The Order: 1886

There's a pretty good chance The Order: 1886 is the most graphically sophisticated game ever made. From the rich, warm, lived-in look of buildings to the minutiae found around and inside shops and underground transportation terminals, this 19th-century England is astoundingly detailed. The world looks and feels real in ways that outstrip any other game. And it has characters to match, thanks to incredibly realistic facial animations, terrific voice acting, and authentic writing and dialogue. Add a twisty, fantastical plot that keeps one foot grounded in reality, and you have a recipe for an amazing interactive story.

Unfortunately, this otherwise memorable experience is weighed down by a series of perplexing game design missteps that will leave many experienced players scratching their heads. Clunky quick-time events that prompt players to press specific buttons during cinematic combat sequences result in frequent failure and serve only to disrupt narrative immersion. Third-person firefights, meanwhile, are surprisingly uninspired. Pistols are so powerful as to render what ought to be more exciting weapons -- such as the tantalizingly named Thermite Rifle and Arc Gun -- all but unnecessary. And, aside from the occasional flanking shotgunner, enemies offer no surprises or challenges. Just shoot, duck, recover, repeat. Fans of story-driven single-player games will still find much to like here -- a few of the 16 chapters don't even involve any combat -- but people who play games mostly for action likely will walk away disappointed.