Spec Ops: The Line is an upcoming third-person shooter from developer Yager Development and is being published by 2K Games. PlayStation LifeStyle recently got a preview of the game in a closed door showing. Check below for our impressions of this shooter and what it might bring new to the table.
Spec Ops places gamers behind the gun with Captain Martin Walker who has made his way to Dubai to rescue U.S. Army Colonel John Konrad. The problem here is that Dubai has been covered by fierce Sandstorms, making the trek through it a very dangerous one. Along the way players will discover that not all is what it seems and you might just have stumbled into a big war between those left in Dubai.
All the usual suspects one would expect of current shooters are present in Spec Ops. Their is a cover system that from what we saw looks pretty solid, allowing the players to use the remains of Dubai for shelter. The guns in the game are what you would expect from a modern day shooter and will get better through your time in the game. You won’t be alone either in your missions as you will have an AI squad at your disposal and a Co-op online mode, though we were not told just how many people that would support. Players will be able to command their squad and give them basic commands to follow or scout an area.
The game will also feature real time decision making, giving players the option to step in and stop certain events or sit back and watch them unfold. The part we were shown was a public execution that we had the ability to stop, giving up our position or we could have watched from a distance. These events will change the story, opening up different options later on, though the impact of your actions may not be known right away.
The big catch in Spec Ops: The Line that developer Yager hopes will distance itself from other shooters on the market is its dynamic terrain. Seeing as the entire city is engulfed in sand, players will be able to use this sand to their advantage or also be caught up in it. If you see sand piled behind a window, shoot the window to see the sand flow through, sometimes covering up enemies in your way. The game will also feature a unique engine that will randomize sandstorms during the game, meaning the game might play different each time through it.
Overall Spec Ops: The Line looked like a competent shooter with a lot of potential behind the very unpredictable sandstorms. Yager and 2K Games have promised online play and with Co-op gameplay the game should provide a good deal of entertainment. It also does not hurt that Nolan North of Uncharted fame will be voicing Captain Walker, though we were told not to expect the same sense of humor we have become accustomed to with North.
