Spec Ops: the Line
Spec Ops: the Line is an unusual game to talk about. It does the Bioshock thing where the premise and absurd gameplay elements are actually means to strengthen the narrative, but Spec Ops takes it further and is less of a game and more of a narrative expression. As such, I would guess the people to appreciate it most are the people who appreciate when people try to expand the scope of AAA games to tell more complex stories. I don’t know how many of us there are but I am guessing a lot of people will dislike Spec Ops for the derivative gameplay and others will dislike it for not doing a better job of being a videogame adaption of Apocalypse Now or Deer Hunter.
Personally, I liked how the game got me into habitually mowing down virtual soldiers and then called me on it. The disconnect between story and gameplay is kind of absurd, but due to Spec Ops’ superficial similarity to other military shooters it was easy to buy into anyway – I belong to the camp seeing this more as a commentary on military shooters than a commentary on war itself. I did dislike it when the narrative became too explicit, and the blatant remarks aimed at the player during the loading screen occasionally ruined it for me, but overall the narrative delivered some really strong moments.
The game has nothing new in terms of gameplay and while some environments are very pretty it more or less looks and plays the same all the way through. And even considering that absurdity itself has a point in the story, the narrative has some sections that feel out of place. It is still a game well worth playing for the unique experience.