Spec Ops: The Line

 PlayStation 3
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 454 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 340 out of 454
  2. Mixed: 83 out of 454
  3. Negative: 31 out of 454
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  1. HuevoAlce
    Jun 27, 2022
    8
    Spec Ops: The Line has a fantastic story that overshadows the mundane gameplay mechanics and multiplayer it has.
  2. awar_7
    Dec 20, 2021
    8
    Magnífico shooter en tercera persona, con un apartado gráfico excelente y una trama muy bien escrita.
  3. Scarlet_Knight
    Sep 23, 2021
    9
    Spec Ops: The Line pulls no punches, it's a psychologically intense video game that 'll put you in multiple difficult situations. Most, if not all, of your actions feel like your own, so what happens during these events feels like your fault. It's a disturbing, yet brilliant, video game. It's a testament to what video games are really capable of (not to mention it's got a very underratedSpec Ops: The Line pulls no punches, it's a psychologically intense video game that 'll put you in multiple difficult situations. Most, if not all, of your actions feel like your own, so what happens during these events feels like your fault. It's a disturbing, yet brilliant, video game. It's a testament to what video games are really capable of (not to mention it's got a very underrated soundtrack).… Expand
  4. DBMack1
    Feb 11, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A darkstory, that shows you the story about a person that lived in dubai, you and your squad need to go to dubai to get intel about the survivors and send a rescue team.… Expand
  5. JoseManuel10_
    Jan 24, 2021
    9
    Spec Ops: The Line is a 2012 third-person shooter video game developed by the German studio Yager Development and published by 2K Games.

    + Excellent Story with Touching Moral Moments
    + Brilliant Post-Disaster Dubai Setting
    + Solid Cover-Based Shooter Gameplay
    + Interactive Environments and Useful Partners
    - Weak Multiplayer
  6. MarvelJoe
    Jan 6, 2021
    9
    You look at this game and think "Wow, another Gears of War/Call of Duty shooter that's trying to be very realistic and gritty with brown-grayish colors. We haven't seen anything like that before already." Boy, this game tricks you hard. For an old game, the visuals looks great for its time and the game actually has colors to make it most dull but beautiful at the same time. The gameplayYou look at this game and think "Wow, another Gears of War/Call of Duty shooter that's trying to be very realistic and gritty with brown-grayish colors. We haven't seen anything like that before already." Boy, this game tricks you hard. For an old game, the visuals looks great for its time and the game actually has colors to make it most dull but beautiful at the same time. The gameplay formula is currently outdated at the time it was released, but the main focus is the narrative story. This game really shows that war is hell. You'll see war crimes being committed and PTSD kicking in for your actions you choose to go on. This is an underrated gem that deserved more attention and should be played by more people, surprisingly, this game was made for you to not play because of a huge guilt trip you'll witness and commit.… Expand
  7. arcangel98
    Sep 13, 2020
    8
    Good history and good gameplay. I think that is so unknow because is a great experience.
  8. jotah_smc
    Dec 8, 2019
    9
    Excelente juego, dificultad precisa y no muy elevada incluso en el nivel de dificultad Fubar que seria como "Super Dificil". Historia y escenarios envolventes. Sin duda alguna una joya oculta e infravalorado.
  9. coorhys
    Jun 19, 2019
    9
    When starting Spec Ops: The Line, I had no idea what I was in for. What started out as seemingly a decent third-person shooter with strong cover-based gameplay you've seen in any number of other titles, ended up being one of my all-time favourite games, and one that has stuck with me ever since.

    After recently replaying, I can safely say that while this game doesn't particularly have    When starting Spec Ops: The Line, I had no idea what I was in for. What started out as seemingly a decent third-person shooter with strong cover-based gameplay you've seen in any number of other titles, ended up being one of my all-time favourite games, and one that has stuck with me ever since.

    After recently replaying, I can safely say that while this game doesn't particularly have the best shooting mechanics (even though they are perfectly fine and enjoyable), it is a blast to play even now, and the graphics hold up really well.

    However, the story is what will really get people invested and why this game stays with you. It takes you on a harrowing, psychological journey which I think was totally unexpected at the time this game was released, and has meant this is a game still talked about today for its' storytelling.

    You need to experience this game, it is more than worth at least one playthrough, and trust me you will not regret it. You can now get it on Xbox One through backwards-compatibility, and I picked it up there myself despite already owning on PS3, just to play through again easily in future. It's that good.    … Expand
  10. BeboFett
    Jan 23, 2019
    8
    Just when you think you are going to play a generic third person shooter, Spec Ops: The Line appears. Its gameplay is not innovative at all, but it is quite functional and fun. What makes this title is great is the development of its plot, the final message of a "belic" game, the experience that you have left at the end of the campaign. Don't go with the feint, this game is a jewel.
  11. Onask
    Oct 7, 2018
    8
    Juego que no mucha gente ha jugado y que pasó bastante desapercibido.

