Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Review. The boldest and grandest role-playing game of recent years

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a game capable of taking away all your free time, making you forget about sleep and food, and testing your nerves to the limit. But in return, it offers so much dopamine and unforgettable emotions from a grand adventure that it will last you until the end of the year. It's not just another «exemplary sequel» with refined mechanics, but a powerful kick to major studios that have turned away from their loyal core audience. With this project, Warhorse Studios reminded the industry that games are an art form, not a platform for promoting specific ideologies.

We spent sleepless nights traversing the vast expanses of Bohemia. We caught devils, dealt with political intrigues, drank ourselves to oblivion with the Cumans, played dice with gypsies, drew obscenities on a bull, hunted a maniac, licked corpse pits, and sent poachers to the gallows—all to find at least a couple of reasons to criticize Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. But did we succeed? You'll find the answer in this review.

The main events of the second part begin almost from where the first Kingdom Come: Deliverance ended. If for some reason you missed the original but want to dive into the sequel along with the rest of the world, you can start playing right now. The developers have provided everything for a comfortable start: key moments from the first part are carefully woven into the narrative, so you definitely won't need a five-hour backstory video on Warhorse Studios' YouTube channel. Important references to characters and events from the original game are seamlessly integrated into the plot, allowing newcomers to quickly grasp what's happening.

The story of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is comparable in scale to several seasons of a quality TV series. However, the first 20-40 hours are just a prelude to the main conflict. But what a prelude it is! Spectacular and masterfully directed, it is no less intense and high-quality than the key events of the game. The protagonist Henry, along with his faithful friend Hans Capon, arrives in the picturesque but far from friendly region of Trosky. Their goal is to deliver a letter to the nobleman Otto von Bergow and enlist his support in the fight against King Sigismund. However, failing to reach the castle before sunset, the heroes decide to camp in a dangerous area where bands of robbers roam. This decision leads to a bloody skirmish, after which Henry and Hans are left without an escort, the letter, and even their pants—in the most literal sense. And to top it all off, while fleeing from the bandits across a ford, Henry gets an arrow in the shoulder, resulting in the loss of experience and skills gained in the first part. In general, it's a classic but no less thrilling start for an RPG sequel.

Miraculously avoiding pursuit and regaining strength at a local herbalist, our heroes finally reach Bergow Castle. However, instead of a warm welcome, they are greeted with a "refreshing shower" from a garbage bucket. After all, it's an era where appearances matter, and Henry and Hans, dressed in rags like vagabonds, hardly resemble high-ranking nobles. Moreover, rumors of Lord Capon death in a skirmish with bandits and a delegation from Rataje completely block all paths to the baron, who is locked behind stone walls. Fortunately, a wedding involving Bergow is to take place soon, which means the heroes still have a chance to complete their mission.

Throughout the prologue, the writers of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 slowly but surely bring the hero back down to the «bottom» from which he barely escaped in the first part. The reasons for this approach are obvious: the player must remain on equal terms with the game environment. After a quarrel with Hans, caused by a mass brawl with peasants at the tavern, we gain access to the first major location and complete freedom of action. Unlike the prequel, newcomers here will find it much easier to navigate and immerse themselves in the medieval atmosphere. From the very beginning, the developers will guide you on where to find work, how to acquire your first armor, and where to find decent weapons.

The first half of the main storyline of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 can be compared to the first season of «Game of Thrones» —there's a lot of exposition, dialogue, and political intrigue. Most of the time, you'll be traversing the vast map, moving from point «A» to point «B» and solving seemingly minor problems. Meanwhile, the lion's share of the story is hidden in side quests. There are so many that the abundance of icons on the map might cause a slight panic attack. And most importantly, each quest is not a generic template that major studios have been feeding us in recent years. These are well-thought-out, deep, and skillfully written stories. Imagine being given the vast world of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, but instead of «garbage» quests, it includes all the best elements from The Witcher 3.

Particularly delightful is the interconnection of side quests. After entering the open world, we set out to find the daughter of the local herbalist who recently saved our hero from death. During the investigation, it turned out that the savior had a long-standing conflict with local peasants, threatening to turn into a tragedy. As true knights, we found a way to reconcile the parties and prevent bloodshed. In gratitude, the herbalist began to assist us in other quests, significantly reducing the time spent wandering the map. However, had we chosen a different path and not resolved the conflict peacefully, we might have later found the bodies of the murdered herbalist and her daughter. This would have meant that all related quests would have to be completed differently. In this regard, Deliverance 2 is very reminiscent of Fallout 2, a game that project director Daniel Vávra has often expressed his love for.

