Kingdom Come Deliverance II Review
Immersive, Brutal, & Rewarding
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Title: Kingdom Come Deliverance II
Release: February 4, 2025
Platform: PS5 PC Xbox X|S
Developer: Warhorse Studios
Publisher: Deep Silver
Genre: Action RPG Open World
ESRB: M
Reviewed on: PC
Time Played: 34 Hours
Intro:
Have you ever wondered what life was like for a commoner trying to survive the challenges of medieval life? Imagine not knowing where your next meal will come from or where it’s safe to sleep at night. “Kingdom Come Deliverance 2” could be just what you’re looking for. The game is packed with adventure, featuring knights in shining armor, bandits lurking in the woods, and various tasks you need to complete to earn a gold coin or two. Join me as I explore what you can expect if you choose to play this game, and stay until the end for my final thoughts and rating on the overall experience. This game might be exactly what you need!
Where it starts
Set shortly after the first game, Henry travels to a far-off land to deliver a crucial message. However, soon after arriving, he and his entourage stop to make camp and are ambushed by bandits. In the process of escaping, Henry loses everything he owns and forgets some previous experiences, resulting in a loss of character levels and skills. Alone in an unfamiliar land with nothing to his name, Henry must find a way to survive and fulfill his mission.
Can the kids watch
Medieval times were tough, producing individuals who were no strangers to harsh language and lifestyles. In the game, you will encounter plenty of curse words and provocative language, as well as bloody combat. After battles, Henry finds himself covered in the blood of his foes. You can also find experiences of a sexual nature with the possibility of some nudity. This game earns its M rating, and these are a few things you’d want to watch out for if the kiddos wanted to hang out while you played.
Realistic immersion
Kingdom Come Deliverance is renowned for its realistic and time-consuming mechanics involved in everything you do. From hand-to-hand combat to potion production, there are many details to figure out. Shooting a bow is not as user-friendly as most games out there. Pulling back a heavy string and holding your position, in reality, would be a challenging task, and the game makes you feel it. At first, it may seem tedious and not worth the effort, but after a few hours of navigating this game, the enjoyment tends to outweigh the work.
Defend Yourself (combat)
The most important and possibly most challenging skill is defending yourself in combat. On the surface, it seems simple: move your control in one direction to attack or block incoming strikes. The challenge arises from how you respond to your opponent. You must block attacks from the right angle and break through their defenses while managing your own stamina. You can learn skills in combat to make every encounter easier; you just need to survive long enough first. That is, unless you prefer to figure out ranged combat and take your foes out before they can even reach you.
Pinching Groschen (making money)
It’s nearly impossible to survive without some money to your name. While you can find beds in the wilderness to sleep in and scavenge food here and there, you won’t be comfortable or properly prepared for any confrontations. Some ways to make money would be to gather herbs and create potions, seek a job making items for the townsfolk, or, if you prefer a more nefarious lifestyle, practice pickpocketing or lockpicking and find a place to sell your ill-gotten goods.
Multiple choice conversations
Throughout your adventure, you will encounter and converse with many different people. Each conversation will present various choices for how to respond. Depending on your skill levels, your responses may successfully persuade them to see things from your perspective, or they could backfire and lead to embarrassment… Being able to navigate tricky situations through conversation can be very advantageous. Keep in mind that most of your responses will influence your reputation with the person you’re talking to.
Reputation
Your actions will significantly impact the reputation you have with those around you. If you are caught stealing a vegetable, people are likely to treat you poorly. Conversely, if you help the locals with their problems or speak to them politely, you can expect a friendly greeting as you pass by. A good reputation can go a long way, leading to benefits such as lower purchasing costs and increased sales when you visit a shop.
Dress to impress
Characters in the game will react to you based on how you present yourself. If your clothes are worn out, and you’re covered in mud and blood with an unpleasant smell, don’t expect a friendly welcome, much like in real life. Keeping your clothes clean and well-maintained will help you appear as a respectable citizen of the land. However, if you wear dark clothing to sneak around, it may make you more noticeable, drawing attention and raising eyebrows as you pass by, regardless of how clean you are.
