It Would Suck If Every RPG Was Like Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

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Man, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is seriously good – easily one of my favorite RPGs I’ve played all year. Warhorse Studios really went all out with this one, and it’s been getting amazing reviews. Plus, it’s already sold a ton of copies since it came out in February, which is awesome to see!

This game is a challenging but rewarding experience. It demands patience and encourages you to experiment, because you’ll likely make mistakes along the way as you find a playstyle that works for you. You might not even fully grasp all the game’s systems, and that’s okay – but ignoring them will make the game very difficult.

It’s not a shock that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 isn’t for every gamer. But that’s actually helped it build a dedicated fanbase – players who really want to dive deep and truly master its complex systems. I love the story the game is trying to tell, though it can be frustratingly difficult to actually enjoy.

If you found Kingdom Come: Deliverance too challenging, you’ll probably prefer RPGs like Baldur’s Gate 3 or the upcoming The Outer Worlds 2. Those games offer plenty of depth and story, but are more accessible and prioritize player enjoyment. This leads me to discuss recent statements from Daniel Vávra, the game director of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.

I’m Glad Not Every RPG Is Trying To Be Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

After finishing development on The Outer Worlds 2, Vávra shared his thoughts on Obsidian’s new RPG in a recent tweet.

I’d give it a 7 out of 10. What’s disappointing is that despite having 15 years and Microsoft’s resources, the team behind my favorite games, Fallout and New Vegas, hasn’t been able to innovate with gameplay. I can’t think of a single new mechanic in The Outer Worlds that wasn’t already present in older games like Deus Ex or the original Fallout over 25 years ago. I’m hoping for a truly dynamic, simulated world with real freedom, not just more of the same loot, repetitive tasks, loading screens, and grinding within a pre-defined world.

I see Vávra’s point. The core formula Bethesda established with The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion back in 2006 hasn’t changed much in the last twenty years. Even though The Outer Worlds 2 has improved combat and RPG mechanics, it still follows familiar patterns. It doesn’t create a world that truly reacts to the player’s actions or offer impactful moral choices that fundamentally change the game’s setting – and that’s not what it’s aiming for. It’s a different experience than games like Deus Ex or Deliverance 2, and trying to make it like them would likely result in a very different game overall.

Vávra isn’t just reviewing The Outer Worlds 2 based on what is in the game; he’s also criticizing it for things it doesn’t include, like loot boxes or repetitive grinding. This seems to stem from broader frustrations with role-playing games in general, despite him only offering a short review. While I mostly agree with his points, it feels unfair to heavily criticize a game simply because it doesn’t meet his specific expectations for the genre.

Obsidian Entertainment was once known for taking big risks and innovating in the RPG genre. Since being acquired by Microsoft, they’ve shifted towards creating RPGs with broader appeal, focusing on gameplay that’s accessible to a wider audience – similar to what they’re aiming for with Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.

Despite long development times being common in the industry, Obsidian Entertainment has successfully released six critically acclaimed games since 2019’s The Outer Worlds. This consistent output is often missed when focusing solely on groundbreaking new gameplay features.

The Outer Worlds 2 Isn’t Trying To Push Boundaries, And That’s Okay

As a huge fan, I’m really hoping The Outer Worlds 2 takes things to the next level with a truly dynamic and immersive world – something that really lets you get lost in the experience. I know that would mean changing the core formula of the series, and some people might not like that, but I think it’s exactly what it needs. I’ve been saying for a while that Obsidian is showing how Bethesda’s old-school approach feels dated, and everything we’ve seen from The Outer Worlds 2 proves that even a classic RPG can still feel fresh and alive. It’s exciting to see they’re proving that this style of game isn’t stuck in the past!

I don’t think Warhorse could improve upon Deliverance 2, because their games aim for a different audience. While Deliverance 2 is excitingly unique and challenging, it’s realistically aimed at a smaller group of players, and pretending otherwise isn’t sensible.

It’s kinda funny to me when people trash the gameplay from Oblivion, calling it old or boring. I mean, they just remastered it earlier this year, and it blew up – it was the RPG everyone was playing! Clearly, a lot of us still really enjoy how those games play.

Role-playing games are changing, and we’re likely to see many new titles in the coming years that are inspired by games like Kingdom Come: Deliverance and Baldur’s Gate 3. These games will try to innovate by building on what those titles did well – specifically, surprising players and breaking away from traditional RPG formulas.

Vávra argues that The Outer Worlds 2 is being criticized for not being a game it never intended to be. He believes some people wrongly assume RPGs must either be overly simple or incredibly complex, and that it’s time to accept RPGs can be made in many different styles and offer a wide range of experiences.

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2025-11-06 20:05