Spec Ops: The Line: The Peak of Game Storytelling | An Essay
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- Опубліковано 16 тра 2023
- Spec Ops: The Line is one of my favorite games of all time. Where Spec Ops the Line truly excels is in taking its narrative and enhancing it through all of the other storytelling elements. I haven’t played another game where the gameplay, art design, music, and so forth come together in such a cohesive manner to tell a story. Every little element of this game, down to the minutiae, is oriented towards enhancing the narrative.
Join me in peeling back Spec Ops: the Line, layer by layer, and taking a retrospective look at how the game masterfully tells its story.
My name is Calvin B. Fisher, and I do retrospectives and longform game critiques. I'm also the author of the Northfield Saga, a post-apocalyptic science fiction series set in a gas-infested wasteland. Mark Northfield faces death or the sacrifice of his soul, when he is blackmailed into an assassination mission. What he doesn't know is that his target holds the key to saving the world.
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Gentlemen... Welcome to Dubai.
So many good quotes from this game!
@@calvinfishermedia do you feel like a hero yet?
@@chaotic6753 I thought my duty was to protect this city from the storm. I was wrong. I have to protect it from you.
The only one to blame walkie talkie is You.
We might not have a choice Lugo, We Always Have A Choice. Prepares to toast 47 innocent people with phosphorus and walks it off and falls in love with Konrad right after and gets married all paid by the VA and the US Govt and also forgets his PTSD and love happily ever after, After Putting a few thousand people to death from dehydration lile a dick
"Dubai's harbor was filled with sand when storms first wracked the city. The corpses were your doing."
36:22
Fun fact most might not have noticed, the first thing the player sees when we take control of Walker was a stop sign on the road leading into the city.
Woah, that’s an awesome detail! Never noticed that. There are so many layers to this game
"You ignored the signs. You kept going." -Conrad
He, wasn't wrong. The Stop Signs also appear through out the game's first act (I think we can call it that). All facing the path you are going all saying "STOP"
And, you ignored them all. It registered at some level to me, "Why do I keep seeing this? Why do they want me to Stop?" But I ignored them too.
@@calvinfishermediaI’m surprised as this was one of the things that stopped me, when I stated my second play through. I just stopped turn of the game and decided to play it again later. Which I did. And I agree even if we know the story the next play thoug allows to see more details, nuances or what I felt gives you a different perspective on the events presented.
This game always stuck with me for one specific reason/moment. It's when Lugo is killed. The first time I played the game, I opened fire on the crowd without much hesitation. Not out of anger or anything that a character died, just because I thought it's what I was supposed to do. I was so accustomed to games presenting choices clearly, like a character saying "Do we shoot them or just shoot into the air?" or some kind of text prompt. Because no choice was *clearly* established, I didn't bother thinking about it and just killed a bunch of unarmed people.
It wasn't until I watched a video on the game when the person mentioned just shooting into the air, and that's what the game really "hit" me. Really opened my eyes to the psychology of video games/media and made me really appreciate the commentary of this game.
Yeah, I absolutely love that moment for all of the reasons you’ve described. It really is such a powerful use of gameplay plus story… the fact it makes you confront the fact that you didn’t TRY to find a peaceful way out is such a unique and memorable thing that causes you to reflect
by rules of engegement they were hostiles
and they already killed lugo
first time i tried walking up to them, you know "i wonder what will happen"
but they push you back and your health goes down
well i pointed the gun at them and sprayed entire mag
I didn't know shooting overhead was an option so I hit them instead or shooting them
@@dethofgod666 ah interesting, I didn’t even consider melee an option’
The moment that struck me was the three people hanging scene. I simply decided to just... walk on by. It was that moment that made me feel like 'holy shit, this is what choices SHOULD be!' Such a simple thing, but it was just one of many things that stuck with me.
There is a line that clinches the whole game for me, and sends chills down my spine every time I hear it.
The white phosphorus has mowed down dozens of American soldiers and more than thirty innocent civilians. They were all probably gathered together in an attempt to hunker down and await rescue. Now they are an array of twisted and misshapen ghoulish corpses, leftovers of a slow and firy death. In the midst of the suffering and chaos and carnage wrought by Delta squad. Lugo goes off on Adams once more, on the verge of either fighting seriously or even resolving to mutiny Walker. While Adams tries again to force Lugo to fall in, Walker is traumatized by the bodies of a woman and a girl embracing in horror, ironically frozen in their moment of death. Shaken to the core by the mass murder he just ordered, Walker delivers the most irrational and counter productive command he could possibly make and he issues it with a demeanor of such calm, sober and certain delivery that you can tell that his rational mind is gone. You as the player know that nothing good can possibly come from playing on as this broken, violent man. Still, the game must go on.
"We need to keep moving."
Yeah, that line is delivered so perfectly too! You hear how broken his voice is, but how determined too. He isn’t willing to give up his pretense of heroism. Not yet
Love how 2023 and still new videos about this game are still coming out. Much love. Great work.
Thanks for watching!!
Walker - as in the walking avatar of the player who refuses to stop
Huh, never thought of that! I could definitely see the name being intentional. Thanks for watching!
Watching this game get removed from stores and history because of music copyrights expiring is such a punch in the guts for both players and those who created this masterpiece. This is a once in a lifetime experience and work of art that should be introduced into the video game hall of fame.
With you there, it’s a shame how it’s been taken off of stores. The danger of digital games I suppose. Hopefully they will find a way to get it back into stores, like Alan Wake
The final scene with Konrad possibly references the five stages of grief.
Konrad: "I'm going to count to 5, then I'm pulling the trigger."
Walker: "You're not real, this is all in my head" [Denial]
Konrad: "Are you sure? Maybe it's in mine. ONE."
Walker: "No, everything, all of this, it was your fault!" [Anger]
Konrad: "If that's what you believe, then shoot me. TWO."
Walker: "I-I didn't mean to hurt anybody." [Bargaining]
Konrad: "No one ever does, Walker. THREE."
Walker raises his gun. [Depression]
"FOUR."
