Spec Ops: The Line is a cover based third-person shooter in which the player controls one Captain Martin Walker. The player also has some control over Walker's crew, Adams and Lugo, in terms that they can be commanded to kill specific enemies on the battlefield. The entire game takes place in a post-war zone Dubai, where Walker and his crew have been sent out on a reconnaissance mission.
At the time of writing, it has been nearly three years since Spec Ops: The Line released initially. The game has definitely stood the test of time in every aspect imaginable; the story, graphics, gameplay and soundtrack have all aged beautifully. For the time, the graphics were above par for shooter titles, and they're still outstanding to look at today; especially the way Walker's face becomes more and more disfigured by the turmoils of war as the campaign wears on. The use of dynamic lighting is also some of the best that I've seen in early-era last gen games. The city of Dubai, as sand-swallowed as it may be, is massive and stunning to look at.
I will also add in a quick note here that the game does not suffer from any type of performance issues, at least in my experience. I always maintained a stable 80-120 FPS throughout the duration of the game while capping out at 144 FPS, and there were no crashes, glitches, or bugs.
The gameplay is solid for a shooter, there are no clunky controls. The entire control scheme is similar to that of the first Gears of War title; which is not unusual, seeing as Spec Ops was indeed crafted using the Unreal Engine. There are slight annoyances, such as when you're running you will sometimes stick to a piece of cover. Other than that, the control scheme is smooth and nearly flawless. As expected, there are tons of shooting sequences... almost too many at times. Around every corner there lurks another gang of foes who are waiting to rip Walker to shreds bullet by bullet. Like any good military style shooter, there is also Intel to collect.
Where Spec Ops: The Line really shines is within its story, and its soundtrack. This game has one of the best soundtracks of any shooter that I've ever played; from the rocking classic tunes to the Louisiana bayou styled twangy guitars, the tracks never get old no matter how many times one plays through the game. The same can be said for the story, which has a possibility of four endings once the player has reached the end of the ride. While I won't say a lot about the story, for those that have not played the game yet, I will say that Spec Ops definitely ripped off the original Black Ops, but I personally think this game does it way better.
A once respected high ranking military man who gradually goes crazy over the course of the campaign, only to have a huge twist revealed at the end. There are lots of feels-hitting areas between the beginning and end of the game, and the player can become very attached to Walker, Adams and Lugo throughout the time spent within the title; making it that much harder on the emotions when something goes awry. This aspect is where every single Call of Duty ever created has failed, and it's why people love Spec Ops: The Line. The game does spend a good amount of time carving out the characters, so that they don't just become more expendable jarheads in another military shooter.
If you haven't played Spec Ops: The Line yet, and you're in the market for a good third-person cover based shooter, definitely pick this up. It will be one of the greatest storylines in a shooter that you've ever experienced, and it's sure to stay within your memory for years to come. There are also many replay factors, and reasons to go back to the title; whether it's as soon as you complete it, or a couple years down the road. However, I cannot justify $32.99 CAD for a title that is almost three years old, get it on sale.
Rating: 5.0/5.0 - An amazing achievement, this game must be played.The Horror Network
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