Some six years after the release of Kingdom Come: Deliverance in 2018, it’s fair to say that it’s historically directed, no fantasy approach remains a unique one in the RPG genre. So it is then that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 looks set to strike a similarly unmatched theme and tone more than six years on, and wouldn’t you know that taking a sojourn into 15th century Medieval Europe is as compelling as it ever was – albeit with some seemingly familiar caveats in place.
Once again, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 puts you in the well-worn boots of Henry of Skalitz, an ultimately well meaning, if somewhat clumsy central protagonist that must define his destiny as the events of Medieval Europe swirl around him. This time, Henry finds himself accompanied by Hans Capon, a newfound friend and hilariously pompous knight from the previous game who doubles up as both his friend and foil as the two find themselves getting into all manner of scrapes and trouble.
Even at this relatively early juncture, it seems clear to me that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 manifesting itself as a best buddy adventure caper gives it a compelling hook that I was not expecting. Between the constant, humourless banter that frequently erupts between Hans and Henry, not to mention a procession of frequently hilarious situations, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is already a whole heap more amusingly entertaining than I ever thought it could or would be. Of course, once I have finished the game in its entirety (that’ll be what the full review is based around, naturally), I’ll have a better grasp on whether or not the grin-inducing escapades of Hans and Henry undercut the otherwise super serious tone of the game to any significant degree. As of right now however, their jocular relationship arguably adds to the experience, rather than detracting from it.
For those who haven’t played the previous game, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 also does an admirable job of recanting the events depicted in that game, as Henry and Hans both fondly (and in some cases, not so fondly) recall the key points of the story laid out in Kingdom Come: Deliverance. After a lengthy pre rendered opening, followed by a fairly long stretch of dialogue and lack of player agency, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 certainly does take a little while to get started, but when it does things unfurl in a fashion that will prove familiar to anyone who has played the previous game.
This is to say that you’re given the veritable run of the realm in 15th century Bohemia, taking on quests, side-quests, crafting activities and more besides. Likewise, the melee combat system from the first Kingdom Come: Deliverance reappears largely the same here, requiring you to pull off directional strikes, blocks and perfect blocks that allow you to pull off fancy riposte moves in turn. As before, melee combat is an enjoyable tactical if somewhat strangely unsatisfying venture. It feels great to pull off a damaging riposte after a perfect block or striking the exposed angles of your enemy, but the strikes themselves just don’t land with the sort of meaty oomph one would expect from big dudes wielding big swords that are being swung into great big clattering sets of armour.
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Speaking of armour, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is very much a title that holds a real sense of authenticity at its core. So taking armour as an example, it’s not simply enough just to equip pieces of armour and away you go. Instead here, you must also equip the requisite undergarments and clothes to really get the most protection you possibly can from the armour that you’re intending to wear.
This slavish approach to authenticity is evidenced elsewhere in the design of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. Brewing a potion isn’t just a line item in a menu which is clicked on and it’s all done automatically for you, instead here you have to carefully brew and concoct each potion at every stage by following unique sets of recipe instructions. Sure, while this might seem like a laborious pursuit to some, for me at least it helps to solidify the fact that the world of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a very physical and lived in place where if you want to succeed, you need to be thoughtful and put the time in at every point of your interaction with the world that Warhorse Studios has crafted here.
This really is an adventure where you need to pay attention to, as the world is surprisingly reactive in a way that I haven’t seen for quite some time. When moving about townships and villages at night, for instance, you must have a lit torch in hand, otherwise you risk a fine for vagrancy. Equally, if you’re stealing items from someone’s house and they don’t catch you in the act, they very well could question you later after they return. It’s just one more example of how, at this early juncture in my playthrough at least, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 provides a world where seemingly everything you do (or don’t do), has appropriate ramifications. It’s great stuff honestly, that really makes me think through all of my actions before committing.
In a manner that evokes Rockstar Games stellar Red Dead Redemption 2, the world of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 also feels satisfyingly dynamic, as fights can spontaneously break out between disgruntled villagers, while others will go about their life in a realistic fashion – sleeping, eating and toiling depending on the time of day and the events that surround them. Again, this is all good stuff and provides a timely reminder that often the most memorable game worlds are those that are deep, physical and reactive, which Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s replication of 15th century Bohemia certainly seems to be.
Visually, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 doesn’t disappoint at this stage either, with character models that boast great lip syncing, reflective armour, weapons and more. Though it is worth mentioning that when you’re watching other NPCs fight one another, such spectacles can look a little more janky and unintentionally amusing than otherwise they should. Further afield, the broad rural domains of Medieval Europe are rendered with such detail that it makes me pine for the woods and moors on my doorstep in real life. Certainly, I’d argue at this point that the lush environments packed with all manner of flora and fauna are the strongest aspect of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s visual presentation.
In addition to the return of the familiar feeling combat, other systems from the first Kingdom Come: Deliverance make their return here. Though opulent, the map itself can be something of a chore to use, thanks to icons being occluded by your player character icon, while the oddly frustrating save system also returns – allowing you to only manually save when you sleep in a bed or take a swig of schnapps.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 then is undoubtedly impressive, even at this early stage. The world is inviting to explore, visually attractive and is reactive in ways that not enough game worlds typically are these days. Likewise, the whole Medieval buddy road trip shtick that exists between Henry and Hans has been a real surprise, though I hope that developer Warhorse Studios manages to carefully balance the tonal tightrope through an entire playthrough, rather than veering too deeply or frequently into comic relief territory. Though many of the systems – some unwelcome – return from the first game, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 nonetheless is shaping up to be a welcome, if familiar return to one of the most compelling RPG worlds ever created.
Look out for our full review of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 in early February.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 preview kindly provided by PR.