The Order 1886 Review: Cinematic Gaming at its Finest

Review by Nolan P. Smith

(Victor Valley)—When Ready at Dawn revealed they were making The Order: 1886, a Victorian based third person shooter with werewolves and more, I was more than excited. Knowing that this title was a PlayStation 4 exclusive is one of the reasons that motivated me to finally purchase the next gen system.

Right before the game’s release, a whirlwind of negative press hit the internet, talking about the length of the game and how the cinematic experience actually hurt the gameplay. So I got my hands on this game, was this like the critics had hailed?

This is, by far, the best looking game I have seen on the next generation of consoles. I have never seen a game look as good as the cut scenes as it does with the gameplay. The Order: 1886 brings gamers into an alternate version of old Victorian era London, where they take control of Galahad, one of the elite Knights. These knights fight to shape history and keep the world safe from those that would aim to destroy it- human or not.

I love single player games, so this title was a perfect choice for me. It created a great single player experience, and for me, it wasn’t too short at all. I loved the world Ready at Dawn created- the inventive weaponry, the intricate designs, the lycan, everything worked extremely well. The gameplay, even though there were quite a few cut scenes and mini game sequences, works really well with The Order. The mechanics are responsive and easy to jump in to, the duck and cover schematics reminded me of Gears of War, which is a great comparison, as Gears revolutionized the duck and cover gameplay.

I am very happy I have this title a shot. It’s a beautiful, atmospheric romp through the foggy, unnerving Victorian era. I hope the masses don’t simply concur with the critics’ hailstorm of negativity and actually give this game a shot. I give The Order: 1886 a @@@@ out of FIVE. This is the next step in cinematic gaming, and it looks glorious.