9 Terrible Openings That Almost Killed Great Video Games

7. Spec Ops: The Line

Spec Ops: The Line is a classic of the last generation, but the title gained its reputation entirely in spite of its actual gameplay.

Purposefully playing like any other third-person shooter from the era, the game's cover-based gunplay was no threat to the likes of Gears of War, and although the sand-storm setting provided some visual flair and dynamic moments, there's nothing in the title's opening hours that distinguishes it from anything else released around the same time.

However as the plot progresses you realise that this mundane approach to violence is entirely the point, with the narrative becoming a twisted critique of video game violence in general as Spec Ops pulls the rug out from under players in its final chapters.

Unfortunately it takes a while to get to these twists, and until then there's no reason to think that this title is anything other than another forgettable shooter.