<s>
Spec	B-Application
Ops	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Line	I-Application
is	O
a	O
2012	O
third-person	O
shooter	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
the	O
German	O
studio	O
Yager	O
Development	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
2K	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
controls	O
Captain	O
Martin	O
Walker	O
,	O
who	O
is	O
sent	O
into	O
a	O
post-catastrophe	O
Dubai	O
with	O
an	O
elite	O
Delta	B-Application
Force	I-Application
team	O
on	O
a	O
recon	O
mission	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
the	O
story	O
progresses	O
,	O
Walker	O
's	O
sanity	O
begins	O
to	O
deteriorate	O
as	O
he	O
begins	O
to	O
experience	O
hallucinations	B-General_Concept
and	O
slowly	O
realize	O
the	O
horror	O
of	O
war	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Yager	O
started	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
development	O
in	O
2007	O
,	O
taking	O
inspiration	O
for	O
the	O
setting	O
and	O
story	O
framework	O
from	O
various	O
media	O
,	O
including	O
Joseph	O
Conrad	O
's	O
1899	O
novella	O
Heart	B-Application
of	I-Application
Darkness	I-Application
and	O
the	O
1979	O
film	O
Apocalypse	O
Now	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Announced	O
in	O
December	O
2009	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
internationally	O
in	O
June	O
2012	O
for	O
Windows	O
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Spec	B-Application
Ops	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Line	I-Application
received	O
generally	O
positive	O
reviews	O
from	O
critics	O
with	O
praise	O
given	O
for	O
the	O
narrative	O
and	O
its	O
themes	O
,	O
while	O
criticism	O
was	O
targeted	O
at	O
the	O
online	O
multiplayer	O
and	O
aspects	O
of	O
the	O
gameplay	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Various	O
new	B-Application
weapons	I-Application
and	O
equipment	O
become	O
available	O
as	O
the	O
game	O
progresses	O
,	O
some	O
dropped	O
by	O
downed	O
enemies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Environmental	O
hazards	O
like	O
sandstorms	B-Application
occasionally	O
occur	O
,	O
drastically	O
reducing	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
vision	O
and	O
visibility	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sand	O
becomes	O
a	O
key	O
gameplay	O
mechanic	O
and	O
players	O
can	O
manipulate	O
it	O
at	O
scripted	O
moments	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
triggering	O
a	O
sand	O
avalanche	B-Application
to	O
bury	O
enemies	O
alive	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
incorporates	O
several	O
subtle	O
effects	O
to	O
visualize	O
the	O
lead	O
character	O
's	O
increasing	O
mental	O
and	O
physical	O
distress	O
;	O
alongside	O
the	O
degradation	O
of	O
their	O
combat	O
uniforms	O
,	O
Walker	O
suffers	O
visual	O
and	O
auditory	O
hallucinations	B-General_Concept
later	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
and	O
his	O
executions	O
of	O
enemies	O
become	O
more	O
violent	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Six	O
classes	O
are	O
available	O
for	O
players	O
to	O
choose	O
:	O
Gunner	O
,	O
Medic	O
,	O
Scavenger	O
,	O
Breacher	B-Application
,	O
Sniper	O
and	O
Officer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Environmental	O
hazards	O
,	O
including	O
sandstorms	B-Application
,	O
may	O
also	O
occur	O
during	O
a	O
multiplayer	O
match	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Six	O
months	O
prior	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
events	O
,	O
the	O
worst	O
series	O
of	O
sandstorms	B-Application
in	O
recorded	O
history	O
began	O
across	O
Dubai	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
CIA	O
then	O
sent	O
in	O
a	O
black	O
ops	O
squad	O
to	O
investigate	O
,	O
and	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
their	O
plan	O
organized	O
the	O
locals	O
into	O
insurgents	B-Application
to	O
attack	O
the	O
33rd	O
,	O
eventually	O
resulting	O
in	O
a	O
ceasefire	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
caravan	O
never	O
arrived	O
,	O
and	O
soon	O
afterward	O
,	O
the	O
United	O
Arab	O
Emirates	O
declared	O
Dubai	O
a	O
no-man	B-Application
'	I-Application
s-land	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
United	O
States	O
military	O
decides	O
to	O
covertly	O
send	O
in	O
an	O
elite	O
three-man	O
Delta	B-Application
Force	I-Application
team	O
to	O
carry	O
out	O
