• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

The Order: 1886 |OT| Gears of Yore

Peace Tea

Member
I think the problem with the AI is that the level design doesn't give them opportunities to do anything interesting.

If you look at games like F.E.A.R. and The Last of Us, it's clear that much of that comes down to exceptional level design. FEAR might be nothing but office spaces and hallways, but that's what suited that game best.


What difficulty are you playing on?
 

nemesun

Member
I wish the little nooks in the game yeilded some kind of reward. I find myself walking into beautiful dead ends, but there is nothing in them.

Not only that, I feel that the newspapers/pictures/items scattered all over the town for you to find are the least gratifying experience of the whole game. I mean, there is utterly no point to 'em other than press triangle to check the back or just spin it around and put it right back after an unrewarding inspection.
 

AlexIIDX

Member
So I just stopped after chapter 3, and so far I think its amazing....Visuals are absolutely insane, the voice acting is so damn good (Lafayette is awesome), and I think the gunplay is great. So far its taken me 2 1/2 hours to complete the first 3 chapters....I can't get over the visuals though. Holy shit. So far my only complaint is
the first Lycan encounter...they were just running back and forth the same way attacking me...hopefully the next encounter will be more fun/varied.
....oh, and I still haven't gotten any trophies....
 
D

Deleted member 80556

Unconfirmed Member
Will start writing my review in the next hour. Beat it on hard with aim assist off and 11 hours. Don't want to say more just yet as my head is swimming in vaguely formed thoughts, but I did not like the game :/

Aw, I'm sad to hear that :(
 

antitrop

Member
What difficulty are you playing on?

Hard, Aim Assist off. I think the game is remarkably easy, in general.

I think this game's Hard is very similar in difficulty to The Last of Us on Normal. Which would be fine, if it had 3 more difficulty settings after that, like TLoU.
 

ChawlieTheFair

pip pip cheerio you slags!
Man the melee really is bumming me out, cause now I've got this vision in my head where it's TLoU style, but you swing that big ass knife around and you can cut off arms and hands like the grenades and arc gun do.
 

RoboPlato

I'd be in the dick
Though most responses have been good I have got a whole lot of heat concerning my review where I didn't hate on the game. Your comments about any one of the particular aspects not hitting the mark with the gamer is exactly how I feel. As a reviewer this game has been insanely difficult for me to review because it is one that almost requires it to hit on all cylinders. If there is even one miss with the gamer it feels wrong.

Not a 1 on a 1 to 5 scale wrong, but wrong enough to really disappoint.

This is one of those games that I feel would particularly difficult to assign a score to and I'm someone who already has difficulty choosing specific numerical values.
 
Here's a question - how do you line up headshots in blacksight? I am playing with aim assist off but the cursor still auto snaps to certain parts of enemies when i swap targets. Can I not free aim?
 
I am royally pissed at Amazon right now...
sad-i-know-that-feel-bro-l.png

I didn't get ShadowFall day one. I know... But still.
 
D

Deleted member 80556

Unconfirmed Member
Here's a question - how do you line up headshots in blacksight? I am playing with aim assist off but the cursor still auto snaps to certain parts of enemies when i swap targets. Can I not free aim?

I haven't been able, maybe there's a secret way I don't know about.
 

ChawlieTheFair

pip pip cheerio you slags!
Here's a question - how do you line up headshots in blacksight? I am playing with aim assist off but the cursor still auto snaps to certain parts of enemies when i swap targets. Can I not free aim?

Don't think you can, it just seems to randomly target on enemies, seems the only thing you can control is which enemy.

Has anyone find out why the fuck you can't listen to audio logs while walking around? What is the use of said audio logs when you have to stay in the damn menu with the text to listen to them? These small things bother me more than I thought. And no puzzles a la Resident Evil is a bummer too. Could have made the whole packet a little more refreshing. I hope RAD gets a second chance and finding a better Game Director this time because that's clearly what the sequel needs the most.

The only reason I have for this is that they play cutscenes so often that the audio logs might get in the way.
 

barit

Member
Has anyone find out why the fuck you can't listen to audio logs while walking around? What is the use of said audio logs when you have to stay in the damn menu with the text to listen to them? These small things bother me more than I thought. And no puzzles a la Resident Evil is a bummer too. Could have made the whole packet a little more refreshing. I hope RAD gets a second chance and finds a better Game Director this time because that's clearly what the sequel needs the most.
 

RoboPlato

I'd be in the dick
Here's a question - how do you line up headshots in blacksight? I am playing with aim assist off but the cursor still auto snaps to certain parts of enemies when i swap targets. Can I not free aim?

