Two men, bound, gagged, but alive, hang from a walkway overhead. A voice emerging from an unseen loudspeaker tells me I need to execute one of the two; both have committed crimes. I've walked through the sandy remains of a destroyed Dubai uncovering corpses and atrocities -- choices made by others -- but this time
After a long pause I put a bullet in the soldier on the left and moved on with no fanfare, no repercussions. There's no morality meter, the text didn't change to blue or red, I wasn't rewarded with new weapons or gear, and the world kept on turning. The only tangible effect was that I felt mildly sick to my stomach, especially after realizing the scene could have played out several other ways and I didn't actually have to kill anyone. At that point I realized these aren't gaming choices, these are human choices.
Spec Ops: The Line is a cover-based, third-person shooter. In this regard it doesn't reinvent the wheel. Hide your head from snipers, pop out to kill soldiers, and leap over cover to continue the mission. From a ninety minute demo the gameplay wasn't memorable, the setting and story were.
When we saw Spec Ops: The Line eighteen months ago, we compared its dark tone to the likes of Apocalypse Now and Heart of Darkness. This direction remains consistent with the state of The Line today. Its mechanics play out in a familiar manner, so it's the original aspects of the experience that lingered after the demo wrapped up.
Once Walker and Delta realize Dubai isn't deserted, things get ugly. The early enemies are hostile refugees trying to survive, but before long Walker and Delta are killing soldiers in American uniforms – former comrades. This contrast turns stark when utilizing "executions" on stunned enemies during general combat. Over-the-top violence is easier to stomach when there's a clear enemy with purpose, but when jamming the butt of a rifle into the face of an American soldier there's certain horror that comes with it. Spec Ops: The Line provides evidence of the renegade American battalion's crimes, but the twisted visual still feels wrong. They might be wearing your uniform but they're now enemies.