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Just Deserts: Spec Ops MP Trailer Weaponizes Sand


What follows is a moment-by-moment recounting of my facial expressions while watching Spec Ops: The Line's multiplayer trailer - in ultra-vision. Exposition-y stuff: an expectant stare followed by an eye roll so hard it nearly detached my retinas at the phrase "This is their war." Cover shooty runny 'splodey stuff: a furrowed brow as if to say, "Is this all?" and "Why waste a slow-mo shot on a reload?" Class-based skills and rewards, etc: drooping eyelids, a hint of spittle dangling from the corner of my mouth. SAND AVALANCHE: Eyes wide-open, mouth creaking into a tentative smile, head cocked in much the same way as a dog saying, "Baroo?" Still though, it's a bit worrisome that they actually had to spell out "Sand is a game-changer," as though saying, "No, wait, don't go! We're sort of different, see?" And see you shall, if you opt to check out the trailer after the break.

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Spec Ops is finally emerging from the not-so-quick sands of a somewhat tumultuous development cycle on June 29. I'm tentatively interested, though admittedly, I haven't seen the game in person since E3 a couple years ago. Adam's write-up, however, has me fairly hopeful, and even though Heart of Darkness is hardly a novel inspiration for games (please try not to see what I did there; you'll respect me a whole lot more), it's taken us on some pretty fascinating treks - for instance, Far Cry 2. We'll know one way or another soon enough, and I'm sure facial expressions will be involved in some capacity. Unless I've lost my face.

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Nathan Grayson: Nathan wrote news for RPS between 2012-2014, and continues to be the only American that's been a full-time member of staff. He's also written for a wide variety of places, including IGN, PC Gamer, VG247 and Kotaku, and now runs his own independent journalism site Aftermath.
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Spec Ops: The Line

PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Mac

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