Spec Ops: The Line: The Peak of Game Storytelling | An Essay

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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[@Maverickib]

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.

[@calvinfishermedia]

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

[@ryszakowy]

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

[@dethofgod666]

I didn't know shooting overhead was an option so I hit them instead or shooting them

[@calvinfishermedia]

@@dethofgod666 ah interesting, I didn’t even consider melee an option’

[@f14uubercat]

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.

[@0verWay]

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.

[@calvinfishermedia]

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

[@samuelbonilla3008]

Gentlemen... Welcome to Dubai.

[@calvinfishermedia]

So many good quotes from this game!

[@chaotic6753]

​@@calvinfishermedia do you feel like a hero yet?

[@calvinfishermedia]

@@chaotic6753 I thought my duty was to protect this city from the storm. I was wrong. I have to protect it from you.

[@chiapets2594]

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

[@callsigncoyote7931]

"Dubai's harbor was filled with sand when storms first wracked the city. The corpses were your doing."

[@BenjaminSteber]

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."

[@calvinfishermedia]

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

[@pfcparts7728]

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.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Woah, that’s an awesome detail! Never noticed that. There are so many layers to this game

[@hegyak]

"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.

[@mravg79]

@@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.

[@chesterstevens8870]

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!'"

[@calvinfishermedia]

This is a cool parallel, I didn’t notice! Thanks for sharing.

[@christopherweinland1693]

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?

[@chiffmonkey]

Walker - as in the walking avatar of the player who refuses to stop

[@calvinfishermedia]

Huh, never thought of that! I could definitely see the name being intentional. Thanks for watching!

[@alejandrouscanga1004]

Fun fact: during development there was apparently a 5th ending involving you leaving dubai at the start of the game but was scrapped.

[@calvinfishermedia]

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

[@catsabotage3362]

I think it certainly wouldve been a great add.

[@qwertzu140]

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.

[@calvinfishermedia]

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!

[@qwertzu140]

@@calvinfishermedia You're welcome, thanks for the awesome video :)

[@ryszakowy]

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

[@qwertzu140]

@@ryszakowy Yes, I think you have a point there.

[@abrammilner9560]

​@@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

[@NebLleb]

The Line is gaming's greatest story, as it was a story only a video game could tell and pull off this perfectly.

[@calvinfishermedia]

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!

[@NebLleb]

@@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.

[@calvinfishermedia]

@@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

[@Kestoik]

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”

[@calvinfishermedia]

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

[@danielm.595]

​@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)

[@KongoMuller69]

The closest thing you can have to follow your orders is after finding there is survivors is to quit the game

[@danielm.595]

@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.

[@r1g0r_m0rt1s]

​@@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.

[@himethisisme]

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.

[@calvinfishermedia]

That is a really interesting observation! I didn’t notice that. Yeah I wonder what the ramifications could be!

[@hirschmeistr6842]

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)

[@gellax111]

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.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Huh, that’s super interesting! I never thought to try that, but I could see how the game misinterpreted the grenade. Thanks for sharing!

[@queuedjar4578]

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[@ProjectTaker]

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.

[@calvinfishermedia]

I never noticed that! Thanks for sharing

[@MansMan42069]

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?

[@calvinfishermedia]

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?

[@MansMan42069]

@@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.

[@djaccountisbfisbx3880]

Hell yeah brother, useless online points take priority over EVERYTHING.

[@chesterstevens8870]

"Do you feel like a Hero, yet?!"

[@jimiperlas3215]

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.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Well said man! Agree with you there for sure, would love to see a remaster one day. Thanks for watching!

[@JawsFG_]

"If you were a better person, you wouldn't be here." This quote still haunts me. Goddamn Spec Ops is so good!

[@calvinfishermedia]

For sure!! This game has so many iconic quotes

[@Mintylight]

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.

[@calvinfishermedia]

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.

[@mravg79]

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.

[@LocalDiscordCatgirl]

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.