"Is this really what you want, Walker? ... So be it. FIVE." [by shooting himself, it represents the final stage.....Acceptance]
This is a great interpretation! I didn’t pick up on it, but looking back I can definitely see it.
@@calvinfishermedia Also Walker is 100% obsessed with being an action hero. After the helicopter crash, he uses his sidearm a Desert Eagle. Not a Baretta M9 standard issue or even an M1911 which some Marines carry. A Desert Eagle is impractical for combat in the game and real life but is a symbol of action heroes. It symbolizes Walker to be something he is not. Plus Walker is not a reliable narrator. In the first encounter he mentions the locals speak Farsi. Farsi is an offset of Persian which is oft spoken in Afghanistan where Walker served. In Dubai the locals speak Arabic. First of many hints something is not right.
impractical in game? I know it wouldn't be a good choice in real life, but in game? that thing is an instakill per bullet, saved my ass whenever i had it on FUBAR@@TheFacelessStoryMaker
34:55 if you notice, Lugo is not pointing to Walker. He’s point over his shoulder, to the player.
I’m replaying and I noticed that.
Good catch! I never noticed that! It is a cool detail
I think my favorite grim detail in game is during the aftermath of the white phosphorus segment, where you can hear a 33rd soldier who is trapped inside of an APC, likely sealed inside by the searing heat. He's banging on the hull, begging to be let out, and it is goddamned heart breaking, especially given the hindsight of what they were actually doing.
Wow, I have never noticed that. Chilling. I will keep an eye out for it next time I play!
Did you know that developers intended to put in a far cry type ending where at the beginning when you first see survivors you can radio that you found survivors and turn back? They didn’t actually implement because it would have affected the message of the game which was “these choices were never yours to make”
I did hear about that! It is interesting to think of how that would have affected the game’s message for sure. Thanks for sharing
@calvinfishermedia There's also a theory that suggests that this entire game is Walker's purgatory. There are many indications to it, but the main point used is what Walker says during the second helicopter sequence: "Wait. We've been here before!" (Or something like that, it's been quite a while since I've played it)
The closest thing you can have to follow your orders is after finding there is survivors is to quit the game
@KongoMuller69 Yup, and the game starts to chastise you after the White Phosphorus part (as shown in the video), implying that YOU are the responsible for everything that happened, and Hugo even points directly at the camera during the White Phosphorus aftermath's cutscene, as others have pointed out.
@@danielm.595 Well yeah. When the loading screen says, "if you were a better person you wouldn't even be here". The game isn't chastising you for being railroaded into a difficult choice you couldn't make. It's criticizing you for making the choice to keep playing, despite everything you've done so far.
An interesting minor point Im just now seeing: during Delta's shootout in the Nest Adams will shout out "we're Delta Force, we're here to help!" Later on as theyre making their way through the Mall and preparing to confront the Radioman he'll quip back sarcastically, "what are the seven scariest words in the english language? 'We're Delta Force, we're here to help!'"
This is a cool parallel, I didn’t notice! Thanks for sharing.
I doubt theres a connection... but i heard this line and thought of Reagan saying "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the Government, and I'm here to help. "
Have any of the devs or Williams said that this was an intentional reference or maybe Jake Busey improvising?
For the choice at 39:41, you can also choose to shoot the ropes, liberating both, the civilian and the soldier, in the process. Lugo and Adams will cheer on this, which appears to be a bit strange to me, considering the final plot-twist.
Also, you can't save the prisoners ftom the snipers. I just wanted to point out that there is a fourth option.
Ah interesting! I didn’t know that was even an option. I feel like there is always more to learn from this game. Thanks for sharing!
@@calvinfishermedia You're welcome, thanks for the awesome video :)
you are taking down the bodies
it is something to cheer you on
but on the other hand who knows how much did walker hallucinate
@@ryszakowy Yes, I think you have a point there.
@@ryszakowyAdam's reflecting on a situation helps us players know it's reality. Often he calls us, walker, out on his insane moments, but here we are in a wrong place wrong time moment. Even with walker hearing conrad in the radio, there's still a bizarre situation we find ourselves in
I would recommend playing the game in one sitting. You get worn down and fatigued by the end, and I think it adds to the experience in a very good way
I could definitely see how that would enhance the experience! I think another comment mentions how the voice actors did all the recordings in one sitting, to make the ongoing exhaustion more apparent. So it is a similar experience from the player’s end!
Playing FUBAR and restarting chekpoint after checkpoint made me feel what Walker must be going through every day (assuming the Go Home ending is canon). Reliving every single event on loop wishing it could be over.
I got the Platinum trophy for my troubles.
Was it worth it?
I’ve never tried FUBAR, the second highest difficulty is all I’ve gotten to. I have debated playing FUBAR for the plat. Would you say the accomplishment was worth the hassle?
@@calvinfishermedia If the goal was to make you feel empty inside and getting to feel what Walker felt, then yes. It's honestly the final bit of the already impactful storytelling in the game.
Hell yeah brother, useless online points take priority over EVERYTHING.
"Do you feel like a Hero, yet?!"
The Line is gaming's greatest story, as it was a story only a video game could tell and pull off this perfectly.
That is definitely what is so special about this game - it really takes a story that can only be told via a game and executes it so well!
@@calvinfishermedia In fact, as someone who feels alienated by overly bleak stuff (I.E. Nier Gestalt/Replicant, which is surprising considering I handled the darkness of its spiritual precursor Drakengard relatively well), I can say that The Line has become my depression game PRECISELY of how mind-bendingly well-written it is and how it pulls no punches in its critique of the military shooter subgenre.
The first half or so goes out of its way to foreshadow future events and subliminally tell the player to STOP, so once you walk through the aftermath of a White Phosphorous incident and then proceed to cause your own WP attack, you will be shown the error of your ways and begin to feel the exact Cognitive Dissonance that the game has been preparing you for and informs you about on a loading screen.
It's a story that is so well-written, so fantastically executed and so final that it has more than earnt its following. BioShock and Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty might be my favourite games, but whenever I feel depressed and having a mental dark spot, The Line helps me get through it with its themes of PTSD and reflection of our violent tendencies in shooters, all culminating in a brilliantly soul-destroying finale where the right choice to make is VERY obvious (finish the countdown) as... well... You know there's no way your character could recover from it.
