As a seasoned gamer with a penchant for immersive, historically accurate role-playing games, I must say that my anticipation for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is reaching fever pitch. Having spent countless hours delving into the original game’s richly detailed medieval Bohemia, I can confidently say that I am more eager for this sequel than I was for GTA 6 when it was first announced.
It appears there’s a conflict between GTA 6 and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 for Game of the Year in the gamepressure.com poll, at least as of now. The first one left me spellbound since its release in 2018, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Having dipped into the second installment, I can sense the sequel’s ambiance, and I’m certain it will evoke similar feelings when I finish playing!
Last month, we visited the town of Kutna Hora, also known as Kuttenberg, at the invitation of WarHorse studio. This is exactly where a significant part of the game will be set, and we had the privilege of being the first journalists in the world to experience the vibrant atmosphere of medieval Czechia in Kingdom Come: Deliverance. We had around four hours to see what new things were waiting for us in the sequel. It was quite long, considering the standards of such presentations, but in the case of KCD2, we can say that we have only scratched the surface as the game is supposed to deliver about 80-100 hours of fun.
In the second installment of Kingdom Come: Deliverance (released by Deep Silver in 2025), the sceneries and surroundings are just as breathtakingly beautiful as they were in the original game.
Initially, the vibe felt welcomingly familiar – we’re back with Kingdom Come, the second season of the series that finally unveils the events following the suspenseful finale from last time. If you were hooked then, you’ll be just as enthralled now. If the initial installment didn’t appeal to you due to its slow tempo, historical backdrop, lack of dragons and magic, and the requirement to concoct a potion to progress, chances are it will be much the same this time – though there have been some updates and enhancements made along the way.
Scratch on the diamond
Our adventure with “Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2” picked up directly where the story left off in the previous edition, immersing us straight into the action without lengthy introductions or extensive history lessons. I’ll keep the narrative details under wraps, but let me tell you that this second installment is a direct sequel to the climactic events of the first part. We said goodbye to Henry as he embarked on a mission with Hans Capon, aiming to locate Otto of Bergow at Trosky Castle.
As a gamer, I jump right into the action without any recap cutscenes. Instead, the crucial details from the previous installment are woven seamlessly into the first missions. My team and I traverse through various landscapes, taking breaks for conversation along the way. It’s during these discussions that we piece together what transpired in the past, even the events of story DLCs. The game smartly incorporates choices about our abilities and skills into these chats, reminding us subtly of how we handled certain quests, although it doesn’t account for all possible outcomes.
Throughout the creation process of Kingdom Come: Deliverance, Daniel Vavra envisioned the entire narrative from start to finish. Yet, as development progressed, it became clear that we couldn’t reach the ending he had in mind, so adjustments were necessary. This led to an unexpected cliffhanger at the end of Kingdom Come: Deliverance, leaving us with a strong desire for more. Consequently, during the production of the initial game, there was a decision made that a larger, improved Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 would eventually be produced.
Sir Tobi – PR Manager, WarHorse Studio
In Kingdome Come: Deliverance 2, I must confess that after the opening sequence, I had some conflicting emotions. On one side, it’s an ingenious way to bring newcomers up to speed without just watching a video. Instead, they can engage directly by completing a quest and learn about the storyline. However, on the other side, new players might find the opening overly verbose, while seasoned gamers may perceive a certain artificiality in the dialogues as Henry seems to frequently discuss his past with seemingly random characters.
In addition, there’s a brief scene that seems overly sentimental or cheesy – this scene just doesn’t match the vibe of King’s Crown Dilemma (KCD). It appears more like a Disney storybook tale rather than a historically accurate medieval narrative. I might be splitting hairs here, as most people likely won’t notice it given its brief duration. However, with better direction, this could have been handled differently. I’m hoping that they will revise it in the future, since it feels like a blemish on an otherwise polished gem.
Luckily, the unfavorable feeling dissipates swiftly because, from the beginning, Henry is joined by a dog. This is reminiscent of the DLC titled “A Woman’s Lot”. The opportunity to stroke the dog and additional tasks involving finding food for him help steer the prologue back on course.
In the upcoming game Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 by Deep Silver in 2025, the attire and gear have been meticulously enhanced, offering a more precise depiction. The main characters’ faces have also undergone refinement, while those of secondary characters remain generally detailed as before.
Incorporating dialogue options that hint at past events adds depth for players familiar with the previous game, but they don’t impact gameplay significantly. This is because the narrative incorporates reasons why skills acquired in the initial installment may not apply here and require new experience points to be earned.
In our approach for KCD2, we aimed to enhance everything from KCD1, making it more engaging, detailed, and refined, including the stealth gameplay. However, it’s important to note that KCD is not like a Splinter Cell game. Instead, we’ve strived to create a smoother and more enjoyable overall experience. Stealth is an option for those who prefer a stealthy playstyle, but it’s not mandatory. Not every character can be stealth killed; this depends on the weapon you choose. If you manage to kill someone with a single shot, it will be considered a stealth action. However, if you only injure someone, he may either flee or alert the guards, requiring you to engage in combat. So, the gameplay will be stealthy only if you can kill quickly and silently.