Blacksight isn't so much about precision shots, outside of grenades, as it is about quickly taking out multiple targets. Shoot until the cursor goes red then spin to another enemy.
 

tuna_love

Banned
Here's a question - how do you line up headshots in blacksight? I am playing with aim assist off but the cursor still auto snaps to certain parts of enemies when i swap targets. Can I not free aim?
You can aim at body parts with right stick. I completely forgot you could even use black sight.
 

benzy

Member
Don't think you can, it just seems to randomly target on enemies, seems the only thing you can control is which enemy.

It's weird how the markers show up on the body to show where the bullets will hit, but you can't choose where to hit the enemy. The markers have no purpose.
 

Karak

Member
This is one of those games that I feel would particularly difficult to assign a score to and I'm someone who already has difficulty choosing specific numerical values.

I guess I am glad I have never done numerical scores. I do a Buy, wait for a sale, rent, or never touch it rating scale and it works for me personally. But I can see it being hard for people who did to rate this adequately. That's not an excuse for nor against someone rating it a 1 on a 1 to 5 scale.
 
This is one of those games that I feel would particularly difficult to assign a score to and I'm someone who already has difficulty choosing specific numerical values.

I wanted to refrain from saying this until I've gotten hands-on, but The Order, at least from what I've seen feels like a 'good game' wrapped up with very questionable game design choices that on its own, isn't bad, but the accumulation of all of them can make it feel worse than it is.

I mean, all the little gripes aren't game-breaking. The QTEs, the pacing, the sudden'removal-of-controls' every now and then, the prompts, the camera cuts, etc.

Many games has does things like those in variable quantities, but it does feel like because this game in particular is both linear, employs pacing beats that force you to keep the immersion of how the scenes play out (forced walks, etc), etc, the factors all amplify the singularity that this game is notorious and terrible because of all the little things that add up towards 'removing the game from gameplay.'

When I get to the game, I expect my criticisms to be largely around this aspect. Where the multitudes of game design related factors, both small and large amplify certain issues in the overall game design.
 

tuna_love

Banned
I wanted to refrain from saying this until I've gotten hands-on, but The Order, at least from what I've seen feels like a 'good game' wrapped up with very questionable game design choices that on its own, isn't bad, but the accumulation of all of them can make it feel worse than it is.

I mean, all the little gripes aren't game-breaking. The QTEs, the pacing, the sudden'removal-of-controls' every now and then, the prompts, the camera cuts, etc.

Many games has does things like those in variable quantities, but it does feel like because this game in particular is both linear, employs pacing beats that force you to keep the immersion of how the scenes play out (forced walks, etc), etc, the factors all amplify the singularity that this game is notorious and terrible because of all the little things that add up towards 'removing the game from gameplay.'

When I get to the game, I expect my criticisms to be largely around this aspect. Where the multitudes of game design related factors, both small and large amplify certain issues in the overall game design.
That's the problem with this game. It has so many annoying aspects to it that it far out weighs any positives it had going for it. For me at least.
 

RoboPlato

I'd be in the dick
I wanted to refrain from saying this until I've gotten hands-on, but The Order, at least from what I've seen feels like a 'good game' wrapped up with very questionable game design choices that on its own, isn't bad, but the accumulation of all of them can make it feel worse than it is.

I mean, all the little gripes aren't game-breaking. The QTEs, the pacing, the sudden'removal-of-controls' every now and then, the prompts, the camera cuts, etc.

Many games has does things like those in variable quantities, but it does feel like because this game in particular is both linear, employs pacing beats that force you to keep the immersion of how the scenes play out (forced walks, etc), etc, the factors all amplify the singularity that this game is notorious and terrible because of all the little things that add up towards 'removing the game from gameplay.'

When I get to the game, I expect my criticisms to be largely around this aspect. Where the multitudes of game design related factors, both small and large amplify certain issues in the overall game design.

It's a game I'm enjoying because the things it does well are done exceptionally well and they also happen to resonate with me personally. There are some pretty serious design issues and some strange oversights that I know some find unforgivable.
 

Iacobellis

Junior Member
there are a few people on my youtube commenting this happened to them too. It happens only on this game but it happens with both my Digital and Physical Copy. Reformatted hard drive etc still the same issue, I think its with the game and not my PS4. I got my PS4 launch day US

I'm one of the people that commented on it. Mine is also a US launch model. The game work flawlessly on my brother's PS4, a near launch model that replaced his launch model that suddenly died after about a week.
 

A_Gorilla

Banned
They gave me a free year of Prime. Felt I could've gotten more but I didn't want to start yelling. The girl on the other end was really sweet and didn't deserve that. Guess it wont be here till Monday...
 
