Originally intended to be a launch title for the PlayStation 4, The Order: 1886 was supposed to be Sony’s big-hitter for early 2015. Finally, the review embargo lifted a few hours ago, after almost a year of steadily-increasing hype countered by occasionally negative press – the summary of which usually amounted to criticising its supposed length and gameplay. These opinions were quickly shot down wherever they surfaced; now that reviews are pouring in, however, it seems that these fears weren’t entirely unfounded.
Lauded as a cinematic and story-driven game, Ready At Dawn had a lot to live up to during The Order‘s development cycle: they suffered through frame-rate controversy, resolution debates, story and setting scuffles, and Quick Time Event scandals. Coming out the other end, it seems as though a lot of reviewers are maintaining their original stance on the game’s early previews – and that stance isn’t necessarily good.
Below, I’ve compiled a list of major gaming websites that have so far released their review scores, as well as a snippet from each review. It is worth noting that there are plenty of positive reviews for The Order: 1886 – Game Informer gave it a 7.8/10, and PlayStation LifeStyle gave it 8/10 – and this is in now way meant to downplay its value. The point is simply to point out that people didn’t expect this much negativity after launch.
Metacritic: 66/100
IGN: 6.5/10
“Though a stylish adventure, The Order: 1886 emphasises its cinematic polish at the crippling cost of gameplay freedom.”
Polygon: 5.5/10
“Games like The Order: 1886 are why I don’t pre-order games anymore.”
Gamespot: 5/10
It is, at best, perfectly playable, and lovely to look at and listen to. But it is also the face of mediocrity and missed opportunities. A bad game can make a case for itself. A boring one is harder to forgive.
Trusted Reviews: 6/10
“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.”
Giant Bomb: 2/5
“There are things here worth checking out, but the action feels half-cocked and you’ll be finished with it in an afternoon… If you’re bent on seeing The Order for yourself, you should probably rent it.”
Destructoid: 6/10
“Outside of the sleek presentation and interesting world building, there’s nothing truly special aboutThe Order: 1886.”
The Jimquisition: 6.5/10
“While clearly assured in itself as a concept, it doesn’t extend that same faith to the player, so eager it is to hold its audience’s collective hands and guide them through corridors of patronizing tutorials and arbitrary gates to progression.”
The Order: 1886 has received a lot of negative feedback for a game that saw so much press coverage prior to launch, which is a shame for Ready At Dawn. If you’re planning on picking up the game, be sure to dive in ready to form your own opinions.