Spec Ops: The Line

Spec Ops's load screens often

make the player question the

actions of military groups,

his or her own morality, and the

world view surrounding foreign

cultures. Some of the best examples

berate the player, or explain the

psychology behind the way the game

is designed to make him or her feel.

To say the least, they are thought

provoking in a genre devoid of much

thought. The best examples are

presented as images.

Spec Ops: The Line has a great many criticisms of American Culture in its four to five hour length. Its brevity does not make it any less memorable than any other game: in fact, far from it. The Line places the player in the seat of responsibility for many mishaps in the ravaged state of Dubai, and Polygon wrote an outstanding article detailing many of these. Spec Ops covers heavy themes, and on the short list exists American imperialism in the modern day, violence in media, a criticism of violent video games (irony that is masterfully pulled off), and war in general. The Line brilliantly uses the interactivity in games as well if not better than Hotline Miami to truly show how desensatized the first world has become to violence, and how unaware we are of the issues surrounding the world around us. Click on any of the adjacent images to be shown the Polygon article that paints the development and artistic value in the game in fine detail.

"You are still a good person."

"Cognitive dissonance is an uncomfortable feeling caused by holding two conflicting ideas simultaneously."

"Do you feel like a hero yet?"

"The military does not condone the killing of unarmed combatants. But this isn't real, so why should you care?"