‘Order 13’ Made Me Box Up Orders While Dealing With Manmade Horror Beyond My Comprehensions, and I Dig It (Review)

I’ve heard nothing but horror stories from folks working in warehouses, especially for the company with the name like a forest. Terrible working conditions, no bathroom breaks, and dealing with terrible bosses. That’s what made me appreciate Order 13 a little bit more. Sure, I may have been running for my life, trying to avoid terrifying monsters just out of eyesight. But at least I didn’t have to deal with Beff Jesos. Oh, and I got to have a cat here, which was always nice, too. Order 13 was full of surprises throughout its short runtime, and it’s a very good experience. I don’t think you could put the survival of this ordeal on your resume, sadly.

A monster in the Halls in Order 13 — Screenshot: Cybernetic Walrus

‘Order 13’ Is an Exercise in Repetition, Much Like Regular Warehouse Work

Starting my first shift in Order 13, I didn’t know what to expect. The warehouse was dark and empty, seeing as everyone else already got to go home. It was just me and my trusty feline companion, working an overnight shift. But, as with any good horror game, something is lurking within these walls. I wasn’t sure what it was, as for the first few days, all I could hear were the groans and occasional pitter-patter of malformed feet hitting the concrete floor. But as the nights grew longer, and orders grew more bountiful, I began to spot them.

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Some of these Order 13 creatures would suddenly skitter across the ground, either at a distance or directly in front of me. Others would go for the typical jumpscare, with the screen beginning to shake and a loud noise breaking my concentration. And one, in particular, stalked me throughout the warehouse. I could always hear it gurgling, groaning, basically begging to be put out of its misery. But as the humble store worker, I had no access to weaponry or a way to defend myself. I just had a scanner, a flashlight, and a job to do.

The goal here, as with any job, was to make money. And each night, the increasing quota needed to be hit. At first, it was easy, with just a few packages to gather and send off. But as the nights grew longer, I needed to upgrade my equipment. Exploring the warehouse became second nature; searching for the letter from A to Z, and finding out if it was in Row 1, 2, or 3. I feared it would become repetitious, and after a while, it did. That is, until I unlocked the basement.

The door leading to the Basement in Order 13 — Screenshot: Cybernetic Walrus

That Feeling of Repetition Was over Once i hit the Basement in ‘Order 13′

Just moments ago, I felt as if I had the Order 13 world in my hands. I had the layout of this warehouse down like the back of my hand. Outmaneuvering the creature in the hallways was never easier. And then, I earned my certification to go into the Basement. Higher risk for much higher rewards. After printing out a few order tickets, scanning them with my upgraded scanner, and heading out, everything changed.

The layout of the basement was completely different to that of the standard warehouse. I didn’t know what was waiting around any corner here. My typical plan of hiding under shelving units if a creature was nearby was gone. I was in unfamiliar territory; much like I was when I first stepped into the Warehouse for the first time. But unlike the warehouse, the Basement was more of a maze, making every twist and turn more unnerving than the last. I didn’t know where I was going, and I needed to figure it out and fast.

Once I could return to the office, it was time to partake in the packaging mini-game. That’s right; I didn’t need to just find the materials, I needed to pack them up and ensure that they were getting packed up correctly. Filling boxes with packing peanuts, taping them shut, and labeling them was genuinely fun, even though I wish there was more variety to the packaging types. Let me use padded envelopes, or something besides a massive box. But still, it was a fun little way to add some variety into the game, in the long run.

Kitty on the desk in Order 13 — Screenshot: Cybernetic Walrus

I Had To Do Whatever I Could To Keep My Kitty Happy in ‘Order 13′

Order 13 doesn’t give the player a typical health bar, or even a timer in that regard. Rather, I needed to keep an eye on the kitty gauge in the bottom left corner. The more unhappy they would become, the faster it would start to tick down. And if they got too unhappy, the kitty would leave the office room and be gobbled up by whatever creature was outside. And we didn’t want that to happen in the slightest.

Order 13 was half “Working in the hellish landscape of retail” simulator, and half “Keep my adorable kitty safe” simulator. I could upgrade their living space, providing toys, food, and additional items to keep them happier for longer. Starting with a “Happiness Meter” rating of 300, I figured I would need to either quickly start getting them new stuff, or hope that my short-term memory would be better so I could grab more orders at a time.

Thankfully, the former option in Order 13 was much easier in the long run. I was able to get my hands on plenty of items for my fuzzy feline friend, and then I could explore the warehouse and basement levels for longer. I’m glad to say that while it was difficult, a grizzly end never once befell my feline companion. But, my life came to an end a few times during my run. I’d rather see myself perish than my kitty cat pal, but maybe that’s just me.

Could Order 13 work without including the cat? Yes, absolutely. But it’s a cutesy and clever way to keep players engaged, and I can’t deny that I fell for the trap.

this Is the Best ‘Working in Retail’ Simulator I’ve Ever Played

While the feeling of repetition did get squelched rather early, I do wish that there were more monster varieties to encounter. Maybe a few variations of different creatures could creep the hallways, all with a different gimmick to keep things feeling a little more interesting throughout the roughly 3-hour playthrough. But in the end, Order 13 was a surprise to me. It offered some bona fide creepy moments, and only relied slightly on the jumpscare gimmick, opting instead to make me feel uncomfortable via sight and sound.

When I first started Order 13, I genuinely didn’t know what to expect. I wasn’t sure if this was destined to become a streamer bait trap, or if there was genuine potential here. But after playing through it, I can happily say that it should be able to satiate both ends of the field. There’s enough for streamers to overreact to here, but there’s also enough genuinely creepy vibes here to help it stand on its own two feet.