@@NebLleb really well said. It’s a game I always come back to as well. There is something about playing through the story that always lends a renewed perspective on things when I come through the other side
4:21 On replaying this game more recently, I noticed that during the opening of the helicopter section at the intro, the camera moves in such a way that it makes you think you're going to be taking control of the helicopter that just got blown up. Twice, actually.
The first time the camera zooms into the back of the destroyed helo and fades to black, as if you're about to be placed inside it - then you don't. Then the camera tracks along with it as it spins away, so for a moment it's like it's going to follow it. Then it peels off and finally follows Walker's helicopter instead.
Not sure how important that is, but it is interesting given the whole helicopter crash becomes to the meta-narrative of the game.
That is a really interesting observation! I didn’t notice that. Yeah I wonder what the ramifications could be!
My personal interpretation would be that this is foreshadowing. You think that you’re going to be following the bad ass hero who has to make sacrifices to save the day (the destroyed helicopter), but you’re actually playing as the guy causing all of the chaos (Walker)
Your original order is to leave & evac the city. Yet you still cross the line. That stop sign in the beginning is a warning of things to come. Kinda reminds me of that "would you kindly" from Bioshock. Another thing that makes this game so unique is that it detaches itself from modern military action stories where the hero is a badass soldier & saves the day. In this game, you're the monster who destroyed more & more. So glad I got to play this game. Definitely deseeve a remaster. Story is way written better compare to the AAA games we have today.
Well said man! Agree with you there for sure, would love to see a remaster one day. Thanks for watching!
This game ins an underrated masterpiece. I just love how it de glorified military violence and showed how complex and horrible it is. PTSD the game. It's far, far deeper both as a game and as a story than you'd think at first glance. You covered basically all of it, and put words to things I can not. Apparently it's one of Nolan Norths favorites of his own work.
Definitely agree on all this! Glad to hear Nolan North is proud of his work here. It is definitely my favorite voice acting of his.
This game sadly didn’t get the attention it deserved back in 2012, but since then it become a cult-classic for many players. Look how many people on YT (from different countries) analyzed this game, break it down to the smallest details.
Also in a day and age where game writing imo is not great (Forspoken but also many other games) this one showed that even though the subject was already touched upon in Joseph’s Conrad “A heart of darkness” and leter on in “Apocalypse Now” one can take inspiration and port it to new medium (in this case computer game) using the power of interactivity as well as 4th wall breaks to communicate with player on level not possible in books or movies.
The creepy part about the special game over loading screen is the bgm.
“Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”
The twinkling star up above the world so high being white phosphorus.
I never noticed that! Thanks for sharing
"If you were a better person, you wouldn't be here."
This quote still haunts me. Goddamn Spec Ops is so good!
For sure!! This game has so many iconic quotes
Fun fact: during development there was apparently a 5th ending involving you leaving dubai at the start of the game but was scrapped.
I had heard about that! It would have been cool, wish it had made it into the game. Kind of like Far Cry 4’s alternate ending where the game ends if you hang out at Pagan Min’s place
I think it certainly wouldve been a great add.
9:30 The Flag being hung upside down is mentioned on the loading screen tips as "A universal sign of distress." Considering what is about to happen, it's a warning. To who though.
10:48 The Developers did want to include an ending where you turned around and went "Home" at the start of the game, but Developer Time Crunch and Executives pushing the game out, prevented that.
24:45 At the time of the game's development, WP was not outlawed. It has been changed to be a No Go. The game does comment on this during a loading screen tip "While Frowned upon. White Phosphorus is not banned for military usage."
30:23 I did try this myself. It sets up an endless battle situation. I, respect the game for forcing me to do what it wants me to do. To make me do what I know I should NOT do. What I do NOT want to do. But, that's the cost of not following orders, now isn't it?
31:17 Perfectly said.
34:38 I know that moment. That I F*&@%ed up. BAD.
When the game asked me "Do you feel like a Hero yet?"
I thought, it's being snarky. Sarcastic. I will be the hero. I know I will. Then, I wasn't. And when it asked me again. I felt bitter. I did something BAD. And the game reminds me I did.
39:09 Lugo was right when he said that. And Adams was right to agree.
51:30 Walker does say something like "No. No! We have done this before!" Is, he aware? Why did he say that?
57:54 "Lugo, is the lucky one. He won't have PTSD like Kerry and Adams will for the rest of their lives."
59:45 My FPS Skills kicked in. I had NO Gun. No idea what I was gonna do. Or, if I was even gonna make it. And it lasted until the final cutscene. Well done to the developers for this.
1:03:32 Walker will point the gun at his neck if you turn towards the left. Accepting blame and ending it, on your terms.
1:04:25 Konrad says "Remember. What ever happens from this point. Is all YOUR fault."
1:05:32 I personally consider this the "Coward Ending" Walker can't accept the blame for his actions and wants to die a Soldier. Taking the secrets with him, to the grave. Though, it doesn't consider what the other soldiers think or what they are left with. This guy, went crazy and shot at them. Why? What happened? No one else is alive to answer that. Just, death and destruction are the only answers they get.
If Walker surrenders and goes home, he will have PTSD for the rest of his life. And, who knows how long he will last, with that blame and guilt.
I ask, as the game does as well.
"Do, you feel like a Hero yet?"
Hey thanks for the detailed reply! I didn’t know that about the flag or WP. Thanks for sharing that context, it definitely sheds more light on their use in-game.
The ending is up for interpretation too, I see how you think that’s the coward ending.
Thanks for watching, have a great one!
“Do you feel like a hero yet?” That line still hits me like a truck in 2023.
There is a possibility that this line appears in loading screen from Chapter 13 and 14, that turns out to be incredibly insulting imo.
@@calvinfishermediaWhite Phosphorus is also used as a concealment weapon. You aren't supposed to directly affect targets with it
@@danielmiller3781 I think you're right that it's a loading screen. It's a powerful line!
Just imagine the discussion between Falcon Squad members before and after they meet Walker
Nice analysis on one of the best games ever.
