The Most Immersive Medieval RPG
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Review
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (KCD2) is the ultimate sandbox medieval RPG experience, delivering an unparalleled level of immersion and roleplaying depth. With a sprawling open world, branching questlines, and historically grounded storytelling, it stands as one of the most ambitious RPGs of recent times, maybe even of all times.
Pros
- ⚔️ Deep, realistic combat system with authentic medieval mechanics
- 🌍 Immersive open world rich in historical detail and environmental storytelling
- 📜 Branching quests with multiple outcomes and player choices
- 🎭 Strong narrative that respects player agency and roleplaying freedom
- 🔧 Significant optimization improvements and bug fixes from the first game
Cons
- 🐞 Some quest bugs and logic issues still disrupt immersion occasionally
- ⚔️ Combat changes simplify directional inputs, losing some tactical nuance
- 🐢 Quest pacing can feel slow, especially in early-game segments
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is a realistic, first-person, open-world RPG and serves as the direct sequel to the first game, the game continues the story of Henry of Skalitz, a common blacksmith’s son thrust into the chaos of a 15th-century civil war in Bohemia. Players once again navigate a historically accurate medieval world, but on a much larger scale, featuring the bustling city of Kuttenberg, its surrounding vast countryside, and the region of Trosky. The game is renowned for its commitment to realism, ditching fantasy elements for a grounded experience focused on authentic combat, deep roleplaying systems, sim-like hardcore elements, and a story of revenge, politics, and personal growth.
It’s important to note, however, that this is a direct sequel. The narrative picks up right where the first game left off, and while it does a decent job of providing context through occasional exposition in some of the dialogue --- giving you a general idea of prior events, it’s still best experienced after playing the original to fully appreciate the single, continuous story.
The quest design in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is what makes the game truly exceptional. This is a legitimate role-playing game. Unlike many RPGs with linear objectives, quests here are complex, multi-layered problems that can be solved in numerous ways, encouraging true roleplaying. Nearly every quest has multiple outcomes based on your actions and choices. A simple task to retrieve a stolen item can end with you persuading the thief, intimidating him, stealing it back silently, or engaging in a messy brawl that draws the attention of the city guard. Your choices have real, often unforeseen, consequences that can even alter future quests and character relationships, up to the very end of the game. The game constantly rewards you for thinking like your character. A high Speech skill might allow you to talk your way out of a deadly confrontation, while a skilled Lockpicker can bypass a heavily guarded entrance entirely. Even your current gear or clothing affects the dialogue. Even your current gear or clothing affects the dialogue. For example, wear a knight's armor and you can probably intimidate your way out of conversations. Conversely, dress like a beggar and people will treat you like one.
My one and only significant gripe in this game is how the combat has devolved from the first game. The unique and quirky system is still there, but it has been simplified. Instead of six directional inputs for your attacks and blocks, the system is now down to four. The center attack was removed, and the lower left and right options were combined into one. While this might make the combat more approachable for newcomers and helped attract a more mainstream audience, I feel it has reduced the tactical depth that made the original’s swordplay so demanding and uniquely satisfying.
Conclusion
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is the ultimate sandbox, the ultimate open-world, and literal role-playing game. It’s a title where the possibilities feel endless, a true medieval simulator that stands as one of the most immersive RPGs I have ever played. The sheer effort the developers invested into creating countless branching paths and quest outcomes is staggering; I can’t even imagine the complexity behind it. For this immersiveness factor alone, part of me wants this game to win Game of the Year, just so more people can recognize and appreciate what an incredible achievement this is.
