Spec Ops: The Line

In Spec Ops: The Line, players assume the role of Captain Martin Walker leading an elite Delta Force team into post-apocalyptic Dubai to locate survivors and investigate a mysterious distress signal. With a gripping narrative reminiscent of "Apocalypse Now" and "Heart of Darkness," players navigate through physically intense combat scenarios, utilizing tactical squad-based gameplay amidst stunning visuals and dynamic sandstorms. As the line between right and wrong blurs, players are forced to make difficult choices with no clear outcomes, challenging the very essence of morality in war. Special thanks to GamePhobias for pulling together most of the information below.

• Release date: 06-26-2012
• Developer: Yager Development & Darkside Game Studios
• Publisher: 2K Games, Take-Two Interactive, & Missing Link Games
• Platforms: Linux, MacOS, PlayStation 3, Windows PC, Xbox 360

Triggers for this game

Crime

• Explosions & Bombs

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  As with most modern first person shooters, there are a number of explosions. Notably, uses of heavy weaponry or carefully aimed shots may result in explosions. Fire is a common result of explosions, also occurs as a result of the use of white phosphorus.

  • Can't be avoided

• Fights

  • Can't be avoided

• Guns & Shooting

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  As a modern first person shooter, there tends to be a lot of gore. Notably, gunshots to the head cause heads to explode.

  • Can't be avoided

• Murder

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  In addition to the standard acts of killing common in the genre, as an important plot point, the player character and his companions unwittingly murder many civilians, and later engage in depriving other civilians of their only water source. One of the player character's companions murders a radio host. The same companion is later lynched by enraged civilians, which the player character has the option of massacring.

  • Can't be avoided

• Stalking

  • Can't be avoided

• Terrorism

  • Can't be avoided

• Torture

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The sounds of someone being tortured is broadcasted over the radio. Deceased torture victims are later found. The player character may also find the log of a torturer, who describes those who survive his torture as brothers and sisters.

  • Can't be avoided

Death & Loss

• Death of Friend

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  Your two friends and tactical support are killed in the course of the game.

  • Can't be avoided

• Suicide

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The main antagonist of the game is revealed to have committed suicide. The player character has the option of committing suicide as well. (avoidable)

  • Is avoidable
  • Can't be avoided

Gore

• Blood

  • Can't be avoided

• Misc. Gore

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  As a modern first person shooter, there tends to be a lot of gore. Notably, gunshots to the head cause heads to explode. Additionally, there is a pit of rotting corpses, bodies that have been horrifically burned, and likely other instances.

  • Can't be avoided

Hate & Discrimination

• Dehumanization & Objectification

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  A primary theme of the game is the dehumanization of people required to be able to kill them. This includes both enemy combatants and neutral noncombatants.

  • Can't be avoided

• Islamophobia

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The content of this tag is in the game's subtext. The game explores current attitudes regarding the Middle East and especially racist trends in modern warfare shooters.

  • Can't be avoided

• Racism

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The content of this tag is in the game's subtext. The game explores current attitudes regarding the Middle East and especially racist trends in modern warfare shooters.

  • Can't be avoided

Horror Themes

• Psychological Horror

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The game eventually explores the player character's severe denial of the things he's done and as a result he occasionally hallucinates.

  • Can't be avoided

Mental Health

• Hallucinations

  & unreality

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The game eventually explores the player character's severe denial of the things he's done and as a result he occasionally hallucinates. The game opens with the Player Character in a helicopter, firing a gun. Then it flashes back to the beginning of the story and eventually you get back to this same point, in the helicopter, firing a gun. But then the protagonist says "Haven't we already done this?" After a bit, the helicopter crashes and the protagonist sees some disturbing visions of the men he's killed along the way. in the climax of the game, the protagonist & player realizes that a large chunk of the game has been a hallucination.

  • Can't be avoided

• Misc. Mental Health

  Existentialism

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The game heavily pushes the theme of futility and criticizes both the player and Player Character for thinking they are more than they are. (i.e. "If you hadn't come here, this wouldn't have happened.")

  • Can't be avoided

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The player character and his companions suffer trauma from killing innocent people.

  • Can't be avoided

Natural Events

• Storms

  • Can't be avoided

Non-Sexual Abuse & Violence

• Altercations

  • Can't be avoided

• Emotional Abuse

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The game's antagonist taunts the player character in such a manner. The game itself, via loading screen messages, engages in this with the player.

  • Can't be avoided

• Gaslighting

  Victim blaming

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The Player Character (and player) are variously blamed for the things that happen in the game, but other times are told that they aren't bad people.

  • Can't be avoided

• Mutilation

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Gunshots to the heads of targets explode heads, and attacking downed enemies will lead to an 'execution' move, which sometimes includes bashing their head in. White phosphorus is employed in the game, leaving the few survivors horribly mutilated.

  • Can't be avoided

• Stalking

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The player character is taunted by two antagonists who are watching his movements.

  • Can't be avoided

Phobias

• Acrophobia

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Almost every level starts from a very high point. At the end of one level, the player character falls very far.

  • Can't be avoided

• Hemophobia

  • Can't be avoided

• Necrophobia

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  In addition to the corpses you create during normal gameplay, you will discover a pit where decaying bodies have been thrown. In another instance, freshly burnt corpses are discovered.

  • Can't be avoided

• Ommetaphobia

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  In a particular instance, the player character discovers the burned body of a woman, her eye sockets empty.

  • Can't be avoided

Traumatic Events

• Accidents

  Helicopter crash

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Early in the game, the helicopter the character is in crashes.

  • Can't be avoided

War & Military

• Misc. War & Military

  War crimes

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Use of white phosphorus. In addition to the standard violence committed as part of the genre, a number of sequences involve violence against civilians.

  • Can't be avoided

• War Scenes

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Dubai is in a state of disrepair due both the the military presences that are tearing up the city as well as the bizarre weather afflicting it. The game centers around a solider in a modern army. The game has a realistic depiction of this.

  • Can't be avoided

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