Spec Ops: The Line | Xbox 360 REAL HARDWARE | 4K60
1A very good, well-paced third person shooter with one of the most interesting stories found in a game. Featuring many dark decisions and gray choices, this is a story of PTSD and other horrific events that happen to our cast of 3 characters and a few other important side characters.
Performance was acceptable, mostly locking to a nice, even frame-paced 30 with frequent drops down to the mid 20s and very few sections that could hammer it down to the low 20s. This game uses dynamic vsync, where at 30 it is active, but inactive when it drops below. Overall, it remained steady most of the time unless in heavily scripted events, or certain sections. I experienced no bugs or glitches that I could notice.
Gameplay is based and or inspired heavily by Gears of War, even down to using the same controls and is focused on cover shooting, which works very well, and I never once felt I had an issue to where it got me killed or did something I didn't want it too. In a lot of ways, I find it to be improved over the GoW series as it's less tight and restrictive.
It can feel pretty generic at times or ever repetitive, with lack of objectives other than really just shoot your way to the next story sequence, but the combat handles itself excellent and controls are very responsive and easy to use. Your two AI controlled comrades are smart and useful, simple to command with either the abilities to take enemies out on your mark, or to stun grenade when the game consider the player character to be overwhelmed in non-scripted sequences.
Graphically, Spec Ops is gorgeous in so many ways. It relies less on high resolution textures and more on the art direction of the unique area, Dubai. There are some stunning vistas in this game, a lot of which I find to be among the best in any off the top of my head, especially the high-rise sections on top of the towers, with the sunken city surrounded by sand up many stories high.
Sound and music was alright. There are a few scenes where music is played for real and it adds a lot of emotion to them, sometimes very light humor or dreaded sorrow and loss of hope. I will say Radio Announcer's voice actor is hilarious and brought a lot of needed tension relief, while being very down to earth and a man-gone-insane sounding. There is a part where he sings, while raining fire from a helicopter and I loved it.
This is my full, uncut and raw recording from beginning to end on the Hard difficulty. I would give Spec Ops single player an 8/10. I have never played it's multiplayer before.
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