seen in video gaming.
The game play is OK, but seems like an afterthought when compared to the story.
The game play mostly serves as a method to get us under captain walker's skin, to connect with him, only to make the second half of the game so much more powerful.Play this.
Spec Ops: The Line is quite possibly the most mature and definitely my favorite game of all time, never has a game hit me and blew me away as strong as this.
I feel like the game should be experienced with the right expectation.
The ending can also leave people satisfied, because it's ambiguity is intentional!By this point of the review, you might be wondering 'What aboot the gameplay?!' It's nothing special.
While most war games out there tend to glorify the violence, this game (it's hard to call it a game when it isn't exactly fun and it's so narrative-focused) shows the player the reality of war in all of its horror.
While most war games out there tend to glorify the violence, this game (it's hard to call it a game when it isn't exactly fun and it's so narrative-focused) shows the player the reality of war in all of its horror.
After going through the campaign on this game, I found myself more appreciative of what our men and women on the frontlines go through every day, because this game, as I said, shows you the reality of war and not its glorified state like in so many others such as Call of Duty and Battlefield.
After going through the campaign on this game, I found myself more appreciative of what our men and women on the frontlines go through every day, because this game, as I said, shows you the reality of war and not its glorified state like in so many others such as Call of Duty and Battlefield.
This time you're not killing Nazis, Al-Qaeda, or aliens; you're going into the beautiful Middle-Eastern city of Dubai to help evacuate its refugees from the worst sandstorm in recorded history.
This time you're not killing Nazis, Al-Qaeda, or aliens; you're going into the beautiful Middle-Eastern city of Dubai to help evacuate its refugees from the worst sandstorm in recorded history.
While that does sound well-intentioned, the way the plot unfolds takes Captain Walker and crew into an extremely brutal fight for survival.
While that does sound well-intentioned, the way the plot unfolds takes Captain Walker and crew into an extremely brutal fight for survival.
Unique to video games, there's also non-linear storytelling in the game as well when the player is forced to make some remarkably unpleasant decisions.
Unique to video games, there's also non-linear storytelling in the game as well when the player is forced to make some remarkably unpleasant decisions.
One may even argue that some of these said decisions are things that real soldiers must make from time to time, just to be called war criminals for doing what they HAD TO DO.
One may even argue that some of these said decisions are things that real soldiers must make from time to time, just to be called war criminals for doing what they HAD TO DO.
There needs to be more (not games) interactive experiences like this..
There needs to be more (not games) interactive experiences like this..
A great shooter with amazing and haunting story.
This is a 3rd person shooter with an amazing story (Seriously.
In a Shooter!), gorgeous graphics (played for the first time in the end of 2015), very solid game-play and mechanics.
The highlight of the game and the actual reason why i have played in the first place 3 years after it's release (haven' t got a chance at the moment of it's release) was a story that i read was great.
It is great, based on a "The Heart of The Darkness", on which material the masterpiece "Appocalyose Now" was made - it takes you to the deeps of modern warfare and place you in a shoes of "Captain Willard" who has to go trough hell to kill "Kurtz".
Although the ending left me a bit confused, i loved the whole experience nevertheless.Overall, "Spec Ops: The Line" is a highly enjoyable game (still) in regards to 3 main factors: amazing story and mood, great game-play and superb visuals.
Maybe it's not as polished as "Gears Of War", but it is a rare gem - shooter that actually makes you FEEL..
(***very minor spoilers***)The Story is simple: Dubai is ravaged by sandstorms, and an American regiment, the "Damned" 33rd, is dispatched/volunteers to rescue the population.
The sandstorms close in and nor they nor the population left in Dubai are heard from in some time.
No, sir!The game mechanics are simple but adequate, the mood, color and surrounding are excellent, and you will be shooting enemies in no time.
In fact, you probably will get TOO used to it...Based somewhat on Apocalypse Now (the movie) and Heart of Darkness (the book), this game really tells us that war is hell.
Your character will start up thinking he is the hero and doing good, but before the end of this game, you will find out that the morality of war is not as easily defined.
Damned if you do, damned if you don't!!!Play this game, at least once, if you want to know what the current state of games is.
I sometimes say, that the best writers in the business today are not doing movies; they are doing computer games and television series.
So it is quite fitting, that i should review this game on a movie site.
Please make the action movies of today more like this game..
Spec Ops: The Line is a truly unexpected gem of storytelling.
The story takes some elements of Apocalypse Now, and Heart of Darkness, and puts them in the setting of the desert city of Dubai.
