Specifically, it has Miyazaki at the helm. There is nothing to fear.
I wish I didn't agree, but Sony has really dropped the ball this gen. There's nothing that has come close to the quality of their older older titles, particularly on the PS2. I miss the days when Team Ico, Santa Monica, Insomniac, and Naughty Dog where all churning out great games. Luckily third parties will be picking up the slack this year, and hopefully Naughty Dog will continue to deliver.
I've been fairly pleased with the Xbone exclusives. Nothing mindblowing so far, but I really enjoyed Sunset Overdrive, DR3, and Forza Horizon 2. It's the PS4 exclusives that have let me down across the board, but that will likely change when Uncharted, Bloodborne, and Persona 5 all release this year. Pretty sure those will make up for the disappointing line-up thus far.
Like any decent satire, there is more truth to this piece than most ostensibly legit gaming articles. It's become a joke how similar nearly all of Ubisoft's games have become, whether it is AssCreed, Far Cry, The Crew, or Watch Dogs. The overall game design is pretty much the same across the board, as if they use the same template for everything they create. I can't remember the last time I actually felt absorbed or engaged while playing an Ubisoft game. It's hard to get into ...
This is one of the games I really wish I had a chance to play when it released, but I didn't get a decent PC until recently. It's not always easy to appreciate a game for what is is 10 years after it released. On one hand, I can understand how fans could be upset with some of the low scores; on the other hand, there are games I used to love but I could completely understand why they would receive mixed reviews by contemporary gamers and critics.
The one site that gave it a 2 was definitely out of line, but after beating the game I could see how someone would justify scoring it anywhere between 4-7, depending on what they value most in games. If you value graphics and production values, then a 7 seems like a fine score since visuals do make up for a lot of what the game does wrong. But if you value quality gameplay, storytelling, or overall execution, then the The Order should by all means get a lower score.
One-dimensional characters, ham-fisted exposition, and cliched plot devices do not equate to world-class story-telling. The storytelling in The Order is flat and unengaging in every way. Good voice acting, though.
Agreed. Except you left out the walking. I beat the game in about 6 hours and felt like half the time I was either walking through environments with no gameplay and no story progression, or watching boring cutscenes.
I'd definitely love to see this engine used again. Hopefully they'll learn from their mistakes with the sequel. I don't mind a short game, but all that I ask for is more engaging gameplay and better storytelling. I'm not a fan of exposition and non-interactive storytelling in games. Let the story tell itself through the environments and gameplay, and the sequel could be amazing.
I was expecting a list of fantastic games from the last 5 years or so, not a list of the most disappointing and/or forgettable games from the last year. Well, at least I know not to ever click on a link to that site again.
The problem is that if someone tried to make a film with this script, it would never have even gone into production. Even as a cinematic experience, The Order leaves a lot to be desired.
8 is a pretty high score for such a poorly designed game. The visuals get a 10, for sure. But every other element of the game is average, at best (to be fair, the voice acting was good but the terrible script spoiled it). The 6.5 average on metacritic, oddly enough, is the perfect score for this game.
If all you care about is graphics, sure. But if you value quality game design and storytelling, it's a disappointment.
Why does a poorly designed game deserve no less than a 7? This is one instance where metacritic is just about spot on. I'm not surprised that a lot of gamers can't tell a bad game when they play one, especially when it looks as good as The Order does, but most reviews were right on the money for skewering the actual substance of the game, or lack thereof.
Apologists for this game just keep focusing on the length, as if that's the main criticism. Sure, it's bought up in most review because it quite simply is a short game. But I haven't seen a single negative review that points to the game's brevity as the main issue. The game's length would have been the main negative if not for the half-bakes story and characters, the lack of world building, the large percentage of time that you spend doing literally nothing but walking aro...
The QTEs were the worst part of Shenmue, but you wouldn't know that since you never played it. What Shenmue did a great job of was world building, character development, and unique game design. The Order doesn't do anything well, other than the visuals, which are stunning. But that's it. Shenmue was memorable: The Order is utterly forgettable.
I anticipate that they will be the two best purchases I've made so far this year--and possibly for the entire year when it's all said and done. Definitely looking forward to play Miyazaki's Bloodborne, though. I loved DS2, but it wasn't quite up to the standards of games that had Miyazaki at the helm.
Couldn't disagree more. I don't have a ton of time to play games these days, so I actually appreciate single-player games that are fairly succinct. But The Order wasn't a fun or engaging experience. That's the problem, and it's also the main reason its getting bad scores. The game's length is just the scapegoat for people looking to find an excuse for the bad scores. It's getting bad scores for the bad game design and poorly realized story, characters, and game wor...
I didn't buy the game because I wanted it to fail. I wanted to like it, but it ended up being a boring and shallow experience. Still not sure if it "failed", though. Far worse games have moved a lot of copies, so there is a chance the game will be considered a success if the gamers speak with their money. In the end, it's not the critics who decide what is and isn't a failure. I do agree with them on this one, though.
I guess none of the critics played it either. Nearly all the negative comments I see from gamers on these boards are reflected in the reviews. I avoided all reviews until after beating the game, and I felt like sites such as Gamespot and Giant Bomb were on the mark with their assessment of the game once I read them over the weekend. There is a lot to criticize about The Order. It does some things well, but it is anything but a great game.