136 - Spec Ops: The Line

[matt]

In this video, I talk about how Spec Ops: The Line used horror as well as technology smartly to tell an interesting narrative.



Thanks to JPrice and Grabthehoopka for recommending it!

[gagaplex]

Hehe, I dunno, I guess I'm just playing the wrong games, because most of these DDs are about games I heard of but never played myself. Am I just that avantgarde that I play more obscure titles or am I simply years behind? Who can tell...

[JPrice]

Ok first off, awwwww yeah I got name dropped in a Developer Diary Hahaha

Second and more importantly, I'm glad you finally checked out Spec Ops: The Line! Considering it's one of my favourite shooters
I can understand where you're coming from with the experience being dampened somewhat by knowing that it's a Heart of Darkness inspired tale going in, but I do agree that there are some great horror elements in the game. Just the way it goes from being a standard boring cover shooter to something that can actually provoke a response from you as a player is great. I remember that just as I was playing the game, it made me just feel awful for the things that I had done as a player character especially with the *spoilers* White Phosphorus and Lugo's death at the end. I just remember by the end I was just drained emotionally, that's why I think it works so well as a horror experience. It just presents you with these atrocities that not only happen but you willingly committed without even questioning the consequences. It's pretty ingenious (At least to me anyway hahaa).

Anyone who hasn't played it yet should do by the way, it's on sale on Steam right now as part of its Mid-Week Madness sale. Should be pretty cheap elsewhere as well!

[RightClickSaveAs]

Hehe, I dunno, I guess I'm just playing the wrong games, because most of these DDs are about games I heard of but never played myself. Am I just that avantgarde that I play more obscure titles or am I simply years behind? Who can tell...

I hadn't heard anything about Spec Ops until what feels like recently, where it gets mentioned a lot on forums as a great example of storytelling in a game.

You've talked about demos hurting games before, and I feel this is an example of that. After all the mentions I'd heard, I saw there was a demo available on Steam, so I tried it out and was completely underwhelmed. The demo takes place very early in the game I think, and I didn't like the cover shooter mechanics, the controls, or what little story the demo showed. Now with that Steam sale though I'm really tempted to pick it up.

Hah I remember hearing about how Gone Home started out as an Amnesia mod. You can play the prototype in Amnesia, I've downloaded it but haven't taken the time to check it out yet: http://frictionalgames.blogspot.se/2013 ... ition.html

[JPrice]

After all the mentions I'd heard, I saw there was a demo available on Steam, so I tried it out and was completely underwhelmed. The demo takes place very early in the game I think, and I didn't like the cover shooter mechanics, the controls, or what little story the demo showed. Now with that Steam sale though I'm really tempted to pick it up.

Yeah the demo doesn't do the game justice at all. It kinda condemns it in some respects hahaa, but I suppose it's further instilling the mindset that one should have when delving into the game. Thinking that it's just a boring shooter then sucker punching players with the themes of the story later. Though whether that was the intention or not I have no idea! Might have just been forced to make a demo for all I know hahaa

[RightClickSaveAs]

Yeah I wonder about that! For how few demos there seem to be any more, I'm wondering why they made one for this game, of all games.

[matt]

Hehe, I dunno, I guess I'm just playing the wrong games, because most of these DDs are about games I heard of but never played myself. Am I just that avantgarde that I play more obscure titles or am I simply years behind? Who can tell...

Hahaha, I don't know. What have you been playing lately?

Yeah I wonder about that! For how few demos there seem to be any more, I'm wondering why they made one for this game, of all games.

I think developers hate doing demos because the are a lot of work, and I doubt they actually help sales. I suspect if anyone has a demo, it's because the publisher or platform holder forced it on them. Developers were pushing Ouya to remove the forced demo.

For the time being, but I'm tempted to see if we can get rid of the demo when we get closer to launch...

[gagaplex]

Most recently? Arx Fatalis.
It's really, really dark.
But I do play new-ish games, too.

[matt]

I hadn't heard of Arx Fatalis. It sounds cool!

[gagaplex]

I suppose there's always an issue with games developed in other countries not being as widely publicized (unless they are big, big triple A, like the Far Cry/Crysis games for example). Arx Fatalis was developed by a French team back in the day. It starts out pretty slow, but it gets really good from about the midway point onwards, where a whole lot of Lovecraftian cult stuff starts to get more obvious (hints are strewn from the start). The setting itself is pretty interesting, post-apocalyptic fantasy, taking place in an old Dwarven mine refurbished for inhabitation by the squabbling factions.