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In The Order: 1886, I feel like I'm living out a very dark, twisted version of the raptor kitchen scene in Jurassic park. Only, instead of sharp-toothed dinosaurs, I'm being hunted by a milky-white-eyed werewolf with elongated limbs, and in lieu of a kitchen cabinet, I'm desperately hobbling behind mortuary corpse coolers – some of which are open to reveal the pallid feet of the cadavers stored inside – to take cover. After fighting the beast through an eerie abandoned hospital - which even involved a quick on-the-rails-style shooting sequence when it gets dangerously close to me - I've been mercilessly thrown into this morgue, and the creepy factor is through the roof. Shrouded in darkness, with cracks of lightning illuminating the scene, my movements are slow after being mauled moments before. Once I manage to take cover, the lycan scents the air before looking right in my direction. Before I know it, I'm locked in a QTE battle, trying to time my button presses accordingly to land hits on the beast.
I've been curious about The Order: 1886 for a decade, and I certainly didn't expect to be drawn into a horror-like sequence of events through a dark, atmospheric Victorian hospital. But surprises like this are precisely why I'm playing Ready At Dawn's action-adventure in the first place. With February 20th marking the 10-year anniversary of its original release, I figured I had the perfect excuse to at long last give it a try. And while it has its flaws, I actually ended up being quite taken by its myth-laden concept.
Werewolves in London
The Order: 1886 has been on my radar for many moons thanks to its Victorian setting and the cinematic approach. Back in 2015, I got the impression that it was a story-driven experience that leans on action over the choice-based decision-making I'd always loved in the likes of Telltale's lineup, and for the longest time, I just couldn't gauge if it was for me. My own apprehensions were only deepened thanks to the mixed reviews it received, with the general consensus being that while it was technically impressive, it didn't quite live up to the hype it generated. But even so, I've always wanted to give it a chance and judge for myself.
So, when the big double digit anniversary was in sight, I secured a copy of the game on loan – thanks to our very own Guides Editor Iain "Troph" Wilson – and at long last took on the role of the mustachioed Grayson, aka Sir Galahad, to see if it really is a case of style over substance. From the off, its cinematic feel is on full display as I watch the opening cutscene unfold. In the depths of a prison, leading man Galahad is being tortured for reasons unknown. With a QTE sequence that sees me retaliate against some guards, it's not long before I'm moving through the prison in a bid to escape. I'm at once compelled to find out what the heck is going on, and as introductions go, it does a great job of pulling you into an intriguing setup.
The majority of my first hour is actually spent admiring a rooftop view of The Order: 1886's alternate take on Victorian London. With big airships in the sky and smoke rising up from chimneys, it really feels like I'm looking out over a bustling cityscape and I can see why everyone unanimously agrees that this is a good-looking game. Tiny people with horse-drawn carriages can even be seen milling about down below, which gives it an added sense of scale. From the reflections on water to the objects I can examine up close, it's all too easy to forget this game is 10 years old.
Having said that, there is some motion blurring when I move around that takes me a spell to adjust to, and it's in dire need of bigger subtitles. With lots of items you can find in the world to examine, newspapers are among the collectibles you can find to secure yourself a trophy. They're very detailed and offer insight into what's going on in the world around you – sometimes even hinting at future story beats – but I kept wishing for some kind text overlay that would make it easier to actually read the newspaper articles.
Knights of the round table
As a linear experience, The Order: 1886 is a mixture of QTE meets third-person shooter, with lots of sections allowing for a bit of exploration as I navigate through a location. Throughout, I find myself in gunfights against various enemies that sometimes come in waves, and while it's nothing much to write home about, I do appreciate its science-fueled Victorian twist on weapons. Many of them are given to you by Nikola Tesla – a very real inventor in history – who acts as a sort of Victorian version of Q from James Bond. I particularly enjoy using the hefty Thermite Rifle, which spews out highly flammable material at foes I can then ignite.
I also relish the opportunity to be stealthy when it's called for, but it's not the most forgiving approach. At one point, it's necessary as I find myself sneaking through an enemy airship. I have to really pay attention to the light emitted by passing guards, because once I'm spotted I have to repeat the entire section again. While there are some highlights when it comes to the combat, in truth, I'm far more invested in the world Ready At Dawn created and the concept of the story over any of the action it delivers.
Going in knowing very little about what The Order actually is in 1886, I only had some inkling that it was tied to a classic myth thanks to Galahad's name. The more characters I met, and the further I progressed, the more apparent its ties to the Knights of the Round Table are, with each member of The Order adopting a name from the classic chivalric group that's passed down to them from the original member across the generations. It's actually a neat, original take on the legend of King Arthur's knights, which is made all the more intriguing thanks to its supernatural ingredients.
Along with werewolves everyone refers to as "half-breeds", vampires are also in the mix, and as the story kept unfolding, I was hooked. With plenty of twists and turns, it spins an engaging plot that shows a lot of potential. Sadly, even when there are some big reveals, the ending makes it feel unfinished and that, as it turns out, was entirely intentional. With the plan to make a sequel that never happened as a result of its mixed reception, I can't help but wonder where the story might have led. As it is, I can only imagine where Grayson's story goes from there.
While I can't say I enjoyed being hunted by a werewolf in a spooky hospital, I did love how atmospheric and cinematic the whole experience was, and The Order: 1886's story has some very fun ideas that make me appreciate what it was trying to do. Perhaps I would have gotten to it sooner had it not been for the fact that it was released in a year that also saw the likes of The Witcher 3, Life is Strange, Fallout 4, and Assassin's Creed Syndicate – all of which occupied most of my time. But I'm glad I've finally given it a go, even if it did take me 10 years. The Order: 1886 may not be perfect, but there's certainly more to it than meets the eye.
