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A list of Easter Eggs by Chapter...SPOILERS

posted 10 years ago by driver_hair_dawg
8 replies | jump to latest

Just wanted to make a list of small details in the game you may have overlooked. Feel free to add any I miss.

Overall: The main menu screen changes with each chapter you are on. You catch a glimpse of the daily life of a sniper who you ultimately casually kill in the game.

Loading screens also change in each chapter and start becoming progressively hostile toward you, the gamer.

Character skins become more and more distressed as the game progresses, losing even simple items like water containers, scissors, and rope. The characters also become increasingly more hostile toward each other in later chapters.

The game has you constantly descend, as if lowering down further and further into hell. Hell is a theme heavily applied in this game.

The game constantly prevents you from "going back", blocking your way with baracades and obstructions. Once a LINE is crossed it cannot be uncrossed.

Riches to Rags. Throughout the game you will encounter expensive material items now reduced to junk thanks to the storm.

The illusion of choice is given throughout the game, but ultimately there is no choice but kill.

Chapter 1)

During the helicopter fight sequence several explosions match the ones when attacking soldiers and civillians throughout The Gate.

In the cut scene you are introduced to a blossoming tree similarly structured to the one found by The Gate. This is a hallucination; nothing is thriving after the sand storm.

Your first bit of cognitive dissonance is introduced as one squad mate believes there are still survivors in Dubai while the other insists the city is dead. These two characters are often in direct opposition in arguments leaving you in the middle of conflicting ideas.

The final opening credit is your gamer tag.

When first entering Dubai Cpt. Walker instructs his men to check their sights. As you do this game mechanic you will view a Stop Sign. It is one of the many warnings the game gives you to turn around now.

As you approach the ridge over looking the city you encounter ravens who flee from you. Later they also retreat alongside a group of oryx. It symbolizes that you are the bringer of death that all life retreats from.

Although bluntly stated by your squad you can see remains of The 33rd Evacuation group lying dead in the sand as well as broken down military vehicles.

You descend into the city's freeway.

Lugo and Adams both state that it feels like they are being watched. It's true, it is the CIA tracking your movements. You encounter them and their Intel as early as chapter 4 The Refugees.

As you approach the source of the broadcast you can see the dead bodies of militia that will attack you post cut scene. This may suggest that several "attacks" are in Walker's head.

The first bit of Intel is found at the broadcast: a note from Konrad regarding the situation. The important bit being "I alone am to blame."

The first group of attackers speak Farsi, which is an uncommon language in Dubai, but very common in Afghanistan where Walker and Konrad served together.

After fighting a group of Militia with a turret inside a bus you will see John Konrad's face on the side of a semi truck.

Chapter 2) In the cut scene Adams and Lugo have conflicting views whether or not to follow orders. You side with Lugo.

At the start you hear the ravens give warning that the bringer of death approaches. You can also shoot and kill them silencing their warning.

Inside the news room a prebroadcast informs you that many citizens were tricked into staying behind because an evacuation force was on the way. This was done because the city knew they couldn't possibly rescue everyone and knew people had to be left behind.

Inside the news room you see graffiti indicating them as Liars. An early indication of civilian uprise.

You encounter a trap, as an endless amount of militia pours out of a ruined building. You do not surrender, instead bringing death to those in your way.

You encounter your first in-game sandstorm mirroring the madness of your violence. Despite the danger of the sandstorm you continue to kill your enemies.

You descend once again as you fall into the hotel.

Chapter 3) You find yourself trapped inside a hotel lobby with enemies shooting at you and dropping C-4. The game is trying so hard to stop you from continuing, but on you march.

After the C-4 explodes Lugo and Adams argue if they should negotiate peace with the militia. You again side with Lugo; shoot first ask questions later.

You hear the first of many variations, "They're still alive! Kill them!" Said by main characters, main baddies, and common enemies.

You encounter another sandstorm, state "We cannot go back" (a line crossed) and murder your way to the next building.

Martin states that "Don't get too relaxed. We're not stopping. Every minute we waste could mean the difference between a soldier going home alive or going home in a body bag" which is true. If you stopped they would go home alive, but on you march, bringer of death, and send Americans home in a body bag.

You end the chapter descending down an elevator.

Chapter 4) If you look back into the elevator shaft you will see graffiti on the wall stating "They won't catch me! - Spider Monkey". Look further down and you see a dead body, likely the man known as Spider Monkey.

You encounter a doll made for a child after the storms hit. Walker gives you the first hint that you may be killing innocent people.

Several children's drawings hang on a wall indicating violence, one specifically eerily foreshadows White Phosphorus burning people alive. One also shows helicopters crashing, which again foreshadows your fate.

Graffiti of Walker draped in an American flag with an AK-47 in one hand and a skull on a stick in the other is seen on the wall next to steps. This is clearly a hallucination.

The upstairs portion of this chapter plays tones that are irregularly dissonant of each other, giving off an unpleasant sound ringing in your head. This echoes Walker's mental state.

You come across a hallway where a group of soldiers have been massacred resembling the Kabul death squads of Walker and Adams' past. The children's eyes in the background have been blacked as well.

In a cut scene McPherson argues that Agent Castavin sent his men off to kill his soldiers again, when in actuality was perpetuated by you when you attacked the militia at the start of the game, oh bringer of death.

Whether or not you let McPherson go, you still end up killing him. Either while he lowers his weapon or when he sets a trap for you below. You had no "choice".

Inside the CIA's operation room you can see that the CIA has been tracking you since you first entered the city. Photos of you and your men can be seen. You also catch photos of The Gate before you destroy it.

In Castavin's diary you learn Agent Daniel's was on his way out of the city to report to Langly, but had been captured by The Damned 33rd along the way. He is later heard being tortured by Chapter 5, which is a recording. By now he is long dead.

As you attack the Damned 33rd you encounter your first batch of Mannequins. They are as lifeless as the American soldiers you kill.

You encounter your first group of unarmed civilians as well, whom can be shot and killed by you, your men, the militia or the Damned 33rd. They do not highlight blue or red on your reticle, they are just collateral damage in this violence.

