What sets Spec Ops: The Line apart from other shooters is its willingness to tackle difficult subjects and challenge the player's perceptions. This is not a game that shy's away from the harsh realities of war; it's a game that will leave you feeling uncomfortable, disturbed, and perhaps even changed.

Enter the multiplayer mode. When the developers at Yager Development were forced by publisher 2K Games to include a competitive online component, they did so with apparent reluctance. The result was a mode that mechanically copied the industry standard: 6v6 deathmatches, class-based loadouts, and perfunctory objective modes. It offered nothing new. Critics scored it as a "5 out of 10" at best—generic, laggy, and unnecessary.

: This section is unique because the area is filled with life-sized figurines and mannequins. The game's HUD often highlights these as targets, forcing you to distinguish between real threats and inanimate objects under pressure.