[@calvinfishermedia]

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

[@catsabotage3362]

"God damned CIA." Basically describes the last 70 years of geopolitics.

[@tuauafiafiahoching1753]

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.

[@calvinfishermedia]

That is a great point! The firefights really do feel more immersive from the callouts. Thanks for watching!

[@BrickDaniels-qu7bz]

Man, it's hard to leave out any little scene. It's all a part of it.

[@calvinfishermedia]

For sure! It all connects so well.

[@LouiseBelcher69]

I would tweak two things: the white phosphorus and the men hanging from the rope 1. It revealed that Walker just stopped and looked at two dead bodies hanging, and Adam and Lugo are confused and don't understand why Walker stopped. I would have a close-up shot of all three of Delta Force and Walker abruptly stopping, with Lugo and Adams confused. Lugo repetitively says, “Walker, walker, walker.” In Walker's POV, he hears, “We need to choose.” Lugo is saying, “Walker, snap out of it,” and Adam would be confused. 2. The white phosphorus. What I would change is adding more enemies, and Walker and his crew would see the damn 33rd gathering people in a room to be executed. In Walker's mind, in reality, they are bringing them to a safer place away from Walker and the insane damn 33rd. Delta Force encourages a vast amount of resistance, and right next to them is the motor. The scene plays out, and we see the dead bodies. Those are a few changes I would do

[@calvinfishermedia]

I especially like that second change! It could have added even more power to the scene by heightening his misconception.

[@bimbgusbomgus2861]

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.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Definitely! It’s another showcase of just how much the mission parameters have been warped by Walker into something unrecognizable

[@strikeforce1500]

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

[@calvinfishermedia]

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!

[@justryan6480]

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.

[@Ireee702]

​@@justryan6480what?

[@HallowIsSmol]

@@justryan6480most people like you would definitely say that this game is “woke”, given its anti war themes

[@justryan6480]

@@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.

[@hecku]

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.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Wow, thanks for the kind words! I am glad you enjoyed it!

[@SIGNOR-G]

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.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Wow! Those are some really cool details! There is always more and more to discover with this game. Thanks for sharing

[@extremelycatty4040]

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.)

[@calvinfishermedia]

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

[@extremelycatty4040]

@@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.

[@SeriousGranade]

This game started off as misunderstood and controversial, but eventually, through analysis and careful observation we ended up seeing it for the storytelling gem it really is. And it's not just the gameplay that shows us how the situation devolves either, it extends to the menu screen as well! When we first boot up the game, the main menu shows us a figure standing of a roof of a building that overlooks the city, with a tattered american flag waving near him. This man is in fact, one of the 33rd soldiers we end up encountering throughout the game. As we play through Spec Ops: The Line more and more, this screen develops from the soldier simply going about their business to slowly but surely growing more cautious and alert, frantically waving their gun in search of the nearby threats (those being Delta), while both the flag, and the city slowly but surely degrade. Once we get far enough into the story, the soldier dies, with crows eating away at his corpse. And by the end of the game, we see nothing more of him but a pool of blood. The rest is covered by the flag, now fallen over the soldier's half-eaten corpse. And all we see in the background, is nothing more but the skeletal remains of a building. Dubai has died. And Walker and his Delta were the driving force behind it...

[@calvinfishermedia]

That is one of my favorite details about the game! It’s really cool how the main menu shows the progression of the story. Thanks for watching.

[@bratwurscht1310]

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"

[@calvinfishermedia]

This is a good detail to note! Thanks for sharing

[@youmukonpaku916]

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.

[@Yuukat25]

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!!

[@mason-r4j]

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

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for the info and for watching the video! Good insights!

[@queuedjar4578]

The lead writer of the game in another work of his wrote about the dying in the helicopter crash as a possible theory to the game, but it was mostly in protest to requiring the beginning of the game begin as the helicopter chase scene so I don't think it's entirely valid as a theory and was more meant to bring up more questions.