The Nest is filled with food and water, not just unarmed people. The CIA and militia attacked this place so the 33rd would starve and die of thirst, which you later do as you attack the water depot.

You run past many Missing Persons notes, some of which you have likely killed.

You run past a sign that states No Firearms In The Camp. Some of the languages translated on the sign would not be common in Dubai, but rather Afghanistan. Also, you ironically bring Firearms into this camp and murder even more American Soldiers.

In the camp you hear the Radioman state that the truce made was broken when the killing started again, the killing likely done by you at the start of the game.

As you descend down the first flight of stairs near the balcony you see a wife cradle her dead husband, foreshadowing the woman and child you later murder at the Gate. You can also murder this grieving widow, oh bringer of death.

At the end of the chapter an unlimited wave of enemies swarm you leaving you no choice but to bury them in sand, much like the sandstorms. A few previous points let you do this as well as future points. It resembles that you are just as destructive as the storm.

Logically it would look like you would have to ascend the mountain of sand you created in order to leave, but in the closing cut scene you appear to not be climbing up sand, but walking on an even plane of sand.

[–] driver_hair_dawg 10 years ago

Chapter 5) In the opening cut scene Agent Daniels is being tortured and exclaims he was just looking for survivors, which later escalates to them killing the Damned 33rd. Oddly enough you have done the same thing.

You fall into the top of a skyscraper at the very start of this mission. Logically this does not make sense, but in a metaphorical way of descending into hell, it does. This level has you zip down many cables, rappel down ropes, run down stairs and even fall off a building into a pit.

In the distance you see a banner of Konrad's face. As you progress the chapter it changes into a woman's face from Circue Solei.

If you are stealthy you can overhear two conversations. The first merely humanizes your enemy, while the second actually hints that the Damned 33rd were trying to rescue people from the nest and were bringing them to the Gate. They also bring light to their plan of killing off the CIA.

You fall into a building where the 33rd start shooting at you. You can take cover in the middle of a room by a table which has a miniature of Dubai. This gets destroyed throughout the firefight.

In the subsequent room you take cover by pillars and columns that look like Dubai skyscrapers buried in the sand.

As you cross a rickety bridge from one building to the next ravens fly by with their warning cry, "The Bringer of Death approaches!"

Simultaneously Walker explains he knows the radioman, because he traveled with them in Kabul. In other words Konrad, Adams, Radioman, Walker, and all the 33rd were stationed at Kabul at one point and by "chance" they found themselves in Dubai (or it means they are all in hell)

Heading toward the Liars' Lair you come across an office with paintings of men with their eyes blacked out, except for one. I do not know who this man is, but he does look like a nation leader.

If you look carefully you can see the pile up of sand by the door through the vertical window by the door. It would be a bad idea to kick it open.

Chapter 6) As a steel pipe comes falling down on you it has a similar sound effect to the crashed helicopter blades at the beginning of the level.

You start out with only a Desert Eagle rather than you normal M9 handgun. In fact this happens several times when you are alone. This maybe remarking the over macho nature of military shooters being big gun cowboys for the kids.

You find yourself trapped, again, as Adams tries to open the door. You jump on a turret. In the distance you can see a body hanging upside down and on fire. It is a hallucination foreshadowing Agent Daniels' fate. Beside the burning body you also see a billboard of one of the loading screens. You will see a closer picture when you drop into a pit of dead bodies once Adams opens the door.

In the pit of dead bodies you see the first set of American flags blacked out. You will also hear a faint boom sound similar to the White Phosphorus attack later in the game. Whether it is a hallucination or not is to be debated.

You find a confession from Agent Riggs from being tortured by insurgents, stating fire was his breaking point. Later in the game you can let him burn alive.

In the cut scene the radioman states that this trap was meant for a fox named Gould. The nickname "fox" is not coincidental since they are deploying Operation Grayfox in which they lure and kill all CIA agents.

In the next fire fight you take cover by more pillars similar to Dubai's Skyscrapers as well as more Mannequins.

In a food court in the firefight you will see on the menu polarizing items. Cafe Latte Iced and Iced Little Big. It could again stand for cognitive dissonance.

As the helicopter attacks you ascend some stairs, but later fall through the floor that you previously on. There is no way to climb out of hell.

Chapter 7) In the opening cut scene Walker states they have no choice, they must team up with the CIA to fight the 33rd. Again Lugo and Adams have opposing views. You once more side with Lugo.

As you enter the hotel you see a giant aquarium filled with water. This is a hallucination. There is no way this water would be sitting here unclaimed.

In the lobby you will find a miniature of the city. When you blow out the windows it will be buried in sand, much like the storm did.

Outside in the distance you will see that none of the lamp posts have dead bodies hanging from them, but once you drop down they suddenly do. This could be a hallucination, but that billboard of Konrad nearby definitely is.

You also encounter a few dying people in this level, but make no attempt to help them, despite that being the main reason you came to Dubai. You may kill them out of mercy/your lust for death.

More Ravens are seen fleeing from you by the billboard of the guy with a gun to his head.

You will reach a sign that says Evacuation Assembly Point with a dead man next to it. You literally are killing men trying to escape, Bringer of Death.

Next to the Evacuation sign you find the Radioman's confessional tape, in which he states that Colonel John Konrad had to execute civilians responsible for stealing water. This scenario is later presented to you in Chapter 9 as a hallucination.

You come across your first direct encounter with White Phosphorus and see the horror unleashed onto people, which foreshadows the next Chapter. This sequence is also in slow motion, which happens in other portions of the game including hallucinations, hostage situations, and headshots.

The soldier interrogating Agent Gould was correct in assuming that attacking the Gate head on was a distraction, because it is the exact same strategy Riggs uses in order to close in on the water depot. Walker and Squad misconstrue this information into thinking they should attack and destroy The Gate.

Adams and Lugo argue whether or not they should save Gould or the civilians, but there really isn't a choice. Gould dies either way.

If you save the civilians you will hear Gould confess that Riggs will attack the Water Collesium. You will also hear a conversation between two soldiers on who will kill the civilians. Afterward the cut scene will reveal The Gate being a target by the CIA as well as tension among your men. Oddly enough in the stealth route you will hear Lugo exclaim to Adams, "If I die will you just leave me here, too?" which later he does.

