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Spec Ops: The Line |OT| Apocalypse Whenever - Starring Nolan North
- Thread starter NotTheGuyYouKill
- Start date
the gameplay is pretty standard, the atmosphere/story is where its at.
Pretty much how I feel about it.
Kenshin001
Member
Me too. Ordered off Amazon and waiting for it to arrive. Will be the first retail game I've played in ages, so as someone who thinks most video game stories are crap I'm hoping it lives up to expectations.
give the game a bit of time, since its starts as every other "bro" shooter. but after the first level, it begins to change.
Messofanego
Banned
I'd highly recommend to start on Suicide Run difficulty, especially on PC.
While the story's getting really good with all the twists, Spec Ops is great fun on the combat. Don't get stuck on cover, guns sound great, no bullet sponges, but sand stuff is not as much although the effects are excellent. Walker is getting angrier on the reloads and executions.
Advice on enemies writhing around near death, just let them then they'll give up the ammo. Sometimes I'm tempted to execute, when low on ammo during combat, but afterwards just let them suffer so don't feel bad on my conscience (because the executions aren't mercy-kills anymore in Chapter 5).
Nice detail is you put out the candles when you step over them in Chapter 4 "Refuge".
Level progression in Chapter 5 where you're going down with the toppled buildings like Cloverfield is amazing. Gotta give credit to the level designers for that for making it feel like a real big place instead of a short level, then cutscene, then next level (Max Payne 3).
While it's not the most detailed game, got some great lighting.
Long neck for the lulz
Since Half Life 2, I've loved menu screens adapting to level progression.
While the story's getting really good with all the twists, Spec Ops is great fun on the combat. Don't get stuck on cover, guns sound great, no bullet sponges, but sand stuff is not as much although the effects are excellent. Walker is getting angrier on the reloads and executions.
Advice on enemies writhing around near death, just let them then they'll give up the ammo. Sometimes I'm tempted to execute, when low on ammo during combat, but afterwards just let them suffer so don't feel bad on my conscience (because the executions aren't mercy-kills anymore in Chapter 5).
Nice detail is you put out the candles when you step over them in Chapter 4 "Refuge".
Level progression in Chapter 5 where you're going down with the toppled buildings like Cloverfield is amazing. Gotta give credit to the level designers for that for making it feel like a real big place instead of a short level, then cutscene, then next level (Max Payne 3).
While it's not the most detailed game, got some great lighting.
Long neck for the lulz
Since Half Life 2, I've loved menu screens adapting to level progression.
Not surprising. The demo was far from smooth.
Based on the Giant Bomb Quicklook the 360 isn't much better (loads of screen tearing and drops there).
It's smooth on my PC, but the PC version has its own set of problems. When it ups and running smoothly at 60 fps it DOES look pretty nice. I feel like the art really requires a high resolution and some decent AA to look nice, though.
wrong. no tearing and smooth, aside from a few drops.
Uhh, I don't think so. There is plenty of tearing on 360.
There was tearing in the demo and it's very clearly present in the Giant Bomb Quicklook.
like i said: nope. just finished it and never noticed any tearing. only framedrops/bit of slowdown in heavy shootouts. and i am really sensitive when it comes to tearing.
Finished this on the PC last night. Was very impressed with the game. The story was what hooked me, but I think I was most impressed by the level design and color palette.
The graphics on the PC were rather impressive, some really stunning vistas and highly detailed environments, not to mention the visual wear and tear that happens to your squad.
After playing the demo I had all but written the game off, as the start of the game is easily the least interesting part. Really glad I took a chance with it. Took me about 9 hours to finish on the hard difficulty, and I will probably replay it (something I rarely do with games).
Definitely worth checking out.
The graphics on the PC were rather impressive, some really stunning vistas and highly detailed environments, not to mention the visual wear and tear that happens to your squad.
After playing the demo I had all but written the game off, as the start of the game is easily the least interesting part. Really glad I took a chance with it. Took me about 9 hours to finish on the hard difficulty, and I will probably replay it (something I rarely do with games).
Definitely worth checking out.
Not sensitive enough, then, as it IS there.
Watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8jJJzWQVdM&feature=player_detailpage#t=431s
You can definitely see tearing there. Perhaps "loads" was a bit harsh, but it's definitely present. The game runs worse than your average UE3 title on 360.
