Spec Ops: The Line, The guilt inducing shooter Options

[X-Kalibur]

I'll just start by giving my short version from my FB that I put up.

So, I finally got around to playing Spec Ops: The Line this week. I'd heard that the story was great and all so I finally gave in and took a shot at. Game play wise there is nothing new under the sun, rather decent cover based shooter. But the story is where it really hits home. Although I felt a bit stupid making it half way or more through the game before figuring out it was Heart of Darkness (I mean really, I'm even looking for a man named Colonel Konrad, might as well have been Kurzen). But they did an interesting take on it and, on a second time through, there is another layer, almost... Dante's Divine Comedy level to it. Things like graffiti on walls speaking of events that haven't happened yet, pictures on walls have their eyes blacked out, billboards at the beginning have Konrad's face on them. It is clear that you are delving into the mind of a man suffering from severe PTSD who is re-living his experiences. Even the loading screens, which start out just giving little hints about the game, end up becoming quite dark and just making you feel bad. Highly recommend this game for the mind fuck and kick straight to the feelings. Over and over again.



Seriously though, the game makes you feel bad, over and over again, for playing a shooter. You get ready to storm a location, only to be given a mortar loaded up with willy pete, and then you get to deal with the grim reality of having used it. You also become more and more detached from the character as you progress, much as his team is, leaving you to wonder if you were perhaps just the last vestiges of his sanity. Justifying your actions as long as possible. I cannot recommend this game enough on it's story-telling. But if you're just looking for a shooter to play... you might not be all that thrilled with it. In some ways I'm reminded of Alpha Protocol, only less freedom of decision and much more polished gameplay.

[CanRay]

Yeah, I rented this at a really wrong time in my mental mindset. I'll have to try it again when I'm better.

[X-Kalibur]

Yeah, I rented this at a really wrong time in my mental mindset. I'll have to try it again when I'm better.

I get where you're coming from, I actually had a hard time sleeping well those nights. I don't think a game had ever affected me that way before.

[Seriously Mike]

I'll wait for a Steam sale. It's one of those games that you play once. But from what I've read, it's good.