Deep Silver Kingdom Come Deliverance II Gold Edition
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 review: medieval mania
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 offers the most believable medieval world I’ve ever experienced in a game. The Bohemian Empire is rough, dirty and simply beautiful.
«So real you can smell the steaming horse poop». That’s how I titled my review of the first game. The clickbait techniques of my former employer Watson still inspired me. In essence, however, the statement is correct.
In 2018, Czech studio Warhorse released Kingdom Come Deliverance, an impressive open-world medieval game that emphasises authenticity and realism. Despite this claim to realism, the debut was first and foremost a role-playing game and not a simulation. Just like part two. This makes the game more accessible and extensive without betraying its principles.
Two brothers and a crown
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 picks up directly from the first game. It’s the year 1403 in Bohemia, now the Czech Republic. Once again, you take on the role of Heinrich von Skalitz. The blacksmith’s son was the only one to survive a devious attack on his village by Hungarian King Sigismund of Luxembourg. His parents both lost their lives. Since then, he’s sought revenge on the leader of a mercenary troop, Markwart von Aulitz, as well as spy and schemer István Tóth. He was denied this in the first part. Still, he managed to ascend to the position of bodyguard to his new best friend Hans Capom. Hans is the heir to the town lord of Rattay. Together, they begin a new adventure.
Source: Philipp Rüegg
Hans’ uncle is part of the resistance movement loyal to King Wenceslas, rightful ruler of the Bohemian Empire. One problem: he’s being held captive by his brother Sigismund. Together with Heinrich, Hans has to deliver an important document to a potential ally.
The story is simple really, but I regularly lost the thread. There are too many names, titles of nobility and cities to remember. Nevertheless, the political intrigue is exciting and, above all, feels credible. Among other things, because most of the characters are based on historical figures, just like the story and the geography.
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A world to lose yourself in
An open world game stands and falls with its, well… world. And Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 offers an even larger and more detailed one than its predecessor. It’s divided into the two regions of Trosky and Kuttenberg. Both are huge and invite you to explore. As I travel at a leisurely pace on horseback, I can really soak up the world. The landscape is beautiful and, unlike most open-world games, looks extremely realistic. At any time, I can check the codex for what a particular river or village looked like in reality and what artistic liberties the development studio took.
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As I walk along a small river on a narrow path and discover a picturesque castle on a hill, I almost melt away. Apart from the distances, significantly shorter than reality for technical reasons, no game captures the medieval flair better and more authentically than Kingdom Come Deliverance 2.
The many castles and palaces, all recreated in great detail, also contribute to this. There’s Trosky Castle, for example, which was built on an extinct volcano in 1380. Otto von Bergow lives there, to whom Heinrich and Hans are to deliver the document in question. The castle still exists today. I spent several hours there in-game, exploring every nook and cranny from the dungeon to the Jungfrau and Vettel towers. It felt like I was on an interactive museum tour.
Source: Warhorse
But every mill, every fishing village and every little camp along the way also makes my heart flutter. Even after almost 70 hours, my enthusiasm for this idyllic world never wanes. The fantastic graphics are made possible by the latest version of CryEngine – the engine that powered Crysis, a legendary graphics benchmark in 2007. Fortunately, the hardware requirements are no longer quite as exorbitant. But my RTX 4090 didn’t always have an easy time with the PC version in 4K.
The world isn’t just big, it also feels alive, something that other open-world games notoriously struggle with. Residents go about their daily work. They visit the inn, work in the fields, eat dinner together then go to bed. All the clothing and armour are also real eye-catchers. A complete suit of armour consists of more than a dozen parts that I can put on individually. I feel like a cosplayer rummaging through my imaginary closet.
Source: Warhorse
Every NPC makes a decisive contribution to the authenticity of the medieval world. If I bump into them, whistle for my horse right next to them or behave suspiciously, they react. In the early hours, I felt real discomfort when I broke into a poor carpenter’s house to steal a lute or when there was a fatal incident because someone caught me sneaking around.
I also love that the English-language version features numerous German speakers. They simulate the many German immigrants and traders who were on the move in Bohemia at the time. English and German are mixed, making the whole thing even more authentic.
Where the efforts to achieve authenticity can be seen as a negative is in the variety of the game world. Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is set in Bohemia and exclusively in Bohemia. The landscape is mostly green, hilly and full of deciduous forests. You’ll search in vain for a complete change of scenery in the form of a snowy landscape, desert or swamp.
Source: Warhorse
No jack of all trades
Warhorse focuses on realism, both in the world and design as well as in the gameplay. The latter feels much more leisurely than other open-world games. Compared to the first part, everything looks more polished and there are more comfort features. Heinrich, or rather his horse, follows a path or other people at the touch of a button. That way I can follow a conversation unbothered or enjoy the scenery. Patience is still a must when playing.
