When The Order: 1886 launched on the PlayStation 4 in February 2015, it was met with one of the most divisive critical receptions in recent gaming history. Some called it a visual masterpiece. Others dismissed it as a glorified cinematic tech demo. I call it one of the most misunderstood games of the PS4 generation—and one that deserves a serious second look. I recently went back and played through it again, and honestly? It holds up far better than the reviews would have you believe. Let's revisit The Order: 1886!
The Order: 1886 at a Glance
- Developer: Ready at Dawn (published by Sony Computer Entertainment)
- Release Date: February 20, 2015
- Platforms: PlayStation 4
- How long to beat: Main Story ~7 hours, 100% completion ~9 hours
- Genre: Third-Person Shooter, Action-Adventure, Cinematic
Here's the notable stuff: The Order: 1886 is one of the most visually stunning games ever made for the PlayStation 4. Its alternate-history Victorian London setting, secret society lore, and cinematic presentation make it unlike anything else in the PS4 library. Think of it as a prestige HBO miniseries—but one where you control the hero. In 1886, there are no superheroes. There are only Knights.
What I Liked About The Order: 1886
The Visuals Are Jaw-Dropping (Even Today)
Let's get the most obvious one out of the way first: The Order: 1886 is still one of the best-looking games on the PS4, full stop. Ready at Dawn pushed the hardware to its absolute limits. The detail on character faces, the wet cobblestones of Victorian London glistening in gaslight, the smoke, fog, and rain that hang over everything—all of it is breathtaking. Even today, firing this game up and staring at its opening scenes is genuinely impressive. This is what a next-gen showcase is supposed to look like, and Ready at Dawn absolutely delivered.
The Alternate History Setting
The world of The Order: 1886 is fascinating, and I wish more people gave it proper credit. Imagine Victorian London—but with one massive twist. A secret order of immortal knights, descended from the legendary Knights of the Round Table, has been protecting humanity from a race of half-bloods (human-animal hybrids) for centuries. And they have access to bleeding-edge steampunk technology: thermite rifles, arc inductors, and more. The lore is incredibly rich, and exploring it is one of the highlights of the game. I could have happily spent twice as long in this world.
The Weapons Are Incredibly Satisfying
The guns in The Order: 1886 feel amazing to use, and they are genuinely unlike anything in other shooters. The thermite rifle is a highlight—fire a coating of thermite onto a surface and then ignite it with a second shot for a devastating explosion. The arc inductor crackles with electricity and can chain across multiple enemies. These are not generic shooter weapons; they feel like artifacts from a wildly creative alternate timeline, and every firefight is a treat simply because of how fun these tools are to use.
The Cinematic Storytelling
Ready at Dawn had a bold, clear vision: a video game that plays like a prestige blockbuster film. And while the short runtime limited how much story they could tell, what is actually there is genuinely compelling. The mystery surrounding the half-bloods, the dark secrets hidden within the Order itself, and the personal journey of Sir Galahad kept me completely hooked. The voice acting and motion capture are top-tier, and the game carries real emotional weight when it slows down enough to breathe.
The Atmosphere
Victorian London has never felt this alive in a video game. Walking through foggy streets, hearing horse-drawn carriages in the distance, stepping into dimly lit pubs and opulent ballrooms—the atmosphere is intoxicating. You genuinely feel transported to another era. Few games nail their setting as completely as The Order: 1886 does. It is immersive in the truest sense of the word.
What Could Have Been Better?
The Length
This is the elephant in the room, and there is no dancing around it. The Order: 1886 is short. Very short. At around 7 hours for the main story, it wraps up just as things are getting truly interesting. For a full-price release in 2015, that was a tough pill to swallow. The game sets up an exciting, richly imagined world and then barely scratches the surface of it. A meatier main story—even 4 or 5 additional hours—would have transformed this from a good game into an all-time classic.
Limited Gameplay Variety
While the gunplay feels great, The Order: 1886 does not offer much variety in what you actually do moment to moment. The entire experience is cover-based shooting, cinematic walking sequences, and occasional quick-time events. There are no puzzles, no exploration, no side activities. The game is essentially a beautifully crafted straight line from beginning to end. More gameplay variety—even optional collectible hunts or light environmental storytelling—would have made the experience feel much fuller.
The Half-Blood Encounters Are Too Rare
The moments where you actually face the half-blood creatures—the werewolf-like monsters at the center of the game's mythology—are some of the most exciting sequences in the entire game. Tense, atmospheric, genuinely scary. Which makes it all the more frustrating that there are so few of them. The vast majority of your time is spent fighting ordinary human enemies. Given how central the half-bloods are to the entire story, you want to see more of them. Much, much more.
The Sequel That Never Came
The Order: 1886 ends in a way that very clearly set up a follow-up. Major story threads are left unresolved, and the final moments practically beg for a continuation. That sequel never arrived. Without it, those dangling plot threads will likely never see resolution. Ready at Dawn crafted something genuinely special—a richly imagined world full of untapped potential—and it deserved the chance to grow. The fact that it did not is one of gaming's more painful what ifs.
In Summary
The Order: 1886 deserved better—from critics, from players, and from Sony. Yes, it is short. Yes, it leans more cinematic than interactive in certain stretches. But it is also one of the most visually striking, atmospherically rich, and genuinely creative games the PS4 ever produced. If you have a PlayStation 4 or 5, pick this one up on sale (and trust me, it goes on sale regularly). It is a gorgeous, compelling, and surprisingly emotional few hours that you absolutely will not regret. The Knights of the Order are still waiting.