[@theveteransergeant]

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.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Fascinating! I had no idea about that detail, but it makes total sense for the game. Thanks for sharing

[@queuedjar4578]

There's a bit of a gameplay incentive to do executions as it will give you ammo for both your primary and secondary weapons regardless of what weapon the enemy was holding. An odd design choice considering the game's themes, but if you don't do it you'll be hurting for bullets way more often.

[@Kingpin6100]

One other thing about the opening turret scene- if you know a bit about military hardware (and go into the game blind) you'll know that you're an american gunning down American helicopters, which adds a sense of mystery

[@calvinfishermedia]

Ah, that is a good point! Thanks for sharing!

[@KongoMuller69]

Honestly the best detail i noticed is when Walker starts to hallucinating the loading screen colour changes from the normal loading screen

[@calvinfishermedia]

That is a great detail! Thanks for watching.

[@yowman98]

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!

[@calvinfishermedia]

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!

[@thei9372]

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!

[@calvinfishermedia]

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!

[@FPSWreck]

Bought me a copy for the ps3, it’s arriving today. Looking forward to playing it for the first time

[@calvinfishermedia]

Nice! I hope you enjoy the game.

[@maksimsamoilov7688]

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.

[@calvinfishermedia]

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.

[@hellonokay1925]

Honestly you can interpret what walker does to himself at the final point lf the game as either not wanting to take responsibility or seeing accepting it & deciding his own sentence. From both actions.

[@calvinfishermedia]

This is a good point! Can definitely see it either way. Thanks for warching!

[@syncopatedglory]

a wonderful analysis. i knew i liked you when you started talking color theory. i came here after this game was mentioned in a comment for a video on Ready Or Not. fantastic job. it's very plain to see you're a writer!

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks so much, your words mean a lot! I appreciate it!

[@mareeeeeeeeeeeeeeee]

This game is high art and I adore it.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Definitely agree! Such a fun game to analyze and break down.

[@PR0N0G0D7]

Yager is such a great company, even now with The Cycle, the world story-telling is pretty good imo

[@calvinfishermedia]

I’ve wanted to jump into the Cycle, I just haven’t found the time! I’m a fan of Yager.

[@tlozfreak888]

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.

[@calvinfishermedia]

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!

[@Seagull780]

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.

[@calvinfishermedia]

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.

[@arun_gaming1426]

This is like the 6th video essay and I'm in all for it.

[@calvinfishermedia]

I hope you enjoyed! Thanks for checking the video out

[@intuitionedits2.032]

Finding this after your video on Halo Reach- man you have taste in video games

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks! It is fun to cover these games and see other people's similar appreciation for them in the comments.

[@intuitionedits2.032]

@@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

[@calvinfishermedia]

@@intuitionedits2.032 Definitely agree with you there! I think this game deserves a whole lot more attention and love than it gets.

[@intuitionedits2.032]

@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

[@calvinfishermedia]

@@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.

[@The1971Cuda1]

I wish more people gave this game attention, thank you!

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for watching, I really appreciate it!

[@BrickDaniels-qu7bz]

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.

[@BrickDaniels-qu7bz]

I'm pretty sure Walker is imitating Konrad in the intro scene too. Maybe that's why all this happened. Maybe I'm Konrad.

[@BrickDaniels-qu7bz]

Bucking orders? Where is the line?

[@calvinfishermedia]

These are some interesting insights! I haven’t thought much of him trying to imitate Konrad, but it makes total sense

[@Lapeno456]

Moments like the Lugo hanging scene sound pretty interesting for a psychological test

[@calvinfishermedia]

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!

[@e_eyster]

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.

[@calvinfishermedia]

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!

[@Eve.The.Whore.Of.Babylon]

All of these spec ops videos that I'm seeing makes me wanna go to Dubai. Should I?

