In February 2015, The Order: 1886 was released on the PlayStation 4. Despite considerable hype, it received mixed reviews and a relatively low Metacritic score of 63. However, the game showcased groundbreaking visual advancements and remains highly regarded for its image quality today.

The developers, Ready at Dawn, demonstrated their expertise in physically-based rendering, alongside Crytek, Guerrilla, and Don’t Nod. The game’s exceptional visuals and cinematic effects pushed the boundaries of graphics technology. Although the game had its limitations, it still stands as one of the best early technical showcases for the PS4.

Recently, unofficial PS4 frame-rate unlock patches were made compatible with the PlayStation 5 firmware. This allowed the team to showcase footage of The Order running at a locked 60fps on the latest console.

Ready at Dawn has a history of creating impressive games, with their early work focused on well-received PSP titles like Daxter and two God of War games. The Order: 1886 marked their transition to developing their own IP and was revealed alongside the PlayStation 4 in 2013.

Despite criticisms about its short length, limited interactivity, and lack of replayability, the game utilized a soft, filmic presentation that minimized aliasing and employed cinematic visual effects. It was presented at a resolution of 1920×800 (letterboxed to prevent upscale blur on a 1080p display), and anti-aliasing was a major focus, using enhanced quality anti-aliasing (EQAA).

One of the game’s standout features was its use of physically-based materials and expert lighting techniques. Ready at Dawn pioneered a material scanning pipeline, using real-world data to create a library of in-game materials with realistic properties. This attention to detail allowed artists to add layers of complexity to objects, bringing them to life with intricate detail and realism.

The game’s lighting was achieved through pre-calculated global illumination, resulting in realistic bounce lighting, ambient glow, and natural shadows. The team utilized spherical gaussians to capture both diffuse and specular illumination, producing superior results compared to other techniques like cubemaps.

Despite its flaws, The Order: 1886 demonstrated the potential of modern real-time graphics and set a high bar for visual quality. Its impact on the industry can still be felt today, with its Pioneering Rendering Techniques influencing other developers to push the boundaries of graphical fidelity.

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