PLATFORM: PC, PS5, XBOX SERIES (REVIEWED) | RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
Considered by many to be something of a rough diamond, the plot of 2018s Kingdom Come: Deliverance followed Henry of Skalitz, the son of a blacksmith, in 15th century Czech Republic (then known as the Kingdom of Bohemia), as he grew from an unassuming homebody into a fearless fighter following the death of his parents in a raid by the Cumans. With roots in a true real world historical setting, Henry’s story was one of political intrigue, conspiracies, loyalty and honour, although many players found that technical and design issues often prevented them from enjoying their time with the game as much as they otherwise might have done. KCD2 picks up Henry’s tale immediately after the events of the first game, as Henry and his entourage attempt to deliver a letter to a high-ranking Bohemian nobleman. Things go awry almost immediately, kicking off a seemingly neverending quest where one thing leads to another, which leads to another, and another, and another…
From the very first moment you take control of Henry, it becomes clear that you’re playing a part in one of the most well-crafted and realistic medieval worlds we’ve seen so far. The writing and dialogue, backed up by expressive character animations and facial expressions, feels natural and believable, and the story that you’re immediately dropped into is a prime example of the type of engaging storytelling that even some big-budget Hollywood screenwriters could learn a few lessons from. KCD2 is a colossal game, and it’s to the developers’ credit that the story remains interesting all the way to the final credits.
Reaching those credits could take anything from 60-100+ hours, depending on how you choose to play the game. In true RPG style, you can either follow the main questline or spend time exploring the world to discover its many secrets and side quests. The opening 10-20 hours can be a bit troublesome, as an injured Henry starts the game without any money or equipment and a severe lack of skills, and the learning curve can be quite steep, especially for those who haven’t played the previous game. Almost all of your actions have an effect on Henry’s abilities, and it’s quite incredible to realise that your real-world knowledge of how the game works seems to improve at exactly the same rate as Henry’s – the more comfortable you get with the game’s mechanics, the more Henry’s skills improve, allowing you to tackle increasingly complex situations and take on more powerful foes. Spending time talking to people will increase your speech stat, improving your chances of talking people into giving information that they otherwise might have kept to themselves, but at the same time your success with various dialogue options also takes into account other things like who you’re talking to, what you look like, and your overall reputation – for example, if you try to convince someone you’re a trustworthy nobleman, they won’t believe you if you’re wearing ragged clothes covered with blood.
That’s just one of countless examples of how the many stats and systems interact with each other, but it’s far from the only trick up KCD2‘s sleeve. The world of 15th century Bohemia is not only a stunning place to wander around but it’s also filled with memorable characters and interactions, mysterious secrets, and of course brutal conflict, all of which combine to make the place feel more alive and lived-in than many of the locations found in other RPGs. Things are rarely quite as straightforward as they might be in other games – if you want to make a sword, for example, you’ll first have to learn how to make it, acquire the materials and then use a forge to heat things up and bash everything into shape, rather than just heading to the blacksmith and clicking a button – but that’s a big part of how KCD2 stands out from other titles. Its reputation system is another standout feature, particularly when it comes to crime – if you’re caught breaking the law, you’ll be fined or thrown in jail, which is fair enough. If you’re caught again within a certain amount of time, the punishments become increasingly severe until, if you insist on being naughty, you may well find yourself being executed. The game’s commitment to realism rarely falters (steal some soldiers’ armour during the night and you might find them wandering around in their PJs the next morning…), and really makes you think about the consequences of your actions.
Development team Warhorse Studios have gone to great lengths to correct the original game’s missteps, and they’ve succeeded massively – KCD2 delivers on everything that KCD1 had promised, and they’ve somehow managed to go even further beyond that. Combat is much smoother (but just as challenging) than before and new weapons make bludgeoning your opponents more entertaining, and everything is generally a lot more polished than KCD1 from the visuals to the gameplay to the multitude of deep systems and mechanics that hold everything together. While there are occasional bugs and glitches, and a handful of quests are frustratingly difficult, there’s so much fantastic stuff going on that it’s easy to overlook a handful of less-desirable moments. It’s a slow burner, taking some fairly serious commitment to see things through to the point where you realise just how incredible the game really is, but it’s quite possible that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 might be the greatest RPG of recent years. Without a doubt, the very highest of recommendations!