In the closing cut scene Lugo and Adams resemble the conflicting views Walker is going through.

Chapter 8) You encounter a tree blossoming in the sand. It is a hallucination. Once you cross it and look back at it you see it is dead.

In the cut scene Walker bluntly states there is no choice and uses White Phosphorus to kill the 33rd.

Walking through your destruction you may notice your squad hanging their heads low.

In the cut scene you hear Lugo blame you for all this. He oddly enough points to the camera. YOU ARE TO BLAME.

Inside the gate you will see falling angel statues above and...if you take careful shots to not shoot the monitors...video feed of the destruction you left behind.

More to come later.

[–] driver_hair_dawg 10 years ago

I had a busy summer/fall, but had not forgotten about this thread. Thank you to the few who have waited.

Chapter 9) The opening cut scene reveals Konrad's command team tied to chairs and burned alive from white phosphorus. A blackened American flag will reveal that Walker blames Konrad for killing his own men, but the credibility of this statement is questionable since Walker spends the rest of the game blaming Konrad for everything despite him being dead all along. It is unclear if Konrad did kill his own men or if other men of the 33rd did after Konrad died. The lineup does resemble the dead bodies found in previous chapters: Underneath and The Refugees.

Walker claims he "knew these men" (Konrad's command team), which again seems too coincidental that all the troops in Afghanistan would wind up trapped in Dubai.

Konrad's first statement is "No better than I did. I promise you that." which is true since Konrad's presence lives inside Walker's mind.

As Walker grabs the walkie talkie the camera cuts away before revealing the vacant battery pack.

Konrad--who exists in Walker's mind--states that he does not blame his men; much like his confession/Intel at the start of the game. Walker, however, perpetually blames everything on Konrad. This is the biggest form of cognitive dissonance in Walker's mind. Blame, fault, and guilt bounce off Walker and onto Konrad because Walker cannot handle the horrible acts he committed.

Konrad states he remembers Walker from Kabul. It is possible, however, that he would not have remembered him.

As Walker talks to Konrad you can see your men look uneasily at each other.

The windows open during Konrad's preach as if the big boss is challenging a confrontation. This is again a hallucination. Konrad closes his transmission with Walker's tagline " Welcome to Dubai, Gentlemen!"

You get an eerie command to OBEY as your next mission objective. If you think about it, though, you have been obeying this whole time.

The room has a couple of Symposium of Nature banners with an Onyx on it. A doctor was likely to lecture the dangers of damaging the environment here, which was likely cancelled due to the apacolyptic-like sandstorms ravaging Dubai.

If you look at the list of fallen soldiers far up on the list you will find Adams' and Lugo's names (4th column 3rd and 4th row) likely indicating you are all dead and in hell already. Your name doesn't appear though as, perhaps one ending suggests, there is a way Walker escaped.

The room seems to be kind of designed as if you are underwater. The wavy ceiling tiles and blue tint give it an aquatic look. In actualality you are all dying of thirst.

Prior to descending you can see the two bodies dangling who you have to decide to "kill" or let live. As you descend you see a hallucination/reflection of a dead boby hanging on the left side of the windows.

Konrad claims that he saved many lives, but has ended even more. This is clearly pointing facts out about you.

Despite never hearing Konrad your squad obeys each of your commands. Odder yet--despite it being a hallucination--your squad members can still die from the snipers.

The fade to white is again utilized in the "choice" section. You can see Lugo and Adams uneasy in the background. Even when Walker states that they are meant to choose, their replies are vague like they do not see what he sees.

If you stall Konrad taunts you and the snipers give one warning shot. Eventually they shoot your men who you cannot rescue. You are forced to kill one of the men, attack the snipers, or die. None of which end in the two men both living.

If you kill the soldier Konrad responds that he would not have made that choice, but you fit in with Dubai quite well. If you kill the civilian Konrad finds pride in your action. If you kill the snipers Konrad promises revenge. None of the choices really matter though, a trap is awaiting for you up ahead. Your gunshots merely alerted the 33rd.

Post "choice" you argue with Adams and demand he never bring this up again, which he doesn't. It is likely he never mentions it again because it is a hallucination; you were just shooting at dead bodies.

The roadsign indicates that the water depot is ahead, which you reach with Agent Riggs. Further down the road you see the Burj Khalifa where Konrad waits for you.

Vultures circle above, which you can again kill, Bringer of Death.

You ascend a small hill before sliding down further. There is no climbing out of hell.

In the distance you see a sandstorm overwhelm Dubai. The Burj Khalifa will look like it is on fire, much like in a hallucination at the start of Chapter 13.

As you get closer to the Burj Khalifa you can see three soldiers make their way towards it. Though it is difficult to tell, but the silhouettes kind of look like Walker, Adams, and Lugo. You will have to look away from the men attacking you to see this.

This is also the only sandstorm where you and your men cover your faces with goggles and a bandanas since the start of the game. I do not know if it means anything special.

You end the chapter with a cut scene of Walker talking to Konrad. Your men look at each other uneasily in silence since Walker is talking to himself.

Chapter 10) This chapter lacks an title intro. I do not know if it was done by error or intentional.

The Burj Khalifa is fully illuminated when Walker states that is where Konrad is hiding, despite there being no electricity. Also, Walker takes a complete shot in the dark regarding Konrad's whereabouts, yet his men follow it as if it were truth.

After the close up of The Burj Khalifa you run past a sign that says No More Water which foreshadows your next horrible act.

Walker states "We cannot walk away from what we've seen here!" which sets up the ending perfectly. Walker can never really come back from the horror he found in Dubai, even if he lived long enough to make it home.

In a tent you will find Intel of the Radioman's original breaking point into madness. He believes that city officials are killing foreign aid. With the CIA killing people and the civilians uprising the Radioman develops a trust no one outside of the 33rd kind of policy.

You will come across grenades to pick up. If you look over to the billboard to the right you will see it has a small engine airplane on it and a silhouette of a man which looks similar to Konrad when he taunts you and the start of chapter 11.