The most prominent example of a game that also relies on a slower pace in combination with a detailed world is Red Dead Redemption 2. It was even released in the same year as the first Kingdom Come Deliverance. Just like in Rockstar’s Wild West epic, everything takes a little longer in the wild east. But that’s exactly what makes the game so charming. As the son of a blacksmith, Heinrich can make weapons himself. This involves heating the iron and hammering it out evenly on both sides. Instead of clicking on Craft in a menu, I get to grips with my artistic side. Just like with alchemy, which I can only do at a dedicated table.
Source: Philipp Rüegg
I have to follow the exact steps in my recipe book. Brewing starts with the right liquid, then I have to boil the right herbs in the right quantity and in the right order for the right length of time. Finally, it’s distilled and poured. I don’t just quickly brew 20 new potions, I have to take my time. This makes them all the more valuable. One of the most commonly used potions is the Saviour Schnapps. There are four ways to save in the game. Sleeping in my own bed, closing the game, at certain checkpoints or manually by drinking a shot of schnapps.
Blacksmithing and alchemy are the only professions that Heinrich has mastered. It’s not like he’s a jack of all trades. He knows these skills because he learned them in the first part, and not simply because he invested points in a talent tree. Note, there are some in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 regardless. It’s still a role-playing game, even if it is sometimes more reminiscent of a survival game with its sleep and food management.
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Heinrich learns by carrying out different tasks. Talking improves his speech ability, claws improve stealth and swordplay improves his weapons skill. This is how I naturally unlock new talents. They’re all worth it and bring real benefits. The Trafficker talent ensures that stolen goods lose their illegal status quicker. This way I can get rid of them when not in use. The Masterful Feint, on the other hand, gives me a new technique I can use to counter my opponent’s attacks.
Unsheathe your sword!
Combat is an essential part of Kingdom Come Deliverance 2. You can choose from pole weapons such as halberds, heavy weapons such as axes and, of course, swords. When fighting, it’s important to keep an eye on your stamina. Attacking and defending continually drains it. When attacking, I have to keep a close eye on my enemy so that I attack or block from the right direction. Fights feel powerful, and without the appropriate armour, one or two hits are enough to end the fight. In full armour, a fight can last several minutes.
Source: Philipp Rüegg
But as soon as several people get involved in a fight, things get chaotic. The physics and camera are quickly overwhelmed and the fight degenerates into wild button-mashing. Especially in the first few hours, I often bit the dust even against simple bandits. All in all, however, it’s a pleasure to see myself become more skilled. At least in one-on-one situations, hardly anyone can beat me any more. Otherwise I still have Mutt at my side – for once, I didn’t come up with the name. My faithful dog can both help me with hunting and tracking, but will also bite opponents in the butt on command.
Sieges are superbly staged. Heinrich and Hans’ errand takes them to Nabokov Fortress early. There, they have to withstand an attack by Markwart von Aulitz and his Prague mercenary troops. I first take aim at troops storming in with ladders using my bow, crossbow or the new hand cannon. Although the latter has a lot of penetrating power, it takes far too long to load. And I’m no better at aiming than a drunken partygoer handling a firework.
Source: Philipp Rüegg
When the enemies set up their long ladders, I try to push them away. If that doesn’t work, chaotic battles ensue across the corridors. I fend off the attack on the main gate by throwing heavy rocks at the heads of enemies below.
Always follow your gut
In typical open-world fashion, there’s also plenty to do away from the main story. Luckily, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is far removed from the Ubisoft map vomit. There are usually only one or two side quests in towns, and even these aren’t thrown right at me.
It often helps to talk to the pub landlady first and find out the latest rumours. Alternatively, I overhear a dispute between two landowners who have been bickering over a meadow for years. I can mime the peacemaker or stir up controversy by painting a prize-winning white bull black. Many quests can be solved in different ways. This is where the game differs significantly from Red Dead Redemption 2, which often only allows one path in its mission design.
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Good speech skills are almost always an advantage. In the spirit of high fashion, beautiful and especially washed clothes give a bonus to my charisma. Conversely, people will hold their noses when you walk through the streets stinking and dripping with blood – or forget to put on pants. Hey, it can happen.
On my travels through the Trosky and Kuttenberg regions, I often let my gut guide my way. Even if the main quest takes you to most of the sights, there’s always something to discover off the main road. One time, I went on a witch hunt in an abandoned mine. Later, a legend about a water goblin led me to find a real silver axe.
Source: Warhorse
Without time pressure for this review, I’d hardly ever have used the fast travel option. Riding through the picturesque landscapes is just too much fun. However, fast travel is occasionally interrupted by chance encounters that I might have missed.
Losing your reputation
The game crafts a lively and realistic world. As a result, it’s all the more disturbing when the illusion is shattered. Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 relies on a reputation system. Your reputation changes for better or worse depending on what you do and whether anyone notices. If you help people, behave decently and offer merchants good prices, your reputation will increase. If you insult residents, get violent or are caught stealing, it goes down.
