The Order: 1886

Hover mouse over screenshots for commentary.

An absurd over-indulgence in the excellent photo-mode feature in this gorgeous game.

February 2016

The Order: 1886 is a third-person shooter that takes place in 19th century England - around the time and place of Jack the Ripper. It features unique weapons invented by Nikola Tesla. You play in an alternate universe where King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table still exist, and you are a knight.

The game itself probably has the "best" graphics of any game ever made (this will be less true as time goes on, obviously, but it still true a year after release). I was constantly in awe throughout the entire game at the environments in general and the level of detail in everything. The game has a "photo mode" so you can pause the game at anytime and move the camera around to get a closer look at things. Many people don't care about graphics in games, but I think they are the "video" part in video games and can play an important role. Graphics don't necessarily mean anything, but when they are exceptional I think they can add a lot to the experience, and this is probably The Order's biggest strength.

As I mentioned, you play as a Knight of the Round Table in 19th Century England. There is a supernatural element to the game as you investigate why "half-breeds" are popping up around town. The half-breeds are essentially werewolves, but they can transform at will and not just when there is a full moon. Without giving much away I thought the story was pretty good, if slightly predictable. The game itself is on the shorter side, but this results in a tight story without much fluff.

I would agree with most reviewers who said the actual shooting and cover mechanics work extremely well. There are some Quick Time Event sequences that aren't too obtrusive, but I think the game would have been better without them (I hate them and think they take away from virtually every game that they're in). The main complaint of critics was the length of the story, but this wasn't a big issue for me. I do think the story was a bit short and I was left wanting more, but it wasn't a big deal to me. However, there is almost no reason to replay the game, and some tweaks might have given the game more replayability. I replayed it to get the rest of the collectibles and to prove myself by beating the game on the hardest difficulty setting.

I think the weakest part of the game is the werewolf fights. They really just weren't done well. When werewolves are around, you are in a contained space with lots of objects to obscure your vision. The werewolves will take turns running up to you and taking a swipe, and then they run off. You avoid the swipe with a QTE button press and try to shoot them before and after the QTE. And that's it. I'm not sure how I would have structured a battle with a werewolf, but these fights in The Order are pretty lame, especially with how cool the werewolves are. It was just weird that there were these supernatural, violent, terrifying creatures and they just ran around - they didn't seem nearly vicious enough. There was a boss fight with a werewolf, though, and that was pretty cool.

Overall I thought The Order: 1886 was pretty great. It has some flaws, but the good parts far outweigh them.

That's a nice face to see first thing in the morning.	Two guards treating you super nicely.	Our first glimpse at the protagonist, Sir Galahad.
The Order: 1886 features a photo mode, so you can pause the game at any moment and set up a screenshot. This is from the very start where I have escaped some drowning torture.	You can check out all of the weapons you find.	Some incidental environmental details. Grim.
What could possibly go wrong?
Classic. You've taken a hostage but are surrounded on a bridge.		So this is one of those "six months earlier" games. This is the first scene in the game in a chronological sense.
Some sweet mutton chops.	The detail is impressive in every scene of the game.
You find various photos an artifacts throughout the game that add context to the larger story.
Definitely the best video game food stand to date.
This is just some store window on the side of the street. I think these types of details really add to an immersive experience.		I zoomed out of an active battle scene.
The same scene as before but with some slightly different visual settings.	Part of a battle scene.	The same scene, but with all characters removed. You can alter the images in interesting ways, such as removing all enemies, removing, allies, or extreme visual filters.
The game could be described as a cover based shooter. This is a typical scenario.	Your friend in The Order.	Who among us hasn't gotten into a gun fight in a pool hall?
This is your buddy in The Order who isn't a full knight yet.	Small details such as a flame are very well done.	Close up of the flame seen through the photo mode.
That same flame from the typical distance you'd see it at.		Your senior in The Order.
The Round Table, much like in medieval times.		The head of The Order. He's a bit of a turd. Also, I thought the point of a round table was that no one was in charge . . .?
		Nikola Tesla. He makes you some prototype weapons.
Tesla just loves Thomas Edison.	A little note from Edison to Tesla.	Your squad in a carriage.
	You come across a woman who gives you some information on Jack the Ripper.
	A freeze frame of a battle, with my ally mid-shot.
People look weird when photographed in mid-air.	A familiar item . . .	You find one of Tesla's weapons in rebel hands. Huh?
A thermite gun. It launches flammable gas at and a flare. You can mix and match these attacks to set things on fire.		My ally using a gun that shoots bolts of electricity.
The same scene as before, but from a different angle.	Boom! Take that, rebels!