Just keep one thing in mind, the idea of depriving people of water was the idea of Riggs in particular. At least AFTER he found out that Castivan, Daniels, and Gould were dead. You can tell because when Riggs told Walker his true plan, Walker called him *insane* while Riggs admitted that Gould would've said the same thing.
Thanks for watching! And yeah, that is a good point! Nice attention to detail!
@@calvinfishermedia 👍👍
And to think that the crux of it all, the turning point is when the 33rd soldier misID’s Walker as being CIA, and doesn’t believe Walker’s correction, rapidly disseminating the bad intel to the rest of the 33rd.
How differently would events have unfolded? The 33rd would be introduced as the civilian-shepherding force, Walker could get out, take word of the situation, the 33rd somewhat intact, water supplies limited, civilians being protected from looters, all this could have been relayed back to command and a relief force sent had one soldier believed Walker, Lugo and Adams. The radioman would spread the news that the cavalry is on the way.
God damned CIA.
Well said! There are a few points in the story where, if Walker or others had taken a minute to understand the situation rather than ride off their assumptions, things could have gone a much less tragic direction. Walker’s use of 33rd comes to mind as well
"God damned CIA."
Basically describes the last 70 years of geopolitics.
“If you were a better person you wouldn’t be here” THAT STILL SCARES ME.
I watched my brother play this game when it came out. I was a 3rd grader. And because I was so young I saw this game for what it was, a shooter game. But when as I grew older I kept coming back to this game and realizing what it really was. A horror game. Its good thing I never actually played this game. I never killed those civilians, I never killed all those people. I never wanted to be the cool hero who “saves the day” and im better for it.
Truly an amazing and wild game. Really made me think twice about picking up FPS games. Games like COD make it seem like shooti g guns is fun and exciting…when its not.
That is a really insightful comment, thanks for sharing! It definitely makes me think more critically about games in the military shooter sphere
except shooting guns is fun and exciting i encourage everyone to train and become proficient in them as long as you are mature enough to handle them
43:55 This is a good and very striking contrast to not even ten minutes earlier, in the video at least, where they were begging and pleading with the 33rd, trying *so* hard to convince them they weren’t CIA.
Definitely! It’s another showcase of just how much the mission parameters have been warped by Walker into something unrecognizable
From the main menu alone immediately sends chills down my spine of how eerie the national anthem and how good of an opening music it is and another neat detail is that every fire fight it's almost never quiet at all both your squad and the enemy are always shouting orders and giving callouts definitely making it more immersive.
That is a great point! The firefights really do feel more immersive from the callouts. Thanks for watching!
such an awesome and underrated game.
Read "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad, this is what the game was loosely based off of
I have read it before! It’s been a while though, I’m probably overdue to read it again
And watching the movie Apocalypse Now
The interesting thing is, you don't have to do the Executions. If you wait a few seconds, they stop moving and then drop the weapon/ammo they were going to give you anyway. The Execution is just a gameplay feedback element. The game tells you to do it, but like every other crime and atrocity in the game, it was your decision to do it. In the case of Executions, you don't even have to. You chose to. The only soldiers who will get back up are the ones you hit with melee attacks. But you still have the option to smack them again and knock them out.
Fascinating! I had no idea about that detail, but it makes total sense for the game. Thanks for sharing
A very interesting review. Its worth noticing that before using white phosphorous you go through a room with a tree and if you turn around said tree will be withered and dead. Also Lugo death was forshadowed by a scene where you reppel down from a skyscraper and if you look on the glasses you can see that where theres lugo theres the reflection of an hanged man.
Wow! Those are some really cool details! There is always more and more to discover with this game. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching, everyone! I really appreciate it. What other games use art design, gameplay, sfx, etc to enhance their narrative like Spec Ops? I'd love to hear your favorites!
hyper light drifter had an entire storyline devoid of any written words
@@rosyfeather468 I love Hyper Light Drifter! It is another one of my favorite games. I was actually thinking of doing a video on it at some point.
Not sure if it counts, but the coma driven storytelling in Driver: San Francisco was pretty good.
The Last Day of June. It uses the music videos as the inspiration that accompany Steven Wilson's solo work to create the narrative of the game. The central character appears in "Drive Home" but has partial spoilers - the game doesn't follow the music video exactly but it has a parallel arc that'll make you anticipate some elements before you would realise them yourself without having seen it first.
@@RustyWalker that sounds super interesting! I haven’t heard of that game before. Thanks for sharing!
One thing I noticed too is that in the opening helicopter fight scene, walker has no sleeves left on his uniform... a change that doesn't occur until around chapter 12, I believe... Which is why he exclaims "wait this is wrong... we already did this..." in the 2nd one because he remembers the opening scene which makes me lean toward thinking the entire game is a flashback to get to that point...
That is an interesting detail! I didn’t consider that. Thanks for sharing!
There's also a theory that's supported primarily by that line (there are other, more subtle details throughout the game) that suggests that the entire game is Walker's purgatory, because, no matter the ending you choose, you will never leave Dubai.
Man, it's hard to leave out any little scene. It's all a part of it.
For sure! It all connects so well.
One thing I have to give to the creators of this game, is the balls they had to tell such story. They showed what a lot of the world sees the USA's external 'policies'.
When people sees American forces, without asking for their help, it's rarely means good news, but more incoming chaos because the situation 'interferes with USA's interests'.
It also F up the soldiers themselves, who had to execute horrible things.
Just for Hollywood make a movie about it years later, showing American soldiers being goodie 2 shoes
Yeah, they definitely didn’t pull any punches with this one. I think the no-holds-barred approach is a big part of what gives the game such a unique identity. Thanks for watching!
This game came out during the times when devs weren't being controlled by LQBTQ+ and SJW/Yoke bullshit, so "the devs had balls" isn't needed, nowadays it is 😂
Spec-Ops The Line definitely falls in my Top 3 games.
@@justryan6480what?
@@justryan6480most people like you would definitely say that this game is “woke”, given its anti war themes
@@HallowIsSmol Why would I call it "woke"? I was replying to the first comment about how he said "The devs had balls", yet back then making these types of games wasn't even a struggle because certain groups weren't going around and controlling things, i.e. making them "woke" like nowadays.