[@calvinfishermedia]

I have had the same urge after playing spec ops haha. I am not sure, I don’t know much about it! Thanks for watching

[@Eve.The.Whore.Of.Babylon]

@@calvinfishermedia I meant if I should buy the game lolz But now I can't anymore since it got delisted

[@calvinfishermedia]

@@Eve.The.Whore.Of.Babylon oh oops 😅 my bad lol. I just saw that!! Such sad news. Emulation may be the best method now unfortunately :/

[@ghostwhencodghosts9114]

58:31 you get a similar one if you die after the helicopter crashes and you go to save adams

[@calvinfishermedia]

Oh, that is interesting! I didn’t catch that one. Thanks for sharing!

[@ghostwhencodghosts9114]

@@calvinfishermedia extremely good video my dude loved every second

[@calvinfishermedia]

​@@ghostwhencodghosts9114 Thanks man I appreciate it! I also appreciate your insightful comments, thanks for sharing your knowledge on the game!

[@MrJakeros]

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?

[@calvinfishermedia]

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…

[@teslashark]

@@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.

[@calvinfishermedia]

@@teslashark true, that is a good point!

[@declanjones8888]

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.

[@teslashark]

@@declanjones8888 I think he's actually dead in another mission, earlier than Daniels is found.

[@LavaCreeperPeople]

Spec Ops: The Line: The Peak of Game Storytelling | An Essay

[@quadeappenheimer8135]

Whenever the screen turns bright white before a cut scene or a scene in general its walker hallucinating.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Interesting detail! Thanks for sharing

[@WorstGamer92]

I'll never forget the first time i've played the white phosphorus scene

[@calvinfishermedia]

Same here, it really leaves its mark on you. One of the most punching game scenes in my memory

[@fallout921]

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.

[@calvinfishermedia]

That is a great detail to point out! Thanks for sharing!

[@Julian_H]

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.

[@calvinfishermedia]

This is a great point! It definitely messes with you and causes you to question your own sanity haha

[@caramelldansen2204]

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!

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for the feedback! That is a good note to keep in mind for the future :)

[@toastsneggs]

Finally SOMEONE gives this game some respect!!

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for watching!

[@declanjones8888]

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.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Oh dang, I didn’t catch that detail! That is pretty creepy. Thanks for sharing

[@RavenACTUAL]

Do ya feel like a hero yet?....

[@dethofgod666]

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

[@calvinfishermedia]

I picked it up on a deal for ps3 way back then. Same, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into!

[@teslashark]

Falcon Squad: Oh shit

[@BayaRae]

Great game. Makes you feel like a hero. 😉

[@yournextdoorgamerwithgames2945]

Hope for the day this gets remade

[@calvinfishermedia]

Same here! Updated graphics and slightly more polished gameplay would be a dream

[@kieranriley1624]

I loved this game as a kid but never really understood why, I feel like im gonna understand after this video

[@calvinfishermedia]

I hope you enjoy the video!

[@kieranriley1624]

@calvinfishermedia I bought the game again so yeah u did good

[@calvinfishermedia]

@@kieranriley1624 Thanks! Enjoy your next playthrough!

[@erendripaeger9875]

Adams Lugo and Walker died after the plane crash. The whole walkthrough is just him remembering things upto the point of the crash and the rest of the chapters are his imagination.

[@calvinfishermedia]

I have heard that theory before; I think one of the writers may have mentioned it. From what I understand this isn’t definitive, as what really happens is up to the player’s interpretation. It is an interesting theory though and does explain a handful of details in the game. Just goes to show how layered this game is and how many levels it can be interpreted at. Thanks for watching!

[@erendripaeger9875]

@@calvinfishermedia yes i heard it had some uninvited executive intervention as well so the director also didn't address towards it completely so at the end it comes down to each player's interpretation. Great video tho watched through the whole thing :)

[@calvinfishermedia]

@@erendripaeger9875 ah that makes sense, I didn’t know that! Super cool to know, thanks for sharing! Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@hegyak]

@@calvinfishermedia From what I remember in another video, Look at the Fades. They are a different color, after the helicopter crash.