Sir Tobi – PR Manager, WarHorse Studio
Moreover, this choice leaves all options open for us, allowing us to focus on enhancing, or rather, improving the abilities that are most important to us moving forward.
Return home
Upon starting Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, I was immediately struck by its sense of familiarity, which was a pleasant surprise. Instead of reinventing the wheel, this sequel appears to be more about refining and enhancing existing concepts rather than searching for drastic changes or novelties at all costs. The game’s broader scope was evident, although it remained challenging to fully explore its expansiveness after only 4 hours of playtime.
The resemblances commence with nearly identical user interfaces in the menu, both reminiscent of medieval engravings, and they continue to aspects such as the game state loading indicator animation. Despite a seven-year gap between their debuts, one might perceive this sameness as a sign of stagnation or slow progress. However, I believe it’s quite the contrary. This consistency allows us to resume the same story that was previously halted midway, and secondly, Kingdom Come: Deliverance from 2018 continues to impress, especially in outdoor environments, with few contemporary games able to rival its visual appeal. Therefore, advancements and enhancements are indeed present!
Combat system renovation
One major transformation is the overhaul of the combat system. While I delve deeper, it’s essential to note that horse-mounted adversaries will now be present. The mechanism for dealing damage with a weapon might appear to have been streamlined, but this doesn’t imply it has become less complex or simpler. Instead, it has been restructured and streamlined of excess components.
Simplifying the attack options for blunt weapons such as hammers and maces compared to swords has made combat more accessible, according to developers. Those who prefer not to learn fencing can instead choose blunt weapons or long pikes, given their varying efficiency against different types of armor. In other words, the fighting experience has become more straightforward. However, it’s crucial to treat your opponent with respect, refrain from engaging multiple enemies simultaneously, keep an eye on your stamina, and wait for a strategic opportunity to strike following a successful block rather than recklessly swinging your sword around.
In the latest update for the game, you’ll notice that the enemies have brand new animations tailored to their weapons. This means they’ll move differently, thanks to motion capture specialists during development. But don’t expect these fights to turn into a staged, cinematic dance of blows like a Hollywood movie. The raw, first-person perspective and gritty realism in combat from KCD remains intact.
In Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (Deep Silver, 2025), several aspects of the game have been enhanced, yet the distinct flavor and reminiscent characteristics from the initial installment are immediately identifiable.
In King’s Bounty 2 (KCD2), I got to try a freshly introduced weapon in combat: a crossbow – the least powerful due to manual loading. My experience with it was… average, yet intriguingly similar to reality. After playing the game, we were given a chance to fire an actual crossbow, courtesy of a local historical reenactment group. The essence boils down to aiming and pulling the trigger – there’s no abrupt recoil, and aiming doesn’t require as much effort compared to a bow. In KCD2, this weapon is fairly effective but not particularly enjoyable to use, mirroring real-life experiences. Perhaps it would be more efficient with stronger crossbows, loaded using specialized tools or cranks, both of which will also be introduced in the game. I didn’t get to test the upcoming firearms, but the gameplay will likely feature a straightforward aiming and shooting mechanic, albeit much louder – an overpowering, one-time “ultimate” ability, as reloading time limits repeated use during battle.
“Remedium Savegamium”
Discussing advancements and new features, one cannot help but notice the enhanced complexity in character features and clothing details, as well as lifelike lighting. Developers have also hinted at improved lip sync, though it appears that this aspect still lags slightly behind the top-tier industry standard. In the PC version of the initial game, the graphics have taken a significant leap towards greater beauty and photorealism. For instance, the subtle details such as the reflection of eyelashes on the water’s edge at the lake remain etched in my memory. Given that we played on high-end PCs with RTX 4090 graphics cards, it is challenging to estimate how the game will look on PS5 and XSX. However, yet again, the CryEngine engine shows its prowess in crafting breathtaking settings.
There are still some small unexpected elements in the game, such as following an NPC. By pressing a button, you can guarantee that Henry will follow the character based on the quest’s script, allowing you to freely roam and explore the game world simultaneously. New features that enhance realism may pop up – for example, I discovered that it’s no longer possible to wear a metal helmet without first putting on something resembling a cap. Moreover, blacksmithing will also become an additional activity alongside alchemy and potion brewing. The developers opted for the contentious game save mechanic, using a special drink, but they gave it a playful twist by replacing the original “schnapps” from the first part with a potion named “Remedium Savegamium”.
I think when you ask in WarHorse Studio everyone will give you something different. Jan Valta, the composer, is saying that the music is a lot better. The animation team is saying that we have now more animators and animations are way smoother. The character department will tell you that the biggest advantage of KCD2 is facial animation and he custom dialog animations. The artists will tell you that the biggest advantage and the biggest technological improvement is the way how the codex and all the art elements and the city work. But I think personally that one of the biggest technological advances is the amount of characters we can show on display. In KCD1 the biggest fight had like 20-30 characters. We couldn’t go further than that because simply the technology was not good enough for that or the way we did was not good enough. Now, in Kutna Hora we have hundreds of characters. They are not on screen at the same time but we have a way bigger world and a lot more NPCs running around, all of the having their daily cycles. So, in my opinion the biggest improvement from that perspective is the living world which is even livelier.
