spec ops: the line spoilers please

[lechat]

big spoiler warning (i hope)



ok so i really don't see how spec ops could be that revolutionary and i will not be forcing myself to play a military shooter no matter how good it is claimed to be so feel free to spoil the whole thing for me inside this thread
thank you

 

[thatonedude11]

First off, it is worth it. Even if you don't like MMSs, it is an experience worth having. It's $15 on steam right now, and might go cheaper on a flash sale in the next few days. If you are still not convinced, well...

Spoiler

There is a scene about halfway through the game where you inadvertently drop white phosphorous onto what you think are enemies. Turns out they were civilians. Not only that, but unlike the infamous No Russian mission in Modern Warfare 2, Spec ops makes you feel like a piece of shit for doing it. The game just goes downhill from there.

 

[RedAce]

the game is at its peak when you know nothing about it other than its an MMS, i highly recommend playing it before you read any spoilers.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Honestly, I'm glad I only paid £6 for the thing.

Really underwhelmed me, and I saw every 'twist' a mile away.

The infamous white phosphorous scene would have probably had more of an impact if it:

a: Wasn't so blindingly obvious (who didn't think a huge group of immobile targets weren't civilians?)

b: It gave you an actual choice, but you have to drop the phosphorous on them, the game kills you otherwise.



The game basically tells you that you're monster for killing civvies, but you can't progress the game until you do.

 

[GangstaGeek]

Honestly, I'm glad I only paid £6 for the thing.

Really underwhelmed me, and I saw every 'twist' a mile away.

The infamous white phosphorous scene would have probably had more of an impact if it:

a: Wasn't so blindingly obvious (who didn't think a huge group of immobile targets weren't civilians?)

b: It gave you an actual choice, but you have to drop the phosphorous on them, the game kills you otherwise.



The game basically tells you that you're monster for killing civvies, but you can't progress the game until you do.

The game is making a statement on how little *choice* many games have even though we have an illusion of choice.

Although thanks for giving your opinion though. We still need some that aren't all praise.

But seriously the game is great, has a great story and really deals with alot of the issues of everything that is wrong in a game.

 

[Zhukov]

Honestly, I'm glad I only paid £6 for the thing.

Really underwhelmed me, and I saw every 'twist' a mile away.

The infamous white phosphorous scene would have probably had more of an impact if it:

a: Wasn't so blindingly obvious (who didn't think a huge group of immobile targets weren't civilians?)

b: It gave you an actual choice, but you have to drop the phosphorous on them, the game kills you otherwise.



The game basically tells you that you're monster for killing civvies, but you can't progress the game until you do.

The game is making a statement on how little *choice* many games have even though we have an illusion of choice.

No it isn't.

It's forcing you to perform a particular action then trying to make you feel guilty about it. It's not the only game to do so, but imitating what other games do is not making a statement.

What exactly about the scene in Spec Ops makes it a statement as opposed to a common mistake?

 

[lechat]

cool thats basically what i was expecting and has saved me time playing the thing
my original assumption was the gameplay involved "press X to murder innocent ppl or unplug the computer to not"

i still fail to see how that is revolutionary. maybe it's because i don't play military shooters but do those just ask you to slaughter innocent civilians then pat you on the back for it or what?

 

[ischmalud]

big spoiler warning (i hope)



ok so i really don't see how spec ops could be that revolutionary and i will not be forcing myself to play a military shooter no matter how good it is claimed to be so feel free to spoil the whole thing for me inside this thread
thank you

mate put a threat up about this a few days ago....and yea....its boring

 

[88chaz88]

You're bad and you should feel bad.

Seriously that's possibly the biggest spoiler to the game I'm ever going to give. If you can't force yourself to play it watch an LP. You can't just read the game's story, you need to experience it.

 

[Guitarmasterx7]

It's an extremely harsh takedown of the military shooter and the mindset associated with it, as well as what I would consider to be the most brilliant character piece in videogame history.

