The Order 1886 follows the story of the Knights Of The Round Table, as they journey through an alternate history London that pits them against a ferocious horde of Lycans, and the rebels who aid them.
The Order: 1886
Developer: Ready at Dawn
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Platforms: PlayStation 4
Price: From $59.99 Amazon,
Humans and Lycans
This Human and Lycan war has not only compromised thousands of lives, but it has also prompted the industrial revolution to take place at a much faster pace, paving the way for a vast array of robust weapons.Alongside the creation of these revolutionary weapons is the discovery of Black Water (the grail). This mysterious liquid greatly prolongs the life of any who consume it, helping the order triumph over the Lycans after century’s of war.
Knights of the Order
The Order 1886 revolves around Galahad a “gallant” knight of the order, who is tasked with not only eliminating a revolutionary group, but also hunting down the Lycans that penetrate the very order he serves.However the journey will not be easy as he will encounter various enemies along the way and must traverse the filthy streets of White Chapel, escape the remnants of a destroyed zeppelin, and a vast array of riveting adventures.
The 1880’s Never Looked So Good
Graphically, The Order 1886 is a massive triumph. Transitioning from a cutscene into full gameplay is seamless and countless times I have remained uniformed and sat there as nothing happened.
However the game depicts all its encounters as a graphical test- from the ash protruding from the imposing London skyline, to the burst of vicious electricity lunging forth from the revolutionary arc gun. Unfortunately, this graphical emphasis portrays the game as glorified tech demo and because of this it is comprised of lengthy cut scenes and sparse gameplay sections.
Instead of erecting its own ideas, The Order commandeers a vast array from other games in the genre which is not bad, however the game consistently limits itself by adding numerous cut scenes into a chapter, or sometimes even comprising an entire chapter of a single one.
Quick Time
As well as these numerous cutscenes, various quick time events (QTE) lay strewn throughout the game ranging from your occasional QTE, to a boss battle centered around them. Not only are these quicktime events frequent but they act as the only means of battle against the ferocious Lycans.
Unfortunately encounters with these ferocious beasts are sparse, and you are more than often pitted against waves of human foes instead of an unstoppable force of Lycans.Sadly these human encounters are easy to triumph over and will more than likely lead on to yet another cinematic instead of an intense confrontation or an amazingly choreographed boss battle.
However, despite being the centre of some controversy, the game accommodates a medium length story that can last from 6-8 hours, and if you want to acquire all of the unique and insightful collectibles this time will be extended greatly.
Conclusion: 8/10
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The Order 1886 creates an amazing cinematic experience revolving around an alternate history London. However it does not bring any diversity to the genre and instead resorts to recycling previous mechanics.
Alongside this the abrupt ending and unoiled gun play make this game feel like more of a cinematic based experience rather than an interactive one. Instead of a riveting new addition to the PlayStation 4, The Order acts as a homage to its brethren and is a must buy for any fan of the genre.
If you’re not the kind of player who enjoys this kind of experience, it may be worth giving it a miss this time.