Sir Tobi – PR Manager, WarHorse Studio
Just a city, not a metropolis
The Czechs’ specific sense of humor was visible everywhere. I still remember the scene in front of the castle gate or the talkative German who was talking simultaneously in two languages or fluently using a colleague who knew the local language better. These characters are encountered in the city of Kuttenberg or Kutna Hora, which was the second significant aspect of the showcase, as it is the largest urban setting designed for the Kingdom Come series. The city’s architecture doesn’t immediately impress, and we don’t suddenly transition from the province to high society. It’s also smaller than what was announced. It looks similar to Rattay from the first part, but it’s actually a bit bigger – there are more streets and corners, more tenement houses than wooden cottages.
What truly captivated me was their meticulous effort to replicate the urban landscape of a real-life city within the game. Later on, during my trip to Kutna Hora, I had the opportunity to compare game locations with the actual city, stand at places where I’d recently interacted with characters while completing missions, or in front of houses we’d virtually broken into. Despite changes due to construction and rebuilding over time in 1403, one could still feel the essence of the city and recognize many of its landmarks.
In the game Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, published by Deep Silver in 2025, this palace within Kutna Hora serves as a testament to how accurately the city was reproduced.
The developers pointed out that there were necessary adjustments, as they often had to estimate how certain aspects might have looked historically based on similar examples from the time period and historian’s knowledge instead of creating ideas spontaneously. Additionally, the game engine and optimization proved challenging – some streets needed to be reduced in size, while other areas required building up to conceal expansive locations, preventing a significant decrease in frames per second (FPS).
Significantly, Kuttenberg within the game appears bustling with medieval activity, far from being a deserted town. NPCs abound throughout, and their daily routines are evident – they head to work, dine, socialize at the tavern, and then retire for the night. Henry is simply one of the many unnoticed passersby in this city, not receiving jubilant greetings. The only aspect I found displeasing was that access to the two main churches within the city was restricted. It would be slightly disappointing if this persisted in the full version.
RPG freedom and liberty
During our journey through Kuttenberg and Trosky Castle’s second location, the RPG liberty was palpable with numerous routes to our objective and tasks unique to Kingdome Come. It’s still uncertain if we’ll encounter quests as grandiose as disguising oneself as a monk or sharing drinks with a priest – the developers hint at some intriguing surprises for players. One task involved stealing a sword without resorting to violence, and there were multiple approaches to complete it, either overcoming obstacles or not. We discovered that choosing to speak up or remain silent during conversations could significantly alter a quest’s length, and we should also anticipate engaging in regular physical labor beyond combat, negotiation, and theft. I’m confident we’ll cherish numerous lasting moments throughout the over 100-hour gameplay experience.
Technically, it should be much better
Initially, the debut of Kingdom Come: Deliverance delivered a game that was underoptimized, riddled with bugs and glitches. Now, let me share an experience I had: during a covert mission where I trailed an NPC, I noticed an issue. When my actions deviated from the scripted sequence, the game didn’t adapt but moved ahead to the next stage of the quest. This was particularly noticeable in a quasi-stealth sequence.
It’s hard to say anything about optimization because we were playing on really powerful PCs with Ryzen 7800X, RTX 4090 card, and 64 GB of RAM. The game run extremely smoothly on this setup, except for very occasional, isolated stutters in the city, which were more likely caused by an unfinished build rather than overall poor optimization.
From my perspective, I believe the camera angles during dialogues could use some refinement. Currently, it seems like we’re not yet producing cinematic, fluid sequences with dialogue, instead relying on a style similar to that found in Bethesda games, where we primarily see separate, talking heads.
I envy the Czechs!
I was concerned about the game’s larger scope when writing the first preview of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, based only on the impressions from the trailer. So far, they have only been confirmed in some specific details in cutscenes, which didn’t align with the overall atmosphere of the game, meticulously constructed on the foundation of realism and authenticity. But that’s just me nitpicking on the little things in search of perfection, and the worse impressions quickly fade away when we take on an immersive, multi-threaded quest. When the plot started to unfold, I completely stopped thinking about such things.
Thankfully, the city hasn’t been wiped out, allowing you to frequently encounter various NPCs going about their individual activities in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, produced by Deep Silver in 2025.
Additionally, I found some notable aspects, such as the observation that although we opt for English dialogue, certain ambient sounds, like a Czech song playing in the background, will remain original since the game’s launch day will feature Czech dubbing. The music created by Jan Valta is anticipated to be spectacular, making it a formidable competitor in the quest for the best soundtrack of the year. Furthermore, the game is set to receive a story DLC, ensuring there will continue to be engaging content even after investing over 100 hours into the game.
Despite my anticipation, I’m yearning for the arrival of “Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2” more eagerly than “GTA 6”. Ever since its announcement, I’ve been eagerly awaiting it, and getting a glimpse of it only fueled my conviction and heightened my enthusiasm for what we can expect in February, nearing the seventh anniversary of the first game’s release.
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2024-08-21 10:03