[@will_the_warlord8913]

Can you spot Konrad?

[@calvinfishermedia]

Spot Konrad where? I don’t think I follow

[@andreirusu6064]

you are a writer yet you haven't specified what the writer of spec ops said. He said that the chopper scene represented Walkers death but the idea was over ruled by the higher ups. So to deliver his real intentions with the story, he left some details. He said each time walker was hallucinating, the cutscene, when it changes, is welcomed with a white screen whilst when he's not, its black. At the end if you choose to put the weapon down when the soldier asked you to do so, after you get in the Humvee in between the shots there is a white screen meaning he's hallucinating. The soldier asked him how he managed to survive and walker answered "who said I did" can lead the player to believe that walker has just lost himself in the events of Dubai. But after what the writer said, you can assume that Walker knew he was dead, and what we saw in the chapters after the crash was just hell and him dealing with failing to be a Hero, as he portrayed the Colonel. Walker looked up to the Colonel, and thought of him as being a hero. Thats why when he found him, he was dead, it was representing the fact that he failed to be like him and that there was no chance to become a hero after everything that happened. And after all, it wouldnt make sense if this wasnt the case. When Walker had to choose between the soldier and the civillian, Adam and Luko acknowledged the snipers meaning the snipers were there in that moment. Also when the Colonel started speaking on the walkie, both Adam and Luko looked like they were hearing the colonel talk. All of this leads me to believe that the last two chapters was some sort of purgatory in which at the end we decide on walkers punishment and that the colonel was in fact alive.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for watching and sharing your detailed analysis! Yes I am a writer, and no I did not confer with the writer interviews. I generally try to critique games on their own without consulting writer interviews. I like to view the game on its own terms. It is valid to do otherwise, but I find for me it leads to more interesting and unique analysis. Thanks again for watching!

[@ThePowerRanger]

This game is just fantastic.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Definitely, I'm glad it's seeing a lot of love in the comments! Thanks for watching!

[@DrewFr33m4nn]

This game messed me up when I first played it.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Same here… it is one of those games where you REALLY remember your first playthrough!

[@mrdripling4192]

You'll be pleased to know that while I missed out the first time around, my copy arrived today. 3 minutes in and I'm already thinking to myself, is there a way to play this completely pacifist, without the player putting a bullet in anyone.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Nice, I hope you enjoy the journey! Unfortunately I don’t think there is a way to do a pacifist run to my knowledge!

[@danielmiller3781]

There was a cut ending like Far Cry 4 where you can finish the game before the bloodshed begins. Shame it did get cut from the game, it could be an awesome feature. And the best ending possible.

[@calvinfishermedia]

@@danielmiller3781 Yeah, I think that would have been really fitting for the game! I remember that ending from Far Cry 4!

[@BrickDaniels-qu7bz]

This game ties in nicely with current ''special operations'' too. Where is the line? I find the Jesus imagery to be interesting too. What happens when? It's clear that Walker goes through the five stages of grief no matter what choices are made. It seems that life, as Walker knew it, is over no matter what happens - he accepts that much. Man, I can only watch this shit in short bursts. The level of crimes... is just insane. There's theft. People are buried alive. Murdered. Burned. Abandoned. All this shit came from some idea - it's something. It's something dangerous and perhaps eternal. I'm scared sarge.

[@calvinfishermedia]

There is a lot of fascinating imagery in the game! I feel like there are so many layers

[@S_Roww]

So an underrated game😤

[@calvinfishermedia]

I’m with you there!! One of the big reasons I made this video was to show it the love I think it deserves!

[@mercenarygundam1487]

The sound is a bit low. Other than that, amazing essay.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it! I’ll tune the volume better next time

[@sugar_walls]

good taste, good analysis, good subscribe button

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for watching and subbing, I really appreciate it!