When you overhear Riggs on the radio you find his squad pinned down. There are several burning vehicles around the area, which likely foreshadows his fate. We have used vehicles for shelter, but not nearly as many were burning. Also, once you clear the area you hear a continuous burning flare even if you retreat to the area you came from. I think it is clear that the developers knew that most players would likely let Riggs burn alive.

During the cutscene a flash grenade will go off. After that two men will burst into the room looking for Riggs. One, on the ground, will exclaim, "You're dead!" before being shot in the head by Riggs. You have now witnessed Riggs' other fate. Either way he dies.

Riggs states, "Come on, you're slow in' me down!" which must have left a mark on Walker, because he will adopt a similar phrase when reloading his gun.

Inside this room you find Intel of Riggs analyzing Konrad's psyche, which matches the one in the film Apocalypse Now an inspiration of the game as well as Hearts of Darkness (written by Joseph Conrad). Even the Radioman seems to be a play on Dennis Hopper's character. The game makes a spin of it by having Riggs narrate Konrad's instability even though he is the one who ends up going insane from failed missions.

Despite him highlighting in your command call, Riggs will not attack an enemy you have selected.

In the Restaurant area with a "Heavy" there is one table that still has silverware and a bowl on it. I know it is a bit of a stretch if it is an easter egg, but it seems odd that the sandstorms would not have blown it off the table, but stranger things have happened in this world. It could also just be programmed in without anyone at Yager questioning it.

Peculiarly you run through a restaurant and Kitchen into what I believe to be a yacht club or business selling yachts. One of the models looks like the one you seek shelter in Chapter 13.

Upon an ambush in the Yacht building enemies will seemingly shoot through glass, which will only break if you shoot back.

Even if you got around the Zulu squad there is no way to follow Riggs as he gets the door from behind. Oddly enough you still have to kick the door open even though Riggs said it was unlocked.

Riggs will viciously kill a man sneaking up behind him and Adams will reacts similarly when you beat down an enemy who you hallucinate to be Adams in Chapter 12. Riggs will also not highlight in this section of the game.

Before you head down into the parking garage you see graffiti art similar to those found in the Radioman's lair. I am unsure what a man-shark could signify, other than symbolizing both to be the predators of their environment. You will also come across yet another Protected By The 33rd mark.

Again I may be grasping at straws: The Parking Lot is labeled P1 C4 that could translate to Player One C-4. The only time in the game you seem to come across C-4 is when the enemies drop them in chapter 3. What is odd is if you look at the garage floor below it is labeled P1 C1.

You will hear gunfire, including Riggs' handgun, in the next room. Riggs will enter and two dead bodies will be lying on the ground with their guns mysteriously missing.

Despite him being a figment of Walkers imagination Konrad still pinpoints Riggs' true intent: kill everyone in Dubai and bury the truth.

If you do not stealth it through the colleseum you will get a fade to white suggesting the early part of the brawl is a hallucination and that the combat is inside Walker's mind.

The Colosseum also has nearly every nation's flag bannered along the ceiling. It could signify every nation committing horrible acts of war over something essential to life.

If you look down the high dive into the swimming pool below you will see a dead body floating in the precious drinking water. In some ways you could say the people have been ingesting each other this whole time for survival.

The Colosseum shimmers like Konrad's lair despite the lack of water. This appears to be a hallucination or at least an exaggeration of reality.

The two floors of the colleseum have the same layout; a shotgunner waiting for you right away, a vertical advertising for cover, a long range enemy that can be taken out by the nearby explosive crate, and a "crazy f#&%er with a knife" charging you. Around the corner will be a small area for more ammo, which bad guys guard. You may be too desensitized at this point to catch the individuals you kill, but that is the point in this game. One of the boards has the words "Focus and Control" placed with a similar font as the HUD as if the environment itself is aiding you along your quest of death.

Oddly enough all the ads and vending machines have electricity. In the second cache of ammo you will see a beverage vending machine stating, "Enjoy your drink"

Despite having men at his disposal you never see Riggs alongside any of them. Even when the trucks are moving seemingly by themselves.

Chapter 10 Part 2) You do get a title screen for this section and are met with citizens yelling and throwing rocks at you, which you will again face in Chapter 13. They want you to stop, but you won't, Bringer of Death.

This subchapter also mirrors the helicopter side railer at the start of the game and later in Chapter 12 Part 2. You are on the same side of the vehicle blasting away at enemies before you crash. Lugo even blurts out "Helicopter losing contact!" when he shoots the enemy helicopter attacking you and when you later crash in the helicopter. You even wake up very similarly with Konrad berating you of your actions.

More to come later.

[–] driver_hair_dawg 10 years ago

Chapter 11) You wake up to Konrad lecturing you. He will do the same at the start of Chapter 13. You also cannot skip it...

Over the loudspeakers you will hear the Radioman update the civilians of the water situation. Turns out they were helping the local population. It still won't stop you from killing everyone.

Durning the cutscene you hear Riggs confess that he said Gould called him insane. It would appear that half of the CIA's team was hell bent on killing the 33rd and the other wanted to rescue people.

Whether you shoot Riggs or let him burn will only change three things: one will be the final showdown with Konrad recapping your actions, the second will be the billboard you encounter at the end of the road (by the Onyx) will display a face being killed in the same manner, and third when you first enter the mall two statues will also mimick Riggs' death by either holding a gun to the others head or illuminated in a way like fire. If you stare at the statues you will get the hallucination fade to white and the statues will return to their original golden state.

There are two dialogues for Riggs burning; you can stand and watch him burn or walk away and hear him burn.

Further down the road you find more dead bodies which you walk around with flares lighting your way. It feels a little familiar to the "walk through hell" opening in Chapter 13.

The mall has hanging glass butterflies, which you can destroy. In all honesty they would have all been destroyed by the sandstorms.

The Radioman foreshadows Konrad's death when he emphasizes want he "Had. To. Do.". He also reminds Walker of the child he killed at The Gate, which they emphasize at the end in the painting.

After the Mannequin hallucination more lifeless mannequins will be in the room than before you entered it. This is also the game's loading screen for the level.