Almost every, even the simplest task, turns into a mini-adventure with fascinating mechanics and unexpected twists. The writers are not shy in their expressions and boldly demonstrate historical stereotypes as described in textbooks. The local gypsies steal horses, believe in magic, and try in every possible way to take advantage of Indřich's kindness. Two rival villages clash in a bloody battle over a piece of land every season, and even if you manage to reconcile them, they won't feel much joy from it.

Here's another example. Lazy troubadours will first make you steal a lute and then send you in search of strings. After that, they will ask Henry to work off their debt to the innkeeper: carry heavy bags and clean the cesspit. However, you won't be able to make the lazy ones work themselves. After completing the quest, we barely restrained the desire to teach the musicians a lesson with fists, but that would have hit the reputation too hard. The funniest thing is that the writers intentionally put the player in such a situation to evoke the right emotions. The main dish of revenge is served a little later, in the second act. We won't spoil it, but you'll definitely like the end of this quest.

By the end of the first act, all sides of the conflict will be revealed to you, and the story will turn from a detective thriller into a real blockbuster. At the center of the plot is the rise of the national hero of the Czech people, Jan Žižka, whose statue adorns Vítkov Hill in Prague. Together with him, you will have to unite the fragmented population of Bohemia and stand up to King Sigismund and his minions. At the same time, key events will move to a completely new map, not inferior in size to the first one.

The main jewel of the new location is the city of Kutná Hora (Kuttenberg). It is so vast and detailed that we forgot about the countryside and the problems of the peasants for hours. We haven't seen such a lively and well-crafted city since Cyberpunk 2077. Unlike CD Projekt RED's game, in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, the local population is not just decoration, but a living organism where everyone has their own role and daily routine. Staying in Kutná Hora leaves an indelible impression. The side quests become longer but do not lose quality. While the main plot prepares us for a grand battle, side quests offer to track down a maniac, clear a dungeon of demons, or collect grim monuments from skulls in a monastery crypt. Despite the realistic medieval setting, mysticism still finds its place. For example, one of the quests is given by a long-dead monk, and Bergow servants are constantly bothered by devils, which we had to exorcise with holy water.

The main advantage of side quests is the complete absence of routine. Essentially, these are small, standalone episodes that reveal the era and show the life of people in the fifteenth century. They are non-linear, offering the player unconventional ways of completing them. Meanwhile, the main plot, despite its excellent presentation and intriguing story, remains too linear, not providing the freedom found in side quests. Any choice or phrase you make only affects the reputation and attitude of other characters towards the protagonist.

The predetermined path set by the writers often destroys the immersion effect and the sense of progression. For example, in the first act, we attend a wedding where we accidentally find a bride abandoned by her groom. Regardless of the dialogue choices, we are still caught by a local villager, thrown out of the basement, and kicked for the amusement of the crowd. Not only were we not given a choice, but we were also forced to watch the «helpless» main character, who had recently been chopping down bandits with an axe.

And this is not an isolated case. Indřich constantly finds himself in situations where he is knocked out, stripped, and beaten even by the weakest characters. This does not align at all with the image we create for the hero in side quests. Undoubtedly, historical accuracy imposes limitations on the plot, but the protagonist is still a fictional character. He could independently decide whose side to take and what choices to make.

The main storyline of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is so extensive that it could have been enough for two full games. At the same time, you will spend most of your time on endless rides and walking across the vast expanses of Bohemia. If a quest requires you to follow a character, be prepared for a long and leisurely journey from one point to another. The funniest part is that there might not be a quick save point at the end of the journey, and if you don't have «Saviour Schnapps» in your pocket, after a random failure or death, you'll have to walk the same slow path again. Yes, it's realistic. No, it's not fun.

In the end, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a mix of a linear historical drama and an open-world sandbox, where side quests offer more role-playing than the main plot. However, these two concepts do not coexist well with each other. You can try to independently clear story fortresses, camps, and towers, but it won't bring much benefit. If you want to feel like a hero and impact the world, head towards the secondary content.

Despite the linearity and some drawn-out parts, the main story of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 turned out to be so captivating that we literally couldn't tear ourselves away from the screen. It's the first role-playing game since Baldur's Gate 3 that we completed not for a review, but for pleasure. And for us, that's an important indicator of quality.

The gameplay improvements in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 fully justify the term «exemplary sequel». Most elements have been refined and adapted for a new audience. The combat system has been enhanced, making it simpler and more intuitive. The battles themselves have become more spectacular, but they no longer irritate with excessive hardcore elements. Personally, the sequel seemed significantly easier than the original. Previously, every battle with a story boss made you sweat, and the game harshly punished even the slightest mistake, but now one-on-one encounters rarely cause serious difficulties.

