Interview with the Creative Director of Spec Ops: The line: Why it needs a remaster
Spec Ops: This Line celebrates its 10th anniversary. The mind-bending third-person shooter from Yager Development was released in 2012 to mixed reviews, but it became a cult favourite thanks to its incredible narrative design.
You play the role of Captain Martin Walker (voiced and narrated by Nolan North) as a soldier assigned to a mission in Dubai. Unruly sand oceans have nearly submerged the city. It begins as a simple military shooter experience but soon becomes more serious. Honesty is challenged, and the nature of warfare is revealed like never before in a game. This is based on Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness.
I met with Cory Davis to celebrate this title. We discussed the making of Spec Ops: The Line, its impact and the remastering it deserves.
GAMINGbible You have had an amazing career. We have video games and your arthouse game studio, Eyes Out, which is more like an artistic exploration project.
Cory Davis, It’s been a long journey to reach where I believe we are now. The industry as a whole has seen tremendous progress. Interactive experiences have always been a part of my childhood. I feel a sense of power and excitement about interactive experiences. This medium is what I feel is the most powerful, especially when it’s combined with music and interactivity. It creates a kind of synesthesia that I really enjoy.
It is a pleasure to be able to dive into a narrative.
GB, I love games that take things to the next level. I was interested in talking to you about Spec Operations: The Line, an amazing game that you created. This year marks the 10th anniversary of that game, and I just started playing it again. What was your experience with Spec Operations? What does this mean for you now?
CD Yeah! It holds a special place in my heart. It was an amazing experience, especially when I think back on all the projects I have worked on. This was my first chance to go in one direction and on the development side. It was a great experience to work with a diverse group of developers and people who had different opinions than me about the topics we were discussing. It was certainly an enriching experience.
This was a difficult task in many ways. Our team grew from a small group to more than 16 people by the time we shipped. We’ve been on a great journey together, exploring this element of the Heart of Darkness. There were many difficult times. We didn’t know how to overcome certain challenges. There were some things that we were happier about than others. This led to many healthy discussions on the team during the entire project.
It’s something I have carried with me. From that, I feel the depth and longevity of Spec Operations: The Line has grown. Respecting each other’s views on the team is essential to healthy, open conversation. Don’t be afraid to look at the unique aspects of the experience, not just to match other games in the genre.
When I think back, I realize that we could have made better decisions to make it sell out the first time. But that’s not what I regret. Despite all the difficulties, I am in love with the team we built. It was something I long for, those characters, those experiences, then seeing it all come to life and looking back at it now. It’s amazing how I can immerse myself in that game’s world. I am proud of the team and all that we accomplished together.
