The Order 1886 is a third-person action shooter developed by Ready At Dawn exclusively for PlayStation 4. Despite the genre, the main focus of the game is not on battles but on the story being told. To fully unveil this story, the creators consciously made a choice in favor of linearity and cinematic narration.
The action of the game unfolds in an alternative historical reality of the late 19th century (specifically, the year 1886). The setting is the British capital during the Victorian era. The city is definitely recognizable. At the same time, the game’s London differs from its prototype. The past and future, reality and fiction, historical figures and mythical characters, attributes of the pre-industrial era and inventions of the 20th century coexist and intertwine in harmony. High-tech weapons and equipment sit side by side with gas lamps and ancient elixirs. The sky is patrolled by airships and dirigibles, electric trains rush above the noisy streets, and horse-drawn carriages race robustly over the cobblestones. Thanks to the meticulous work of designers and artists, all these seemingly disparate elements form a unified, harmonious "neo-Victorian" style, dark and enchanting at the same time.
The main faction in the game is the Order of the Knights of the Round Table, an elite organization founded by King Arthur. Thanks to a special substance called "Black Water," its members gained the unique ability to exist for centuries without aging, taking with them invaluable experience in combat against a dangerous and ruthless enemy—the Half-breeds, mutants with superhuman strength and speed. Since its inception, the Order has managed to somewhat contain the growth of these creatures that hunt ordinary people, but only the scientific and technological advancements of the Industrial Revolution provided its warriors with weapons, giving hope that evil would one day be defeated completely. However, the arrival of a new industrial age brought a new threat from among the human race. The despotism of a police state and sharp social stratification caused a wave of protests among the people of London. The number of discontented individuals, along with the degree of their revolutionary fervor, is constantly increasing, and they are now ready to take to the barricades. To somehow maintain the already fragile peace and order in the capital, the Order, closely tied to the highest ruling circles of the British Empire, must side with the authorities and participate in suppressing the hotspots of rebellion. The heroes of the game—Knights of the London branch of the Order led by Sir Galahad—find themselves in this difficult predicament.
Sir Galahad is the leader of the combat group and, at the same time, our protagonist. His skills and professionalism have long become legendary among the Order members. Calm and charismatic, he is perfectly suited for the role of commander. In addition to Galahad, his group also includes three more fighters, controlled by AI: Sebastian Malory, also known as Sir Percival, one of the oldest knights of the Order; Izabo Darjeel, formerly a student of Galahad and now a full-fledged member of the team; and Marquis Lafayette, a participant in the American and French revolutions, a passionate fighter for freedom and an acknowledged expert in military tactics. Together, they will have to fight shoulder to shoulder and fulfill their knightly duty to the end, regardless of the circumstances.