Spec Ops: The Line

UPC: 710425317767

Platform: IBM PC Compatible

Publisher: 2K Games

Developer: YAGER Development GmbH

Category: Shooter

Style(s): Third-Person 3D Shooter

Synopsis: Elite counter-terrorism agents lead the way, into a modern-military heart of darkness, as the gritty Spec Ops series returns to action in 2012. In the unflinching style of its PC predecessors, The Line challenges players to accomplish missions through third-person squad tactics; surveillance, stealth, and bloody firefights. The narrative poses challenges as well, in a progression of desperate circumstances and lose-lose moral dilemmas. Battles take place in an abandoned desert city, where players' efforts are complicated by sand that covers buildings and blows through the streets. For opulent Dubai, the apocalypse is now, as massive windstorms have buried the city beneath millions of tons of sand. With the assistance of the U.S. Army, most of the metropolis was successfully evacuated, but Colonel John Konrad remained behind with his squad. Konrad's unit has now been isolated by the sandstorms, and is feared lost. The players' objective is to find the missing soldiers and -- if possible -- bring them back home. The sand-filled city poses unusual dangers, but also opportunities, for special operatives who can hide in the obscuring winds, or smother enemies beneath a triggered avalanche. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Package Contents: 4-page Instruction Manual

Controls: Mouse, Joystick/Gamepad, Keyboard

There is such a dearth of good storytelling in games, let alone shooters, that when a title actually has a narrative that doesn't make you reach for the skip button, you sit up and take notice. Spec Ops: The Line is such a game, injecting some life in a worn-out genre by creating a tense atmosphere and story that make you look forward to the next chapter. The story in Spec Ops rises above the typical "us" versus "them" mentality that's been used so often that dialogue isn't much more than a "hoo-ah," "tango down" or a choice use of profanity. Spec Ops: The Line's story draws its inspiration from Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, replacing the jungle with an abandoned, sand-swept city of Dubai, and Kurtz with Colonel Konrad, leader of the 33rd division that defied an order to leave the city in order to help its residents. After receiving a distress call, members of a three-man reconnaissance group discover that members of the 33rd are apparently still alive, and the city is not as abandoned as once thought. Instead it's home to suffering citizens, competing factions, and a sense of lawlessness and dread. The voice acting is excellent across the board, featuring such actors as Bruce Boxleitner, Jake Busey, and the ubiquitous Nolan North, and the music is used effectively to set the mood of each scene (such as Deep Purple's amp;"Hush" when you engage in an early battle). The actual shooting, however, isn't anything different than what's been hammered into your head countless times before. Levels are often structured like a tennis court, with clearly delineated boundaries and a dividing line between you and the enemy. You'll shoot down your targets immediately in front of you, and then more will suddenly crawl out like ants until the pre-defined waves are complete and you're allowed to advance. While you are in control of a three-man squad, your commands are limited. You can order your team to help focus their fire on a specific target, and, well, that's about it. This isn't Brothers in Arms. Like the Call of Duty franchise, the game relies heavily on scripted action sequences. This is not surprising given the emphasis on storytelling, but it's disappointing that you can't make more choices on where to go instead of following the only route available. The publisher touts "vertical" levels as if they will offer a completely new experience, but instead of shooting at enemies on level ground, you'll shoot at them while walking down a flight of stairs or aim your cursor to target foes on balconies. Where the experience differs from typical shooters is the setting. You'll periodically fight in sandstorms, where visibility is heavily reduced, and you'll frequently encounter citizens like crying mothers cradling their dead sons, a villager frantically running toward you, and more. As you go further and further into the city, the sense of chaos and madness intensifies. You'll soon begin to wonder who really is to blame, as your actions and decisions often seem more like the lesser of two evils than a clearly defined right and wrong. Spec Ops: The Line's story-focused campaign isn't very long, topping out within six hours, and the multiplayer seems tacked on. The replay value is thus diminished when compared to other games in the genre, but the strength of the narrative means you won't regret your time spent with Spec Ops. It's one of the few games that makes you think about what you've experienced long after you've switched off the console or computer, which is more than what can be said of its contemporaries. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

the game requires Mouse, Joystick/Gamepad, Keyboard.