    Una obra que cuenta una interesante historia sobre la guerra, con un señor giro de la trama hacia el final de esta que te dejará con la boca abierta. Un gunplay muy satisfactorio y una ambientación muy poco explotada y muy bien trabajada.

    De lo mejorcito de la séptima generación en cuanto a TPS.

    Muy recomendado.
  12. XJoseManuel10X
    Apr 1, 2018
    9
    Spec Ops: The Line is a 2012 third-person shooter video game developed by the German studio Yager Development and published by 2K Games.

    + Excellent Story with Touching Moral Moments
    + Brilliant Post-Disaster Dubai Setting
    + Solid Cover-Based Shooter Gameplay
    + Interactive Environments and Useful Partners
    - Weak Multiplayer

    My Score: 9/10
  13. Aeromusic
    Nov 25, 2017
    10
    Stylish graphics, deepest characters, interesting storyline, but final ending - it's f****n amazing masterpiece! One of the best TPS what i'v ever played!
  14. destinyfan1
    Jun 17, 2017
    9
    I can still remember how good this game was , the action , decent story, the graphics back then where great , the choices you make, truely incredible
    Highly underrated by the professional critics
    And highly recommended for everyone
  15. KingAndCountry
    Sep 12, 2016
    10
    This game is not perfect, but I personally don't think that's what constitutes a 10/10 score. Spec Ops: The Line is a must play, does something that is groundbreaking for the genre it is set in, and has spawned countless meaningful discussions well after its release. That's enough for a 10 in my books.

    The gameplay is generic, but it plays an essential part of enticing players into    This game is not perfect, but I personally don't think that's what constitutes a 10/10 score. Spec Ops: The Line is a must play, does something that is groundbreaking for the genre it is set in, and has spawned countless meaningful discussions well after its release. That's enough for a 10 in my books.

    The gameplay is generic, but it plays an essential part of enticing players into thinking the game itself will be generic too. The main function of the interactivity is to make the player an active participant in all events of the game, so that the player's moral choices are organic and meaningful, and therefore the final conclusion that you come to is all your own.

    The multiplayer is terrible, but I honestly don't think it can be considered a reviewable part of the game, just as the free co-op DLC can't be. An optional, publisher-mandated feature that goes against the message of the game, along with the fact that the servers have long since been completely empty, doesn't negate anything in the rest of the experience for me.

    As for replayability, the story is extremely detailed underneath the surface, and on a new playthrough you'll start seeing that more and more. Like in any good story, character arcs drive the basis of the plotline, and there are many memorable quotes throughout due to the excellent, convincing voice acting.

    This game does something unique, handles its truly mature themes well, and despite what I think are some minor missteps, it has an overall message that should be heard by all.    … Expand
  16. XxJoseManuelxX
    Aug 25, 2016
    9
    Spec Ops: The Line is a third-person shooter video game developed by the German studio Yager Development and published by 2K Game.

    + Good Story
    + Fun Shooter Mechanics
    + Emotional
    - Multiplayer
  17. Alex_Evan
    Jul 1, 2016
    9
    Um jogo que beira a perfeição,uma historia que surpreende,retrata parte de uma verdadeira guerra.Um jogo exemplar,merecemos mais jogos com esse tipo de abordagem impactante.Os gráficos e jogabilidade deixam um pouco a desejar,mas nada que interfira na ótima experiencia em jogar The Line.
  18. josesueiro
    Apr 14, 2016
    8
    Spec Ops: The Line is a third-person shooter video game developed by the German studio Yager Development and published by 2K Game

    + Good Story
    + Fun Shooter Mechanics
    + Emotional
    - Multiplayer
  19. Gobrul
    Mar 19, 2016
    9
    It is one of the best games I ever played.
    Great story and climate.
    I can't say anything more about it without spoiling the fun.
    Only flaw is game-play which is a little repetitive.
  20. BorjaOjeda
    Sep 11, 2015
    9
    I just finished it and went straight to create an account here so I could say the following: captivating, exciting, disturbing at times, and ultimately fun. It war itself can be fun, that is. Great campaign. Should not be missed. A few technical issues won't let me rate it as the 10/10 game it would have been without them. However, the whole experience more than makes up for any of these.
  21. psp1213
    Mar 25, 2015
    10
    It's been a long time since a game has made me think and feel as much as Spec Ops The Line, especially about a topic as relevant as war and the way we portray it in video games in particular. If you want a war game that isn't candy coated enough to make it the next entry in the candy crush saga, this is the game for you. It's brilliant, mind opening, and unique, and as long as you openIt's been a long time since a game has made me think and feel as much as Spec Ops The Line, especially about a topic as relevant as war and the way we portray it in video games in particular. If you want a war game that isn't candy coated enough to make it the next entry in the candy crush saga, this is the game for you. It's brilliant, mind opening, and unique, and as long as you open yourself to the messages it has to convey, you'll surely walk away changed by this. If you're comfortable in your beliefs on war and what kind of person you are, you owe it to yourself to play this game, and be forced to question whether the socially accepted line between "ok" and "wrong" killing ever really existed in the first place.… Expand
  22. koopatroopa64
    Oct 13, 2014
    10
    definitely one of if not the best game i have ever played i could go on a rant at how amazing it is and how brilliant the story is but you just need to play it, now
  23. nascent
    Sep 9, 2014
    9
    This game brilliantly tricks us FPS/3PS fans into playing a smarter game.

