'The Order 1886' Release Date: Only PS4 Can Handle Game's Graphics, says Developers

Aug 16, 2014 03:15 PM EDT

Those expecting to see The Order: 1886 for the Xbox One and PC will be disappointed, as developer Ready at Dawn announced that the game is coming exclusive to the Playstation 4.

"We couldn't have achieved this graphical fidelity with any other console," said Ready at Dawn's community manager J. Goldberg, according to Gamespot.

One of the most-promoted features in The Order: 1886 is its use of motion-capture technology to enhance the cinematic action in the gameplay. As such, the game seamlessly transitions gameplay into cutscenes. This feature will naturally require beefier hardware, which is something the PS4 provides. Curiously though, Ready at Dawn decided not to bring the game to PC, which can meet similar standards depending on specifications.

The premise of the game takes places in an alternate reality Victoria-era Britain, where knights battle enemies with Industrial Revolution technology. Hence, developers have incorporated elements commonly associated with the Steam Punk genre. Players will be a part of a secretive society descended from King Arthur's Knights at the Roundtable. For centuries, these knights have upheld their oath to protect humanity from the ravages of werewolves. Flash forward to the late-19th century, the lower-classes have started rebelling against higher society. The Order now has the thankless job of both fighting werewolves while keeping the peasantry at bay. This storyline should provide a very interesting single-player experience. 

In the E3 2014 trailers, viewers saw the knights wielding a variety of outlandish but practical weapons that included an assortment of knives, guns, and grenades. Perhaps the deadliest weapon in the arsenal is the thermite rifle, which fires a cloud of burning metal that lights the enemy on fire. Still, the most ubiquitous firearm in The Order is the so-called Combo Gun that combines two weapons in one. One trigger fires a long-range rifle while the other shoots a short-range concussive blast that knocks down opponents. Stunned enemies can easily be dispatched with a well-aimed rifle shot.

Each of the knights communicates using wireless communicators that may seem out of place in Victorian England. Considering the game is set in a fictional universe, this detail can easily be forgiven.

Ready at Dawn will launch The Order: 1886 on the PS4 on Feb. 20, 2015.