Spec Ops: The Line examines the nature of video games (shooters in particular) and our relation to them as players. It's pretty surreal and "meta", but not overly so. Not everything is subtle, and the best part of the game, which will have the strongest emotional impact on the player, definitely isn't subtle; but there's a lot of foreshadowing that isn't thrown in your face and can be easy to miss, and is very satisfying when you catch it. There are many little nuances you may not notice at first, but shouldn't be overlooked, and the ending is deeper than it appears at face value. You won't leave this game feeling good about anything, but that's the intention. It's a risky one, but it worked out.
The gameplay though doesn't stand up to the quality of the narrative. It's your typical early 2010s military shooter fare. Staple yourself to a chest-high wall while you wait for the red gunk covering your screen to disappear, pop out to engage the shooting gallery, with one of only two weapons you're allowed to carry, and then get back into cover when the red gunk comes back. Your movement isn't really that responsive, it's a little stiff and sticky, and combat can feel unsatisfying. You're allowed to give some basic commands to your squadmates, but there's no point in using them most of the time because both of them take too long to do anything. It's also quite short, but to be fair, the length works well with the pacing and the game doesn't feel like it should be longer. The only really interesting mechanic on offer here is the way the game uses sand, as an environmental attack on your enemies and as a hazard to the player; but none of this comes into play often enough to really make the gameplay stand out.
So I can't give it a glowing recommendation, but it's worth experiencing for yourself. The gameplay isn't bad by any stretch of the imagination, it's just extremely average. The story and setting makes up for it, and they're what kept me coming back.