reconnaissance	O
,	O
led	O
by	O
Captain	O
Martin	O
Walker	O
(	O
Nolan	O
North	O
)	O
,	O
who	O
served	O
alongside	O
Konrad	O
in	O
Afghanistan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
begins	O
in	O
medias	O
res	O
with	O
Walker	O
,	O
Adams	O
,	O
and	O
Lugo	O
flying	O
in	O
a	O
helicopter	O
past	O
the	O
skyscrapers	O
of	O
Dubai	O
,	O
shooting	O
down	O
several	O
pursuing	O
helicopters	O
until	O
a	O
sudden	O
sandstorm	B-Application
forms	O
,	O
causing	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
pursuers	O
to	O
spin	O
out	O
of	O
control	O
and	O
crash	O
into	O
the	O
trio	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
later	O
come	O
into	O
contact	O
and	O
engage	O
a	O
group	O
of	O
insurgents	B-Application
(	O
who	O
believe	O
them	O
to	O
be	O
with	O
the	O
33rd	O
)	O
led	O
by	O
CIA	O
agent	O
Castavin	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
insurgents	B-Application
have	O
apparently	O
renewed	O
conflict	O
with	O
what	O
remains	O
of	O
the	O
33rd	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Adams	O
commandeers	O
a	O
Black	O
Hawk	O
helicopter	O
to	O
escape	O
the	O
building	O
,	O
and	O
Walker	O
destroys	O
the	O
radio	O
tower	O
as	O
they	O
flee	O
the	O
scene	O
,	O
leading	O
to	O
the	O
helicopter	O
sequence	O
from	O
the	O
opening	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
(	O
which	O
Walker	O
seems	B-Application
to	I-Application
remember	I-Application
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Walker	O
finds	O
that	O
Konrad	O
committed	O
suicide	O
after	O
his	O
failed	O
evacuation	O
effort	O
,	O
and	O
he	O
has	O
been	O
communicating	O
with	O
a	O
hallucination	B-General_Concept
of	O
Konrad	O
created	O
in	O
his	O
mind	O
following	O
the	O
white	O
phosphorus	O
strike	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
set-up	O
and	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
foundation	O
was	O
inspired	O
by	O
Heart	B-Application
of	I-Application
Darkness	I-Application
,	O
whose	O
story	O
reveals	O
the	O
changes	O
a	O
person	O
undergoes	O
in	O
chaotic	O
times	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
story	O
of	O
the	O
Tower	B-Application
of	I-Application
Babel	I-Application
was	O
also	O
an	O
inspiration	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
story	O
was	O
originally	O
set	O
to	O
be	O
written	O
by	O
several	O
German	O
writers	O
,	O
but	O
they	O
were	O
later	O
replaced	O
by	O
American	O
writers	O
Richard	O
Pearsey	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
worked	O
on	O
TimeGate	O
Studios	O
 '	O
Section	B-Application
8	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Walt	O
Williams	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
previously	O
worked	O
on	O
other	O
2K	O
projects	O
including	O
BioShock	B-Application
2	I-Application
and	O
Mafia	B-Application
II	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
achieve	O
this	O
,	O
the	O
team	O
simplified	O
their	O
original	O
story	O
setting	O
of	O
having	O
Konrad	O
as	O
a	O
"	O
megalomaniac	O
with	O
messianic	O
delusions	O
"	O
to	O
a	O
setting	O
that	O
is	O
more	O
similar	O
to	O
Heart	B-Application
of	I-Application
Darkness	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Spec	B-Application
Ops	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Line	I-Application
includes	O
several	O
choices	O
for	O
players	O
to	O
make	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
choices	O
were	O
inspired	O
by	O
Fallout	B-Application
3	I-Application
,	O
and	O
are	O
often	O
between	O
:	O
"	O
what	O
the	O
character	O
knows	O
and	O
what	O
the	O
player	O
would	O
maybe	O
try	O
and	O
do	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Williams	O
,	O
the	O
choice	O
system	O
was	O
originally	O
designed	O
to	O
be	O
similar	O
to	O
Fable	B-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
where	O
after	O
a	O
player	O
makes	O
a	O
decision	O
,	O
they	O
cannot	O
reload	O
the	O
game	O
and	O
choose	O
differently	O
unless	O
they	O
start	O
a	O
new	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
city	O
of	O
Dubai	O
is	O
filled	O
with	O
graffiti	B-Application
,	O
which	O
is	O
used	O
to	O
give	O
players	O
information	O
regarding	O
the	O
factions	O
and	O
the	O
backstory	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Yager	O
,	O
the	O
graffiti	B-Application
was	O
designed	O
to	O
give	O
players	O
a	O
perspective	O
that	O
is	O
different	O
from	O
the	O
main	O
game	O
,	O
and	O