Gonna be honest I made that comment 7 months ago, I can barely remember what I had for breakfast today, so I did have to read this whole comment section multiple times to understand.
Spec Ops:The Line, to me, is an amazing game and I wish more games likes this came out, especially in today's times but sadly that'll be difficult. I meant story wise.
I LOVED playing this game! And I’m usually not into shooters like this. But the story made it so worth it! Thanks for a great video breaking it down!!
28:55 one thing quite unique about this game is the voice recording is done in ONE day. So you can hear the genuine fatigue and other emotions in VA’s voice.
Also one thing that might make you feel better about the WP scene, is the M224 mortar’s WP round effect is greatly exaggerated. It’s more akin to 155mm WP artillery round, which contains 12.75 pounds of WP. The 3.7 pound WP round used by mortar in reality contains less than 1 pound of WP is more for smoke generation rather than incendiary device. The WP scene made me quit back in 2017 when I first played the game, I do finished the game eventually and have many more playthroughs. But the shock value is still there.
Woah, I didn’t know that about the voice acting. That’s crazy!
That’s also a cool fact about the WP scene. I’m glad it’s not QUITE as bad as depicted in the game, I suppose.
Thanks for sharing your insights!
I am glad that I am not the only one appreciates this game for what it is, cheers.
This is by far one of the most intelligent videos analysing this game I've watched. As someone who loves Spec Ops The Line, some of the things you pointed out made my jaw drop.
Wow, thanks for the kind words! I am glad you enjoyed it!
The love, quality and vision in this game are incredible. It's sad to see people not "get it" and react on the surface level, but I also think it best exposes that it really is something people have told themselves cannot exist: a multi-layered, mature and nuanced story in a military shooter. It not only demonstrates video games as art, but also what is missing from a sea of microtransation-laden propaganda games and unfinished shells where it's hard to tell if there are fewer working features or artistic messages. This is what we could have. This is what we _should_ have.
I've always wondered if the in media res opening demonstrates some kind of "unreality" or even a representation of purgatory (looping, unending reliving of his crimes) that could extend to the rest of the game. Some of Walker's dialogue seems to me almost like he's aware the "loop" has taken place. I'm unsure.
I really don't think you could have stated it any more perfectly. 100 percent agree. Thanks for watching and sharing such an insightful comment!
The loop and purgatory idea makes a ton of sense. You are right that he does allude to it at some points. Like when he returns to the helicopter, he says something along the lines of "we've done this before!". Thanks for sharing.
55:00 I remember, the first time I arrived here, I still had that rifle equiped with grenade launcher with still one grenade in it. I shot the grenade into the air, leaving it to luck about who lives and who dies. I was surprised when I realised that shooting not the crowd was a solution, but also that the game interpreted my actions as such, despite the few guys killed by the lobbin grenade.
Huh, that’s super interesting! I never thought to try that, but I could see how the game misinterpreted the grenade. Thanks for sharing!
I love Spec Ops
Every month I always line UA-cam for more content
I FOUND SOME
This vid
And it’s a great video !
That is really kind of you to say! Spec Ops is a really special game, there isn’t another one quite like it. Thanks for watching!
I finally played Spec Ops doing quarantine. I heard how underrated it was, and this is one of the best deconstruction of the military shooter genre that i have ever seen in a video game!
For sure! It is a game that breaks down the genre in a raw and genuine way. Glad you liked the game. Thanks for watching!
When you spoke of how people called the white phosphorous section cheap, and forced upon players - I think it's also worth saying that, unlike COD, battlefield, and so many other games... Captain Walker ISN'T a blank slate meant for players to impress themselves upon. He's not MEANT to be 'You, the Player.' So it puts your willingness to go along with his choices (Even if the game gives no other options) on YOUR hands, and not just because the character is what you wanted it to be.
Walker was/is a man a step away from teetering over the edge, and you, by playing this game, eagerly hop right over it alongside him. Bombing the civilians is just as much your fault for getting carried away, as it is Walker's for refusing to see any alternative options. (And if you knew there was civilians, and complain about not being able to stop the bombing... We all know you spoiled yourself before you played.)
That is a really good point! It is important to remember that we’re playing from Walker’s perspective, not the player’s blank slate avatar
@@calvinfishermedia You said it yourself at the start, honestly. We see this story from WALKER'S perspective. The entire story is HIS view. HIS actions, and HIS perception. It's this reason why the choices were never really about 'Changing the way the game played,' but really just to test the player, and see how far THEY could go.
Because, in the end, the choices - save the ending - don't change Walker's choices, and beliefs.
55:00
One important detail is:
If you shoot the civilians you get the achievement "A Line, Crossed"
If you don't shoot them, so either punch them or shoot in the air, you will get the achievement "A Line, Held"
This is a good detail to note! Thanks for sharing
It was genuinely the only time the game made me feel accomplished... because I chose not to kill innocents for revenge. That was my one gold star this game gave. A line held.
Honestly the best detail i noticed is when Walker starts to hallucinating the loading screen colour changes from the normal loading screen
That is a great detail! Thanks for watching.
I've watched this and the Halo Reach video and you really are a step above the average beginning video essayist. You clearly know what makes for good criticism and you have a wonderful eye for details. I'm excited to grab one of your books and see all of that knowledge at work!
Thank you so much, this comment is really encouraging! Thank you for supporting my book as well, I hope you enjoy Mark Northfield's story!
I remember playing this entire game in one day during my highschool days, it was a rainy so I had a pretty good excuse to just grind through it. Me and my friend group loved to get together and play cod MW and MW2, I remember a lot of the times we would laugh at the wacky ways we could kill each other. I got recommend SO:TL by my history teacher, and i remember coming out of my room afterwards and having dinner with my dad, and just feeling absolutely numb for almost a week. I've NEVER been impacted by a story like that before or since, I stopped playing cod for awhile and convinced the group to play NHL more. This was a great essay, this and the Reach one in particular show you have a LOT of talent and potential, I can easily see this channel blowing up!
