In a Polygon interview Walt Williams, the writer of Spec Ops: The Line, has said "I would like to see less violent games out there, because they're too easy."
"Nazis are basically human demons, killing them is no big deal," commented Williams however, he said he considers Spec Ops to be an experiment in which enemies have character and killing them matters.
"It was a hard game to get out the door but [the] reaction to it has been quite wonderful. When you sit down to play a shooter, you're signing up to hunt hundreds or thousands of people," Williams noted. "In a game, we've allowed hunting to become, not merely mundane, but run of the mill."
He said his goal with Spec Ops was to make kills memorable by integrating acts of violence with the game's story.
Speaking about the game's 'Human Cost' level and its aftermath – where players see the consequence of their actions – Williams said "There's nothing the player can do to change this, it has to happen."
Williams went on to describe the evolution of enemy characters in the game saying "You have to view your enemies not as obstacles, but as characters. [They are] The victims of your players' violence. When they see you they see a force of nature: They see death, and they are frightened."
