I have my reservations concerning The Order: 1886.
I’m not convinced that Ready at Dawn can deliver a game that meets or exceeds the lofty expectations of the PlayStation faithful, especially because these fans always expect a top-tier AAA production. In the realm of PlayStation exclusives, that’s what we’ve come to expect, yes?
Therefore, when PlayStation followers make their assessments, they’re inevitably going to compare The Order to past new IP successes, such as Uncharted, Killzone, The Last Of Us, LittleBigPlanet, Heavy Rain, Journey. I mean, the hallmark of Sony’s brand is their stellar first-party productions.
And I’m just not sure The Order: 1886 will reach that exalted level.
But where do Xbox fans get off accusing the game of looking like a “generic third-person shooter?”
“Hello, kettle? This is an Xbox fan. You’re black.”
In my estimation, Halo and Gears of War are two of the most tired, stale franchises out there. One hasn’t innovated anywhere near enough in the first-person genre (here’s hoping Guardians will do exactly that), and the other hasn’t even been all that good lately. Last I checked, both used tried-and-true mechanics, just like The Order: 1886. What other exclusive franchises does Xbox even have?
I loved Alan Wake but I’m not sure that qualifies as a “franchise,” and neither does Lost Odyssey. Forza is a great series, to be sure, but it’s just racing. The brand that has pushed the envelope in terms of originality, both artistically and technologically, is Sony. Granted, I have reservations concerning The Order because it doesn’t appear as if it’ll push that envelope, as past new IPs have done. At the same time, I don’t think that gives Xbox followers license to bash, especially considering the Xbox first-party library.
Gears invented the third-person cover mechanic? …since when?
The Xbox brand helped usher in more casual gamers than ever, and that’s occasionally evident in their lack of knowledge. I mean, they actually believe Gears of War invented the third-person cover mechanic. No, seriously, they do. I will admit that Gears certainly refined the mechanic from top to bottom and offered a fantastic experience, but you know what? When Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune debuted in 2007, it was clear that Naughty Dog had even further refined the system. Yes, Uncharted is a superior franchise and this is one of the reasons why.
There’s no reason Ready at Dawn should borrow from Gears. If anything, they’ll borrow from Naughty Dog, as they’re another first-party developer for Sony. On top of which, who cares if they do? If you’ve got any grand ideas for completely overhauling the third-person action mechanic, I’d like to hear it. Otherwise, you don’t have a leg to stand on.
Nothin’ wrong with Halo and Gears, just for the record
I’ve played and completed every title in each franchise, so yeah, I know what they’re about. I know that Gears of War: Judgment and Halo 4 did absolutely nothing new and didn’t add any fresh contributions to either genre. They were fine games, of course, and lots of fun. But nobody can sit there with a straight face and say they weren’t at least somewhat generic, especially considering all the competition out there.
I just wanted readers to understand that this isn’t about bashing the premiere Xbox games, because I’ve played and enjoyed them all. However, if you’re an Xbox fan and you’re accusing The Order: 1886 of being “generic,” you either need a history lesson or you need to reevaluate your assessment.
