Game Journal 2013 - Spec Ops

My second game completed in 2013 was Spec Ops: The Line.  I had played the demo for the game when it first came out, and while it seemed like a decent game, it also seemed like it was just going to be a third-person CoD clone.  I passed on the game, and didn't give it a second thought until I saw some people talking about it on Reddit.  I inquired about the game, and was told the story line was straight messed up, and that I needed to play it.  I was also informed that the game was on sale for 75% off on Amazon, so how could I say no at this point?

What I played:

• Platform: PC
• System specs:  Intel Core 2 Duo 3.2GHz, GeForce GTX 260, 4 GB RAM
• What I played:  Single player campaign
• Play time:  6 hours
• Rating:  8/10

What I liked:

Graphics

The whole blue/orange contrast thing might be a little cliche these days, but it looks great in this game.  The unique setting provides an opportunity to showcase interesting views we've never seen in a game before; soaring skyscrapers popping out of sand dunes.  This being in Dubai, the interiors are also often lavish and extravagant - when they haven't been destroyed by intruding sand that is.

Characters & Story

In Call of Duty games, you often play different soldiers fighting in different countries, and most of the "story" is relayed via military jargon spouted over images of satellite maps.  In other words, it's a confusing mess.  In Spec Ops, however, you play the same character throughout, and the story is conveyed through chatter between you and your two constant squad mates and short cut scenes.  So it's much easier to follow and actually care about what's going on.  The conflicts that arise among your three-man squad help to humanize the characters, so they're not just gun-wielding death machines.

The story also veers away from the "HOO-AH" bravado of CoD games, and dares to examine some of the darker aspects of war such as civilian casualties, mental strain, and the shades of grey that exist between right and wrong.

Length
At six hours, the campaign is relatively short compared to most games, but I feel that it was just long enough to feel worth while without overstaying it's welcome.  Any longer, and the game probably would have felt like it was dragging on.  I can understand if you bought this game at full retail this might seem like a rip-off, but at $7.50, it was perfect.

What I didn't like:

Generic Gameplay
As a shooter, this game didn't really do anything special.  You take cover, you pop out and fire.  You toss grenades.  You can carry two weapons.  You occasionally find a powerful weapon when you need one most.  The shooting wasn't bad by any means, just not that great either.  Gears of War really set the bar for third-person shooters, and in comparison, this game feels a little sluggish.

Images from specopstheline.com