This game is one of the best sequels I’ve had the pleasure of playing. Being a huge fan of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 1, I was quite excited for it. The sequel builds upon KCD1 in every way possible. It feels like a proper evolution in the series, expanding its roleplaying and narrative scope while also making room for newcomers.
KCD2 is a huge game. Set in 15th-century Bohemia, it boasts two maps, each holding an enormous amount of content for you to explore. For context, it took me about 40-50 hours before I felt ready to leave the first region, Trosky, behind. Kuttenberg on the other hand, feels like a culmination of everything Warhorse has been setting up so far. It’s perhaps the best depiction of a mediaeval city I’ve seen in video games, barring maybe Novigrad. The feeling of riding into Kuttenberg as a rendition of the main menu theme from KCD1 starts playing is absolutely unparalleled. The way the maps are constructed lends an incredible sense of character, in a way that almost reminds me of Oblivion.
KCD2 is a hard game. While I do have some contentions with how it’s balanced (leading to fights and mechanics feeling redundant in the second half of the game), the first few hours will leave you clinging to every resource for dear life. It has you managing your hunger and sleep as you find better equipment and train harder to progress both mentally (with stats like persuasion) and materially.
The game prides itself on realism. For example, you need to ensure you don’t stink if you want an easier time talking to people and being stealthy. In fact, its systems are strong enough for it to function almost as a mediaeval peasant life-simulator.
The game rightfully takes pride in how historically accurate it is. More than often, I found myself poring over the vividly illustrated in-game codex as I genuinely found myself curious about the region’s political climate. Paired with a human story of revenge and survival, KCD2’s world absolutely engrossed me.
Henry is a delightful protagonist. Tom Mckay delivers an amazing performance, with a revenge climax scene that I’ll remember for the rest of my life. Hans Capon, played by Luke Dale, and his chemistry is incredible, leaving me wanting more of their bromance after every scene.
At its core, KCD2 is an anti-war game. It shows us what war does to a region, to its people and also what it does to the psyche of the people who believe in it. It is a brutally unafraid game and a refreshing triumph in the RPG genre.
VERDICT: Whether you’re a fan of the original or not, KCD2 is a must play. Apart from some balancing issues, it has an amazing story, a soundtrack that will make you want to learn the lute and a world that will keep drawing you in even after you’ve spent hundreds of hours in it. I give it a nine out of 10.