This is a very short game so I tend to replay it every few years and Spec Ops The Line still holds up. Are some part of the game a bit ham-fisted? Yes, for sure. But I still appreciate the guts. For every idea that hasn't aged well there are five others that still feel fresh and unique. The idea of letting you (or forcing you to) play a character who's actions you cannot justify is still a rarity in AA- and AAA-gaming. The Last of Us did it but many people didn't really get that. The Last of Us 2 did it again and it feels like 'fans' still didn't know how to deal with it. That's funny because when it comes to television or movies we are used to seeing anti-heroes like, say, Travis Bickel or Walter White as main characters. In that sense, I think Spec Ops The Line did a huge service to videogame-storytelling.
Even the often criticized combat isn't half bad. On higher difficulties you have to play it like a tactical shooter and use every tool that's given to you. The AI is very good. Enemies use grenades to force you out of cover, flank you and are very tough. It can feel unfair but clever movement and use of your squad is rewarded. The controls aren't always perfect but feel smooth most of the time. The game could have benefitted from a few more squad-commands like in Rainbow Six Vegas, a game which feels very similar in general.
The game released twelve years from now, which feels like forever. It's still unique and worth playing.