Alright, just played for like... 3ish(?) hours. I'm on Chapter V. Quick thoughts below:

- The visuals are truly splendid. The technical aspects of the visuals are fantastic, yeah. Rock-solid FPS, cool particle effects, etc. But the art direction is so fantastic. The world feels like it has weight. It feels like brass, you know? Everything from the detail on Galahad's uniform to the bricks on a wall, to the medical instruments in a decaying lab are lovingly rendered. Phenomenal effort on this front.

The game just oozes atmosphere. Whitechapel feels appropriately claustrophobic, the London Hospital is very grim and creepy, and the Agamemnon is... well, it's cool. Everything's got a great industrial feel to it too.

- Love the soundtrack. So great. Also loving the acting. RAD nailed the casting of these characters. Great work.

- Despite all the shooting, this game is the very definition of "slow burn". I don't mind, actually. I quite like how they're pacing the story. I think what's problematic here is that video games and players expect immediate playback, which means a lot of the time, it's difficult to have lengthy sections of a game where you're just... you know, having dialogue, speaking to other characters, figuring shit out. I understand why RAD did that, but I'm not sure it was the right choice. There are definitely a lot of cut-scenes and slow walking sections. It's not something that bothers me very much as I'm liking the story, I'm liking the pacing, and the cinematic interactivia nature of it. That said, I can understand why some, hell, a lot of people would get frustrated.

- Gunplay is serviceable. Love the heavy sounds and feel of the guns. I do wish the way you take enemies down felt more realistic. Max Payne 3 Euphoria has spoiled me. Thermite and Arc gun are wicked. That said, enemy encounters that I've run across so far aren't particularly clever.

So far, I'm liking the game a lot, but at the same time, I'm collating a lot of thoughts on things I think a potential sequel should work on or integrate better.

I think the fact that there are lengthy dialogue scenes is probably something that's really divisive, you know? Often, it's not even dialogue, it's just like RAD wanted to do a film style cut to Galahad walking through a door or something. It's a great shot if it was... a movie, but it's not. I think Dead Space did this better where the camera continued to follow Isaac as his helmet unfolded, the camera kept on him never cutting, and the scene happened. That felt a bit more "immersive".
 
So I just stopped after chapter 3, and so far I think its amazing....Visuals are absolutely insane, the voice acting is so damn good (Lafayette is awesome), and I think the gunplay is great. So far its taken me 2 1/2 hours to complete the first 3 chapters....I can't get over the visuals though. Holy shit.

Same. I'm still early too but I'm already dropping my jaw as I play thanks to the visuals and VA, sound/music and I'm loving the shooting. I think I'll be on the longer gameplay time end as well as I seem to be taking my time so far.

The shooting is some of the most satisfying I've seen in a TPS. I really hope this game doesn't bomb financially cos it's a great foundation for a franchise

This. I'm still early so I don't know how much they cover but I'd love to see them get to keep expanding this.

I wish the little nooks in the game yeilded some kind of reward. I find myself walking into beautiful dead ends, but there is nothing in them.

Ah, that's a shame because I have a feeling I'll be doing this too. :( Hopefully in the future if they get to make more they can make these kinds of rewards more fulfilling..
 

Loudninja

Member
I'm one of the people that commented on it. Mine is also a US launch model. The game work flawlessly on my brother's PS4, a near launch model that replaced his launch model that suddenly died after about a week.
Hmm ok try the weird stuff like deleting pics or something if you have alot.
 
I got to play tonight for a good 2.5 hours or so, and here are some brief impressions for anyone interested:

Not much to be said about the graphics. The game looks amazing, best graphics on consoles, yadda yadda. The game oozes atmosphere, and the attention to detail is amazing. I'm an artist, so I spent a lot of my time just looking at all of the detail and artistry present. It truly is a technical showpiece for any platform. It's a testament to how far the industry has progressed in the 30+ years I've been a gamer. Performance and framerate was also rock solid. I think I saw a slight hiccup during one of the cutscenes. The transitions between gameplay and cutscene are perfectly executed, and many times you will be staring at the screen, wondering why nothing is happening, only to realize you are in control of the character, and the cutscene was over.

The game is VERY cinematic, as has been said. Considering that Ready At Dawn has never pretended that their game was anything else, I knew what to expect. The game is more like Heavy Rain and a Telltale game than I thought, with some TPS elements interspersed when appropriate. It's very much an interactive movie, and some people will be turned off by that. I personally loved Heavy Rain, Indigo Prophecy, and the Telltale Games. I'm a fan of linear games, but I'm also a fan of diversity in gaming. I can enjoy a sprawling open world, and I can enjoy a tightly controlled linear game, or a visual novel, etc, etc. So far, The Order is very linear, very controlled, very directed. I think it works to the game's favor, as I felt like I was watching an interesting TV show or movie.

The writing and acting is pretty solid as well. I think the voice work is very good, and the sound design is excellent as well.