    Spec Ops: The Line instantly throws you into fun, and exciting more of the game action. Easy to pick-up and fun to play. From there it introduces you to team tactical play and protecting and utilising your team as if they were real players. Then deceptively it begins to lay on the incredible plot, starting with    This game brilliantly tricks us FPS/3PS fans into playing a smarter game.

    Spec Ops: The Line instantly throws you into fun, and exciting more of the game action. Easy to pick-up and fun to play. From there it introduces you to team tactical play and protecting and utilising your team as if they were real players. Then deceptively it begins to lay on the incredible plot, starting with simple environment survival, and mystery, and then evolving into an engrossing and thrilling plot that self admittedly borrows from a great novel.

    I found myself absolutely loving this game. I found the team tactical elements more fun and enjoyable to use than the Battlefield series, and I found the duck and cover shooting as good as the rest of them.

    I strongly recommend Spec Ops: The Line to anyone that even remotely enjoys FPS and 3PS games. For me it is one of the best in recent history, and it really stays with you afterwards.    … Expand
  24. iamTylerDurden
    Jul 3, 2014
    10
    Brave, daring, and dramatic Spec Ops: The Line is basically the antithesis of a CoD game when it comes to shooters. The only reason you buy Spec Ops is for the brilliant single-player experience, the guys at Yager should be commended for having the guts to show that in war there are no heroes, no winners, no glory. Technically the game works well as a third person cover based shooter withBrave, daring, and dramatic Spec Ops: The Line is basically the antithesis of a CoD game when it comes to shooters. The only reason you buy Spec Ops is for the brilliant single-player experience, the guys at Yager should be commended for having the guts to show that in war there are no heroes, no winners, no glory. Technically the game works well as a third person cover based shooter with the regular assortment of modern military weaponry and esthetically pleasing scenery and graphics. The game also features satisfying environmental hazards which can be used to annihilate the enemy in spectacular fashion, such as shooting out glass with a thousand tons of compacted sand behind it and watching it envelop the opposition. If The Line had a "mail it in" generic script like most other war shooters it would still be a competent game, but infact the script is an inspiring one with moral choices that alter the game and a narrative with twists and turns that would you expect from a great book. The Line explores the mental anguish of war and challenges every other game in the genre to step up their single-player story and make something REAL. The voice acting is top notch featuring Nolan North as the voice of main character Captian Martin Walker and the sound effects and soundtrack are superb featuring many Vietnam era inspired tracks such as Jimi Hendrix's rendition of All Along the Watchtower. Overall Spec Ops: The Line is a spectacularly visceral game that will have you questioning your decisions often, this game will make you think and feel in a way no shooter ever has - it's a shame more people experience it. If you own a PS3 or 360 and are not a completely emotionless sheep then you owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of this criminally under appretiated game. This should have been the game that pushed the war shooter genre in videogames forward, but unfortunately nobody noticed... will you?… Expand
  25. Andyr42
    Jun 22, 2014
    8
    Go to any search engine on-line and type in "PS3 - most underrated games" and I can almost guarantee you that Spec-Ops: The Line will be on most people's lists. Reviewers in general didn't rate this game too highly and there's one main reason for that. The multi-player is rubbish. The single-player campaign however is great - unfortunately nowadays, the on-line modes always overshadow theGo to any search engine on-line and type in "PS3 - most underrated games" and I can almost guarantee you that Spec-Ops: The Line will be on most people's lists. Reviewers in general didn't rate this game too highly and there's one main reason for that. The multi-player is rubbish. The single-player campaign however is great - unfortunately nowadays, the on-line modes always overshadow the main game and account, in my opinion, for way too heavy a percentage of the game's final score. Great game? graphics? story? fun? enjoyable? cool, sounds like an 8/10, but wait, the on-line multi-player is a bit poor so let's give the whole thing 5/10 instead.

    Spec Ops: The Line is a 3rd person shooter as the title of this review suggests. It will be familiar to those of you who have played Gears of War, Binary Domain or Vanquish for example, as the control mechanics are very similar. The graphics are very nice, depicting a post sand storm-ravaged Dubai where the game takes place. There are some small frame rate issues after cut-scenes as well as the textures needing a moment to sharpen up, but this doesn't ruin the experience.

