The Order: 1886 Review Round-Up

Here we are again, ready for one of the most crucial round-ups of 2015, as we look at the critical response to Ready At Dawn’s alternate history shooter The Order: 1886. There has been great deal of negativity in the months leading up to the game’s launch, from worries over the title’s length, to its reliance on staid dynamics like Quick-Time Events, or simply the banality of it being yet another third-person cover-based shooter. Despite this there are clearly some highlights to come, particularly as an example of the power of the Playstation 4, with the game showcasing some incredible visuals.

Our very own Editor Blair gave it a good 7/10, saying “The Order: 1886 features a wonderfully crafted and realistic alternate history setting with the greatest visuals and production values so far on the PS4.” though he calls attention to the game’s length and some narrative missteps, “While the first half or so of the story really works, it’s let down by the final few hours, which abandon things shouting out to be explored in favour of introducing forced plot points which do the world and the main cast a disservice”.

Overall the critical consensus is that despite the impressive graphics and fantastically realised world, the game has a number of flaws which are difficult to overlook.

IGN – 6.5/10

“The basic conflict at the heart of The Order: 1886 is that considerations for a cinematic approach are prioritized above the needs of basic gameplay. Its best aspects are its stunning looks, atmosphere, and style – which are truly fantastic – and entertaining fiction. But the shallow, slow, and generic quick-time event-riddled gameplay make it feel like an experience that would’ve been better served by a non-interactive movie than a game.”

Destructoid – 6/10

“Outside of the sleek presentation and interesting world building, there’s nothing truly special about The Order: 1886. It’s a shame in many ways, because I’d love to see a more tactical style of gameplay in line with Valkyria Chronicles, or a more in-depth game in general using the same engine and lore. I sincerely hope this isn’t the last we’ve seen of this universe, but for now, it’s only worth visiting once, briefly.”

Polygon – 5.5/10

“Though it nails some of the fundamentals, The Order: 1886 has been released without answering the essential question of what it offers that other games aren’t already doing better . Everything about the game’s final shot screams “sequel set up,” but unless The Order finds some non-aesthetic reasons to justify its existence, it’s hard to imagine coming back for a second adventure.”

Gamespot – 5/10

“What, then, to make of The Order: 1886? It is, at best, perfectly playable, and lovely to look at and listen to. But it is also the face of mediocrity and missed opportunities. A bad game can make a case for itself. A boring one is harder to forgive.”

Metro – 4/10

“Frankly, we resent not being able to mark the game any lower, but as unadventurous and undemanding as it is The Order works exactly as intended. But we’re staggered at not only the lack of ambition, but how so much money and effort can have been expended to make something so laborious and boring.”

Digital Spy – 3/5

“The Order: 1886 isn’t easy to recommend, but it isn’t impossible to endorse, and despite its familiarity, is a game we enjoyed our time with. Here’s hoping The Order: 1887 pushes for greater.”

Videogamer – 6/10

“The Order is a beautiful dud. Instead of building the core mechanics and then wrapping everything else around it, instead it appears Ready at Dawn made a movie and wondered how to put a game into it. By all accounts it still hasn’t worked it out.”

Kotaku – No

“The PlayStation 4’s newest action game is a dull and lumbering thing. It’s a brief, drab adventure starring a group of characters who all seem to dislike their lives and one another, and if it managed a single new gameplay idea over the course of its runtime, I didn’t catch it. The Order: 1886 is one of the most depressing games I’ve played in a while.”

God Is A Geek – 7.5/10

“Whether or not you consider a six hour campaign value for money (regardless of its quality) is down to personal preference, and it’s your money at the end of the day, but it would be a shame if Ready at Dawn suffered unfairly for a crime no greater than focusing on the plot and the characters, and producing a game that’s the very definition of “all killer, no filler”. You’ll make up your own mind, of course, but The Order: 1886 left its mark on me deeply, and I can’t wait to return to Ready at Dawn’s dark, forbidding London.”

Playstation Universe – 7.5/10

“Like Resistance: Fall of Man, The Order: 1886 comes early in a console lifecycle to set new visual benchmarks and give us creative, compelling fiction. As a game, it’s significantly less ambitious.”

Eurogamer – No Score

“The Order: 1886 isn’t a disaster, nor is it a particularly good game. It’s a hollow diversion, entertaining but outmoded and caught somewhere between a medium it repeatedly fumbles and one it fails to effectively embrace.”

Games Radar – 2.5/5

“Worthy in its (assumed) intent, and visually spellbinding, The Order’s archaic, player-detached approaches to interaction and narrative nonetheless make it a dated and instantly forgettable experience.”

PSNation – 9.5/10

“Ready at Dawn has exceeded any expectations that I had with their first foray from portables to a full-fledged console. If you were happy with your purchase at the end of an Uncharted or God of War game you’ll be equally happy with spending your cash on this one. When I finished the story my first words were “when is the next one?!””