Spec Ops: The Line
War isn’t fun. With that in mind, why are titles immersed in war so entertaining? Franchises such as Call of Duty have become a cultural phenomenon due to their compelling and satisfying gameplay, despite their grim undertones. 2012’s Spec Ops: The Line made a brave choice to make its gameplay a caricature of modern design philosophies, as well as a critique of war itself. The combat is nothing more than a functional cover-based shooter, but when combined with the game’s story, it becomes a means of commentary.
The game criticizes the glorification of war, with its story nuances becoming more and more enforced by its uninspiring mechanics. Drawing inspiration from Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, the story’s discussions of Western imperialism, racism, and the nature of war remains strong in the mind long after the game is put down. By embedding players in the awful repetition of combat, its bland gameplay serves as more than the sum of its parts.
