During our coverage of PAX Prime 2014, I met with the attending staff at the Washington State Convention Center as we prepared for the press hour to start. The press hour allows press to enter the halls one hour before the public and as anyone who has ever attended the show will tell you, this time is like gold as you can visit a few of the studios and get demo time without having to wait for an appointment or standing in line.
As we did in 2013, we started our visit with Sony, and went into The Order 1886 which had stations setup in a building that resembled the setting for the game.
As the demo started, we were asked to take down enemies attacking from ledges and windows across the street. I needed some time to get used to the controls of the game as I often was wide, high, or low with my shots.
The game allowed us some cover behind walls and windows, but did seem somewhat linear at times, almost like a rail shooter as I had a combat window that I needed to operate in.
I was surprised my shots were not taking down the enemies until a developer said that after firing, I needed to hit a control and light my rounds. Doing so engulfed the enemies in fire, and after a while, I had cleared the way.
A cut scene showed a member of the team taking a hit and us rushing to his aid to help him from the street. The animations seemed a bit off but since this is a work in progress, I am sure the developers will have this fixed before release.
The enemies came at us from the other side of the street and using my pistol, which was easier to aim, I dispatched them as best as I could until one tossed in a grenade. At which point the game reset to an earlier point where I learned the best option is to just shoot everyone fast so they cannot launch a grenade at you.
Another cut scene followed where a team member with a bad gash healed it by drinking a liquid from a vial and we debated on the best course of action.
I then gave up my seat to another member of the team who had been filming so they could continue on with the demo.
Based on what I saw as well as comments from the rest of our coverage team, there was much to like about the game from a visual and concept side. I did have some concerns about the controls as at times it seemed as if my actions were limited and that I spent more time watching rather than playing, but when I did play, it was amazing. I do wish they had a co-op mode to the game as it did seem ideal for a team based attack system.
This is one that was slated for late 2014 and has been moved to 2015. I think the extra time will help, as the premise looks great and this should be another big hit for Sony.
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