4) The Order: 1886
As we alluded to earlier, the launch line-up for both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 left much to be desired in those early days but thankfully, things are finally starting to pick up as first-party studios ready their exclusive properties. And one of those games in question is Ready at Dawn’s Victorian-themed title, The Order: 1886.
Revealed in tandem with the PlayStation 4 itself back in February of last year, the cover-based shooter acted as a visual showcase (seriously, check out some stunning images in the gallery below) for the new hardware generation and sported some of the best character animation we’ve ever laid eyes on. Vibrant, nuanced and remarkably well realized, there’s no doubting The Order‘s groundbreaking aesthetic. Situated in London, the game offers up an alternative take on the famous Arthurian legend, pitting the Knights of the Round Table against a vicious pack of mutated werewolves.
Combining stealth with well-worn horror beats, Ready at Dawn’s PS4 debut has been labelled as a rich experience that veers toward the supernatural at times. But following an extensive delay, excitement for the game has quickly petered out and its status as an out-and-out system seller has been brought into question. Is The Order: 1886 an exercise in style over substance?
When it was first previewed to press earlier this year, the response was, unfortunately, overly negative. Unstable framerates and an abundance of QTEs loomed over the PS4-exclusive like an ash-grey cloud, and while the studio has given itself enough time to rectify these issues, the bigger task will be shifting the pendulum back in its favor in time for February.
After all, given that DriveClub underwhelmed quite spectacularly when it released last month, many PS4 owners are looking to The Order: 1886 as one of 2015’s biggest additions to the console’s scant roster of exclusives. But only time will tell if Ready at Dawn can deliver a truly engaging experience that is more than just the sum of its visually stunning parts.