Frankly, I'm of the opinion that that's because it was an equally crass attempt at stimulating that kind of emotional investment. You don't get feelings for free. They are contextual things with many more dimensions that what is put immediately in front of you. Trying to build a genuine commentary on the nature of war into a game like that requires a fundamentally different kind of game, and attitude towards game-making, more than just a tacked-on nod to the fact that some people died in the War.

I found it unexpected and sobering, even if it was a 'tacked on nod'. It certainly changed the way I played the single player campaign.

>Unfortunately judging by the comments you’ll hear online after playing through the emotional introduction, it doesn’t seem it makes a lasting impression on many.

Cynicism is the default mode for internet denizens. Wouldn't want anybody to think they were soft enough to feel an emotion!

I loved the introduction. As much as I love war games, I despise the concept of war, and think more media should reflect the abject, stupid-as-fuck reality of it. Because it is absolutely stupid as fuck. Almost any vet would tell you that. Everything about it.

Though less centered on a real scenario, the phosphorous section in Spec Ops The Line has had similar effects to some (including me). War isn't pretty.