Thanks for sharing that story, it speaks to just how well this game is crafted and the passion put into it. I appreciate the kind words, it means a lot!
This masterpiece would deserve a remake. One of my best gaming experiences ever!
A remake would be awesome!!
Honestly one of my favourite lines may not be about the themes of the game but it was
Lugo:
A airborne insurgency has infiltrated the US zone designated as my pants
Definitely a great line haha! It shows off his cavalier attitude which slowly gets stripped away throughout the game. Plus, it's just funny. Thanks for watching!
“No one can help you now” that quote stuck with me
Same here. There are a number of quotes in this game that stick with me. Another is when Walker says “You brought this on yourself” after the White Phosphorous use
Thanks for such an extensive review of one of my favourite games of all time. For me, the defining moment of The Line is not a notorious white phosphorus scene, but dealing with the crowd after Lugo's death. Before that moment, the game rarely gives player a choice how to act, and usually all the options are violent. This time, however, there is a choice, even if the game doesn't indicate it (as we make choices in real life - without visual indicators), but considering that we always push forward, bringing violence and destruction, this time it seems so natural to choose violent approach. We have a gun and a clear goal ahead, and these people are standing in our way, having just lynched our squadmate, so we just shoot them, as usual. There is a curious detail about it - upon shooting the civilians, we are granted an achievement "A Line, Crossed".
However, if we shoot in the air instead, we will be granted "A Line, Held" achievement. This is The Line from game title, and one of the most important aesops of Spec Ops, in my opinion. When violence is a norm, if you push forward long enough, you will eventually cross the line, justifying or not caring about what you are really doing. And how the game brings us, players, to this exact moment, is pure brilliance. I am wondering how many players actually chose non-violent solution on their first playthrough.
It hurts me so much, as Russian, to see that my own country constantly chooses violence, justifying its actions and starting one military conflict after another. The soldiers return from Ukraine utterly broken, and many of them bring violence over their families, neighbours or random people. Not to mention deaths and devastation caused in Ukraine. None of this would have happened if we just stopped.
I hope this game and other pieces of anti-military art will eventually grow a generation which will despise the concept of war and violence as the final solution. There is no more war when no one wants to fight.
Thank you for sharing this. You really put it so beautifully and eloquently. I think the choice with the crowd is truly one of the best choices given in games. You have been conditioned for the violent, easy way out, and fail to even look for a more peaceful solution. In that way, the player’s state mirrors Walker’s perfectly.
I´ve been playing this game since 2014 and the 1º time I did so I could no believe the ending... I thought to myself "this it´s not a normal game this is something else". Sometimes I return and play it from the start becuase I realize that I might miss something and somehow this story reminds me of "Apocalypse Now" or "Heart of Darkness"...
This is like the 6th video essay and I'm in all for it.
I hope you enjoyed! Thanks for checking the video out
Man, I'm planning to write an essay about heart of darkness/apocalypse now and spec ops. I'm sure your video will add more to my interpretation of the game
Thanks for watching! I dropped you a sub, look forward to your video coming out!
@@calvinfishermedia hiii, that one is my personal account, this is that I post in. I will even try to put English subtitles so that you can Watch it
@@Dyogenes thanks!! I dropped you a sub!
fun fact the upside down flag is a distress signal and, everytime it flashes to white walker is hallucinating but fades to black is cannon, and theres 5 endings btw 1: martin dies in the helicopter crash and the game is just him coping trying to accept what happened and his punishment he is literally in hell the whole game in a purgatory 2:martin kills himself accepting what he did and going through the 5 stages of grief.3: he dies trying to not go home when the convoy picks him up, 4: he kills the convoy and becomes king of dubai, and 5 he goes home with the convoy and goes home and there was gonna be a kinda like far cry ending where at the very start of the game once you kill all the survivor's at the begining you could go back and radio that theres survivors like you where supposed to do and then your done
Thanks for the info and for watching the video! Good insights!
Yager is such a great company, even now with The Cycle, the world story-telling is pretty good imo
I’ve wanted to jump into the Cycle, I just haven’t found the time! I’m a fan of Yager.
I wish more people gave this game attention, thank you!
Thanks for watching, I really appreciate it!
Moments like the Lugo hanging scene sound pretty interesting for a psychological test
I really appreciate the moral grayness in the choices. A lot of games’ moral choices seem to just boil down to “good” or “bad” but the spec ops lines give you pause and think. Thanks for watching!
I feel compelled to talk about every minute detail. It's amazing the way it is. In the white phosphorus scene, Walker confronts his actions before either of his comrades - what a courageous hero he is! He closes his eyes and the image is burned into his mind. Ah man. He cannot stop seeing it even with closed eyes, and sure enough... when he opens his eyes... the truth is still there.
I'm pretty sure Walker is imitating Konrad in the intro scene too. Maybe that's why all this happened. Maybe I'm Konrad.
Bucking orders?
Where is the line?
These are some interesting insights! I haven’t thought much of him trying to imitate Konrad, but it makes total sense
Finding this after your video on Halo Reach- man you have taste in video games
Thanks! It is fun to cover these games and see other people's similar appreciation for them in the comments.
@@calvinfishermedia this is a game that's been high on my list since I saw someone else cover it. More people need to talk about it
@@intuitionedits2.032 Definitely agree with you there! I think this game deserves a whole lot more attention and love than it gets.
@calvinfishermedia in my opinion, lot of games that focus on story get pushed to the side a lot. Days Gone is another game that got this treatment. And it makes me sad
@@intuitionedits2.032 I'm with you, especially with Days Gone. I love that game and its story. It's a bummer they scrapped the sequel.
Great essay! Really laid out the reasons why I also love this game. This is really only tangentially related to the video, but games like Spec Ops: The Line, Hotline Miami and Kane and Lynch 2: Dog Days that specifically make metacommentary with their gameplay are honestly reason enough why games are art. Anyone who says they aren't because of (modern) AAA games being purely money-driven and mostly garbage need to just look at the mcu lol.
Yeah, I love that too! The indie scene is a great refresher for me from the AAA space, and I really value how artistically cohesive indie games tend to be with their premise and gameplay. Thanks for sharing!
