Within its lifespan, the PS4 brought gamers a steady stream of titles that, despite claims of the console being underpowered, managed to impress the public with graphically impressive games that feature cinematic visuals. Examples includegames such asUncharted 4: A Thief’s End, which lets players feel like they are controlling an Indiana Jones movie, andDetroit: Become Humanwhich takes gamers to a futuristic version of America populated by intelligent robots living alongside humans. While some gamers have embraced the heavy influence cinema and Hollywood has had on gaming, others believe it compromises the integrity of what makes video games unique. It is perhaps for this reason thatThe Order: 1886is polarizing.
Released in 2015,The Order: 1886is easily one of the best-looking games available on the PS4. Despite this, reviews and public reception of the game have been mixed. For some, the game’s steampunk re-imagining of London is irresistible, and its movie-quality visuals only enhance the game’s appeal. However, for others, it is the game’s Hollywood-esque presentation that ultimately harms what could have been a masterpiece.
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The Order: 1886 is a Sight to Behold
The version of London inThe Order: 1886is a strange one, featuring out-of-place technology fueled by steam power. Sir Galahad and his team hopes to protect London from new dangers, which include a secret society and bloodthirsty Lycans. Fortunately, along the way, they receive help from Nikola Tesla, who arms them with some experimental weapons.
From the get-go, it is made obvious that players are about to be treated to a top-class visual affair.The Order: 1886’s water, which is typically quite difficult to render in video games, is stunningly realistic, and the faces of Sir Galahad’s captors are so detailed that one can see the grime on their skin. Black bars appear at the top and the bottom of the screen, giving the game the classic 2.40:1 movie aspect ratio. Every so often, players are treated to breathtaking landscape shots of London featuring zeppelins cruising the sky and buildings billowing smoke. If one is not careful, it is quite easy to forget about the action and get lost in the beauty of it all.
The game certainly wants to be admired, and it gives plenty of opportunities for players to do so. When new weapons are introduced, players can examine them carefully and admire the meticulous attention to detail that has been paid to the weapon design. There are also plenty of moments where the player’s walking speed is limited, forcing them to drink in the sights of the obsessively designed interiors of buildings, or the period clothing of characters which sways naturally as they stroll.
Beauty Comes at a Cost
Undeniably,The Order: 1886is a graphically impressive game. However, for some gamers, the visual splendor is not enough to make up for some gameplay shortcomings. Furthermore, some gamers findThe Order: 1886frustrating because, at certain points, it can feel as though the gameplay has been sacrificed in favor of providing a more cinematic experience.
Such views are not entirely unfounded, and this can be seen with the black bars, for instance. They make the game look more movie-like, but it also allows for the game to run 4xMSAA which vastly improves its visuals. This may be good for the game’s presentation, but for some gamers, the reduced resolution impairs the field of view and negatively affects gameplay, which is detrimental.
Sacrifices can also be seen in the game’s length. Although beautiful,The Order: 1886is a very short game. Gamers can expect to spend a little over 10 hours to complete it, which could make it an unattractive value proposition for some. Around the time of the game’s release, Ready at Dawn’s CEO Ru Weerasuriya spoke with Eurogamer and defended the game’s length. However, he may have failed to recognize the core complaints from gamers, because he resorted to making a movie analogy, stating that “it’s just like a movie. Just because a movie is three hours long, it doesn’t make it better.”
In recent times,The Order: 1886has received renewed appreciation, in part thanks to the fact that gamers can pick it up on sale, which makes its short length feel less like a rip-off. While the game is laden with plenty of QTEs, and it can be over-indulgent with its cinematics, many gamers have fallen in love with the game’s steampunk world and unique array of weapons. Unfortunately, after beingacquired by Oculus Studios, it is unlikely that Ready at Dawn will be returning toThe Orderagain. However, the game serves as evidence that, while Hollywood and the gaming industry remain inextricably intertwined, this relationship does not please all gamers.