The animations in battles look and feel better than in the first part. Movements have become smoother, and combinations are intuitively understandable. Fistfights have also been refined and simplified in some aspects. If you keep an eye on stamina and block hits in time, sparring won't pose much of a problem. And you'll have to fight with your fists often in Deliverance 2. Almost every village has a fight club where you can earn some money and improve your reputation.

Archery has become more convenient, and the crossbow has become our «faithful friend». Yes, it has a long reload time, but its accuracy and piercing power more than compensate for the drawbacks. If you add poisoned potions applied to the bolts, you can easily take out an entire bandit squad without leaving cover. The game also introduced the first firearm — the hand cannon. This is a weapon for true enthusiasts: long reload time, terrible aiming, but huge damage. It's perfect for intimidating village grandmothers with loud shots.

Navigation has become more convenient, but stealthy quick kills are still only possible with a dagger in the inventory. Dark clothing helps to blend into the shadows, and an indicator above warns of potential danger. It feels like stealing and lockpicking have become easier. The locals no longer wake up at the slightest noise, and guards don't rush to search you at every opportunity. Initially, we tried to play by knightly laws, but later realized: without upgraded lockpicking and pickpocketing skills, the late stages of the storyline will be tough.

You can easily make your first fortune through crafting. You have a choice of potion-making, blacksmithing, hunting, and mercenary work. Alchemy remains almost unchanged. You gather herbs, go to the alchemical table, choose the desired potion, and brew according to the instructions. If you follow the recipe, watch the timer, and remove the cauldron from the fire in time, you'll get improved potions and poisons. The main thing is to monitor the condition of the herbs or dry them in special dryers in advance.

Alchemy is especially important at the early stages as it allows you to make «Saviour Schnapps» necessary for quick saving. Moreover, you'll always have potions for health restoration and poisons that reduce opponents' stamina in battle. The only downside is the long and tedious brewing process. The animations are excessively drawn out, there's an unpleasant delay between actions, and before starting work, you have to turn the camera and switch to the recipe book, which Henry flips through with leisurely thoroughness.

Blacksmithing is a new type of craft, intended by the developers even for the first part but not implemented due to tight deadlines. The working principle of bellows and anvils is similar to potion-making. First, you search for or buy the necessary materials, then go to the blacksmith's corner and choose the desired item from the list. After that, you take the blank, heat it, and process it with a hammer until you get a weapon or a horseshoe. Each created item has its classification: the higher the quality, the better the characteristics. We advise wearing a blacksmith's apron before work and striking the anvil to the rhythm of the melody hummed by Henry.

Hunting and mercenary work are the simplest ways to earn money. You just need to learn to shoot accurately and wield a sword confidently. There's a lot of loot from opponents, but there's practically no one to sell it to. Local traders have meager coins in their pockets, and wealthy merchants capable of buying golden cups at a decent price won't appear immediately. At the same time, prices at craftsmen's are always high, and the trading system initially doesn't bring tangible benefits. It's easier to take coins from bandits, and find the necessary survival items in the open world. We recommend not spending money on traders at all — the accumulated funds will come in handy for renting housing or visiting baths.

The role-playing system has become more practical and intuitively understandable. Passive skill leveling works the same as in the first part: the more often you perform certain actions, the faster the skill grows. However, active progression has become more transparent and useful. Previously, many perks provided insignificant bonuses that activated only under specific conditions. In the sequel, their role and significance have noticeably increased. For example, thanks to the proper distribution of perks, our hero learned to run quickly at night without spending stamina.

By investing skill points in science and eloquence, you increase your chances of successfully passing checks in dialogues. And believe me, solving problems with words in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is much more beneficial than with force. Many peaceful outcomes in side quests depend on the level of charisma. However, even with a maximized skill, you won't always be able to persuade the interlocutor. It's important to consider who you're talking to, how you look, and what your reputation is.

Horse control has become more convenient and responsive compared to the first part. The more time you spend in the saddle, the faster you unlock useful perks. Recently, we learned that Henry first horse, named Pebbles, receives a perk that improves all her characteristics after 35 kilometers of «running». We foolishly exchanged this steed at the castle (although we didn't want to betray the horse) because she was inferior to most horses in the game in speed and stamina.

Despite numerous improvements to the basic mechanics, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 still has many controversial decisions that were irritating in the first part. Firstly, the intentional stretching of the gameplay. Not only is the game itself very long and content-rich, but in quests, you constantly have to go to far-off lands. We understand that Warhorse Studios tried to create not just a role-playing game but a medieval simulator, but excessive enthusiasm for realism has led to you spending most of your time following someone, escorting someone, walking to the edge of the map for some item, and then returning, fending off bandits and wolves. Yes, you can cover long distances using fast travel, but story markers are often located in remote areas, and access points are only at large settlements.