I still feel the best moment in the game is where not only the loading screens, but the game itself stop talking to "Walker" and starts talking to the player behind Walker. To me it starts cropping up right after the WP scene where Lugo explicitly starts blaming "you" for what happened from here on out. Everything is suddenly your fault to him. Not Walker's fault. Your fault.
You’re right, this is an awesome moment. You can feel the monumental shift in both story and perspective after the WP scene. Thanks for watching!
I will forever be a little sad I was mostly spoiled on parts of this game before I had a chance to play it. But it's not like you can ever really get spoiled on a lot of the small details that make it such an amazing experience... or stop it from being incredibly chilling to play it yourself.
A lot of joy I’ve found in this game has been on subsequent playthroughs, and noticing some of the smaller things. I hope you have that same experience if you revisit the game. Thanks for watching!
I'll never forget the first time i've played the white phosphorus scene
Same here, it really leaves its mark on you. One of the most punching game scenes in my memory
One thing I've always wondered: since Konrad was dead all along, who were the 33rd taking orders from? Who were they taking orders from after the Radio Man was killed?
You know, that’s something I’ve always been a bit fuzzy on myself. I think the Radioman acted as the eyes and ears for the 33rd, but I he doesn’t strike me as the commander type…
@@calvinfishermedia There's the unnamed recon unit leader, who also turns out to be a hallucination. Well in reality he probably existed but Walker killed him in the lobby.
@@teslashark true, that is a good point!
Remember "The Interrogator" guy at 26:12?
He seems quite Commanding he could've been calling the shots. Hell due to how cruel he can apparently be for all we know he could've led the mutiny and executed the rest Konrad's command staff after Konrad blew his brains out.
EDIT: Before you meet that guy (and kill him too I suppose) you can find an audio recording from someone who sounds exactly like "The Interrogator". I can't remember what's said in the recording but it was bunch of weird shit about lighting people on fire and thinking about himself being lit of fire...... yeah the dude is weird.
@@declanjones8888 I think he's actually dead in another mission, earlier than Daniels is found.
Check the theory which I believe was also at least partly confirmed by the devs about cut to white and cut to black.
One them was a dream sequence the other was not.
So one of the theories for the helicopter crash from the start of the game is that Walker died and the whole game is a trick played by a dying mind. This is reinforced by the second time we play the same helicopter scene when Walker states “this ain’t right, we did this already”.
The cuts also is present before the choice with water thief and the soldier and in many other places. So if you die fighting Lugo, the cut brings you back to reality.
This is super interesting! I didn’t notice the difference between the cuts to white vs black, but that makes a ton of sense. Thanks for sharing!
@@calvinfishermedia I checked it fade to white is a hallucination, fade to black is reality. If I recall correctly before we reached the choice with two man and snipers it fades to while, but if you fail the scene with heavy (Lugo) it fades to black. The crash at the beginning is fade to black so it did happen.
If you replay the game again take this “fade to white/black” theory into account and I believe it will add yet another layer to this game story telling.
And if you have not played I personally think games like Firewatch and What Remains of Edith Finch are also good at telling a story and making player invested.
Out of curiosity are you planning to make videos on the games you did not like the story or how it was presented?
@@mravg79 Thanks for the recommendations! I'm not closed off to doing negative videos. I actually did a pretty negative one on Destiny 2 a couple months ago. However, I generally try to stay more positive. I think there are a lot of negative-focused gaming channels currently, so I prefer to cover games I enjoy to balance it out.
@@calvinfishermedia sure I get it. And yes there is a lot of negativity. As I see it there are two parts of it: state of modern high budget games and the fact known for years negativity/controversy sells. How often in main media we see w positive news?
So stick to what you want to do.
Have w nice time gaming!
@@mravg79 Thanks, I appreciate it! Hope you have a great time gaming too!
58:50 When I first played, I had that happen to me. After the long, grueling combat sequence it started to actually mess with my head, even when I knew about the game beforehand. I think if nothing else, the goal of that section is just to mess with the player.
This is a great point! It definitely messes with you and causes you to question your own sanity haha
Spec Ops: The Line: The Peak of Game Storytelling | An Essay
58:31 you get a similar one if you die after the helicopter crashes and you go to save adams
Oh, that is interesting! I didn’t catch that one. Thanks for sharing!
@@calvinfishermedia extremely good video my dude loved every second
@@ghostwhencodghosts9114 Thanks man I appreciate it! I also appreciate your insightful comments, thanks for sharing your knowledge on the game!
I've not quite finished the video, but I'd like to offer up one little nitpick:
You should put a black shadow/outline around the white text you use, to make it visible against all backgrounds!
Thanks for the feedback! That is a good note to keep in mind for the future :)
Excellent work
Thanks, I appreciate it! Glad you enjoyed!
I feel like the idea that quitting the game is a valid ending is a good comment. Walker just returns and gets help. Really it's the only good ending. But that's not what we're here for. We're here to see action and save the world. No player would just leave, for similar reasons to why walker wouldn't. That doesn't make the game worse, only better.
Thanks for sharing! This is a good insight. It’s cool how the motivation of the player, to feel like a hero, matches Walker, and they both continue on despite being able to turn around.
Good video on a damn fine video game. Only played it once but boy did it stick with me in a way most games don’t. I got the second ending but that was mainly because I hate video game endings where the player character dies.
Looking at you Fallout 3 and Faux refusing to go into the reactor room so either I have to matyr myself or be that guy and make Lyons do it.
Thanks for watching! Spec Ops really is a game that sticks in your mind for a long time after playing it
Found this game in a bargain bin without hearing about it before and I only played the original ones on ps1 so it was a nice surprise
I picked it up on a deal for ps3 way back then. Same, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into!
The up side down flag and what happens to it during the game show how Walker is going down in too darkness and ultimately his death ....the ultimated darkness..
That’s a good interpretation!
Always very nice to see a video on this game. I love the Heart of Darkness motif in Apocalypse Now and this, even from a young age having read the book and watched the film, it just hit different making the connections. Awesome game with an even better story. (Granted the multiplayer sucked and wasn’t fleshed out to the slightest.)
