Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 – review

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a game that requires total commitment. Every encounter is brutal, every need requires consideration, and every mission takes hours of your time. It is intentionally slow, detailed, and offers an abundance of exploration, perfect for fans of deep RPGs who are disappointed with recent titles.

Continuing directly from the end of the first game, Henry and Hans arrive in the Trosky region to deliver a message to Otto Von Bergow, but, of course, things do not go smoothly. From the exciting beginning, it is clear that this game is much more action-oriented than the previous one, and the story has been significantly improved in terms of narrative quality.

Still, the core feeling remains. The pace is perfect, the characters are interesting, and the wealth of dialogue makes this game one of the deepest RPGs in recent times. With a reported 2.2 million words in the script, this would be the longest video game script ever, even surpassing Baldur’s Gate 3, which, after playing, is not surprising at all.

Henry's journey and the dynamic with Hans

It’s not all just politics and lost swords, though there are plenty of both. This time, there is a greater focus on Henry's personal journey, the consequences of his trauma, violence, and the desire for revenge that still haunts him. In dreams where he meets his father Martin, the blacksmith, we get a deeper insight into the moral conflicts and feelings Henry faces. This adds depth and importance to his path as he fights his internal demons while the land faces invasion, occupation, and the fear of war.

Reunited with Lord Hans Capon, it’s hard not to root for these characters. What began in the original as a relationship between a wealthy snob and a peasant boy now develops into something new, with a dynamic similar to Merlin and King Arthur. The acting by Tom McKay and Luke Dale is outstanding, with many moments showing how much they enjoy their roles. Mocap performances perfectly portray their friendship, from concern to bickering, in the best possible way.

There is also a colorful band of nobles, lords, criminals, and people from different cultures uniting against Sigismund’s rule and wanting to free Wenceslas. These characters elevate the game above generic historical tropes, turning it into an excellent story set in realistic history with complex relationships.

The historical beauty of Bohemia and Kuttenberg

When I wasn't following the characters, I spent hours exploring the historically reconstructed Bohemia. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 offers two maps to explore, each with an abundance of locations, side missions, and different atmospheres. The city of Kuttenberg stands out in particular.

Entering Kuttenberg for the first time was staggering. I spent more than an hour just walking the streets, exploring buildings and alleys, markets and taverns, the lively atmosphere, and diverse shops. This is not a typical video game city where there is "the blacksmith." This is a city with, say, seven blacksmith shops.

Every street and every interior is flawlessly connected to the whole map, which is itself massive and beautiful, with dense forests that actually look like forests, sparse villages where you'll find interesting activities, and forgotten ruins that raise questions and mysteries. Every region is unique, every town is special, and every direction leads to something interesting. It feels like exploring the natural world, where a walk through the forest isn't a search for goblins and artifacts, but for... bigger trees. And it is wonderful.

Side missions, crime, and combat

The side missions are numerous, detailed, and avoid repetition, offering a lot of fun. Once, I decided to veer off the main mission and do a few side ones. Five hours later, I finished that same mission and couldn't believe how much time had passed. It often happens that a mission feels rich and essential, even if it's just in a side street or on a remote farm and completely irrelevant to the main story.

There is also a detailed crime system: Henry can be thrown in irons for several days, whipped in the town center, declared a criminal – with a real scar on his neck that people will recognize – and if you don't learn your lesson, you will be executed. And yes, you will experience that. I will never commit a crime again.

As for combat, there are minor changes and additions. Unlike the first game with five directions and a stab, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 uses only four directions, with the bottom direction for stabbing. It’s a small change with a big impact, but essentially, it’s the same system. This change reduces the stress over directions and allows focus on tactics, movement, and fighting multiple enemies. However, the game is still brutal and unforgiving, requiring attention not just for victory, but for survival. At least now you have a 15th-century gun.

Technical progress and final verdict

The original game had a fantastic landscape and an impressive world, but Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, while familiar in most aspects, is technically much more advanced. Playing on a base PS5, the game looks incredible – open fields with lush grass, dense forests, the busy streets of Kuttenberg; I stopped almost everywhere to admire it, discovering beautiful sights.

More frequent cinematic scenes show how beautiful the game can be, using a combination of in-engine rendering to create emotional moments and visual spectacles. Often, I would put down the controller and watch those scenes, completely immersed. The graphics are phenomenal, and most of the lighting issues that appeared in the early phase of the game were resolved with a pre-release update.

This is an excellent sequel that does what it should – stays true to the original, keeping the core principles and vision while spectacularly upgrading them. It creates an experience that not only surpasses the love for the first game but also provides new respect for the Kingdom Come series, with an RPG sandbox of choice and freedom rarely seen in other games.

While I expect technical issues given the scale of the game, many have already been resolved, and the rest of the experience makes up for any shortcomings. Improved controls, quality of life, and many additions make this game bigger and better for fans and new players. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is, in almost every respect, the RPG many fans wished for. Following the success of Baldur’s Gate 3 and many other RPGs that didn't meet expectations, this game brings a colossal, detailed, beautiful, and masterfully designed experience in early 2025.