[@sugar_walls]

@@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)

[@calvinfishermedia]

@@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

[@sugar_walls]

@@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

[@calvinfishermedia]

@@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

[@KingOhmni]

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.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for watching! Spec Ops really is a game that sticks in your mind for a long time after playing it

[@regorn01]

Welcome to hell, gentlemen.

[@BenjaminSteber]

There is a true ending to this game. Here's a hint: The rain.

[@rogueraccoon1840]

Do you feel like a hero yet

[@calvinfishermedia]

You brought this on yourself…

[@banuner_]

Well i was gonna play it but its taken off steam lol

[@calvinfishermedia]

I’m so bummed they took it off of storefronts :/ sorry you didn’t get a chance to check it out.

[@valentineugeni9241]

es unos de los mejores juegos jamas echos, ayer lo termine de jugar en la mayor dificultad una verdadera aventura

[@calvinfishermedia]

Wow, congrats on beating the hardest difficulty! FUBAR is no joke. Thanks for watching!

[@ChairmanKam]

Your conclusion is good, but I think KotOR2 did it even better.

[@calvinfishermedia]

I’ve never played KOTOR 2 actually! I’ve heard great things though.

[@ChairmanKam]

@@calvinfishermedia Restored Content Mod is the only way to play. Though my first time was on XBox playing vanilla choices and I still loved it. Still my favorite game of all time after CE.

[@BrickDaniels-qu7bz]

This game fucking slaps.

[@BrickDaniels-qu7bz]

It slaps the shit of out Red Dead.

[@BrickDaniels-qu7bz]

There isn't a single game that even comes close to Spec Ops: The Line.

[@calvinfishermedia]

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

[@Inward_Outward]

God, that pathetic "why." I feel like a monster whenever i hear it.

[@calvinfishermedia]

I know, that “why” gets me every time!

[@ghostwhencodghosts9114]

Why are you not pointing out conrad’s posters all throughout the chapters

[@calvinfishermedia]

I did not omit them for a specific reason. Spec Ops has a ton of details and storytelling throughout, and it isn't possible to cover all of them in an hour-long video. I went with the details that were the most important to me, but that means I inevitably left out cool facts and observations. It is one of the cool things about the game, you could probably have another video on even more details! Thanks for watching.

[@ghostwhencodghosts9114]

@@calvinfishermedia 🗿🫵🏻

[@MalaysianChopsticks]

Man.. this game ruin every shooting game for me but also show me humans are capable for anything when pushed

[@calvinfishermedia]

Very true, this game doesn’t hold back from showing the dark side of humanity. Thanks for watching!

[@Hammers_Peace]

Eh... there's a lot of hypocracy in rdr2 when it comes to translating gameplay to themes vs. The things that the writers/director is trying to preach. (Ex. Poaching as a minigame but telling the player poaching is evil) To be honest it feels like two different teams were working on the game at one time where one wants a HBO series with pacing and progression and the other wants (or realizes) its a game too and has to actually be filled with activities. A lot of open world games suffer from writers wanting their cake like cyberpunk, fallout 4&3, the witcher, oblivion, skyrim (I can't think of any more off the top of my head) where you have to go out of your way and break your own dissonance to go actually interact with the world. At no point you're ever let off the ride to go actually interact. It just bugs the shit out of me when all you hear is how these games have 'The best stories' ever when you're ignoring a large portion of their premise depends on a huge caveat.

[@calvinfishermedia]

That’s a valid point, I get where you’re coming from. I think it comes down to what you value most in a story. For me, the characterization in RDR2 is what makes it so special. Arthur’s narrative arc, along with how the other character bounce so well off him, is what made the narrative connect with me in a way very few stories have. So, I feel the praise is deserved in that sense. The story isn’t perfect though, like for the reasons you mentioned. With a game that big it is hard to get a unified front because you’re right, gameplay and the story don’t align. Those elements didn’t bother me much personally, though. Thanks for sharing!0

[@Hammers_Peace]

@@calvinfishermedia appreciate the reply, I realize it was a single line in the video but I enjoyed the video itself, it's one of those titles I've heard a lot about but never got to play myself.

