It's good - and it's also bad. For The Order: 1886, a game that promises so much, that's a painful thing to say. But the evidence is irrefutable.
Here's the good: It looks incredible. Beginning with a gripping opening scene in a grimy dungeon, Ready at Dawn have delivered amagical recreation of Victorian-era London. From the cobbled pavements to the trenchcoats and vast array of steampunk weaponry, the work that's gone into making The Order a graphical orgasm is obvious.
The blending of cut scenes with gameplay is a revolution, leaving gamers little space for breathing room as they take command of surly adventurer Sir Galahad. And this adventure comes with inspired set pieces, from the intense chapter that starts by rapelling down the side of a giant blimp, to nearly being devoured in a dimly lit London Underground by one of the game's evil half-breed Lycans.
A scene from the video game Dying Light.
But The Order's gameplay sticks so strictly to a linear set path, its wonderfully realised world remains detached. There are no side missions, precious few moments of free roaming, and exploring is mostly pointless. Multiplayer options don't exist. That means The Order plays out more like an interactive movie than the gripping game it could be, with gameplay repeating the same shoot-then-story-then-shoot-some-more tricks.
Treat it like an exquisite museum piece with a large "Look but don't touch" sign and you might get what you want from The Order. But, like a dark London night, it may just leave you feeling a little cold.
Game: The Order: 1886 Platforms: Playstation 4 Rating: R16
