Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

Role-playing action from the first person in the vast open world Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a direct continuation of the 2018 game and offers a return to the realities of medieval Bohemia (modern-day Czech Republic) in the fifteenth century. Everything that made the original beloved — graphics, scale, and attention to detail — has become even better. Preserving historical accuracy and an advanced combat system based on inverse kinematics, the developers have made the gameplay more flexible and also allowed the use of firearms and crossbows in combat.

The sequel continues the story of Henry: he has matured, become a skilled swordsman, and is ready to inscribe his name in the chronicles. Finding himself at the center of a civil war between King Wenceslaus IV and his brother Sigismund, Henry must prove himself and influence the course of history. The game offers dozens of hours of engaging plot with variable development and cinematic cutscenes.

The graphics of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 significantly surpass the original and can compete with modern gaming hits. The world impresses with its detail and richness, whether it be natural landscapes or urban streets — there are numerous detailed objects per unit area. Realistic lighting technologies and plausible reflections are supported. Character models and their animation have been significantly improved, and facial expressions have become lively and expressive thanks to motion capture technology.

The authors of the Kingdom Come series employ a unique approach to shaping their gaming universe, resulting in a truly authentic virtual world. The story remains personal — about fictional characters who could very well have existed in reality. But it is masterfully woven into historical and well documented events. Against the backdrop of royal intrigues and wars of medieval Europe unfolds a tale of feudal life and the harsh existence of ordinary people in a brutal, fantasy-free medieval world.

The action of the series takes place in Bohemia — a region located in the heart of the Holy Roman Empire. After the death of Charles IV, one of its greatest emperors, the throne is inherited by the weak and indecisive son Wenceslaus IV. His inability to govern the country leads to a crisis: his younger brother, King Sigismund of Hungary, starts a civil war, seizing power with the help of Cuman mercenaries and brutally suppressing any resistance.

At the beginning of the first game, Henry was an ordinary peasant whose life was limited to the daily concerns of village life and helping his father in the forge. After the attack by Sigismund's troops, his hometown of Scalitz was burned to the ground, his father's house was looted and destroyed, and his family perished. This tragic event turned Henry's life upside down: from an ordinary village youth, he became a refugee driven by a thirst for revenge. Having lost everything, he vows to take revenge, reclaim the stolen family sword, and find his place in the harsh world of Bohemia.

During his journey, Henry becomes a vassal of the local noble Radzig Kobila, a leader of the resistance against the invaders. Unraveling intrigues, he discovers the secret of his origin, which connects him to larger political events. The story of the original game has an open ending: some questions remain unanswered, and Sigismund's power only grows stronger. In the end, Henry receives a new assignment, leaving room for a continuation of the plot in the sequel.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 offers a completely new game world, twice the size of the first part, but divided into two large areas.

At the beginning, Henry explores the first half, where nature reigns over civilization. A large stone castle towers over several small villages and hamlets of peasants — the hero's first important goal. The landscape impresses with its natural diversity: dense coniferous and deciduous forests give way to picturesque valleys and fertile fields, while rocky hills transition into mountain ranges, adding depth and realism to the scenery. Numerous bodies of water — rivers, streams, and lakes — not only enliven the environment but also serve as natural landmarks. The meticulous detailing of natural objects combined with quality lighting creates truly picturesque views, and the dynamic ecosystem with animals and vegetation, complemented by the change of time of day and weather conditions, makes the world feel truly alive.

The second area of the game centers around Kuttenberg (Kutná Hora) — a historical center of silver mining, recreated with impressive architectural and historical accuracy. Accessible later in the story, Kutná Hora boasts many important locations: shops, forges and workshops, taverns with gambling and colorful patrons, as well as other entertainment typical of that era.

Hundreds of townsfolk move through the bustling streets of the city: each NPC exists within a well-thought-out social system, creating a credible picture of medieval society. They have daily responsibilities and routines, vividly displayed in Kutná Hora, where part of the population lives in suburban villages and makes daily journeys to the city and back for their affairs.

Furthermore, each resident follows their habits and unique character. For example, a strong blacksmith is more prone to conflicts, while an elderly scribe would prefer to avoid them. NPC group behavior has also been improved: they react to events in the city, wars, criminal incidents, and public events, changing their plans. This dynamic system creates a sense of a living, ever-changing world, where events occur independently of the player's presence.

In the prologue, the game briefly introduces the basics of the combat system, survival mechanics, and potion brewing, and through flashbacks — key events from the first part, so it is not necessary to play Deliverance before the sequel (but, of course, it is possible).

Henry continues his journey, arriving in the coin city of Kutná Hora, which has prospered due to its silver mines. Here, he encounters new dangers, but also discovers new opportunities. According to the developers, we are in for an extensive and dark story filled with events. At the same time, it provides players with the opportunity to influence the course of events through their decisions. There will be deep reflections, moral dilemmas, and complex choices that affect the development of the story. Each decision can have far-reaching consequences.

In addition to Henry, the game will feature both new and well-known characters from the first game. It has been promised that interaction with various NPCs will become deeper and more diverse, reflecting the complexity of social and political relationships of that time. And all this while maintaining historical accuracy, creating an authentic atmosphere of medieval Europe.

Warhorse Studios has made significant changes to the gameplay aimed at improving the combat system and enriching the options for interacting with the surrounding world. For instance, the fencing system now offers five directions for strikes and blocks instead of six, and the controls have become more responsive.

Players still need to quickly choose attack directions, timely block enemy strikes, and carefully monitor their stamina, which depletes quickly, especially under the influence of armor on speed and strike frequency. This, along with improved animations for the protagonist and his opponents, has made melee combat more spectacular and dynamic.

New types of weapons have been added, including firearms, which have expanded tactical possibilities in combat. Accordingly, the crafting system has been expanded, allowing players to adapt their equipment to their style and preferences. Players now need to bandage wounds; otherwise, the character will bleed out and die. A potion brewing mechanic has been introduced, which requires a laboratory where the player must strictly follow the recipe, regulating the boiling and adding ingredients in the correct order.

Character development has also become more flexible, offering various paths and skills to master. The reputation system has been revamped to more accurately reflect the player's actions and their impact on relationships with various factions and characters. NPCs have been taught to react to the player's actions more realistically, commenting on events and engaging in dialogues, or calling the guards if the protagonist is caught doing something illegal.

Now players can choose between different difficulty levels, making Deliverance 2 more accessible to newcomers while still providing a challenge for experienced players.

In Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, the developers have improved many aspects of the single-player mode, making medieval life even more realistic. As in the first part, Henry must monitor basic needs: food, drink, and sleep, and ignoring them will negatively affect his physical condition and gameplay.

The character development system remains nonlinear: Henry's skills improve based on their usage. For example, frequent use of a sword will enhance his proficiency with melee weapons, while successful negotiations will improve his eloquence. This allows players to role-play their desired character by completing quests in various ways: from diplomacy to the use of force. Reputation, cleanliness, and tidiness play a key role, as well as the hero's characteristics: strength, agility, stamina, and eloquence. There are now a lot of special skills, so their development has been completely overhauled. In some side quests, players will be able to influence the fate of key characters.

The game features numerous secondary and side quests that cover the entire spectrum of everyday life in medieval Bohemia: from "feuds between two villages" to human trafficking.