3.5/5 ★ – peacebrendanp's review of Spec Ops: The Line.

I played this game back in 2018 for the first time, and was wanting to revisit it. My memories of this game are nothing too special, but I remember it being alright at what it sets out to accomplish. After nearly 6-hours with the main campaign, I can say that this game has held up really well over the past 13-years. And, while there are definitely some issues that the game has that hold it back, this game accomplishes what it sets out to achieve. The game has a beautiful and interesting setting, and it reads really well today. There are some model textures that feel a little dated, but other than that the story is conveyed really well through the game's art. The story itself plays with expectations in a big way, from the beginning, as you roll into Dubai, all the way into the final minutes of the campaign; the story will have you questioning what is going on in this war-torn city. Every story beat feels impactful and intentional, and while I wish that the choices you made impacted the actual ending, every choice itself carries weight. The result is one of the more unique stories that you can experience in gaming, in my opinion. And one that grapples with the morality of war and intervening with other countries' woes. The writing is mostly good here too, despite some of it feeling a little dated by today's standards. The soundtrack was surprising here as well, with multiple licensed tracks that will back certain fight sequences. That licensed music is probably why the game is currently de-listed, which I was thankfully able to circumvent due to the fact that I bought this game before it was de-listed. The scoring itself is nothing too special, but it does fit the theme of being a soldier stuck in a city in the middle of the desert. The gameplay is the biggest aspect of the game holding it back. It feels like a really sticky shooter, in the fashion of Gears of War. The good part is that the gunplay feels fine enough. Enemy death animations are surprisingly dynamic, especially when combined with ragdoll. This allows the combat to stay somewhat engaging throughout the runtime, with enemies reacting to bullets in semi-unique ways throughout the game. Enemy types start to get repetitive, but there are a couple of different variations you can run into. The worst part is the cover system, as you will get stuck to cover, and end up dying getting stuck to the wrong cover. When you do die, checkpoints feel a bit dated, with there being actual checkpoints at certain moments, normally before a big firefight, which is serviceable enough. There are a number of guns that offer variety in terms of looks, but they mostly feel the same, almost across the board. Obviously shotguns operate differently from assault rifles, but besides that basic operation, they all feel pretty similar, but not bad. You will encounter high-tier versions of a weapon type, but they mainly offer more damage and a punchier sound. That's kind of the gist of gameplay, you enter an area, fight bad guys with guns, and move forward. It's serviceable gameplay, but it does not take any risk in diving deeper to offer something more substantial. There isn't much replay-ability other than playing it for it's story. This aspect is probably more in service of the game, as there aren't a bunch of systems weighing the game down. I played the entirety of this game on my Steam Deck, and I will just say that it runs so perfectly at 90-fps, max settings. The game was a perfect game for a handheld. I did have to run the game in Proton Experimental for it to work (or, at least that's what I was told to do). This game is a tight, 4-or-5-hour campaign (my in-game clock said 3-hours to beat the game, while steam said I was running the game for 5.7-hours), that employs some really interesting ideas. It's not necessarily re-inventing the wheel, or doing anything super exciting in terms of gameplay, but it's a really refreshing experience to have after years of over-bloated games with subpar stories and mechanics. After spending a couple of hours with the game, the gameplay can start to feel truly one-note, but thankfully the game introduces different environments and story beats to keep things moving. I could see this formula working in a modern-gaming setting, with maybe some expanded upon ideas and mechanics. But, for 2012, this game is really good in the modern-age of games. Console Played On: Steam Deck (SteamOS) Game Played: 03/2025 - 03/2025 Review Written and Published: 03/19/2025