		You catch a glimpse of some werewolves climbing up this building and decide to investigate.
This, like most of my screenshots, was taken in photo mode.
	Shooting a gun while holding a lantern. This screenshot was quite tricky to get.	The same scene as the previous screenshot.
The same scene again.
Down I go.	This is what the gameplay with the lantern actually looks like. Most previous shots used photo mode where I changed the angle.	A cannibal . . .?
The person transforms in front of you.		Werewolves aren't nice.
Part 1	Part 2
The same scene as before, but zoomed out.	Stab!	Part 1
Part 2. Things look pretty different when you remove a character.	Things look grim for our hero . . .	Boom!
You swing this ax a few more times after you feel uncomfortable . . .
		You catch wind of a plan to harm an important figure who is aboard a zeppelin. Boarding as usual would tip off whatever spy is involved in the enemy's conspiracy.
	You get dropped off on top of the zeppelin and rappel in.
A goofy screenshot where I've removed the protagonist but everything else is still there, including this harness.
	Clambering into the zeppelin.	Splitting up to Take Care of Business.
		The inside of the zeppelin, but not the passenger area.
He's very serious for such an extreme situation.	Freeze frames of actions scenes often look weird.	Taking over the controls of the zeppelin.
		Sniping the baddies.
This is the same scene as the prior screenshot.	This and the following 3 screenshots are of the same scene, which is of a guy missing me from point blank range.
		Civilians boarding some escape hot air balloons.
A frantic gameplay moment still has some beautiful scenes.		Stomp.
	Inside the zeppelin while it burns.
A standoff at the bottom of the zeppelin with a suicide bomber.

		Spoiler alert . . .

The same scene as before, but with the focal length adjusted.	Spoiler alert again. . .
	When one knight dies, another takes their name and their place in The Order.	Booooo.
	Shooting the ridiculously strong electricity gun.	The same scene as before.
	This and the next three screenshots are of the exact same moment.
		Some enemies have more armor than others.
This and the next three screenshots are of the same moment.	Apparently a surge of electricity coursing through your body will mess you up.
	Dancing a jig?	Oh. Knee to the face.
	I love how you can use photo mode to get a larger view of the battle, even though you're right in the middle of it.
The bridge is in bad shape.
		No knight gear? Is he being naughty?

	Again, freeze frames of people jumping look weird.
A shotgun that ejects three caps at once.	The exact moment as the previous screenshot. That gun will mess you up.	An aerial view of typical gameplay.
I thought this glass looked pretty cool.
Let's burn this joint!

	The werewolves return . . .

Trying to convince your buddy, who is the son of the leader of The Order, to trust you that you've found some evidence of a conspiracy that threatens the country and The Order itself.
You decide to infiltrate an ambassadors place.		I thought the artists nailed the atmosphere in the game.
		Hanging from a gutter.
	Zip line!	This is from a stealth section where you try to silently take out the guards with a crossbow.
		These are simply lanterns on the grounds of the ambassadors house. They just look amazing to me.
		Working together to push a carriage.
		That 3 crown shotgun is brutal.
Somewhat of an homage to the original knights.


You search some archives for evidence of the conspiracy.		Who has a mounted zebra?
	?!
Unfortunately you can't use this as a weapon.		Spoiler alert. . .
Uh, you've got something on your face. . .		Surely your friends will believe you!
	Attempting to answer for your actions before The Order.	Things look grim.


Once again, the electricity gun is awesome.	The same scene as the previous screenshot.


	The same scene as before but without Galahad.
		Kind of a Batman-esque moment.
The rest of the screenshots are from my second playthrough.	Stab!
		I just can't get over how much detail was put into things such as gunshots. It's just crazy!

		Some werewolves lurking . . .
One fight takes place in a large kitchen. This is me using a crazy shotgun in it.	Pretty . . .	Obligatory Platinum Trophy screenshot.
Trying to keep a werewolf out.	Boom!	Boom Boom!

The same scene as before, but with all of the characters present. Note that even the light from the lanterns is altered. No cheap tricks or cut corners in this game.		A difficult-to-get screenshot of a crossbow bolt about to hit it's target.
Another imminent death by crossbow bolt.	Man, that shotgun is strong.