I'm in the progress of writing my review and I'd like to share a small opinion of mine. Feel free to disagree. Trying my best to not break embargo here, so don't expect too much details.
Anyway, I have an issue with "buyer guide" reviews. That is: reviews telling you if the game is worth your money and not whether the game is good or bad. This is a personal thing for sure. I mean... gaming isn't free. Not everyone has the privilege to buy several $60 games every month. So I understand it's important for some people to know the value of a game next to its quality. As a reviewer, I am privileged to try out games for free. So it's easier for me to judge a game on its quality and not its value/$.
That said, I don't like the comparisons people make when we talk about value. Game length is a hot topic right now regarding The Order 1886 and that makes me sad. Kinda. People keep comparing the game to other games. They're not wondering if the length is right for this game. They're wondering why it is shorter than other games. It's unacceptable etc. But that's not the question we should ask. The question should be: does the length work for this game? I'm not gonna answer this question because I can't... not yet... but it's something to think about.
If I buy a really good book for $15 which is somewhat short and then another book which is equally good but ten times longer, I won't be disappointed. They're the same price but they're both good in a different way. I don't view length as something that is so important to the experience. I'd rather read, watch or play something that is really tight yet short compared to a bloated mess that takes forever.
The Wolf of Wall Street is a personal favourite of mine and it's about three hours long. Do I like it more than other movies because of its length? No. In fact, some people think it's way too long. It's the same price as any other movie, but compared to games, it doesn't seem to be as important. Now, I know this is not a 100% fair comparison. A game is $60. Movies and books are way cheaper and less of an investment. It's easier to just focus on the quality here.
But the price doesn't influence the quality of a game, only its "value". Would The Order 1886 suddenly become better if it was $30? No. It would become an easier buy, I agree. But the game quality will not change. Nothing will change. Only your perception. So many people want game to be "art", but it seems there is still a big business side to things that people have issues with. Again, in my opinion people aren't criticizing the game length because they're wondering if it'll work for The Order 1886, but because other games are longer and more deserving of their money. Despite not having played the game. They're only going off a number.
Now, keep in mind everything I wrote here is about the game length. I did not say anything about the gameplay. Don't take this text of mine as proof I think the game is incredible or anything. I'm just saying I disagree with the length drama. Feel free to disagree with me, as this is but an opinion piece of mine.