I rarely spend numerous hours honing my craft in blacksmithing, building a strong reputation with the locals, and engaging in swordplay. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II let me do all of the above, and then some, without needing to leave the house. I spent what feels like an age exploring Warhorse Studio’s authentic, historically accurate vision of 1403 Bohemia, and it was an adventure like no other. 

Continuing the story of Henry of Skalitz, the son of a blacksmith, whose village was decimated during a raid by the then King Sigismund’s mercenaries, leaving him with nothing. Fleeing, Henry wants revenge, to get back his father’s sword and to begin again. Alongside various allies gathered along the way, Henry’s simple mission of delivering correspondence alongside noble Sir Hans Capon becomes much more than he bargained for. What follows is a journey and the beginnings of a resistance – seeking to right the world’s wrongs and bringing Sigismund and all that is evil to justice. 

My questing began in the Trosky, a region abundant in lush fields and small townships. Henry is underpowered early on, and I found it just starting to be the most challenging part of the game. Side quests and early gameplay focus on developing skills, including horsemanship, alchemy, and blacksmithing. It plays more like a medieval simulation than a straight story-driven RPG and works surprisingly well.

Alchemy, for example, is crucial for making healing tonics and other concoctions to boost stats temporarily. Needing to follow a recipe, ensuring the correct portions of ingredients and timing while cooking up a storm can be the difference between having a weak or strong potion.

Likewise, sharpening a weapon against a whetstone requires a steady, even hand to sharpen a dull blade. All skills have perks that can be gained merely through performing tasks, so it’s in Henry’s best interest to lockpick, stealth, and more at any given opportunity, which takes time. Still, it’s worth it in the long run for the benefits that make the game significantly more manageable.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is a slow-burn with a focus on honing skills rather than following a no-holds-barred style of gameplay that I’m used to in RPGs. There are no spells or fantastical weapons here. It all comes down to technique and patience.

As someone who is not patient in both fighting and stealth, I find it satisfying to be immersed in the world by focusing on improving by practising more discipline, but for some gamers, the slow-paced gameplay may not be ideal. I grew to appreciate it with time once I became more patient and worked on persevering, learning from failure and improving through practice.

Combat is a significant component of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, but several quality-of-life improvements have occurred since the first game. There are more weapon animations and the introduction of cross-bows and firearms, which are incredibly slow to use but impactful. Swift hacking and slashing are ineffective in a fight, and stamina management is crucial to victory. Aiming for weak points and a well-timed parry were key to landing a solid hit.

The most significant adjustment for me is how mechanic-heavy the game is, especially adjusting to the packed UI in the menus and the very detailed tutorials. I found myself quickly forgetting controls, and sometimes, there was too much or too little guidance; luckily, keyboard controls were rebindable, and controller buttons are pretty standard to any RPG-style titles. Overall, any issues could be avoided by focusing on mastery and having control, which became second nature to me after a time.

I haven’t played Kingdom Come: Deliverance. Still, Warhorse Studios gives enough information for newcomers to pick up where the first game left off, with enough backstory to experience Henry’s story from this point. They also made some adjustments to gameplay to be more accessible. That said, mastery is the goal, and it is where my satisfaction came from.  

The world-building, with stunning, realistic visuals, is a crowning glory for the title. The world was glorious, from lush rolling fields, bustling towns and cities, and crisp cutscenes, especially in the highest settings. Throughout, I had consistently stable frames, and exploring through Trosky and Kuttenburg was a feast for the eyes and ears; it’s stunning to look at and hear the world’s sounds alongside a beautiful soundtrack befitting the time. 

Warhorse Studios has possibly created the most extensive script in a game, at around 2.2 Million words. I often found the dialogue too heavy for my liking, but all the information was important and added to the overall depth of the story. All dialogue was fully voiced, and with an incredibly talented voice cast, it was easy to slip into the shoes of Henry, feeling actively involved in whatever unfolded. With branching dialogue options, Henry’s reputation can alter the course of events. Hence, a silver tongue and charisma are just as crucial as tact on the battlefield. 

Every element of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II melds together into an intense, thoughtful adventure unlike anything I’ve ever experienced in gaming. Politics, intrigue, and action. The ultimate recipe for a solid story-based RPG, something Kingdom Come: Deliverance II seeks to provide and achieves. Warhorse Studios has created a simulation of a historical period we often don’t see or experience in games. As Hans Capon says, audentes fortuna iuvat, or “fortune favours the bold”, and Warhorse Studios have proven they are bold, and fortune will favour them through the triumph that is Kingdom Come: Deliverance II.  

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is available on PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S.

Written by: Yasmin Noble