After the Mannequin hallucination and before you zip line down a level you will see grafitti of a stripper on a pole on the right and a pig-man on the left throwing money. This is likely a hallucination judging by the difficult location of the art and the detail went to make it.

You come across a promotional stage for Legions of Krakator where military men fight an ogre-like war machine. It represents you.

Durning the turret section enemies will move along escalators as if they are on despite the lack of electricity.

In the cut scene you come across a surrendering soldier named Josh Forbes who recites his service number, but gets interrupted by Walker. It could be fake because he states 867530...which is a hit American song. 8-6-7-5-3-0-9!

The soldier also states that the Colonel only wanted to keep people alive. Walker retaliates how often he has tried to kill him and knocks the soldier unconscious. Had Walker kept him awake he may have received news that the Colonel was dead.

Chapter 12) The start of the level has you high above the clouds in Dubai's famous Wave tower, yet never shows you ascend the 92 stories. This is also a level where you rappel down buildings much like Chapter 5 The Edge.

The opening scene Lugo and Adams again argue with one another. Martin is in between walking silently.

An enemy helicopter will zip by you, which is the same one you steal at the end of the sub-chapter and eventually crash. Even if you open fire on it the helicopter will continue its course, but you can kill the seagulls it scares away. If you watch where the helicopter goes you can see both the Burj Khalifa and the Radioman's tower. Oddly enough that helicopter arrives AFTER you storm the Radioman's tower despite it headed there at the start of the level.

In the distance you can see the Persian Gulf, but in Chapter 13 as you make your way to a marina you see it has been covered over with sand. In real life it would take a drastic world altering storm to isolate Dubai from the Gulf, but if this is Walker's hell it does make more sense thfor the absence of water.

After hearing snipershots an enemy conversation will inform you that rioting in the city has escalated to the degree at the start of the storms. You are to blame. They also state that the Colonel believed that Dubai could be rebuilt and saved; you have clearly been killing the part of the 33rd that didn't go rogue. Also, the previously mentioned riots will take Lugo's life.

When you kill the group of snipers the room will have a wall with peoples names written in chalk and a tally next to it (Franklin 10, Smith 6, Gregory 3, Kurtis 1, and Thomson 20). Each mark represents a kill they've made.

In the adjacent room with a basketball court you can joyfully kick beachballs around with incredible strength, somewhat similar to GTA: Vice City. The court also has a bar with the name Red Orchid. An Orchid is defined as a symbol of growth and prosperity, but red represents wild emotions like lust and rage. I suppose the creative team wanted to remind even the intellectual side of you of your bloodlust.

The building you slide toward has a blackened American flag and a few skinned soldiers displayed on the walls.

When you zip through the building if you look right you can see a crashed helicopter inside. Konrad will again try to reason with you to stop, but you don't and you've damned everyone with you, Bringer of Death.

You kick an enemy who you hallucinate to be Adams. If you let him talk long enough he will say, "Stop! Just *beep* stop!" a phrase you will hear later in Chapter 14 if you die at the hands of a juggernaut. I will clarify when I get there. Also even though you see the enemy draw a gun after you kill him he will have appeared unarmed...unless you count the sniper rifle on the far end of the room.

Adams reaction to the dead enemy is similar to when Riggs killed that one enemy who snuck up on him in Stealing The Water chapter. If you look outside the color will appear more greenish, like the two post-white phosphorous scenes in Chapters 7 and 8. If, however you merely shoot the enemy neither of your squad will have a horrified reaction. This hallucination is interesting if you do just shoot the enemy because it then cuts to its pre-rendered death pose. Some could argue that Walker was attacking a dead body considering this sudden visual switch as well as the lack of any other soldiers in the room. It also wouldn't be the first time you opened fire or punched inanimate objects in the game.

Whether you kill the enemy by shooting him or bashing his head in the Radioman will taunt you for killing soldiers in a melee manner. I find it odd that he would know this given that there are no cameras in the room. Some have even speculated if the Radioman was alive to begin with, but I believe he is since both your squadmates refer to him on more than one occasion. Still, I will not deny something peculiar about his scene when we get there.

When you ascend a flight of stairs with dog portraits prepare to brighten you TV screen. A nearly blackened room will will reveal a horse and warrior-like man wall statue. I think it is a symbol of one of the four horseman of the apocalypse, in this case Death, heading into battle. It could be just background, but it makes metal popping sounds if you shoot at it--so the creators INTENTIONALLY put it there. Arguably I could be grasping for straws here.

The Radioman's tower has a banner that insists you tune into 97.6 for the truth. Typically FM uses odd number decimals for stations to give a clearer break between two frequencies and even yet you only come across channels on the radio with a fourth of a decimal point spacing. While I do not know if even decimal point stations are possible it does suggest that the truth is in between the frequencies/in between the what is being told/in between the lines.

As you pick off enemies across the building the Radioman will humanize who you are killing, yet does it in a jokingly inhumane way, even quoting The Simpson sat one point. Maybe you joined in on a few laughs as you killed each of them. Also the Radioman does not seem to fear is inevitable death even as you kill off the last line of his defense!

The exterior has a few things of interest besides the banner. It is mostly a dance floor with a disco ball, BBQ grills, and lifeless mannequins. Up the tower you will see three satellite dishes that have been painted on. One has a peace symbol, one has the words THE TRUTH, and the third looks like a bullseye. Only the enemies and mannequins can be shot and destroyed.

When you cross over the dance floor you will see an enemy crawl out from the side, slump over, and die similarly like one did when you entered the devestation at The Gate.

The building--The Peak Club-- has the same logo as your squad targeting reticle.

Inside you come across blacklit rooms with psychedelic art and a collection of groovy looking junk--toy gator, cd/record collection, a hukka, and music equipment. A large television screen will display two images of you. The one on the left shows you in the "skyscraper room" in Chapter 5 and the second shows you walk through the first White Phosphorous scene in Chapter 11. A smaller screen shows security footage of an area I do not think we ever come across, but it could be the area in which Gould dies in Chapter 11. A bathroom also has a mirror that does not show your reflection and a Press bulletproof vest hangs beside it. His lair shimmers like Konrad's in Chapter 15. He is also playing a Black Angels song throughout.

