History Analysis / SpecOpsTheLine

** [[http://ludo.mwclarkson.com/2012/07/the-invisible-hands/ The Invisible Hands]] notes that while it's true that gamers have an inherent lust for fictional violence, it is also a ''[[{{Hypocrite}} gutless critique]]'' because Spec Ops: The Line places all of the blame on the ''gamers'' even though the game developers, the game publishers, the gaming critics and the gaming journalists ''all'' play a role in the oversaturated shooter game market.
** [[https://dopefishblog.com/2018/05/15/the-many-pretentious-failings-of-spec-ops-the-line/ The Many Pretentious Failings of Spec Ops: The Line]] goes into heavy criticism about the medicore nature of the gameplay and story, and how ''pretentious'' (not to mention ''[[{{hypocrite}} hypocritical]]'') it is for a game developer to ''demand'' that their audience turn off a game that they themselves created.

** The game was covered by [[LetsPlay/SpoilerWarning Chris "Campster" Franklin]] in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlBrenhzMZI an episode]] of his Website/YouTube series WebVideo/ErrantSignal, where he provides an in-depth summary/analysis of its storyline tropes and gameplay mechanics, and how they tie in with the game's overall message. If you're interested in this game at all, this video is definitely worth your time.

* The game inspired a great number of articles and videos from the gaming press, many of which were lauded in their own right. Some notable ones include:

** [[http://ludo.mwclarkson.com/2012/07/the-invisible-hands/ The Invisible Hands]] notes that while it's true that gamers have an inherent lust for fictional violence, it is also a ''gutless critique'' because Spec Ops: The Line places all of the blame on the ''gamers'' even though the game developers, the game publishers, the gaming critics and the gaming journalists ''all'' play a role in the oversaturated shooter game market.
** [[https://dopefishblog.com/2018/05/15/the-many-pretentious-failings-of-spec-ops-the-line/ The Many Pretentious Failings of Spec Ops: The Line]] goes into criticism about the medicore nature of the gameplay and story, and how ''pretentious'' (not to mention ''[[{{hypocrite}} hypocritical]]'') it is for a game developer to ''demand'' that their audience turn off a game that they themselves created.

** [[https://dopefishblog.com/2018/05/15/the-many-pretentious-failings-of-spec-ops-the-line/ The Many Pretentious Failings of Spec Ops: The Line]] goes into criticism about the medicore nature of the gameplay and story, and how ''pretentious'' (not to mention [[{{hypocrite}} hypocritical]] it is for a game developer to ''demand'' that their audience turn off a game that they themselves created.

** [[https://dopefishblog.com/2018/05/15/the-many-pretentious-failings-of-spec-ops-the-line/ The Many Pretentious Failings of Spec Ops: The Line]] goes into criticism about the medicore nature of the gameplay and story, and how ''pretentious'' it is for a game developer to ''demand'' that their audience turn off a game that they themselves created.

** The game was covered by [[LetsPlay/SpoilerWarning Chris "Campster" Franklin]] in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlBrenhzMZI an episode]] of his YouTube series WebVideo/ErrantSignal, where he provides an in-depth summary/analysis of its storyline tropes and gameplay mechanics, and how they tie in with the game's overall message. If you're interested in this game at all, this video is definitely worth your time.

** Tom Bissell wrote [[http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8157257/ an article]] entitled "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Shooter" inspired by the game, examining in detail how violence tends to be presented in shooters and his and other players' motivations for playing them.

** WebVideo/ExtraCredits examined it in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjaBsuXWJJ8 two]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJZIhcCA2lk parts]], the first one largely devoid of spoilers and the second examining the game assuming the player is familiar with the plot. They were among the first of many critics to advance the theory that the game's gameplay mechanics were unenjoyable by design rather than unintentionally.

** WebVideo/ExtraCredits examined it in [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/spec-ops-the-line-part-1 two]] [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/spec-ops-the-line-part-2 parts]], the first one largely devoid of spoilers and the second examining the game assuming the player is familiar with the plot. They were among the first of many critics to advance the theory that the game's gameplay mechanics were unenjoyable by design rather than unintentionally.

** The game was covered by [[LetsPlay/SpoilerWarning Chris "Campster" Franklin]] in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlBrenhzMZI an episode]] of his YouTube series [[https://www.youtube.com/user/Campster?feature=watch "Errant Signal"]], where he provides an in-depth summary/analysis of its storyline tropes and gameplay mechanics, and how they tie in with the game's overall message. If you're interested in this game at all, this video is definitely worth your time.

** Having already written several articles praising the game, Brendan Keogh wrote a full-length eBook entitled ''Killing is Harmless: A Critical Reading of'' Spec Ops: The Line, which is available from [[http://www.amazon.com/Killing-Harmless-Critical-Reading-Spec-ebook/dp/B00B9P2WP6 Amazon]].

** WebVideo/ExtraCredits examined it in [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/spec-ops-the-line-part-1 two]] [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/spec-ops-the-line-part-2 parts]], the first one largely devoid of spoilers and the second examining the game assuming the player is familiar with the plot. Extra Credits were among the first of many critics to advance the theory that the game's gameplay mechanics were unenjoyable by design rather than by accident.

* See also ''VideoGame/{{Haze}}'', which was intended to deliver a similar to message to ''Spec Ops''', but failed due to a combination of ExecutiveMeddling and lots of half-implemented features.

* See also ''VideoGame/{{Haze}}'', which intended to deliver the same message as well, but failed due to a combination of ExecutiveMeddling and lots of half-implemented features.

** Having already written several articles praising the game, Brendan Keogh wrote a full-length eBook entitled ''Killing is Harmless: A Critical Reading of'' Spec Ops, which is available from [[http://www.amazon.com/Killing-Harmless-Critical-Reading-Spec-ebook/dp/B00B9P2WP6 Amazon]].

** Tom Bissell wrote [[http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8157257/ an article]] entitled "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Shooter" inspired by the game.

* The game was covered by [[LetsPlay/SpoilerWarning Chris "Campster" Franklin]] in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlBrenhzMZI an episode]] of his YouTube series [[https://www.youtube.com/user/Campster?feature=watch "Errant Signal"]], where he provides an in-depth summary/analysis of its storyline tropes and gameplay mechanics, and how they tie in with the game's overall message. If you're interested in this game at all, this video is definitely worth your time.

The game was covered by [[LetsPlay/SpoilerWarning Chris "Campster" Franklin]] in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlBrenhzMZI an episode]] of his YouTube series [[https://www.youtube.com/user/Campster?feature=watch "Errant Signal"]], where he provides an in-depth summary/analysis of its storyline tropes and gameplay mechanics, and how they tie in with the game's overall message. If you're interested in this game at all, this video is definitely worth your time.

* [[http://jarredspekter.deviantart.com/journal/The-Last-Shooter-Spec-Ops-the-Line-332731049 In-depth analysis by jarredspekter]].