Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

Developer: Warhorse Studios
Publisher: Deep Silver
Platforms: PC, Playstation 5 (Reviewed), Xbox Series X|S
Release Date: Available Now
Price: $69.99 USD – Available Here

Overview

Sometimes there is a gem right in front of you, but you’re just not looking. That’s how I originally felt about Kingdom Come: Deliverance when I discovered it several years after launch. The game, while far from perfect, managed to tell a very engaging story and provide a detailed RPG experience with several rarely utilized mechanics that truly made it stand out. Henry and Hans have returned in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, which is ready to refine and deliver more of what made the first title so endearing and engrossing. How does it measure it as a whole? Let’s find out.

Story

I have to be careful here, because there is a lot of narrative in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II – and revealing too much could easily spoil some important plot points. That said, this is one hell of an upgrade when it comes to the story. This sequel puts us right back into the role of Henry as he partners up with his old pal Hans to deliver a message to a kingdom. After an ambush and an insane start, the player has to recover and basically start all over to regain their reputation, but this time – Hans is part of that experience. To say the story is massive is putting it lightly, as I think I just the starting side-quests and tasks had me so delayed that I literally dropped twenty hours before even going back to the main questline involving a wedding.

Yeah, there is a lot to do here, and the world is so rich with character and genuinely interesting stories to discover that it’s hard not to want to explore. For example, one of the early side-quests has you hunt down your dog who has become lost. That in and of itself is just a side quest, but it feels important enough. While doing that task, I ended up in a murder mystery, hunting for clues over a shady death. I also found myself carrying a drunk man home on my back, only to have to save his horse from a team of bandits in the middle of the night. These are just extra side quests but feel so important because KCD2 somehow is able to make every little story feel elevated. 

Sure, the main story of these two lads trekking the countryside is fantastic, but it is not just that that makes the game work. It’s the sense of adventure and growth, and the way this world reacts to you simply existing within it that makes it become so immersive. Without a doubt, this may be the most thought-out and intriguing plot in a modern RPG to come along in a very long time, as everything is just so well connected and “living”, where you actually have a meaning to prod and poke as you tackle the main questlines.

Gameplay

If you played the first title, then you know what to expect for the most part within Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. It’s close to the same, yet far more refined. Players control Henry in first person- and must start from (almost) scratch all over again in order to progress forward. This means that no matter how much an expert you were on the prior playthrough, expect to feel somewhat of a learning curve as you get re-established here. For those new, well – this may not affect you too much. 

Combat is also done in first person, and Henry is a bit clunky with a sword on purpose, as he slowly gains skills and speed to perform with higher finesse as he gains experience. This theme continues from the first title and still can take some time to get used to, but thankfully the game feels a bit more polished in terms of combat, with more opportunities to learn to be found as you trot through the early portions of the game. In a way, just mashing the shoulder button could lead to a quick, slashing victory. That said, understanding the parry mechanic goes a long way, as players must balance positioning and timing to truly gain an edge in battle. The more you level, the easier this gets. It’s a satisfying system that really takes on the sword-fighting simulation gimmickry, with players able to roll in and out of combat due to a well-optimized UI.

I’ll admit it, I get that there is clunk in the combat system. There is a bit of guise over this with the whole “Henry is new” thing, but the clunk is there, and sometimes that does show a little more than it should. That said, for every bug or glitch (which is most of the time harmless), I never felt really restrained or that the game was broken in any way. In fact, this may be one of the more polished open-world titles, besides its somewhat silly clunk that may give you a chuckle or a frown, depending on the scenario. 

There is something to really appreciate about the way KCD2 really operates as a whole. If you get dirty, villagers treat you as if you’re poor. If you are bloody, you may cause fear to specific people. Wear armour and they recognize you as a soldier. It’s a fascinating system that really works and is kind of what this series is known for. The amount of detail in these systems is staggering. If you commit crimes, you get whipped, which causes villagers to not trust you. You can even be branded for all to see on a permanent basis. Paying off crimes greatly helps, but guards will only take so much before they break and punish you even further for your misdeeds. It feels outstanding to watch how this plays out, as it seems like every move you make is monitored and important, where the little decisions you make matter. Want to rob those bandits? Well, if you wear their armour, other bandits may decide to make your life a little harder from then on out. 

Despite the small shortcomings, there is just a weird sense of wonder with the way Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 plays out. There is so much quirk and personality in this world, and the player can tackle anything on their own schedule, which really allows the world to be fleshed out by the player if they so choose. I honestly cannot think of another game in history that has the level of detail and intelligence found here, which makes it really stand out in a market otherwise eclipsed by The Elder Scrolls franchise.

Audio

The soundtrack here is fantastic. There are so many stunning and emotional pieces that truly bring out emotional moments, as well as some that complement the game’s camp. I know I have said it before, but the story here is on point and that is mostly due to how much Henry has to say. I rarely got the same line uttered back to me, as the unique dialogue is never-ending and it feels like someone, somewhere always has something new to say. On top of that the performances are also pretty good, easy to really get behind as characters go for humour or depth. There is something really relaxing about walking through a rainstorm here, hearing the thunderclap as you hear the rain hit the leaves. I know that is an odd callout, but it really goes to show the great attention to detail this team made here. 

Visuals

Personally, I think this game looks stellar. The detail in the grass, the environments, and so on is heavy – where you can see every leaf, every thin blade, and so on. That said, there sometimes are moments where the scope is too large and it seems the draw distance has to catch up a tad, but this is never too jarring. Weather animations and patterns are also abundant, with clouds growing thick and dark until the sky pours down from above. The character models are brilliant as well, and while they may not be as modern as some would like, they are well-animated and detailed enough to really read facial expressions that add greater context and emotion to cutscenes and general dialogue.

Overall

We get a lot of Western RPGs, but they are usually trying to chase The Elder Scrolls or simply fall into some weird crafting or survival simulator after so long. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is special because it was able to develop its clear identity with its follow-up, proving itself unique in a world of clones and copies. The amount of detail put into the mechanics and world here is crazy, and the story is by far one of the most memorable experiences I have had in years – as Henry and Hans really feel like they are on a grand adventure here, and the player is part of the journey along the way. Of course, there are little imperfections with a game of this scope, but this is one title that will reward those who take the time to master it with all of its graces and may be one of the greatest RPGs to release this generation. Excellent stuff, Henry.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.