Here is where the theorists of THE RADIOMAN WAS DEAD ALL ALONG have some merit (even if I do not believe it is true). The cut scene starts with a quick fade to white, which would normally signal a hallucination. If you merely skip the cutscene the Radioman sits in his pre-rendered death pose with a black fade. If you do not skip it he blabbers on and is killed by Lugo by a hand gun. I merit that since the game has foreshadowed so many events prior I cannot dismiss the similarities between The Radioman and Konrad. Both spent the entire game as a voice in the head taunting you, seemingly sending wave after wave of men to kill you. They are both men Walker met in Afghanistan while on duty and both willingly came and stayed in Dubai to help survivors. When you confront both men in their lairs upon a tower they are both passive-aggressive and after each die from a bullet to the head from a handgun they are left sitting dead in a chair. After both of their deaths Walker will get on a radio (or pretend radio in Konrad's case) and call for an evacuation of Dubai. Again while there are the parallels, I think there is too much evidence to support that The Radioman was alive specifically that your men interact with him and that not every fade to white resulted in a hallucination in the game. Yet I do not deny the weirdness of the scene nor the sudden ambush of the helicopter we saw at the start of the level bursting in.

The cutscene The Radioman will merely hand over the mic willingly even though Lugo stated it would be much harder than that at the start of the level. Lugo and Adams will AGAIN get into an argument about choice. When Walker finishes his communication on the mic Konrad will chime in and, by the looks of Lugo and Adams' faces they do not hear what Walker hears.

After you have cleared the enemies in your way of the helicopter a phantom gunmen will continually shoot at you. It can never kill you and despite the pleas from your men to hurry there is no time limit.

As you cover Lugo you hear Walker lose himself to rage. Even as they lift off he continues to lose himself in his list for death. Maybe you have, too, overlooking inconsistencies like a swimmingpool filled with crystal-clear water, enemies spawning from points already deemed clear, and enemy cries as generic as the ones as when you first started killing The 33rd.

After you destroy the tower Walker will say he has never seen anything like that before, but Konrad sure has hoping that he got the message. This line tickles me because I do not known when Konrad may have witnessed the destruction of a tower, but it could also mean the destruction of The Truth. Or it could mean that the game gets a little meta (like it will shortly) and that it is aware Konrad will see the tower destroyed again and again as the player beats this level.

Chapter 12 Part 2) Walker immediately makes a statement like he has become self aware or as if he is repeating his life days before his death like some sort of hell. Both make sense in a way. Walker solely exists as a character in this horrific game in this world for all eternity. This sidescroller shoot 'em up section only differs from the beginning of the game from the early bit of dialogue and the inclusion of side winding missiles. You also zip past the building seen in the menu and likely kill that sniper when you try to mow down those helicopters. Also note the similar dialogue given during The Stealing of the Water Chapter.

When the helicopter smashes into you it immediately ejects Lugo from your helicopter, which explains why he is not near you or Adams in the next chapter. You fall out and the screen goes black. Now some people have believed that this is how the real Walker dies and that the rest of the game is his mind/spirit in hell. Granted some at Yaeger made the game with this intention, but not all. I again agree that this game is a metaphor for hell, but that Walker met his demise after this point. It is strange though that Walker, Lugo, and Adams survived a helicopter crash with a few broken bones--particularly Lugo and Walker who fell out thousands of feet in the air.

Chapter 13) Much like Chapter 11 Walker wakes up to Konrad scolding him and the sound of rain (molded into Bjork's song The Storm playing in the background). The Burj Khalifa looks like it is on fire like it did during the sandstorm portion of Chapter 11. While it is a cutscene you do need to move Walker forward to advance and you can look around. Some argue this is where you cross the gate of hell as you see two pits of dead bodies charred from white phosphorous beneath you and ghosts of three people you killed unable to escape the path one of which is Riggs. You also watch Lugo die, which foreshadows his actual death at the end of this chapter. The scene has some revealing dialogue regarding choice and the lack thereof, the desire to be a hero/savior despite being a killer, and the game again being a bit meta in the delivery of you knowing everyone had to die because that is how shooter games work.

You save Adams COD style and he seeks cover as you kill wave after wave of enemies. Even though you are again outgunned you kill your way to Lugo. Oddly enough from here on out Adams doesn't give a questionable look at Walker anymore any time he mentions Konrad. It is like he believes the lie.

The flames from the helicopter make the same sound as the flames from the destroyed trucks in Chapter 11.

You come across a list of names/locations with number marks next to them. These seem more cluttered than the other tally marks and could represent survivor numbers rather than kill counts. Some names and places are crossed off from the list. I assume that means that place is now dead.

Around the corner is the Radioman's inspiration to broadcast to the locals. A graffiti dolphin riding a rainbow is also on the wall. Even in the worst of times people will try to create art.

You will get ambushed by enemy soldiers and a sniper hiding in a yacht. Overhead you can hear seagulls crying out, but no shore in sight.

You encounter many boats with names like Hyperion, Serendipity, and Yasmin. These boat names are worth looking up, but some of which supports the riches to rags themes I earlier noted in the game. My particular favorite is the last boat named Volition.

When you drop down in a boat Adams and you argue about choice and blame.

The next set of baddies can be easily killed if you make it to the yacht. I recommend grenades to get there. Also a sandstorm will brush by, but now you and your enemy do not fear its power for you are the greater threat. It is not only the shortest storm, but also the last you encounter in this game. Had you stopped or actually called for evac at the storm wall all these lives could have been saved. Instead on you march to kill more innocent people.

Over the airwaves you hear Lugo in trouble and immediately think it is the 33rd. If you listen closely though you can hear Lugo speak Hindu-? (not sure), which means it isn't the American troops killing him, it is the people of Dubai. You also cross a camp where water rations were being handed at lower rates (.5 liters to .3 liters), due to your actions.

As Lugo dies it looks like Walker will leave Lugo's body in a respected state of rest: eyes closed and both hands placed together at his chest. Intentional or not Walker only leaves on arm on his chest and the other left at his side. Whether you are spiritual or not this is not the proper way to leave a body and suggests his soul will not go at rest. He will haunt you in the next chapter as a hallucination.