Maintaining equipment
As you explore and engage in battles, your weapons and armor will gradually wear down, losing durability and effectiveness over time. If you neglect to maintain them, they may suffer permanent damage. Your armor consists of various materials, ranging from cloth to metal, which means you cannot repair everything in the same way. You can find blacksmiths for metal repairs, tailors for cloth repairs, and so on. Alternatively, you can carry repair kits for each type of armor in your inventory, allowing you to make repairs while in the wilderness.
Eat and sleep
Survival in this world requires much more than just the ability to swing a sword. You can’t go for days on end without sleep; if your energy starts to dwindle, it will reduce your maximum health and stamina. Similarly, it’s important to keep an eye on your hunger levels—if Henry gets too hungry, you won’t last long. You should also monitor the durability of the food you consume. If it becomes rotten, it can lead to food poisoning, which is a terrible and embarrassing way to die.
Character perks
You will start your game with very few skills, but you will quickly begin to level up as you engage in various activities. Henry uses a variety of skills, and nearly everything you do will earn you experience in some way. As you level up a particular skill, every other level allows you to spend a perk point on an available perk. These perks provide benefits related to the specific skill, significantly improving your chances of survival. The beginning can be challenging, but as you accumulate more perks, making money and winning fights will become second nature, greatly enhancing your preferred playstyle.
Crime & Punishment
If you find yourself on the wrong side of the law for trespassing or attempting to steal something, there are a few potential outcomes. If the crime is minor, you might be able to talk your way out of the situation or settle it by paying the offended party. However, if those options aren’t available, you could face more severe consequences. Depending on the seriousness of your actions, you might spend a few hours in a pillory, endure physical punishment earning a debuff for a while, or even face severe penalties, such as death. If you choose a life of crime, just make sure not to get caught.
Sidekicks (Dog and Horse)
After playing for a while, you may find some companions in a horse and a dog. The horse is a significant asset, allowing you to travel faster and providing a mobile storage space for your extra goods, enabling you to carry much more during your outings. The dog offers various benefits, assisting in combat by attacking or distracting enemies, as well as sniffing out treasures in certain situations. Life is just so much better with a couple of furry friends around.
Outro:
I would love to hear any thoughts or questions you have about the game or my review, so leave me a message in the comments below. While you do that, let’s move on to my final thoughts and ratings.
About four years ago, I attempted to play the first Kingdom Come: Deliverance, but I found the game to be too much work, ultimately quitting after 17 hours. Due to my prior experience with the series, I was very hesitant to check out this new game.
The beginning felt very reminiscent of the first: it was long-winded and tedious, leading me to believe that reviewing it would be a chore. However, around the sixth hour, I acquired some decent armor and began to figure out how to earn money and survive. At that point, the tedious nature of the mechanics was overshadowed by the rest of the game.
The stunning environments to explore, the possibility of encountering an enemy with a desirable piece of equipment, and the humorous predicaments that Henry found himself in all contributed to an excellent gaming experience.
On the surface, looking at the game and listening to how it plays might seem like a game full of chores and work, but it really comes together to make an excellent game. I will admit it’s for a certain audience, not everyone wants to experience a slow paced realistic immersion into medieval life, but it might grow on you if you gave it a shot.
The main issue I see is the inability to save your progress whenever you want, unless you have specific items or an owned bed. While you can save and quit the game, using this method for quick saves means you’ll have to reopen the game each time. To save on the fly, you need to obtain a potion, which can be easily bought or crafted after you learn the recipe and gather the necessary herbs. Admittedly, I spent two hours making these potions; although the process was time-consuming, it was profitable and allowed me to save without worrying for a while. For the PC players out there, there were a plethora of mods made for the first game, I’m sure this one would get the same treatment, resolving any major issues you may find with the gameplay mechanics.
