The Order: 1886 Reviews
Worthy in its (assumed) intent, and visually spellbinding, The Order's archaic, player-detached approaches to interaction and narrative make it a dated and instantly forgettable experience.
Though impressive in some ways, The Order: 1886 fails miserably in its most important goal of keeping the player entertained for any significant length of time.
If the setting and lore of The Order: 1886 interest you at all, the game is at least worth a rental. Those hoping for a meaty, innovative experience however need not bother as the game wastes much of its potential on rehashed gameplay systems, an unsatisfyingly thin story, and a noticeable lack of long-term appeal.
Great visuals alone do not a great game make - and there's unfortunately very little in The Order: 1886 to elevate it beyond being a pretty, but shallow and insipid shooter. It commits the one sin no interactive entertainment should: it's painfully boring.
It's amazing the mileage The Order gets from its incredible presentation and world, but that goodwill is squandered by a title that's middling to poor in most other areas.
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.
The Order: 1886 has moments where it really shines and lives up to the potential shown in early previews of the game, but, sadly, the end product feels like it was rushed out before being finished. The story is full of unanswered questions, and there really is no replay value. Despite all its flaws, there is a story worth experiencing, and some great moments. Hopefully the studio gets a second chance, expanding the franchise and rights these wrongs, along with further developing the world in a sequel.
A decent concept, that has been marketed and presented totally wrong.
The Order: 1886 had every opportunity to make something of the Victorian setting, but calling it cinema is like calling 50 Shades of Grey literature.
Visually astounding throughout. Graphics fans will adore every grimy nook and cranny of the Victorian London setting. Sadly though, the game around it is crushingly average. The shooting sections are fun enough but far too few and far between, and much of the game is spent watching cutscenes or being forced to walk through one, so much so that it rarely feels like you're 'playing' the game at all.
The Order: 1886 is a disappointing and short game that fails to live up to the hype that surrounds it. However, if you're willing to overlook its faults and sit through its abundance of lengthy cutscenes, you'll find that there's some fun to be had. It's fleeting, but it's there.
A stunning graphical showcase that can't hide a so-so game. The Order: 1886 has a great premise and a decent, albeit clichéd narrative, but the cost of its cinematic values comes in restrictive gameplay, mediocre shooting and an over-reliance on quick-time events. It's a fantastic looking game with which to show off your PS4, but it's too short and too unimaginative for its beauty to be anything more than skin-deep.
We need more game developers and publishers willing to gamble on made-from-scratch worlds and ideas, but The Order: 1886 feels like it might have fared better as a film, graphic novel or TV series. As a game, there's just not enough propping up this shining suit of armour.
The Order: 1886 is more cohesive than the 15-year story arc of Quantic Dream's last effort, but cohesion doesn't automatically result in a compelling experience. It succeeds so well in playing out like the middle episode of an unmade series that it forgets to delve deeper into the otherwise fascinating Arthurian lore and its 19th century context.
The Order: 1886 is bland gameplay wrapped in admittedly gorgeous next generation graphics. It's not bad through and through, it's just disappointing.
The Order: 1886 is an antique that's aged ungracefully. The presentation is sublime from the release's rousing start right the way through to its anticlimactic finish, but several shoddy design decisions detract from its otherwise exemplary gloss. The developer's crafted an incredible universe, but outside of the title's core cast, it's failed to do much of note with it. This is a property that's begging for a sequel to realise its undeniable potential – but only time will determine whether it gets that opportunity.
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.
The Order: 1886 is a spectacular visual showcase, but its muddled narrative and gameplay make for a wasted opportunity.
Ready at Dawn, finished by the afternoon.
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.