A bit too orderly
By: Gagan Gupta
The Order: 1886 may be a great looking next-gen game, but there's little else worth recommending here
We do quite often use the term "cinematic" to describe a game that's exemplary in its visuals and flow, which makes it seem like a bigbudget movie (somehow, still a benchmark), rather than a 'game'. But how cinematic do we really want a game to be?
The action itself is broken between an averagely implemented cover-based shooting mechanics and quick-time events (QTE). And it's the latter that's really bothersome with its frequent use. It may seem that we're making a big deal about things that are largely prevalent in action games these days, but the case here is very different. The sense of linearity is overbearing in The Order: 1886, as the game cuts down access to controls or makes them work in different ways, as and when it pleases.
That aside, the shooting bits are what saves the game. As generic as it is for a cover-based shooter, the shooting mechanics are pretty good, with a decent selection of weapons. The monster battles are the best bits, for sure, and possibly one of the only times we were fine with the use of QTEs.
The Order: 1886 is a classic example of how you really cannot have your cake and eat it too. You can have a game that's strictly a playable movie or a visual novel like Heavy Rain, or you can have a real skill-based shooter. Combine the two and you end up with a game that does justice to neither.
The Order: 1886 may be a great looking next-gen game, but there's little else worth recommending here
We do quite often use the term "cinematic" to describe a game that's exemplary in its visuals and flow, which makes it seem like a bigbudget movie (somehow, still a benchmark), rather than a 'game'. But how cinematic do we really want a game to be?
The Order: 1886, in its quest for a perfect narration and flow, is exceptional visually. It's depiction of an alternate 19th century is breathtakingly gorgeous, which makes us feel great about how far this generation's hardware can be pushed. But in this quest it has made the drastic mistake of downplaying the actual game bits, making the game essentially a test in patience while you sit through long (though great looking) cut-scenes, and walks along linear paths at a slow pace with interactivity cut down only to the choicest bits of interaction. And frankly the plot is not even interesting enough to warrant such long spans of idling.
The action itself is broken between an averagely implemented cover-based shooting mechanics and quick-time events (QTE). And it's the latter that's really bothersome with its frequent use. It may seem that we're making a big deal about things that are largely prevalent in action games these days, but the case here is very different. The sense of linearity is overbearing in The Order: 1886, as the game cuts down access to controls or makes them work in different ways, as and when it pleases.
That aside, the shooting bits are what saves the game. As generic as it is for a cover-based shooter, the shooting mechanics are pretty good, with a decent selection of weapons. The monster battles are the best bits, for sure, and possibly one of the only times we were fine with the use of QTEs.
The Order: 1886 is a classic example of how you really cannot have your cake and eat it too. You can have a game that's strictly a playable movie or a visual novel like Heavy Rain, or you can have a real skill-based shooter. Combine the two and you end up with a game that does justice to neither.