Source: Warhorse
Once, I had to get a lute for a quest. I could’ve bought it, but money was tight and I was feeling cheeky. So, during the night, I snuck into the house where the instrument was and promptly snagged it. Nobody saw me. But since I’d already walked around the estate the day before, I looked suspicious. A display at the top of the screen with a cuddly animated bunny indicates whether someone sees me, is looking for me or wants to fight me. The yellow rabbit also told me I’d been spotted during the day. And that’s only after entering a building I wasn’t allowed in anyway.
Just one foot was already enough for the beadle, the village policeman so to speak, to arrest me the following day. I love the mechanics that involve people noticing my behaviour. But it’s annoying that I’m already a wanted criminal just because of a suspicion. What is original, on the other hand, is that clothing stands out to different degrees, makes different amounts of noise and is remembered differently by people. A colourful festive dress isn’t the right burglary outfit in many ways.
Source: Warhorse
AA, not AAA
Despite a massive game world, a wide scope and detailed environments, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 doesn’t feel like it was bankrolled to the moon and back, unlike Red Dead Redemtpion 2. Faces are nicely animated, but relatively stiff. Same goes for the movement of NPCs, and this isn’t just due to their armour.
The mission design isn’t flawless either. At one point, I had to sneak through a forest full of enemy soldiers. But since they don’t follow a clear pattern and there’s practically nowhere to hide, the whole thing becomes an annoying trial and error thing. And as there’s no quicksave option and I didn’t want to waste an infinite amount of schnapps, I ended up quitting the game every 50 metres to save.
Source: Warhorse
During the castle siege, I didn’t understand exactly what I was supposed to do the first few times. Someone kept calling for me, but I didn’t know who it was or where I was supposed to go. Scripted moments like these quickly become annoying if they don’t go as planned. Or if I have to repeat them. Like in the mission where I have to serve wine disguised as a servant in King Sigismund’s court. It goes on for five minutes while I eavesdrop on the nobles. And since I grab the wrong wine too often, I have to do it all over again – and listen to the exact same dialogue. Luckily, such missions are few and far between.
One criticism of the first game was that there were only white characters. Game director Daniel Vávra, who attracted negative attention from the trade press after part one due to his proximity to GamerGate and his criticism of «left-wing political propaganda» (article in German), is now ironically the target of such attacks himself. The studio has already stated in advance that part 2 will place more emphasis on diversity. There now actually is a black person in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, as well as a same-sex romance option. Vávra and the game were promptly labelled woke.
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The tone across Steam forums became so harsh that publisher Deep Silver felt compelled to draw up new guidelines. Under a zero-tolerance policy, sexist, homophobic and transphobic comments were strictly prohibited. But the company has already given up this choice, reintroducing the old regulations.
Technically, I have little to criticise. From time to time, the audio mix wasn’t right and certain characters were barely audible in cutscenes. Sometimes models got tangled up in each other. But the development team are aware of most of the technical problems, so they should be patched out soon. PC gamers still need a powerful PC if they want to play the game in all its glory. The highest level, Experimental, is aimed at future hardware. Even with an RTX 4090, the game was barely playable at that level.
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 was provided to me by Plaion. I tested the PC version. The game is available from 4 January for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.
In a nutshell
A true medieval masterpiece
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is a remarkable game. Although open-world games are a dime a dozen, Warhorse’s latest work stands out. A world this detailed and expansive, capturing the medieval flair so beautifully, will be hard to come by again. It’s dotted with magnificent castles, huge army camps and tranquil villages where I’d love to settle down.
I immersed myself for almost 70 hours without feeling tired or bored. Other genre representatives often exhaust me with their many monotonous tasks such as constantly collecting loot or annoying inventory management. Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 takes a more leisurely approach and dispenses with showmanship. There are no dragons or backflips in battle, and if I want to forge a sword, I have to actively dedicate myself to the task.
The story also kept me entertained until the end. It’s a wild up and down with political scheming, bloody battles and stealthy heists reminiscent of GTA V.
If you have even the slightest soft spot for the Middle Ages, enjoy exploring open game worlds and don’t mind when things take a little longer, I can wholeheartedly recommend Kingdom Come Deliverance 2.
Pro
- Authentic medieval world
- Beautiful graphics
- Exciting storyline
- Fun combat system
- Not overloaded with mechanics or tasks
Contra
- Story loses focus a few times
- Some quests are trial and error
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Philipp Rüegg
Senior Editor
Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.chBeing the game and gadget geek that I am, working at digitec and Galaxus makes me feel like a kid in a candy shop – but it does take its toll on my wallet. I enjoy tinkering with my PC in Tim Taylor fashion and talking about games on my podcast http://www.onemorelevel.ch. To satisfy my need for speed, I get on my full suspension mountain bike and set out to find some nice trails. My thirst for culture is quenched by deep conversations over a couple of cold ones at the mostly frustrating games of FC Winterthur.