If you choose not to kill the civilians you will hear voices proclaim things like YOU SHOULD HAVE NEVER COME HERE! I HOPE YOU ROT! YOU KILLED MY HUSBAND! And one woman says something regarding Konrad, but it is in a language I do not understand. The delivery makes it sound like she is crying for help and that Konrad is a Savior. It fits with the Intel you find at the end of the level.

Even with apocalyptic sandstorms the people had a hierarchy based system for food and supplies. First the Hunters trade only accepts Gold as currency, there is a crate suspended in the air by crane that hold FOREIGN AID boxes meant for people, and there are three line formations at the end of the level labeled Men, Women, and V.I.P. Only. Very depressing when you think about it.

The Chapter ends with you and Adams marching out to Konrad's lair, Adams accepting that Walker must be speaking to him.

More to come later

[–] Fwank_The_Nutter 10 years ago

This is gold. Keep 'em coming. I think maybe a few of them are contrived, but it's still nice reading, and most I can see.

Is your opinion that they're all dead, and in Hell?

Real life ain't as dope as the movies.

[–] driver_hair_dawg 9 years ago

Chapter 14) As a quick side note I like to believe that this chapter has a small relic of every chapter that came before it. Yachts, hanging bodies, promotionals from that monster movie advertised in the mall, crashed airplanes, etc. This level seems to accumulate the remnants of Dubai.

In the opening cutscene Adams will make a gun out of his hand, aim it at where Walker's head was, and go "Bam!" This foreshadows Walker's fate depending on how you approach the ending. You can either shoot the imaginary Konrad living in your head or shoot yourself in the head for real.

You start out at a golf course at night. There is a nearby pond with the sound of crickets chirping; both of which are a hallucination. Around you several buildings are on fire and destroyed. This was done by you in previous missions, specifically the helicopter mission where you manically shoot at everything in sight. The buildings are also being destroyed by another set of uprising from civilians and militants unhappy with the 33rd and Americans in general.

As you make your way across the way to the Burj Khalifa you may notice a river separating the area. Could this mean that fresh water could be available? Is this source of water contaminated by the salt water of the ocean? Or is this yet another hallucination?

Inside the room past the first turret you come across you will find a fake movie poster named Finders with a similar tone to this game. You will also find pictures of American soldiers posing and smiling. Up the stairs you find more of the same as well as intel describing a soldier's code of conduct. It won't affect you though; at least not enough to stop you from killing everyone else, Bringer of Death.

You also see a few boxes that state TRUST IN YOUR DREAMS. If you interpret this game as a hell-like nightmare than it is communicating to you about how you should feel about FPS Shooters and even war.

Outside if you look up the sky will appear blood red in certain sections. The lighting is also similar to the hellish base in Apocalypse Now where enemy fire and friendly fire blurred.

When the enemy shoots white phosphorus it will make an old airplane engine when it soars across the sky. You will also get a quick fade to white like the flashbang in Chapter 10 when enemies surrounded you and your men with Riggs. Added to the hallucination is Konrad's voice welcoming you to hell. Several people on fire will charge you. If they touch you then Walker hallucinates himself on fire and you can hear Adams scream at him to snap out of it. It is possible to shoot the guys and not be set on fire, which will bring you back to the game as normalA. If you do take the time to look around you will see Dubai on fire and several dead bodies hanging from seemingly the sky.

Somehow you escape the white phosphorus, which is odd. Prior to the hallucination it would appear that they undershot your location, but afterward it appears they overshot your position. It is yet another inconsistency in the game.

After destroying the wave before the Lugo hallucination if you run back to the area you came from you will see it is blocked off from the destruction left from the White Phosphorous. In this moment of the game you are literally kept in between the two things that broke Walker: WP that won't let you go back and Lugo who wants to stop you from going any further. If you do die from Lugo you will get a hallucination death vision of the mother and child you killed with a lullabye humming.

Beside the door that Lugo bursts out from is a sign that has a stop sign much like the one at the start of the game where you check your sights. It also says violaters will be shot, which is also true.

After killing Lugo look up to the flags in the air, the lights make them appear red, but if you look closely you will see that they are white, a universal sign of surrender. This will come true at the start of the next chapter.

Inside the Armory--the room after the heavy/Lugo--you will see a memorial to those fallen 33rd. It has an unblackened American Flag. On that list you see Lugo's and Adams' names, much like on the memorial at the start of Chapter 9. This one has their names obscured by the hundreds of Dog tags dangling from it, representing all the men you killed. DO YOU FEEL LIKE A HERO YET? You also come across Konrad's final orders to hold the line and try to keep Dubai safe. Beside that you see a map of Dubai with photos of you and your men. Lugo is crossed off and his name checked.

The final wave of men starts with a comment made by the heavy, "Let's finish this!" You have come this far; you won't stop. The final bunker also has a green smoke canister lit. Its meaning is a bit poetic given the circumstance.

Adams will react to your surrender independently from Konrad's voice when you look at it closely.

Adams pushes you off a ledge and onto the bridge that should connect to the Burj Khalifa, but upon running on it you see it is damaged. This conflicts with the earlier image of when you first see it near the start of the level. Its placement is also weird considering that you should be at an even plane with it and not over it, yet you fall down to reach it. This jarring and inconsistent layout (disguised by the cutscene a little) sets just how lost Walker's mind is.

Although you do not see him die, Adams must have with the army he faces. You hear the helicopter crash with the same sound effect as your own in chapter 12 part 2.

After you wake up it has the same grasshopper's sound effect and same music as the start of the chapter. I do not know of the significance of the loop.

The Burj Khalifa has a running water fountain...at least in Walker's mind. The world sitting in the middle well lit is a nice touch.

Chapter 15) Walker enters through The Burj Khalifa's decadant 3-story Aquarium Exhibit. At this point in the game the water would have been drained and used to aid the abandoned civilians and soldiers. The sea creatures would have also been likely cooked and eaten. This is the third time where you start in a hotel lobby (CH 3 and CH 7) and the second time where the lobby was a filled aquarium. I guess the earlier missions hinted at how the game would start to conclude. Each of those levels also lead to a point which would highlight The Gate. In CHAPTER 3 you are led down to the CIA's headquarters where they place a strategy icons on the map, CH 7 leads to Gould's map which focuses on the Gate, and in this Chapter you have Konrad painting a picture of The Gate.