I found it odd how simple the combat system became, especially considering the depth of the rest of the game, from the clothes I wore to the ability to engage in meaningful conversations. In combat, I would wait for the block and counterattack options, slowly bringing their health down while keeping my own. The unique combat system locks you onto an enemy in front of you, allowing you to move your weapon left, right, up, or down to attack or block from various angles. There were many different weapons with distinct benefits for combat, and you could learn various combos. While it was theoretically possible to master advanced combat and be very effective, I opted for a simpler approach. Although it might have taken me longer to finish a fight, it consistently worked for me.
The environments in the game were stunning. My favorite areas included the forests, which were alive with the sound of chirping birds and surrounded by tall green trees. There were plenty of hidden treasures to discover, and I could easily lose myself for hours enjoying the visuals and tracking animals. The only challenge I encountered was managing my inventory; taking down a large animal would quickly fill up my bags. The only thing I would dock the visuals on would be the people. They don’t look as sharp as the rest of the game. They did have great facial animations, and I could tell them apart, but they lacked the realism the world brought to the table.
The main story, along with the dozens of smaller side stories, were great. Taking me all over the land, meeting new characters and gaining new experiences. I especially loved when a little humor was thrown into the mix, Henry got himself into some pretty fun situations, resulting in some great laughing fits. There was so much good work put into this game, and it’s told in a great way.
Although it may seem like a lot of work at first, once you learn the mechanics and start doing them regularly, the gameplay becomes second nature. While it might not provide instant gratification or a quick dopamine hit, the satisfaction of acquiring new skills and discovering how to make things work for you is rewarding. For example, potion-making can initially feel clunky and time-consuming if you strictly follow the recipe. However, if you take a moment to think about the instructions, you can combine a few steps, making the process faster and even more effective.
Despite being a fun game, it does require you to focus on acquiring the right perks in Henry’s skill tree. These perks significantly enhance your survival experience; playing without them would be quite challenging. Small improvements, such as the slower decomposition of food and the ability to clean yourself more effectively at a trough, make a huge difference. You really notice the progress from struggling to thriving in this game. The sense of earning your upgrades adds to the overall enjoyment.
I discovered many different ways to accomplish tasks in this game. Almost every mission can be approached using various gameplay styles. Sometimes, I got lucky and stumbled upon the end of a quest while exploring; other times, I accidentally messed up a conversation and found myself in a fight that I could have avoided. The numerous paths available in the game add significant replayability. While the main story may not change much, your choices truly matter—whether they are scripted or not. You can choose your own way to navigate through this game.
And now, it’s time to compile my thoughts into scores and find a place on my shelves for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.
The visuals were incredible, creating a believable world with great opportunities for exploration. However, the characters felt a bit out of place. I’m giving it a score of 4.
The overall story, along with the smaller narratives interwoven, was fantastic. I appreciated the humor and the various options available while navigating the game. This earns a 5.
The gameplay may be time-consuming, but it is exceptionally well executed. You genuinely feel like you are working to improve your skills, and it’s rewarding to see the progress you’ve made. This gets another score of 5.
There is significant replayability in this game. Depending on your character build, some challenges could be impossible in one playthrough and easy in another. I’m giving this a 4.
Although it took me a few hours to get fully immersed, I had an absolute blast with this game. I was pleasantly surprised by how deeply it engaged me, and I eagerly looked forward to playing again. I’m awarding another 5 for this experience.
Giving Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 a score of 4.6 out of 5, earning it a spot on my Special Reserve. I believe it’s an outstanding game, though it may not be for everyone. I initially quit the first game, but years later, after trying this one, I find myself wanting to return to the original, if only for the story.
I highly recommend giving this game a shot. It may take up to 8 hours to fully grasp, but once you get the hang of it, you might not want to stop playing. If, after everything I’ve said, you still decide not to check it out, that’s perfectly fine.