to	O
help	O
make	O
the	O
location	O
more	O
realistic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
a	O
result	O
,	O
the	O
team	O
added	O
hallucinations	B-General_Concept
to	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
hoped	O
that	O
by	O
using	O
hallucinations	B-General_Concept
as	O
a	O
plot	O
device	O
,	O
they	O
could	O
create	O
a	O
snowball	O
effect	O
and	O
engage	O
players	O
more	O
fully	O
in	O
the	O
story	O
as	O
they	O
complete	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
hallucinations	B-General_Concept
sometimes	O
occur	O
through	O
the	O
subtext	B-Language
,	O
in	O
which	O
players	O
may	O
not	O
realize	O
their	O
presence	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Williams	O
added	O
that	O
having	O
subtext	B-Language
is	O
important	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
the	O
"	O
best	O
stories	O
are	O
the	O
ones	O
that	O
have	O
stuff	O
hidden	O
in	O
them	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
set	O
in	O
Dubai	O
,	O
which	O
has	O
been	O
ravaged	O
by	O
sandstorms	B-Application
,	O
a	O
story	O
set-up	O
inspired	O
by	O
Davis	O
 '	O
and	O
Williams	O
 '	O
personal	O
experience	O
with	O
heat	O
waves	O
,	O
hurricanes	B-Application
,	O
and	O
sandstorms	B-Application
in	O
Louisiana	O
and	O
Lubbock	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
a	O
story	O
about	O
a	O
Persian	O
army	O
that	O
vanished	O
in	O
an	O
Egyptian	O
desert	O
in	O
a	O
sandstorm	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
two	O
found	O
that	O
the	O
chaotic	O
forces	O
behind	O
sandstorms	B-Application
would	O
help	O
them	O
to	O
convey	O
the	O
message	O
of	O
how	O
fragile	O
humans	O
are	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
harshness	O
of	O
war	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
prevent	O
the	O
sand	O
mechanics	O
from	O
turning	O
gimmicky	O
,	O
the	O
team	O
introduced	O
multiple	O
ways	O
for	O
players	O
to	O
use	O
sand	O
as	O
a	O
weapon	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
ability	O
to	O
trigger	O
dust	O
clouds	O
by	O
throwing	O
grenades	O
on	O
sand	O
and	O
cause	O
a	O
sand	O
avalanche	B-Application
by	O
shooting	O
weak	O
structures	O
and	O
supports	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
featured	O
advanced	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
due	O
to	O
the	O
inclusion	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
squad	O
command	O
system	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
Spec	B-Application
Ops	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Line	I-Application
has	O
a	O
strong	O
single-player	O
focus	O
,	O
it	O
also	O
features	O
multiplayer	O
components	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Yager	O
was	O
only	O
responsible	O
for	O
the	O
single-player	O
campaign	O
;	O
the	O
multiplayer	O
was	O
outsourced	B-Architecture
to	O
Darkside	O
Game	O
Studios	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
multiplayer	O
team	O
at	O
2K	O
Games	O
,	O
which	O
previously	O
developed	O
the	O
multiplayer	O
of	O
BioShock	B-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
also	O
assisted	O
in	O
creating	O
the	O
multiplayer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Davis	O
described	O
the	O
project	O
as	O
a	O
"	O
waste	O
of	O
money	O
"	O
and	O
a	O
"	O
low-quality	O
Call	B-Application
of	I-Application
Duty	I-Application
clone	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
a	O
cooperative	O
mode	O
was	O
still	O
added	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
in	O
August	O
2012	O
as	O
free	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
;	O
it	O
does	O
not	O
follow	O
the	O
storyline	O
of	O
the	O
campaign	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Spec	B-Application
Ops	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Line	I-Application
was	O
released	O
on	O
June	O
26	O
,	O
2012	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
March	O
13	O
,	O
2014	O
for	O
OS	B-Operating_System
X	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
developers	O
carried	O
out	O
focus	O
tests	O
during	O
this	O
period	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
gameplay	O
was	O
found	O
to	O
be	O
too	O
slow-paced	O
compared	O
to	O
competitors	O
such	O
as	O
Call	B-Application
of	I-Application
Duty	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
multiplayer	O
beta	O
for	O
selected	O
applicants	O
