Spec Ops: The Line
user avatarAdded by @PainOfSalvation

Spec Ops: The Line (2012)

by Yager Development, 2K Games, Missing Link Games, Take-Two Interactive
Platforms:
Mac, Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Genres:Adventure, Shooter
Themes:Action, Warfare, Stealth
Game modes:Single player, Multiplayer
Story:
A third-person shooter in which three American soldiers led by Capt. Walker are sent to Dubai in order to recover whoever remains of an infantry unit, the 33rd Battalion, until they decide to take action against the militants situated in the city. As they progress, however, the logistical and ethical complexity of their objective deepens, and their perception of themselves, and their enemy, is put into question.
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It's a genuine tragedy that this game is no longer available. It tried to push the bounds of storytelling in games and did a great job of examining the role we play in the horrors of war. Do you feel like a hero yet?brettman341
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Stories about this game (125)
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It's a genuine tragedy that this game is no longer available. It tried to push the bounds of storytelling in games and did a great job of examining the role we play in the horrors of war. Do you feel like a hero yet?
This game is one of the most unique I've ever played, and it bothers me that there isn't really going to be anything quite like it made ever again. Starting off as a pretty standard militiary shooter, it slowly descends into one of the best explorations of morality I've ever seen. It doesn't just question the actions of the characters, but of you, the player. You start to become uncomfortable because over time it wraps its fingers around your throat and asks you why you are having fun. I can't think of many games that do that, and I was very disappointed to see that this game was removed for sale from Steam, this is one of those games that everyone should try at least once, and having it on GOG would be an excellent way to preserve it.
Dubai, Delta Force, sandstorms, a rebellion, a city in chaos and eventually a mind in chaos. Some hard decisions to make. A great first person shooter, good graphics, good gameplay that hasn't aged. I loved playing this game, and I replayed it right away when I finished it, to see the moments I missed, and try the answers in the story I couldn't see the results at first. This is a masterpiece and it needs to be preserved for the future generations ! It's been sadly unlisted since January 2024. GOG save this game for everyone who hasn't played it yet!!
I was so desperate to buy this game that when they delisted it from steam I bought the xbox 360 version and played it on my xbox one. This game is amazing, It has an unbelievable great story with good to mid gameplay and Amazing characters. Every cutscene was memorable with great dialogue and good interactions. And I love how surreal the final levels of the game feel like your descending into hell. Overall score 9/10 (If the gameplay was a bit more interesting it would easily be a 10/10).
Few games take risks like these, looks like a normal third person shooter, but the story told how mental health and the horrors of war, produce crimes against humanity, even when the protagonits had good intentions, I have this game on my mind since the first time i played, a sad, cruel story, but realistic, tries to depicts how war and violence corrupts humanity to a level of no return, acept your mistakes can be most dificult than kill people.
user avatar@hegyakuser avatar@hegyak
July 13, 2025
I got this through a key reseller before it got delisted. I went in expecting some military shooter of the time. I got, the best or second best story EVER in a video game. The only other game that had an amazing story that I didn't expect was Talos Principle. Sure it's short. But I loved every second of it.
The fact the game got delisted is heartbreaking. People deserve to enjoy this, to experience it. I played it long after it's release, on Xbox One thanks to backwards compatibility. Eventualy got it on Steam while it was on a sale just to have it, honestly, which turned out to be a good decision. As for some memories... i'll give two. One, a nightmare. I was attempting to beat the game 100%, and had a dream that Walker, Lugo, and Adams were very pissed with me. They yelled at me. Screamed at me. That I had played through the game so many times, put them through hell over and over, just to get achievements. But they knew they couldn't hurt me and couldn't actually force me to stop playing. They eventually stopped and let me wake up, I guess. It was... certainly an experience. Took a break from the game for a bit after that. But I finished what I started eventually. The other memory. I knew some of the twists. I didn't know about what happened to Lugo. We arrive at the scene, Walker and Adams attempt to free Lugo, but it's too late. The crowd around them is enraged. They throw rocks but they never charge at you. Adams asks to open fire. I, try to push through the crowd. And I got pushed back. "Permission f*cking granted." And I pulled the trigger. ...And the achievement pops. It was uh... A Line, Crossed, I think. And it snaps me out of that moment, that little notification. Brought me back to my senses and realize what I had done. That moment still sticks with me. And this game deserves to be relisted. Not forgotten. Not in a form where the only way to experience it is by watching others play it or by illegal, risky means. A remaster or remake isn't coming. This is what we got. This is what we get. And it deserves to be playable. Even if someone only does a single playthrough on it after buying it, that doesn't mean they shouldn't get to. There was a DLC planned. Scrapped, though. It'll never see the light of day.
user avatar@Aswarpuser avatar@Aswarp
August 11, 2025
This game has some really beautiful shots of Dubai covered in sandstorms, and, although older, its moral depth still resonates. The game dismantles the fantasy of the “heroic soldier,” placing police or military brutality under harsh scrutiny through a collapsing narrative. No wonder it was taken down from Steam in our current strongly dystopian society.
I enjoyed the story and setting. Pretty unique. I still remember playing this game to this day. I even went out of my way to get all the endings, that's how much I enjoyed the story.
user avatar@Micro13bkuser avatar@Micro13bk
August 26, 2025
Great mechanics, storytelling, atmosphere and replayability! This is a game that got taken off Steam due to licensing issues and Xbox store too, but it's much deeper than that. The gameplay features touchy subjects that may or may not have been inspired by real events, or a combination of. It serves as a warning and as a reminder of what war can do to a person. It includes pretty realistic depictions of NPC deaths, and deeper darker lore. Also, pay attention to Joe, the main menu sniper...he is not just a decoration or a GIF...he has his own life... This game needs to be brought back and safeguarded!
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