THE ORDER: 1886

When I first went into The Order: 1886 I had low expectations. Hearing about how short the game was and that it was heavy on quick time events really wasn’t my style. It was a game that was riddle with mediocre reviews and not many fans. Though when I experienced the game myself I found something different about it. The world that The Order: 1886 was built around felt deep and full of lore. Characters who were meant to be there with their stories developing as the game went along. And one of the most beautiful looking games I had seen.

Gorgeous character models and fantastic environments definitely improved my experience of the game. Each area that I entered was almost life like with it’s visuals and lighting. Everything was just far enough back from reality to not enter this uncanny valley like feel. But there were moments where the scenes laid before me were picturesque. Each time a new setting was introduced I found myself loving it even more. My personal favorite was when on top of the Blimp and you got a whole landscape view of London.

The first few chapters of The Order: 1886 are not the most gripping parts of the story. The first chapter made me wanted to find out the story of Grayson, but the moment we stepped out of that chapter it dropped rather quickly. It wasn’t until around Chapter 6 when it started picking up again. Which was disappointing while playing as it was very hard to reach that point. Once I had reached that point though, I found myself wanting to play more and more.

I feel that the shortness of The Order: 1886 is actually one of it’s greatest strengths. It leaves out a lot of filler and you’re left with a very solid story. The story keeps itself constantly snowballing. Gather many great short, but solid side characters as the game progresses. And by the end I felt myself wanting to know more about these characters and the adventures that followed the game’s conclusion.

The biggest shame to The Order: 1886 is probably it’s combat. It’s your standard 3rd person cover shooter. It has some unique weapons, but certain weapons are much better than others. Using the lightning or thermite gun felt more like a chore than a reward for my playing. While the standard rifle and sub-machine gun were vastly better than the science weapons. It brought nothing new to the table and just gave a normal 3rd person shooter. While this isn’t inherently a bad thing, it just isn’t going to bring any wow factor to the table. But the gameplay is decent enough to make it still a worthy game to play.

OPINION:

The Order: 1886 is definitely a game that is worth playing. The story is great in terms of bringing you in and giving you something worth while to watch. It also is just that, it gives you something worth while to watch. As sometimes you’ll find yourself more watching the game than playing it. And the times that you are playing it you’ll find yourself playing a plain 3rd person shooter. It’s a game filled with fantastic visuals, great story, and mediocre gameplay. By the end you’ll find yourself wanting to see what’s to come of Grayson’s tale and be hoping for that sequel.

-Medic