Oh man I remember when I was going crazy that a game is going to be around a city in my country. So I had this game always in the back of my mind and always was thinking about playing it. Until I did and I wish I didn’t. Spec ops the line is a game that takes place in Dubai in UAE.
Somewhat somehow with no reason the city is hit with this ultra-super sand storm, the one which can submerge skyscraper in dust. And somewhat somehow the U.S. army has to evacuate the city. Even though the UAE have a very capable military force but the developers didn’t think that would be cool enough I guess. So to make things worse the Americans start fighting among each other just to add to the confusion. So you and your team “Delta force” have to go evacuate the city. Just after you learn there is a big group of U.S. troops already in the city which I guess they failed so why send a group of 3 when a whole Battalion failed the same mission is beyond me. So you get in the city you see the CIA for some reason fighting with the 33rd then your main character is all fucked up and he starts picking sides every five minutes. So you get into the game play all confused and asking lots of questions. The setting is Ok but it’s not something that you won’t forget.
However the developers did keep a good color pallet on the screen for the most time. speaking about the setting, apart from the sand and the tall buildings the overall design is nothing like Dubai, and does not have any remarkable sites that makes you say: “yes this is Dubai” the “locals” don’t dress like locals and to add insult to enjoy they speak Farsi the language of another different country and ethnicity. Dubai is in the United ARAB Emirates. Things like this made me 100% sure that the developers did zero to non-research on the city which made the game to me not true to nature and very weird. The levels are very liner and feels like corridors most of the time. However the game play is ok once you get used to the goddamned awful controls. For example I play on PC and what do you think the button to run? any sane PC player would say the left shift button, but no some smart ass was thinking it’s a good idea to have the SPACE BAR as a good running button…….. Fucking space bar, and what do you think the button to jump over cover and other obstacles? Well you would say space bar but since it’s already used it can’t be the same. Well Ofc it has to be the LEFT SHIFT BUTTON!!! This alongside other points which remembering them makes me boil form the inside. But you can feel the pain when you get into a game with a control scheme so fucked up. Now the first thing I was thinking was I’ll change the key binding but I like to play the game as the developer see it. Besides one button does more than one action so while it’s bad on one thing it could be ok with the other but not the other way.
Then you get the gunplay with the enemies which is nothing but shot cover run cover shoot. Yes you get some nice dust/sand mechanics but they feel boring support fast. For 7 hours this is what I had to do there is almost no verity in game play you can start the game silent yes but you’ll get seen after the first kill or 2 as the game is not setup that way. The only and only good thing that you may find fun in this game is the few choices that you are given here or there, they do have effect on what you do and kind of makes you wonder what will happen if a do this or that and the ending which was good to the buildup to this point in the game. The graphics are BAD even for a 2012 game, games like dishonored, Assassin's Creed 3 and ME3 came out the same year and they look leaps better. So in the end I give this game a poor 4/10.
Cultured Vultures: In the spirit of preserving some kind of history of this industry, we’ve decided to list some of the best games that you just simply can’t get hold of digitally at the minute.
I just started playing Spec op. I've had it for years on steam and forgot about it. Such a good game.
Yes great game spec ops! Since the time we’ve been asking sony to make one:/
Auto Modelista.. a PS2 capcom racer!! A blast to play and great graphics!
Maximo!
Rival Schools!
all the games in the above list are bang on. this is the only reason we need backwards compatibility and physical presense of games for the upcoming future, no matter what.
Honorable mention to the excellent Driveclub, one of the best racing games of all-time and one of my favourite games ever.
yes! incredible rain effects; so good to drive along in rain with your Spotify playlist blaring
I really wanted a MotorStorm using the same engine, Driveclub is easily one of the best looking games on PS4 and I'm surprised they didn't even give it a PS4 Pro patch.
I adored Driveclub and the Bike expansion. I also loved Motorstorm. Evolution shutting down was a crime
Outrun Online Arcade, Sega Rally Online Arcade, After Burner Climax... all good stuff. I keep my 360 hooked up to play these as well as the TMNT games that were also delisted.
wow...I have all of them except the Nintendo ones either in physical or digital version.
Also..Deadpool the Game is missing on that list.
Tim and Luis talk what they’ve been watching and playing along with the news from the past week, including all the games from Sony’s “State of Play,” Evil West, Silent Hill: The Short Message, Hideo Kojima weirdness, Spec Ops: The Line delisted and more!
A stellar work of sobering proportions, Spec-Ops: The Line is an outstanding third-person shooter that on first glance conceals its hidden depths.
It's really a shame that the Spec Ops reboot didn't continue into a series. Obviously the story in The Line is over. But each game could have delved into the different psychological effects of war as well as exploring different takes on Heart of Darkness. In a sea of mindless military shooters it was nice to finally play a shooter that actually had something to say.
This game was the last of a dying breed, a signifier of where shooter games (and videogames more broadly) COULD have gone if developers didn't pivot so hard into the online services, micro transaction, season pass, yada yada.
New narrative territory exploring the actual art form of gaming and storytelling within it.
A brilliant depiction into what war can really do to a person and doesn't glorify it in any way.
I heard this game might be getting delisted, which is a travesty, this is one that should be preserved forever
I think the title was unfortunate - it was when Moder Warfare got big so I assumed it was yet another clone. Fortunately, because ps plus I checked out this gem of a game.
I disagree with this review. Dishonored looks great, and Spec Ops: The Line looks bad ?