The ending is nothing short of brilliant. It doesn't ask you to make a big choice that changes the outcome of everything. By that point it says what it wants to say, both to the main character and you as a player, and you're less making a choice that's going to change it but rather interpreting how the main character (and by proxy you) choose to process that. I feel like it's one of the very few cases wherein a game can honestly be called a work of art. It's not built around gameplay or story. It's built around a theme and it expresses it though mechanics. It could never exist as anything outside of an interactive medium and I guarantee you've never played anything like it.

 

[zumbledum]

the lack of choice did a lot of damage for me to , the biggest for me was the CIA scene were you decide to team up with them to go after the water trucks.
but if you look past the fact the man we play as is a bit of a retard and dont treat the game as an attempt to make us feel guilty but to let us empathize with a basically good man who ends up in a bad way the rest of the story the descent into darkness is pretty well done.
I did enjoy my play through and did finish it which is pretty rare for me

 

[talker]

wel, let's sum it up, shall we?

1: you drop white phosphorous on innocent civilians, burning them alive

2: you hallucinate throughout the game that the supposed evil mastermind is toying with you by way of a radio, forcing you to make choices that will haunt your memory

3: you destroy the water supply, dooming everybody in the city to death by dehydration.

4: your team's sniper and medic, Lugo, is lynched by a mob

5: when you finally reach the enemy base it turns out he hand been dead all along

 

[Halceon]

If you want to have the story delivered to you properly without playing the game, watch an LP. None of these comments can do it justice. Or grab Killing is Harmless.

 

[88chaz88]

the lack of choice did a lot of damage for me to , the biggest for me was the CIA scene were you decide to team up with them to go after the water trucks.
but if you look past the fact the man we play as is a bit of a retard and dont treat the game as an attempt to make us feel guilty but to let us empathize with a basically good man who ends up in a bad way the rest of the story the descent into darkness is pretty well done.
I did enjoy my play through and did finish it which is pretty rare for me

That lack of choice and the disconnect we feel is part of the critique of the genre. How many decisions do you make in other MMS's? Little to none, but we normally go along with that bullshit because the game doesn't call us own on it.

Also I would never describe Walker as a good man. He's ignorant in the beginning and insane towards the end. None of the acts or descisions he makes in the game could ever be described as good.

 

[rbstewart7263]

Best description of the game would be from critical intel. Id check his article out.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/criticalintel/10114-The-Critical-Games-of-2012?utm_source=features&utm_medium=index_carousel&utm_campaign=all

Also criticl intel and robert rath are great reads irregardless you should be reading his articles anyway.

 

[lechat]

geez some of you guys are getting a bit butthurt about one guy refusing to play one single genre of game. it's not like its my little pony or anything serious.

i do not like military shooters because i don't see the appeal of running around gunning down other ppl because they are a different race or religion and the usual tacked on "BTW these guys are terroizters and they wantz to take your freedomz!!" is not enough motivation for what i consider to be a boring genre
the fact that the game basically does the same thing but mixes it up with an exciting twist of "killing innocent ppl is bad amirite?" does not change the fact that i would not enjoy the gameplay

the reason i asked for ppls description of the game is because reading a tiny blurb or watching a video will not capture the emotion received by those who had actually played it and since the spec ops fanboys are nearly on par with dark souls and MLP fans i had hoped you guys could explain to me what was so revolutionary about it without freaking out that is wasn't my cup of tea

 

[88chaz88]

geez some of you guys are getting a bit butthurt about one guy refusing to play one single genre of game. it's not like its my little pony or anything serious.

i do not like military shooters because i don't see the appeal of running around gunning down other ppl because they are a different race or religion and the usual tacked on "BTW these guys are terroizters and they wantz to take your freedomz!!" is not enough motivation for what i consider to be a boring genre
the fact that the game basically does the same thing but mixes it up with an exciting twist of "killing innocent ppl is bad amirite?" does not change the fact that i would not enjoy the gameplay

All that is why you should play the game.

If you don't like action games or shooters then that's fine, I'm aware of many people who don't, in said case watch an LP. You won't get the full experience but you'd understand more than if you just read a plot synopsis.