Digital Foundry also disagrees with you. Why are you calling somebody out that has actually played that version and you haven't? Doesn't make alot of sense.
I've played the demo, though, and you can see it in that video. I can clearly see that tearing is present.
That said, I mistakenly implied that it occurs frequently when that is not the case. There absolutely IS screen tearing in the game, however, that much cannot be denied.
Anyone?
i just replayed that level, its their encoding. the game runs much smoother than in the video.
only when you shoot the upper glas (with the snipers) and the sand comes down, there is some tearing.
Its barely there in the demo. Df says that the 360 version has a better framerate, less tearing and is also the only console version that has SSAO.
I never suggested anything else. The PS3 version runs like shit.
I'm playing on PC, though, where it's smooth provided you delete your config file every.single.time you boot the game.
The sand from the glass was what I was referring to.
No you suggested there is plenty of tearing on the 360 version and there clearly is not. Like I said, doesn't make a whole lot of sense calling somebody out that actually has that version and you don't.
He claimed there was NO tearing, which is not true.
Whether I own that version or not is irrelevant, really.
Apparently this game will be 50% off on amazon next week...gonna grab it then.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=480502
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=480502
PC only, it appears. I'm really hoping for a $35-$39 deal on the 360 version.
Xander51
Member
It's a DX9 game running on Unreal Engine 3.
Cheers.
sleeprockss
Banned
Anyone?
There is no way to avoid doing that
Xander51
Member
No problem! I think they're using a deferred lighting system which is why it has some issues with regular AA.
Long neck for the lulz
Does Chris Bosh do the voice too or just the motion capture?
Here is a spanish interview with the Level Designer of the game. (It starts around the 10 min. mark)
I translated (with my awful skills) some of the interesting parts.
I translated (with my awful skills) some of the interesting parts.
M.W.
Member
Just noticed Giant Bomb review in.
There is a surprise! Jeff is being pretty unenthusiastic again
Jeff doesn't like anything.
i'm going to start the single player tonight. Can't wait.
this is a nice hidden gem and terribly underated game weird it lauch so silently.
Enjoying the gameplay Spec ops has to offer, once you get the hang of the controls everything feels better.
Im loving the hell out of the multiplayer
atm there is a very small but solid friendly community brewing online, really just wish Yager launched it with more than 6 maps, a solid 10 maps would have kept SO:TL MP going so much more longer, heres hoping for they throw in some MP maps to go along with the Co-op DLC.
Enjoying the gameplay Spec ops has to offer, once you get the hang of the controls everything feels better.
Im loving the hell out of the multiplayer
atm there is a very small but solid friendly community brewing online, really just wish Yager launched it with more than 6 maps, a solid 10 maps would have kept SO:TL MP going so much more longer, heres hoping for they throw in some MP maps to go along with the Co-op DLC.
Metal Gear?!
Member
Is anyone having trouble finding or joining games on the PC version? Is anyone playing?
Don't know if it's been posted (had a quick look) but the Rock, Paper, Shotgun review is in.
Alec was very complimentary.
Alec was very complimentary.
I know. Which makes me think he needs a break from reviewing stuff. So that he can enjoy his hobby again.
firehawk12
Subete no aware
Yeah, it changes the button prompts and all that.
Horse Armour
Member
Yes but unfortunately it doesn't turn off the 360 button prompts when using M&K so you'll have to unplug/disconnect your 360 controller if you don't want the 360 button prompts onscreen. It's 2012, if a game uses the 360 controller it should automatically change the onscreen buttons to the M&K if you're using that instead.
revolverjgw
Member
Beat it, fun game. I don't want to say the gameplay is average, but it's definitely standard. Absolutely nothing special about it and no glaring flaws, so there's nothing much to say about it. But I really love my stop and pop so it was a nice, short, well-made romp. Even though the whole sand dynamic amounts to almost nothing gameplay-wise, the setting is going to stick with me, and the game really sells how big of an ordeal this was for the characters. I was pretty into it.
I'm about 4 hrs into the campaign and just wanted to share my thoughts. The atmosphere in this game is fucking great. The pulsing electric guitar score and constantly changing neon color palate evoke an awesome John Carpenter vibe more succesfully than I have ever experienced in a video game (and many have tried). The writing and voice acting are great, and the ways in which your squad's dialogue reacts to the different things you're doing is probably some of the best I've seen. The typical linearity for this kind of TPS is almost rendered a non-issue here by how thoroughly engaging the narrative is, and the clip at which it moves.