Thanks for watching! I always wanted to try out the multiplayer even though I’ve heard it was bad, but I could never find a server!
Great game. Makes you feel like a hero. 😉
This game fucking slaps.
It slaps the shit of out Red Dead.
There isn't a single game that even comes close to Spec Ops: The Line.
Spec ops really is amazing! I think Red Dead 2 is my favorite, but I definitely see how you could have Spec Ops on top
I loved this game as a kid but never really understood why, I feel like im gonna understand after this video
I hope you enjoy the video!
@calvinfishermedia I bought the game again so yeah u did good
@@kieranriley1624 Thanks! Enjoy your next playthrough!
After lugo's death before the exit of the level go to the right you can find his gun when I found it I kept the weapon through the rest of the game until It took away all the weapons
I like using the TAR as well! I always forget to pick it up though, I think only once out of my five playthroughs did I remember to grab it haha.
"Yep, still dead." Repeating a story you know nothing about.
"Yet to be seen" the story youre about the play.
Like holy shit
Hope for the day this gets remade
Same here! Updated graphics and slightly more polished gameplay would be a dream
3:02 "you never really hear people talking about this game"
are you sure about that? lmao
A handful of retrospective videos have come out in the past couple months/years, but the game flew pretty under the radar for a while. It was a commercial failure when it released, for instance, so I stand by that. Thanks for watching, appreciate you checking out the video!
I remember when this game came out. I really wanted to play it but I never had the chance to. Still never played it
I hope you get the opportunity to play one day! It is such a unique experience. Thanks for watching.
Falcon Squad: Oh shit
Finally SOMEONE gives this game some respect!!
Thanks for watching!
Do you feel like a hero yet?
I think the thing that those who criticized this game regarding agency and lack of real choice don’t understand is that all of the decisions had been made prior to the helicopter crash at the start of the game. From the point of the initial cut scene all the way to crashing the helicopter again you’re bleeding out in a crashed helicopter reliving everything that happened since arriving in Dubai, and everything after that to the end of the game is your brain shutting off and hallucinating as you descend into “hell.”
That’s just my take on it though. Brilliant story telling that ruined modern military shooters for me… they all feel like digital Whack-A-Mole to me now.
Your take makes a lot of sense! I agree, it can be hard going back to other military shooters after playing spec ops
Thanks for watching!
Remember "The Interrogator" guy at 26:12?
He seems quite Commanding he could've been calling the shots. Hell due to how cruel he can apparently be for all we know he could've led the mutiny and executed the rest Konrad's command staff after Konrad blew his brains out.
EDIT: Before you meet that guy (and kill him too I suppose) you can find an audio recording from someone who sounds exactly like "The Interrogator". I can't remember what's said in the recording but it was bunch of weird shit about lighting people on fire and thinking about himself being lit of fire...... yeah the dude is weird.
Oh dang, I didn’t catch that detail! That is pretty creepy. Thanks for sharing
I'm a simple man. I see Spec Ops The Line, I press like. Subbed btw ☺
Thanks for the sub! I appreciate it!
Nice Vid
Thanks for watching!
Oh no, when they killed Lugo I knew I could shoot to the air... I didn't, I killed all of them, its a videogame after all lol
Fair enough lol! Thanks for watching
This game is just fantastic.
Definitely, I'm glad it's seeing a lot of love in the comments! Thanks for watching!
At 17:35 you mention the discordant chime music, but you didnt note that it's actually diagetic like other music in the game! You can see the chimes themselves at 17:53, on the left.
That is a great detail to point out! Thanks for sharing!
good taste, good analysis, good subscribe button
Thanks for watching and subbing, I really appreciate it!
@@calvinfishermedia am a sucker for longform in-depth analyses like this, so my pleasure. you know how watchmen told a story in a way that only the medium of comic books could, and citizen kane did the same for film? this game and nier automata utilise the medium of video games in the same way, and we need more of it. (we do not talk about bioshock)
@@sugar_walls Watchmen is such a masterpiece. I feel like you could spend hours analyzing every panel and still miss stuff, it is so densely packed. I haven’t seen Citizen Kane but it is on my list! Same goes for Nier
@@calvinfishermedia ha i've literally done that a bunch of times and can attest to that yeah. love the tiny details like rorschach being a reactionary freak but having a soft spot for truman because of latent daddy issues. when you watch citizen kane, keep all this business about how the medium is used in mind. likely to deepen your appreciation. by the way, if you want someone to subtitle your videos free of charge, let me know
edit: youtube unsubscribed me from your channel but that's fixed now
@@sugar_walls thanks, that is really nice of you to offer! I do script out my videos so I can possibly look into adding those myself vs. letting youtube auto caption it
Whats up with all these Spec Ops The Line videos this year xD
I know right? After I posted this video, I noticed there were a lot of other spec ops vids that came out at a similar time
@@calvinfishermedia Its funny cause just as I started attending the platinum in this game I noticed all of these videos too xD
@@DarkturtleX yeah definitely interesting, I wonder what caused the influx. Good luck on the platinum!
So an underrated game😤
I’m with you there!! One of the big reasons I made this video was to show it the love I think it deserves!
Such a great game, played it multiple times, just now realized Walker is Nathan Drake, never made the connection
Same! Nolan North does such a good job in this game. The voice sounded familiar, but I didn’t place it until later playthroughs
it's complicated to describe
you boot it up and it's generic third person console peasant shooter - people tend to quit right there but it's the most genius thing the game does
so conflict starts right here as well - no dude you have to move forward later it goes fucknuts crazy
so you spoil the twist just to tell people it's better than it's intro
but what's the point of playing when you got spoiled
and then it's impossible to not get spoiled
every piece of media mauled the white phosphorus scene to death just as the ending
"the most violent scenes in games" "best twist endings" yadda yadda yadda
so it's a one in a lifetime experience
True, it’s a difficult game to not get spoiled. Unfortunately this is one of those games where getting it spoiled for yourself really can dampen some of the impact.
The sound is a bit low. Other than that, amazing essay.
Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it! I’ll tune the volume better next time