In addition to the already described time-consuming crafts, you will constantly have to look for a place to sleep, provisions, a place to wash, tools for repairing equipment, storage boxes, and many other simulation elements. Undoubtedly, they work great for immersion in the era, but they also add dozens of hours to the playthrough. And this is without considering Daniel Vávra's «cult joke» — making players carry heavy loads. Replacing the crates from Mafia are sacks of flour and provisions. However, Vito Scaletta quickly realized that this should be done by laborers, while Henry obediently carries the burdens despite the boiling hatred inside. Undoubtedly, it was funny the first time, but by the eighth, it became annoying.

One cannot fail to mention the lack of significant rewards for completing quests. Yes, completing additional tasks is interesting for the story, but on the other hand, they can be easily skipped as they don't bring much benefit. You can spend 2-3 hours on negotiations between a gypsy baron and his daughter and receive a hat as a reward, which is embarrassing to wear. Even for the most challenging missions or tournaments, you will be given junk, often inferior to your equipment. And selling it to traders at a decent price won't work — they rarely have large sums on hand.

And yet, despite the described problems, it's impossible to tear yourself away from Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. It's one of those rare games created not for the mass consumer, but for the dedicated audience that supported the developers on Kickstarter back in 2014 and allowed them to realize a bold and uniquely original project. The sequel is the realization of all the promises that Warhorse Studios couldn't fulfill in the first part. Daniel Vávra has given us one of the best role-playing games in history, surpassing in quality and content everything that renowned studios like BioWare, Bethesda, and Obsidian have released in recent years.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 was not developed on the trendy Unreal Engine 5 but on the «refined» CryEngine. If in 2007 everyone feared this «monster» for its excessive «voracity», now it is one of the most stable engines, which for some unknown reasons is ignored by many studios. And that's a mistake. CryEngine handles open spaces excellently, provides high draw distances, and creates a beautiful, detailed picture even on «popular» hardware.

In Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, you will find familiar and pleasant landscapes — endless forests and cozy villages, worked out to the smallest details. The authors thoroughly studied the life of the fifteenth century and embodied it in the game world. Essentially, it's a virtual tour of late medieval Bohemia, where every detail illustrates the everyday life of that time. The designers have recreated the architecture and decorations with maximum accuracy so you can appreciate the splendor of the historical region of the Czech Republic with your own eyes.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 lacks trendy technologies like ray tracing, «nanites», or «lumens», but the lighting and shading work no worse than in modern blockbusters on Unreal Engine. The dynamic change of day and night creates unforgettable landscapes. Despite the small number of artificial light sources, you can freely move around the world even at night, unlike the recent S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl.

The developers have significantly improved character models and their animations. Most cutscenes are created using motion capture technology. Bugs and technical errors encountered in the release version of the first part have practically disappeared in the sequel. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is one of those games that doesn't need a «day one patch». You can confidently start playing right now without waiting for updates.

But what pleased us the most was the optimization. The first part still struggles with 4K resolution and lags at every opportunity. The developers had to work hard to ensure the sequel not only surpassed the original technically but also ran more stably. We were pleasantly surprised when the game automatically set high graphics settings without using upscalers and then delivered consistently high FPS. No reboots, drops, or lags. Just beauty.

The musical accompaniment is of the highest quality. Jan Valta and Adam Sporka created a soundtrack characteristic of Eastern Europe, perfectly fitting the chosen setting. The voice acting also deserves praise. Tom McKay and Luke Dale, as Henry and Hans, complement each other excellently. Their boundless optimism and belief in the best create a striking contrast with the brutal and grim world of the late Middle Ages.

***

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is not just an exemplary sequel but a phenomenon that restored faith in first-person RPGs. Warhorse Studios showed the entire industry how to treat their audience: with respect, attention to detail, and a commitment to the highest quality. Daniel Vávra wrote a story that surpasses many historical series in execution and reveals the life of medieval Bohemia. Diverse side quests, stunning voice acting, multifaceted gameplay, a magnificent soundtrack, and amazing optimization make Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 not just a good game but one of the best in the RPG genre.

The developers at Warhorse Studios managed to do what Bethesda has been unable to replicate for years after the success of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. They created a game with a living open world where an interesting story or unusual situation hides around every corner. And if Eastern European game development was once seen as an outsider, with projects journalists called «eurojank», they are now market leaders setting standards for all subsequent projects. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is not just a game; it's proof that passion, talent, and respect for players can create something truly great. If you haven't played it yet, now is the time to start — it's that rare case where a game becomes not just entertainment for a couple of evenings but a real cultural event.