Gears of War on the Xbox 360 was the reason I bought the console. When I first saw it, the cover-based gameplay blew my mind. After playing through the trilogy, third-person shooters were solidified in my mind as superior to first-person shooters. So, when Sony revealed its own third-person cover-based shooter, I was ecstatic. I went out and purchased the game, dusted off my PlayStation 4, and booted it up. I went in expecting a cinematic and narrative romp that could rival one of Xbox’s greatest shooters, but came away feeling disappointed and wanting more. The game looked and felt like a blockbuster hit, but The Order: 1886 just didn’t land right.
Developer Ready At Dawn seemed to have a title that could redefine cinematic storytelling in shooters, and for a brief moment, it felt like Sony had found a game that could rival Gears of War and start an incredible trilogy. The Order: 1886 was an atmospheric, cover-based shooter with stunning visuals and a gritty, alternate-history London. But just as quickly as it arrived, the game faded.
The Order: 1886 Had the Style, the Setting, and the Gunplay to Compete
image courtesy of sony entertainment
When The Order: 1886 was released in 2015, it immediately divided players and critics alike. Some saw it as more movie than game, thanks to its short runtime and cinematics. Others, myself included, saw something special within the game. Ready at Dawn’s vision was there: it was a bold blend of Gears of War’s mechanical tightness with the scope of a big-budget film. Everything about the game seemed destined for success, but there was a major flaw.
The gunplay felt incredible. Every firefight in The Order: 1886 carried weight and a sense of consequence, something that reminded me of the Gears battling the Locusts. Ducking behind crumbling walls and popping out to fire a shot from the Thermite Rifle or Arc Gun was so satisfying. I loved the tight cover system and buttery-smooth animations. But it was the steampunk-meets-Victorian aesthetic with a touch of fantasy that truly set the game apart for me.
But no amount of incredible gameplay, deep narratives, or impressive visuals could erase the game’s glaring problems: it was incredibly short and overpriced for the content. The game took roughly seven to ten hours to beat, but it was a full-priced game. And while the gameplay was incredible, there was a lot of walking and downtime where you didn’t even get to play the best aspects. This only made the game feel shorter, and many players felt they had been cheated out of their money.
Sony Had a New Flagship Franchise but Let It Slip Away
image courtesy of sony entertainment
Knowing what we know now, it is hard to imagine the time leading up to The Order: 1886. Trailers showcased jaw-dropping visuals, gameplay that was fun and explosive, and the narrative was full of promise. When the game launched, these all proved to be true. It felt next-gen in a way few titles did at the time. But the backlash of asking $60 for a seven-hour game was brutal. The lack of replayability further hurt this, as there was no reason to play it again after finishing the game.
Sony’s reaction to this criticism was disappointing. I hoped it would take the feedback and prove critics wrong with a sequel. If Ready at Dawn and Sony could fix the issues, The Order: 1886 2 could have been huge. But instead, these studios stepped away and let the game fade. There was no sequel, no DLC, no reboot, and no second chance. What could have been a powerhouse trilogy was left in the dust, leaving its rich lore and untapped storylines abandoned.
Looking back, it’s hard not to see the missed opportunity. I admit the first game had its issues, but these had nothing to do with the game’s fundamentals, simply developmental scope. Had Sony given Ready at Dawn the resources, I know The Order: 1886 could have rivaled Xbox’s Gears of War, and perhaps even surpassed it. This is only made worse by the cliffhanger ending, which seemed to promise more to come. Sadly, that more never came as Sony had already moved on.
One of the PS4’s Most Beautiful Games Deserved a Second Chance
image courtesy of sony entertainment
Even today, booting up The Order: 1886 is a visual treat. The game’s presentation holds up remarkably well—a testament to how far Ready at Dawn pushed the PS4’s hardware and what could be today. Every frame drips with atmosphere. It was, and still is, one of the most visually stunning games. To this day, I still hope for news of a remake, or even better, the long-awaited sequel. And the PlayStation 5 is absolutely the console for its return.
The Order: 1886 had so much potential, and if it had been given a longer runtime, I know it would be one of Sony’s flagship series alongside God of War, The Last of Us, and Horizon: Zero Dawn. The true tragedy is that the game was never allowed to succeed, not that it failed. A second chance today, with modern hardware, could easily revive the game and allow it to prove itself worthy of the hype it built leading up to launch.
Sony needs to remaster or remake the original game. If it adjusts the price to say $40, then players would be more willing to give it a shot. It could solve the runtime issue by including additional missions or even a multiplayer mode, further incentivizing the new price. Finally, it could iron out the complaints regarding it being a “walking simulator”, improve visuals, and tighten the gameplay. All of this could restore the game’s image and reputation, while potentially paving the way for a sequel, one that many fans and I have always wanted.
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