    People have compared the story to Joseph Conrad's, "Heart of Darkness" (of which there is a film, Apocalypse Now) and they are more or less right with this one. 3 soldiers (American of course...) are sent into Dubai to search for survivors of the tragic sand storm. What begins as a simple in and out turns into a long (and very violent) struggle to discover the truth of what happened to the previous US military mission into the city, which takes the player on a story of surprises, twists and shocks.

    Overall positives (+) and negatives (-) then:

    + Great story
    + Great graphics overall
    + Great single-player campaign (6-8 hours to complete first play through)
    + Great dialogue/voice acting
    + Fun and satisfying to play
    + Intense fast-paced action

    - Poor on-line multi-player
    - Small frame rate/texture issues during gameplay
    - The classic "why do my squad members keep dying and I have to run through a hail of bullets to revive them" issue
    - Sometimes getting in and out of cover positions can be tricky and clunky

    Overall, 8/10 from me. Very fun and intuitive gameplay mixed with a gripping storyline. The game is very much intended for adults (lots of violence, bad language and disturbing scenes of war) so if you're thinking of buying this as a gift for someone, bear that in mind.    … Expand
  26. MaxPayneIsGod
    Jun 18, 2014
    8
    Based on Hearts of Darkness, the novel of which Apocalypse Now was born, Spec Ops: The Line is a spectacular, story driven, third person, military shooter which exposes us to the horrors of war like no other game available today. Let down slightly by average graphics and short length. However the moral choices system warrants multiple play throughs 8/10
  27. hipposeatfree
    May 10, 2014
    9
    Oh my. Spec ops: the line is something else. Something special. Something fantastic. You may think its a generic military shooter but it isn't. There is some texture pop in but nothing can take away the games smooth controls and fun gameplay.
  28. Pureray
    Feb 20, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The mission has been compromised, although that is on what you believe in until you kill innocent people (forgot how many) then later begin to blame it on the man you, yourself tried to search for, now wanting what he calls to be the right thing such as justice to take him down. Making yourself face many unnecessary decisions just wanting to be the hero as what you thought John Konrad (man you try to find) to be. He also wanted to be a hero trying to evacuate the civilians but ended in critical failure having him lose so many lives, he then killed himself for the choices he made. Walker (character you play as) was now going through the issues Konrad had to face which was choice that should have been avoided not made, so for Walker his consequences were the lost of his squad, many more civilians, and US troops.

    In the end when you reach John Konrad you find him dead, long before delta squad arrived you could decide to deny it and live or die just like Konrad. If you decided to live then you begin to call for an evacuation, later on Falcon One arrives should you; kill them, leave, or die fighting them. Mine was die fighting since I saw it to be the "best" choice, doesn't mean it is however.

    Overall I gave the game a 9! Did not add any multiplayer since I did not have the want to play it, also it was empty (dead) when I tried to play some of it. I highly recommend for those who care to experience something more dreaded in a singleplayer game!    … Expand
  29. Psipunisher
    Jan 27, 2014
    9
    Una de las mejores narrativas algunas vez encontradas en un videojuego, la jugabilidad simple se justifica por el objetivo de la historia que el juego cuenta! lo recomiendo!!!!!
  30. the_blueprint
    Dec 18, 2013
    8
    This game surprised me. I didn't expect it to be this good. The graphics are very good, the controls fluid and it was the dark story that kept me going. The game is pretty short though and I personally didn't like the ending because it was predictable. But that's just me.
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Awards & Rankings

65
#65 Best PS3 Game of 2012
21
#21 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2012
31
#31 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 27
  3. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. Push Square
    Aug 20, 2012
    80
    Spec Ops: The Line is a solid, action packed shooter that sets itself apart by demonstrating the brutal realities of war. The fragile lines of morality are easily blurred, and sometimes, only visible when crossed.
    Read full review
  2. Playstation: The Official Magazine (US)
    Aug 1, 2012
    80
    While it's marred by frequent visual pop-in and frustrating checkpoint placement, Spec Ops is nevertheless a pretty significant achievement. [Sept 2012, p.79]
  3. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    Jul 16, 2012
    70
    Where Spec Ops succeeds – just – is with its themes of the end justifying the means, the ravages of war on a man's psyche and its portrayal of extreme violence. This is simultaneously its downfall as the team haven't quite nailed the execution until the final moments, where the full extent of what's happened over the last eight or so hours dawns on the protagonists. We wish Yager had teased and fleshed out the concepts sooner than leaving it to the beguiling endings; we doubt many players will bother reaching the credits. A year and half ago we might have been more impressed with The Line, but its poor presentation and boring shootouts completely let it down. [August 2012, p70]
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