As the game progresses, the player becomes more and more removed from the protagonist.
From a story telling standpoint, this game is easily a 9 and I would personally give it a 10.The combat style of this game is unfortunately very mediocre.
If I had to compare it to another game, I would compare it to Gears of War in fighting style.
Overall I would recommend this game to anyone who likes a strong narrative in a video game.
If you play games for enjoyment, I would recommend it as a rental.
I am very glad I bought this game and played it, but it was not an enjoyable experience.
Anyone who claims that this game is bad because of multiplayer completely and ironically missed the point of the campaign..
"Do you feel like a hero?".
"Do you feel like a hero?".
I picked this up because I was interested in the premise and that I heard that this was a game that did not glorify war.
I picked it up and expected pretty much a Halo or Call Of Duty clone on top of a really good story.
Playing it it's more of a squad shooter and I was not disappointed because not only is this the best military shooter I have ever played in my life but it's also in my opinion the game of 2012.The premise is that three soldiers are sent into Dubai to find out what has happened to a battalion who's mission was to evacuate Dubai during a sandstorm.
Out of desperation however the soldiers slowly start to go insane themselves and at times do terrible things.Just as a heads up, the tone of this game is really grim.
towards the end of the game one of the squad members dies and you have to choose whether to kill the insane people (not soldiers - people) who hanged him or not.
It doesn't.Another compliment I have to give the game is that it has the squad shooter like thing where you command your squad to just take out the bad guy you think is the biggest threat.
But I also like that unlike other war shooters I have played you don't feel like you're indestructible.
Stand out in the open however and you'll likely die in about three seconds which again is better than almost every other war shooter I have played.If there is any complaint with the game it's that the more you play closer to the end the less you feel like a good guy.
I don't want to play a bad guy - I want to be the good guy".If you like anti-war stuff then this is right up your alley with a cherry on top.
For it's message and story I think is what really makes this game shine through though.
If you would rather play something like Halo, Gears Of War or Killzone then I can see why I mean the stories are simplistic - yes but at the end of the day you still do the right thing while playing it whereas this game gives you little choice.
Me personally, I'd say it is definitely the best game of 2012..
This review contains spoilers for the single player campaign.Spec Ops: The Line is a third person shooter developed by Yager Development and published by 2K Games.
It features a cover mechanic similar to Gears of War. The game is set in a post-apocalyptic Dubai where sand storms have destroyed much of the city's infrastructure.
The single player is a roughly 6 hour linear story that follows Captain Martin Walker as he investigates a signal sent by Colonel John Konrad in Dubai.The multiplayer for this game has a dead player base.
The game starts with the player assuming control of Captain Walker in command of a small squad of Delta Force operatives.
If the player stops the game here, they have not allowed the game to subvert expectations.
From that point, the story begins to subvert the player's expectations through its mechanics and forces the player to question the nature of violence in video games.
The player is forced to enter into increasingly uncomfortable situations that is brought on by the game's core mechanic of moving forward and eliminating the enemy at any cost.
This game does not make the player feel good like classic shooters such as Call of Duty or Halo do.Overall, Spec Ops: The Line is highly recommended.
This game is one of the most effective stories that can be told in its medium.
For those willing to ride it out until the end, the game can elicit emotions in the player that are impossible in other shooters.The below is an analysis of the game and contains significant spoilers in its plot.My interpretation of the game is the entire game was a trauma induced mental breakdown from Captain Walker.
From the beginning of the game, the player is taking down faceless enemies in helicopters chasing the player .The player experiences a helicopter crash and seemingly lives out their last moments.
The game flashes back to the beginning of the mission where Walker and company first enter Dubai.
The fades are important to understanding which parts are reality as the fades to white mean hallucinations or Walker is deluding himself and thus the player.
This can indicate the story is not real and is Walker trying to create a story where he is a hero.
It is this intentional narrative juxtaposition that contributes to the cognitive dissonance Walker and the player experiences.
Even before the white phosphorous scene, the player can already feel uneasy about the actions and dialogue of Captain Walker.
His urge to push the player and his squad mates forward at any cost contribute to the unsettling feeling that there is something deeply wrong with him.The small details in this game lend itself to the psychological horror themes that are present in this shooter.
The game constantly has the player descending in levels which if the player is paying attention can increase their uneasiness they feel.
The enemies in this game also have small touches with banter among one another that contributes to the unsettling feeling of having to shoot them.
The implication here being that Walker and the player will come to a new revelation.
The revelation is the confrontation with John Konrad.Spec Ops: The Line has absolutely been the best story I have experienced.