Should a soldier blindly follow orders? Or, as Lugo aptly puts it, is there "always a choice"? Differing from the brutish bravado of Call of Duty, Spec Ops really explores the consequences of war on the human mind. Possibly most affecting is the phosphorous mortar sequence, in which you are genuinely left feeling uneasy and shaken. The tale sees the typical role of military superhero turned on its head, as the gung-ho US bid to save Dubai actually wreaks even more havoc and suffering. While the narrative is a little clumsy in parts and the ending not particularly convincing, the overall story in Spec Ops is impressive. Walker has been sent into Dubai with fellow Delta soldiers Lugo and Adams to track down John Konrad (a literal reference if ever there was one), a decorated US military general who has gone seriously coco-loco in post-apocalypse Dubai, aided by his entire US 33rd company. It does have a leveling system, leaderboards, and unlockables, but they've been done better elsewhere and don't present anything new."I did what was necessary," says a breathless Captain Martin Walker, Delta Force squad leader and main character in Spec Ops: The Line. However, since combat isn't exactly the highlight of the single-player campaign, multiplayer isn't really worth more than a few quick matches here and there. Buried and Uplink are the two objective-based modes with a little more substance, requiring the destruction of Vital Points in order to reveal the High Value Target, or controlling a central rally point. Spec Ops: The Line also comes packed with competitive online multiplayer, with a handful of different modes such as the free-for-all Chaos, Mutiny (team deathmatch), and Rally Point. However, with his instantly recognizable voice, I had a hard time not picturing Walker as Nathan Drake, though with more swearing and military jargon. The incomparable Nolan North voices Captain Walker and does a masterful job with the script. Never have I been more disturbed with our rock music then when I heard it here I almost wished I could silence it with my rifle. Every so often, you'll find yourself close to makeshift intercom speakers where a deranged disc jockey comments on the justice of the violence while mixing it up with American rock and roll tracks. With such visceral visuals portraying the genocide, the silence compliments your personal grievance far better than any music would be able to. Thankfully, the view is generally accompanied by little audio, save the gusting winds of the ever looming sandstorm. Also, the impressive vistas, looking down on a desolate metropolis placed between mile-high mountains of sand, delivers a spectacle you probably haven't seen in any other game. On the other hand, the environments and backgrounds, as well as the still imagery of corpses and other disturbing scenes, will burn into your mind and may even cause you to shudder. Animations are decent enough, but the enemies often run toward cover inexplicably, causing a drag in movement. Even when the graphics engine is performing at peak, easily discernible mistakes-like eyes not sitting properly in their sockets-indicate areas where a little extra polish would have been appreciated. The character models seem to randomly switch back and forth between very detailed and pixelated messes. Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
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