[@calvinfishermedia]

@@Hammers_Peace Thanks for watching, I'm glad you enjoyed it! One of my big reasons for making it was to share with people who haven't gotten to play for themselves.

[@Ireee702]

Oh so you're one of those who think GTA IV makes no sense because you can kill people in free roam when that's a completely optional choice up to you?

[@imtonysopro]

But comparing Yager to Naughty Dog isnt fair

[@calvinfishermedia]

Unfair how? I don’t think I follow. Thanks for checking out the video.

[@chiapets2594]

Black ops 2 was the best cod. All others in ths section are probably gonna say Black ops 4 or The New Mw2 like soy boy scrubs

[@calvinfishermedia]

Black Ops 2 is pretty great! I think my favorites are the original Mw2 and Black Ops

[@Cammmmm24]

Black ops one is great too, personally I like it more than 2

[@calvinfishermedia]

@@Cammmmm24 Yeah, I think the story of Black Ops 1 just can't be beat! I love the setting and feel of 2 though.

[@ryszakowy]

black ops 2 is the end of an era that WaW started with war being more dirty than modern warfare and both story and gameplay going for some thing more WaW gave us realism of war black ops gave us awesome story and black ops 2 tied all together and is the only call of duty up to date to have actual choices and consequences in game no other cod ever again did that, it was height of the series

[@ghostwhencodghosts9114]

19:05 dude what? You can kill him if you want to and when you get down there will be no ambush did you play the game once?

[@calvinfishermedia]

Hi! Yes, I am aware that is a choice. I have actually made that choice during other playthroughs. But while making this video, it did slip my mind that this was another choice you could make. I have played many times and seen every choice/ending. What I do think is cool about Spec Ops is that a lot of the choices are subtle like this, and easy to forget/ miss out on. One of the little touches that makes the game special. Thanks for watching!

[@ghostwhencodghosts9114]

@@calvinfishermedia ❤️❤️❤️

[@josef-ralfdwerlkotte8333]

❤

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for watching!

[@huntclanhunt9697]

I disagree with this being peak. I deisagree with it even being good. The entire concept and philosophy behind the game is fundamentally flawed. The idea that you, the player, are violent and not a hero is dumb. The idea that the guys in the game are the real villains is dumb. Had the game actually given the player the choice to approach situations in a way that changed things, or had your squadmates actually done their job amd declared the player character mentally unfit to lead, that would have made sense. Instead, in my opinion, the whole game is just a pile of stink, and it tries to gaslight you into thinking you are the stink. It's got some neat worldbuilding but the story is just awful.

[@calvinfishermedia]

That is fair! I see where you’re coming from.

[@ghostwhencodghosts9114]

1:03:36 dude are you serious? You can shoot yourself without him counting to 5

[@calvinfishermedia]

Hey, yeah I’m aware that you can shoot him as well. It is the equivalent of letting Conrad shoot you. In both cases, Walker aims the gun at himself in the reflection and pulls the trigger.

[@reliktim]

If you think that you should blur the most powerfull moments of the game because "youtube and rules", than you shouldn't make a video about this game in first place. Dislike for unnecessary censorship.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Isn’t you saying shouldn’t make a video also censorship? But, irony aside, you’re entitled to your opinion. Thanks for checking out the video.

[@Trev0Rear]

This game's story is so fucking pretentious. I pirated this game and still felt like I needed a refund.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Sorry you didn’t enjoy the game. It delivered for me but I can understand that it doesn’t land for everyone. Thanks for watching anyway!

[@Ireee702]

"I want to look smart so I'll call it pretentious"

[@DickPenisecki]

Tron was a good villain in this game

[@fuckinliveinsin]

I'm a simple man. I see Spec Ops The Line, I press like. Subbed btw ☺

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for the sub! I appreciate it!

[@TheQboy200]

Love how 2023 and still new videos about this game are still coming out. Much love. Great work.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for watching!!