The thing letting the whole experience down is the gameplay. The encounter design is actually pretty good and enemies can be quite aggressive, which is great, weapons feel good to fire and the reload animations are nice. The cover system however, is clumsy (sometimes very much so, due to how the camera works when you aren't aiming your weapon or moving) and would have benefited immensely from assigning a cornering command while you're in cover. It's not a deal breaker, but if you've played Gears or even Binary Domain then you've played much better.
Overall I think (so far) the game is excellent. If every military shooter was as ambitious with it's narrative as this one, then I wouldn't have such a problem with there being so many of them.
The thing letting the whole experience down is the gameplay. The encounter design is actually pretty good and enemies can be quite aggressive, which is great, weapons feel good to fire and the reload animations are nice. The cover system however, is clumsy (sometimes very much so, due to how the camera works when you aren't aiming your weapon or moving) and would have benefited immensely from assigning a cornering command while you're in cover. It's not a deal breaker, but if you've played Gears or even Binary Domain then you've played much better.
Overall I think (so far) the game is excellent. If every military shooter was as ambitious with it's narrative as this one, then I wouldn't have such a problem with there being so many of them.
Amazing...just fucking brilliant. OK, gameplay is standard and all but everything else, and I mean everything (even loading screens), are fucking awesome. Funny, I heard this game was super short so I was thinking it wasn't worth the money. I beat it in 5 hours on hard and I think it was worth every penny.
This game hits like truck if you let it grab you. Twist be damned, the whole ride (once things go to shit) had me hooked. The big mid game changer is so well done. How many of those aerial "you control a camera and rain death from above" moments are in games now days? How many treat the scenario likes it's some fucking arcade high score game? This game's sequence shows how utterly silly those other games have let themselves become. I mean, the set up and overall payoff is amazing.
Going through battle and killing tons of people with no repercussions has been something I've thought there was no solution to. I mean, how do you make a game fun with no one to use your toys on? Spec Ops completely solves this by making the enemy something we know. It's amazing how well the enemy mid battle yelling blends in so perfectly with your own squad. It's truly just a cluster fuck of a scenario. I feel for BOTH sides.
No game has hit me this hard in a long while. I mean, things go to absolute shit in this and it FEELS like it. I think the length of the game helps this. This subject matter needs to hit hard and not drag you on for prolonged "game" moments just to pad the length.
Long story short, I never thought I'd consider something so close to a dude bro shooter would be art. Spec Ops truly is up there with masterpiece games like Portal and Ico. Fucking amazing. Also, I'm so glad that the "war game that used the Bjork song" turned out good lol. Good shit, team at Yager.
This game hits like truck if you let it grab you. Twist be damned, the whole ride (once things go to shit) had me hooked. The big mid game changer is so well done. How many of those aerial "you control a camera and rain death from above" moments are in games now days? How many treat the scenario likes it's some fucking arcade high score game? This game's sequence shows how utterly silly those other games have let themselves become. I mean, the set up and overall payoff is amazing.
Going through battle and killing tons of people with no repercussions has been something I've thought there was no solution to. I mean, how do you make a game fun with no one to use your toys on? Spec Ops completely solves this by making the enemy something we know. It's amazing how well the enemy mid battle yelling blends in so perfectly with your own squad. It's truly just a cluster fuck of a scenario. I feel for BOTH sides.
No game has hit me this hard in a long while. I mean, things go to absolute shit in this and it FEELS like it. I think the length of the game helps this. This subject matter needs to hit hard and not drag you on for prolonged "game" moments just to pad the length.
Long story short, I never thought I'd consider something so close to a dude bro shooter would be art. Spec Ops truly is up there with masterpiece games like Portal and Ico. Fucking amazing. Also, I'm so glad that the "war game that used the Bjork song" turned out good lol. Good shit, team at Yager.
Robobandit
Member
I just finished it myself.. took me 11 hours on "Suicide mission" difficulty.
Parts of this game were really heavy..
I'm still thinking about some of the imagery..
Parts of this game were really heavy..
I'm still thinking about some of the imagery..