View from the Cheap Seats: The Order 1886
From the first reveal, the game's looked interesting. A heavily cinematic steampunk game can't be all bad, right? As a PS4 exclusive, though, it's been a given that I wouldn't end up playing it (at least not without a lot more incentive to get a PS4). Then there was talk about fixed "low" frame rates and such in development. But... it still looked pretty good. Then there was the pre-release kerfluffle about short play time and limited variety in the game. But I knew I wanted to at least see it, so... to Youtube for playthroughs!
It still looks good.
Now, watching and playing are not the same thing. I have experienced the game in a sense, but it has to be recognized how that experience was less than fully direct. So when I level a criticism at the gameplay, one really must take that with a grain of salt. It could be more fun and engaging to play. That said, I'm not new to video games, and I think I have a feel for how I would respond to actually playing it.
The concept is neat. 1886 London with knights of the round table acting as elite guardians against supernatural baddies, some of which are centuries-old by virtue of the "Blackwater" that is central to their order. Visually, the game is right up there with pretty much any other. The level of detail from the surroundings to the character clothing is incredible. It all contributes to and solidifies the atmosphere of the setting.
The gameplay itself seems pretty basic and hollow, however. Cut scenes progress the story, you walk around fairly linear areas, and then there's combat. The majority of the later plunks your character down behind a piece of cover shooting at enemies that consist of 1) guys shooting at you with a few different weapons or 2) guys charging at you with some extra armor and shooting at you - there's not much functional variety there whatever they might be wearing. There are some interesting weapons to use, but you're often very limited in your choices (given a set loadout and able to pick up dropped weapons) and most of the time it looks like falling back on the same main/secondary guns is probably the most effective. There are a few times you fight off charging werewolves in a warehouse environment that play out the same and are repetitive in themselves. Then there are a couple werewolf "boss" fights that look like exactly the same quick time event fights pasted into different backgrounds. There's also the occasional door opening or interactive item, and some dash of platforming, but very little. Overall, the game doesn't seem very engaging to play.
The story... I have mixed feelings about. The basic ideas is good, but the first few hours are pretty slow. A majority of the game seems to be setting up the very basics of the situation. Then when things start to pick up in later chapters, characters actually gain some depth, some things are revealed to do the same for the story as a whole, but there's no real closure. The "real enemy" is uncovered, but not defeated. There's no real explanation (unless it's deeper in reading or audio material that I didn't see) as to the connection between vampires and lycans in this mythos. The Blackwater, the origins of the Knights, and the mysterious hooded figure are all left completely unexplained. The narrative feels less to me like a solid first part of a series and more like a prologue or part of a first outing that sets up the protagonist's origin.
There's also a big narrative disconnect between what the story says and what the gameplay does. There are a number of times Galahad, our protagonist, goes out of his way to say he wants to avoid shooting innocents (rebels, guards, whatever) and the scene invariable devolves into a firefight where you have to play through offing dozens of opponents. I know video game "heroes" tend to be mass-murderers, but drawing attention like that to it really doesn't help when the game doesn't offer an alternative.
Overall, I think I'm fine having just watched it. Interesting setting, great visuals, but as a game it looks a bit short and utterly lacking in any real variety or choice.
It still looks good.
Now, watching and playing are not the same thing. I have experienced the game in a sense, but it has to be recognized how that experience was less than fully direct. So when I level a criticism at the gameplay, one really must take that with a grain of salt. It could be more fun and engaging to play. That said, I'm not new to video games, and I think I have a feel for how I would respond to actually playing it.
The concept is neat. 1886 London with knights of the round table acting as elite guardians against supernatural baddies, some of which are centuries-old by virtue of the "Blackwater" that is central to their order. Visually, the game is right up there with pretty much any other. The level of detail from the surroundings to the character clothing is incredible. It all contributes to and solidifies the atmosphere of the setting.
The gameplay itself seems pretty basic and hollow, however. Cut scenes progress the story, you walk around fairly linear areas, and then there's combat. The majority of the later plunks your character down behind a piece of cover shooting at enemies that consist of 1) guys shooting at you with a few different weapons or 2) guys charging at you with some extra armor and shooting at you - there's not much functional variety there whatever they might be wearing. There are some interesting weapons to use, but you're often very limited in your choices (given a set loadout and able to pick up dropped weapons) and most of the time it looks like falling back on the same main/secondary guns is probably the most effective. There are a few times you fight off charging werewolves in a warehouse environment that play out the same and are repetitive in themselves. Then there are a couple werewolf "boss" fights that look like exactly the same quick time event fights pasted into different backgrounds. There's also the occasional door opening or interactive item, and some dash of platforming, but very little. Overall, the game doesn't seem very engaging to play.
The story... I have mixed feelings about. The basic ideas is good, but the first few hours are pretty slow. A majority of the game seems to be setting up the very basics of the situation. Then when things start to pick up in later chapters, characters actually gain some depth, some things are revealed to do the same for the story as a whole, but there's no real closure. The "real enemy" is uncovered, but not defeated. There's no real explanation (unless it's deeper in reading or audio material that I didn't see) as to the connection between vampires and lycans in this mythos. The Blackwater, the origins of the Knights, and the mysterious hooded figure are all left completely unexplained. The narrative feels less to me like a solid first part of a series and more like a prologue or part of a first outing that sets up the protagonist's origin.
There's also a big narrative disconnect between what the story says and what the gameplay does. There are a number of times Galahad, our protagonist, goes out of his way to say he wants to avoid shooting innocents (rebels, guards, whatever) and the scene invariable devolves into a firefight where you have to play through offing dozens of opponents. I know video game "heroes" tend to be mass-murderers, but drawing attention like that to it really doesn't help when the game doesn't offer an alternative.
Overall, I think I'm fine having just watched it. Interesting setting, great visuals, but as a game it looks a bit short and utterly lacking in any real variety or choice.
I don't recall if I threw the link at you about the Order and more over, why it got so lambasted. Yeah the graphics are amazing, but so what? They're to be expected these days, especially on these 8th Gen consoles. It's not that the gameplay is bad or buggy but, as you commented, it's so .. samey. Ordinary. There's no innovation to anything new in the mechanics. Which means the story has to carry the game. It's short (7 hours I believe in total?) and as you discovered, left too many plot threads unanswered in a satisfying, conclusive manner. This game is a warning to developers of Triple-A titles that I hope they sit up and take heed. Give the players a middle of the road game, don't expect to be heralded as amazing or innovative and sales will suffer as a result.
ReplyDeleteYeah... I wonder what went on behind the creation. I know making a game is harder than it looks, but I wonder just what this looked like in development. Did they think the combat was more fun and innovative than it is? Was greater variation in combat (or length of story) cut due to budget and time issues? Or is this what they envisioned?
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