This level only has Walker elevate, yet you do not see the actual elevator raise up. There is no downward motion aside from moving down the bedroom steps after retrieving intel of the poem to get to Konrad. This level also shows zero sign of distress from the storm until after the revelation with Konrad.

One of the soldiers states that Konrad is upstairs waiting for him. He is the same hallucinate soldier you ask a radio from post-Konrad.

In the elevator (which would not work with the power outage, BTW) Konrad compares you to the storm; how you are more lethal than the initial hell Dubai had faced.

As you enter the room Konrad hints he is dead when he states that "He wasn't that lucky" and "I assure you Captain, I am as sane as you are!"

Konrad also uses an appropriate verb "When you are done RIFLING through my things see me upstairs"

The room is a giant hallucination, filled with water and trees growing. Even the tree at the opening cutscene/tree by The Gate is flourishing. The room is clean and shiny as if the storm neglected to damage anything in Konrad's lair. Although you should have seen this coming. The opening cutscene even showed a well-kept home with updated newspapers and water for the man's coffee. How logical does that seem now?

The poem and letter Konrad wrote are the closest portrayal of how Konrad's last days were: heartbroken, depressed, and defeated. Not the enemy Walker has built him up to be.

If you walk to the bathroom you can see your reflection unlike a few mirrors you previously encountered. Again his lair mirrors the Radioman's.

If you go to the bedroom area and look across you can see the painting, but not Konrad. You will also not find much of the items in the opening sequence like newspapers, kitchenware, or pictures.

The staircase leading to Konrad has a full bloom anthurium flower (the red one) which symbolizes hospitality, happiness, and abundance. The flower is shaped like a heart, but this specific flower, however, appears to be growing with its petals upsidedown. The American flag hold many meaningful words like liberty, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness, but as previously shown in the game when flipped upsidedown it signifies that this is all in distress and that aid/help is needed. You will also find this flower in the bathroom next to your face in the mirror. There isn't also one upstairs in Konrad's Zen Garden near the blossoming tree. All three are upsidedown.

Konrad's first words to Walker in person are actually depicting Walker's downfall as well as you, gamer. You really did not know what was happening in Dubai and slaughtered many innocent men and women.

Konrad states that, "Your eyes are opening for the first time" which is meant to reveal to you, the gamer, of all the horrible acts you've committed in monstrous shooter games. The fourth wall shatters throughout this cutscene, which I recommend you go through whilst imagining Konrad talking directly to you.

When you approach Konrad's body you can see the destruction you left upon the city in the distance.

The first flashback goes to white and shows Walker in front of his men at the freeway of Dubai. In game though, you are tailing them. Other flashbacks will indicate your actions, like killing Riggs and civillians along with revealing your men's distrustful nature everytime you talked to Konrad.

In the cutscene you can see Konrad standing next to you, but in the in-game choice you cannot look far enough right to see him standing there. You can only shoot his reflection. If you aim at your reflection you can see Walker hold his gun up to his head.

While there are four different endings there is technically a fifth, which is only a slight altercation from one of the endings: the suicide option can be taken passively or actively. You can either wait for Konrad to finish counting, taunting you along the way or quickly pul the trigger on yourself. I feel that both differentiate only to the individual gamer; one could be so distraught with what she/he has done that they realize they need to die while another gamer could wait for Konrad to stop counting to see if he is bluffing. Both routes will result in Walker shooting himself in the head and falling to the ground. You will hear Konrad's distress signal at the first chapter.

If you kill Konrad he will repeat "It takes a strong man to deny what's in front of him." When the glass shatters and the background fades from black you will see what the pool actually looks like post-storm. No water, no shiny glass and fancy metal. Just sand grinding down on the building. Konrad's body has also disappeared, as did the portrait.

The soldier (who surrendered to you earlier in the chapter) returns to ask you "What now?" before disappearing. Walker gives a similar evacuation message like the one he did in Chapter 12 and Konrad's evacuation message throughout the start of the game. If you look quickly enough when Walker turns around you will see the dead tree by the Zen garden, much like at the start of Chapter 8 The Gate.

Chapter 16) Walker now wears Konrad's uniform. Some time has passed now that most of Walker's wounds have healed and his beard/hair have grown longer. It would seem that had Walker not entered Dubai people could have actually been evacuated. After all, the U.S. soldiers that greet you do not appear war torn and their vehicles appear brand new.

If you surrender a fade to white will occur with a cutscene revealing that Walker did not fully make it out of Dubai. He is now a monster and will return home suffering from PTSD. A menu option in this game states that had Lugo or Adams lived they would be suffering from the same.

If you attack the soldiers and die Konrad and Walker will talk one last time stating how men like them cannot ever really go home. Men like them are meant to cross a line and hopefully die once the job is done. Peace is the only hope they strive for.

If you attack the squad and live you give the same badass line "Gentlemen, Welcome to Dubai!" like you did at the start of the game and Konrad did at the start of Chapter 9 (after The Gate). You have fully embraced becoming The Bringer of Death.

While I did go to great and agonizing lengths to catch all the Easter Eggs I could find I can admit that not all may be found nor not all can be interpreted as I have depicted. Given other gamer's critiques of Spec Ops: The Line I think I am in very close to what the developers wanted to express and hopefully you found something in this lengthy thread that interested you or made you aware of something you missed. I also hope some of you may point out things I may have missed.

[–] ReelRocknRolla 8 years ago

I just wanna say (even though I'm over a year late) thank you for this very interesting analysis of the game. I loved this game. Your thread was a damn good read. Bravo.

[–] cheezbaalz 8 years ago

Most of these sound just coincidental, nonetheless, I enjoyed reading through it.

[–] ThatGuy25 7 years ago

I can tell you put in a lot of work. I really enjoyed this game. Thanks for pointing some of these out to me!