on	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
platform	O
was	O
held	O
in	O
2010	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
playable	O
demo	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
which	O
featured	O
two	O
chapters	O
from	O
the	O
beginning	O
of	O
the	O
campaign	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
on	O
May	O
8	O
,	O
2012	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reviews	O
of	O
Spec	B-Application
Ops	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Line	I-Application
were	O
mostly	O
positive	O
,	O
with	O
many	O
critics	O
praising	O
the	O
narrative	O
,	O
themes	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
provocative	O
take	O
on	O
violence	O
in	O
video	O
games	O
,	O
but	O
noted	O
that	O
it	O
failed	O
to	O
innovate	O
or	O
present	O
a	O
strong	O
multiplayer	O
component	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
critics	O
considered	O
the	O
gameplay	O
generic	O
due	O
to	O
its	O
inclusion	O
of	O
typical	O
shooter	O
elements	O
such	O
as	O
on-rail	O
and	O
turret	O
segments	O
,	O
and	O
stated	O
that	O
such	O
mechanics	O
are	O
unable	O
to	O
help	O
the	O
game	O
differentiate	O
itself	O
from	O
other	O
shooters	O
such	O
as	O
Gears	B-Application
of	I-Application
War	I-Application
,	O
and	O
give	O
the	O
game	O
an	O
identity	O
crisis	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
system	O
was	O
criticized	O
for	O
not	O
being	O
strong	O
enough	O
to	O
make	O
the	O
game	O
more	O
gratifying	O
,	O
though	O
some	O
critics	O
thought	O
that	O
the	O
AI	O
system	O
for	O
Adams	O
and	O
Lugo	O
was	O
well-crafted	O
and	O
did	O
not	O
suffer	O
from	O
severe	O
or	O
frequent	O
technical	O
problems	O
,	O
although	O
they	O
may	O
not	O
be	O
able	O
to	O
carry	O
out	O
player	O
's	O
commands	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
critics	O
noted	O
that	O
emotionally	O
Spec	B-Application
Ops	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Line	I-Application
is	O
not	O
a	O
pleasant	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
particular	O
,	O
unlike	O
other	O
games	O
of	O
its	O
kind	O
,	O
some	O
critics	O
believe	O
that	O
Spec	B-Application
Ops	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Line	I-Application
does	O
not	O
intend	O
the	O
combat	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
fun	O
experience	O
for	O
the	O
player	O
,	O
but	O
rather	O
aims	O
to	O
engage	O
the	O
player	O
by	O
critiquing	O
the	O
shooter	O
genre	O
for	O
being	O
removed	O
from	O
reality	O
and	O
providing	O
players	O
with	O
an	O
unrealistic	O
,	O
morally	O
dichotomous	O
,	O
escapist	O
fantasy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2014	O
,	O
Former	O
IGN	O
Senior	O
Editor	O
Colin	O
Moriarty	O
included	O
Spec	B-Application
Ops	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Line	I-Application
in	O
his	O
list	O
of	O
Top	O
25	O
Favourite	O
Games	O
of	O
All	O
Time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
3	O
in	O
the	O
UK	O
retail	O
sales	O
chart	O
during	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
first	O
week	O
of	O
release	O
,	O
behind	O
Lego	B-Application
Batman	I-Application
2	I-Application
:	I-Application
DC	I-Application
Super	I-Application
Heroes	I-Application
and	O
The	B-Application
Amazing	I-Application
Spider-Man	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Spec	B-Application
Ops	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Line	I-Application
was	O
a	O
commercial	O
failure	O
,	O
selling	O
less	O
than	O
anticipated	O
by	O
Take-Two	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
sales	O
of	O
Spec	B-Application
Ops	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Line	I-Application
,	O
combined	O
with	O
Max	B-Application
Payne	I-Application
3	I-Application
,	O
were	O
lower	O
than	O
the	O
combined	O
sales	O
of	O
L.A.	B-Application
Noire	I-Application
and	O
Duke	B-Application
Nukem	I-Application
Forever	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
IGN	O
's	O
Best	O
of	O
2012	O
Awards	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
won	O
for	O
Best	O
PC	O
Story	O
and	O
Best	O
PS3	B-Operating_System
Story	O
,	O
and	O
also	O
received	O
nominations	O
for	O
Best	O
Overall	O
Story	O
,	O
Best	O
PS3	B-Operating_System
Action	O
Game	O
,	O
Best	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
Shooter	O
Game	O
,	O
and	O
Best	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
Story	O
.	O
</s>
