Fulfilment Centres, Jump Scares, and a Very Important Cat
When I was 19, I got a job in a huge warehouse full of washing machines. My task was to go inside and check all the serial numbers. It was just me, the fluorescent lights kept flickering on and off, and while it was incredibly boring, every now and again, I felt like I was being watched. I lasted a week.
Playing Order 13 felt a bit like reliving that memory. The difference here is that you have a cat for company, and there is actually something watching and stalking you. But regardless of the danger, you still need to keep those delivery quotas up.
The Job Simulator Disguise
There has been a raft of titles recently that disguise themselves as job simulators, hiding a much darker story underneath. A recent example is Dollmare, where you are tasked with quality-checking dolls, only to uncover a hidden narrative about demonic possession. In Order 13, you are a worker in a massive, Amazon-style warehouse facility. But instead of bustling with loads of workers, it is just you and a cat. At the start of the game, you even get to choose the colour and collar type of your feline friend and give them a name.
The Work-Life Balance
There are two main areas inside the game. The first is a combined work and sleeping environment featuring a desk with a computer. Here, you can print incoming orders, which include a description of where to find the item and the code needed to unlock its cage. You can also spend cash to buy extra tools to help you in your job, such as a torch or a handy scanner to store your order information.
There are other work-related areas too, like a packing desk equipped with boxes, foam, tape, and stickers for deliveries. You have a daily financial target to meet, such as $75. Each item you collect from the warehouse and pack correctly is worth a set amount – say, $25 or $28 – depending on how efficiently you perform the task. Once you are done for the day, you can go to bed in your workspace and wake up to start all over again.
The other key feature of this room is your cat, whom you must pet and keep happy. Eventually, however, you have to venture into the warehouse, and that is where the true horror begins.
Into the Shadows
The warehouse itself features shelves that stretch endlessly into the darkness. Each one is marked with a letter of the alphabet and a number so you can locate the correct items to ship. It is dark as hell, and certain paths are blocked by fallen shelving. Furthermore, the more time you spend away in the warehouse, the less time you have to feed and take care of your cat. This is represented by a meter that slowly drains. And you really don’t want it to reach zero…
Stalkers in the Stacks
In the darkness of the warehouse, there are things that simply shouldn’t be there. You will encounter jump scares, strange voices, and bizarre apparitions. Worst of all is a creature that stalks the shelving walkways. If you hear its footsteps, you know it is near, and you have to either hide or take flight using your limited stamina bar. If it catches you, you die, and you have to start the day again. Survive and complete 12 days, and Order 13 is finished. I liked the concept, but the monster is revealed much too early on Day 2; after the initial scare, the encounters just became a source of frustration.
Visually, Order 13 does a good job with its environments and lighting, though I wish there was a bit more variation in the items you have to collect. There are some highly effective visual jump scares, and the first time you see the creature, it is genuinely terrifying. Cat fans will also love all the little toys and treats you can buy for your pet with your hard-earned wages from the store.
The audio is excellent at making you constantly feel on edge while exploring. Every creak feels like a disaster, and when you finally hear those footsteps, your heart will race.
A Successful Hybrid with a Slighting Rushed Reveal
Order 13 is another of those enjoyable hybrid games that mix the mechanics of a job simulator with survival horror. It is a successful combination, with a lot of potential. And in Order 13, you’ll fall in love with the cat and the actual job mechanics, but there isn’t much of a story, and during your time with the game, you’ll understand little about what is going on.
I also feel that Order 13 shows its horror cards a bit too early; the game needs a slower build-up to increase the tension. Still, if you want to experience the true horror of warehouse work, and don’t mind an extra bite, give Order 13 a go.
Important Links
Pack Orders, Avoid The Shadows In Order 13 On Xbox And PlayStation – https://www.thexboxhub.com/pack-orders-avoid-the-shadows-in-order-13-on-xbox-and-playstation/
Buy from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/order-13/9p1gtvhtsmt4