I saved the gunplay for last. I really enjoyed it. I've only handled a few weapons, but one of the things that I was pleased with is that my concerns about the shooting at last years E3 are non-existent in the final release. The gunplay feels weighty, and reminds me of Killzone 2, even though it doesn't have quite the same impact. Headshots were incredibly easy to pull off (something that I had trouble with at E3), and going from cover to cover was smooth. I didn't have any problems with the combat encounters I experienced in my play session.

The slow pace of the game will turn off a LOT of people, and it is a slow pace, at least for the first 3 chapters. I didn't mind it, because it felt like any other well told story/movie/tv show. It established setting, characters, and premise, then slowly begins to ramp up to the real plot. Another thing that needs to be stated is that the game just isn't flashy. It's not a game of ball tightening set pieces from beginning to end. It's not Uncharted 2, or Gears of War (not a fan of the OT title, personally). It's not trying to wow you with explosions and collapsing buildings, at least not at the start.

The game is leisurely. Anyone who has watched the show Penny Dreadful might understand that (I love the show, but I feel it started out at a very leisurely pace as well, slowly layering on characters and plots, and then becoming progressively more interesting and compelling after that; I don't think I really "got" the show until about 5 or 6 episodes in, but I was interested in the setting from episode 1).

I love the setting of The Order. And the graphics certainly make the slow pace easier to swallow. The gunplay is satisfying. The story is compelling, with well written and acted characters. So far, I can't really see anything that is sub par. The game isn't trying to be Uncharted, or Gears of War, or any number of hot third person and first person shooters out there. It's The Order. It's fairly unique, and something I'm comfortable saying I have NEVER played before. It's very different from the typical TPS we have gotten before. That will upset some people who aren't comfortable with a different approach to game design and presentation.

In a post Uncharted, Gears, The Last of Us world, it's surprising to see a TPS that isn't just trying to copy that mold. I'm looking forward to sinking more time into it tomorrow, and once I complete the game (which, knowing myself, will take a while, as I play games at a snail's pace anyway), I'll be able to reflect on it more, but so far, I can't say anything is generic or standard. It's very subdued, and that is where I think its real ambition and individuality lies, not in an attempt to be innovative for innovation's sake, or blatantly copying existing formulas as a "safe" road to mainstream appeal.

tl;dr: these impressions weren't brief at all... slow paced game that isn't copying Uncharted or Gears, but has satisfying gunplay and amazing visual presentation. Risky design choices that I need more time with to determine if I find them positive or negative.

You know, I really agree with this review. The game didn't click with reviewers, yeah, but I think they definitely are shooting for something that's not quite in the market place.
 

LuuKyK

Member
Game certainly has some problems, it feels like an amalgamation of little details that RAD got wrong, I mean, things like the only walking parts, the pointless examine the object parts (mainly the letters that you can barely read - at least make the characters talk about it/have some insightful commentary, anything), the can't take cover with the lantern part, the useless collectables. It hasn't ruined the experience for me so far, but its something that would be very easily fixed if they take a look at players feedback. Thats mainly why I share the hopes that this sells well so that we can have a much improved sequel (hopefully). Will continue playing tomorrow, stopped at chapter 8.
 
I give this game an 8. Beat it on hard 10 hours. Plat in little under 12 hours. I liked it alot. I really feel like this games sequel will be so much better. Ready At Dawn said they want to use all the assets and engine in the future. Pretty decent game for a team that has never made a console game. No way it deserves 5's or 6's. People are saying it is one of the worst games made in recent memory.

Pros:
zero bugs unlike so many other games
Good story. It felt rushed some in the end though.
Voice acting was great.
Graphics were over the top. holy shit wow.
Soundtrack awesome.
Atmosphere was perfect.
Gameplay at some parts was awesome.
Galahad is sick

Negatives:
Final battle sucked.
Lycans seemed like a missed opportunity
Gameplay needed to be fleshed out.
Too many QTES.
It felt like a prequel.

Reminds me of Gears, Uncharted and Heavy Rain all put together. Looking forward to the sequel.
 
This was also weird, like there's also those random cabinet draws you can open, and all Galahad does is like shuffle paper in them and that's it. Like could there be a letter or something to read lol, why have I gotta watch him shuffle paper for 6 secs.

Also unless I didn't see it, a typed font for reading stuff would be nice ala TLoU, I can't read all this fancy ass handwriting. Though I did like that the newspapers were actually legible.

I can barely read any of that stuff unless I get right up to the television. Maybe it's because I have a 720p set so things are a little less clear, but I'd love for a typed-font option for those cases where things aren't legible.

4 hours in so far on Ch. 6 I believe. Enjoying it for the most part thus far, and will do a proper write up once I finish it later tonight.
 
Top Bottom