February 3rd 2025.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, the sequel to the surprise hit historical RPG from 2018, has finally arrived and it's generating quite a buzz. While the game has received some criticism for its similarities to Red Dead Redemption, it has definitely stepped up in terms of polish and visuals. However, the real question is whether or not the comparisons to Red Dead Redemption are truly warranted.
For those who may have missed the first installment, Kingdom Come: Deliverance is not your typical fantasy RPG. Instead, it is a meticulously researched medieval life simulator. There are no spells or mythical creatures in this world. Instead, you find yourself in a deeply hierarchical society where peasants are seen as inferior to townspeople, who in turn idolize the aristocracy.
The game is set in early 15th century Bohemia, which is modern-day Czech Republic. Your character, Henry, is the son of a blacksmith and a close friend of Lord Hans Capon, a real historical figure. At the start of the game, you are tasked with delivering a message to a local dignitary. However, things quickly go awry, leaving you penniless and alone. With your life in ruins and your mission still unfinished, you must start from the bottom and work your way up.
This is the historically accurate version of the common RPG trope where your character loses all their powers after the introductory sequence. Without a horse, weapons, or armor, you are truly at the bottom rung of society, surrounded by mud and squalor. In ragged clothes and with barely enough money for a bath, you look and smell like the lowliest peasant.
At the beginning of the game, your main concerns are finding food and a place to sleep. Engaging in thievery or trespassing can quickly land you in a pillory, with villagers throwing rotten vegetables at you. Being mistaken for a medieval peasant may seem like a shortcut to a simple life, but the reality is quite the opposite.
This also allows you to fully immerse yourself in the mechanics of rural Bohemian living. Your first order of business is finding a job, which also provides you with a place to sleep and a chance to learn a trade. You quickly realize that even the most mundane tasks in RPGs require a significant amount of effort and focus in this game.
Take, for example, brewing potions and medicines. You can't simply pick the right herbs and press a button here. Instead, you must follow a recipe in your book, carefully prepare each ingredient, and time the boiling process using an hourglass next to your cauldron. Some ingredients need to be ground up, and certain concoctions even require distillation before they are ready. And just like in real life, your first few attempts will likely be weak and low quality, but practice makes perfect.
This level of authenticity also applies to activities such as forging and sharpening weapons, as well as taking care of your appearance. After a fight, your clothes will need to be washed and possibly repaired. While most garments can be mended by a tailor, armor requires a blacksmith or a special kit. This complex ecosystem affects not just the protective properties of your clothing, but also how people treat you.
Your appearance and hygiene have a direct impact on how others perceive you. Even with a high charisma score, if you are dressed in rags, you won't be taken seriously. And if you are wearing expensive clothing that is dirty or torn, you will be met with suspicion, disgust, or even contempt, especially from the upper classes.
Stealth is also a complex aspect of the game. Sneaking into a building during the day is virtually impossible, but the cover of night offers better opportunities for remaining undetected. And if you are foolish enough to try sneaking around in plate armor, you are setting yourself up for failure. Successful stealth requires blending in, wearing dark and inconspicuous clothing, and using soft-soled shoes. And if you are serious about thievery, you will even create a separate outfit to aid in your illicit activities.
While there are no magical elements in the game, there are similarities to another popular Eastern European RPG, The Witcher. Like Geralt's adventures, quests in Kingdom Come: Deliverance are rarely as straightforward as they seem. Often, they lead to unexpected complications, such as a failed burglary or a good deed gone wrong.
In one early quest, Henry and Hans are imprisoned, and you have 12 hours to clear Hans' name before he is executed. There are multiple ways to approach this task, such as doing chores for the artisans in the prison grounds or gathering clues that lead to a captain of the guard who can help. Each approach makes the world feel rich and open-ended, as though your actions are shaping your own path rather than following a predetermined storyline. However, this is not always the case.
Unfortunately, some quests require specific skills, such as lockpicking, which can be a frustrating and time-consuming hurdle if you have not previously invested in that particular skill. This can lead to hours of backtracking and grinding to level up your skills before being able to continue with the main quest.
The game also has its share of minor glitches, mostly graphical, and the open-ended approach can sometimes lead to situations that are impossible to overcome, resulting in backtracking to previous saves. It takes a certain mindset to appreciate the freedom of a long journey, even when it is full of unexpected challenges.
In conclusion, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is an immersive and historically accurate game that offers a unique RPG experience. While it may have its flaws and comparisons to other popular games, it stands on its own as a challenging and rewarding journey through 15th century Bohemia. So, are you ready to take on the role of Henry and see if you have what it takes to thrive in this harsh and stratified society?
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is the highly-anticipated sequel to the 2018 surprise hit historical RPG. While it may seem like a standard fantasy role-playing game on the surface, it is actually a meticulously researched medieval life simulator. Unlike most RPGs, there are no mages or mythical beasts in this world. Instead, you find yourself in a deeply stratified society where peasants are looked down upon by townspeople, who in turn aspire to be like the aristocracy.
The game is set in early 15th century Bohemia, which is now known as the Czech Republic. Your character, Henry, is the son of a blacksmith and a close friend of Lord Hans Capon, a real historical figure. At the start of the game, you are given a mission to deliver a message to a local dignitary. However, things quickly go awry and you find yourself penniless and alone, with the added task of completing your mission.
This is a historically authentic version of the common RPG trope where your character loses all their powers after the introductory sequence. Without a horse, weapons, or armor, you are forced to start from the bottom of society. In a world filled with mud and squalor, it's not the best place to find yourself. You are dressed in ragged clothes and have no money for even a simple bath, making you look and smell like the lowliest peasant.
In the beginning, your main concerns are finding food and shelter. Resorting to thievery or trespassing can quickly land you in a village square, confined to a pillory while passersby throw rotten vegetables at you. It turns out that being mistaken for a medieval peasant is a fast track to a difficult life. But it also allows you to start discovering the mechanics of rural Bohemian living.
Your first task is finding employment, which also provides you with a place to sleep and a learning curve as you take up a trade. You soon realize that even simple tasks in this game require a significant effort and focus. For example, brewing medicines and potions is not as easy as picking the right herbs and pressing a button. You must follow a recipe in your book, adding ingredients in specific quantities and boiling them for a certain amount of time. Some ingredients even need to be ground up before use. It's a complex and realistic system that rewards practice and patience.
Similar levels of authenticity can be found in forging and repairing weapons and armor, as well as maintaining your character's hygiene and appearance. How you present yourself affects how others treat you, so it's important to keep your clothes clean and in good repair. Even with a high charisma score, if you are dressed in rags, nobody will take you seriously. Conversely, wearing expensive clothing in poor condition or being covered in mud and filth can lead to suspicion and contempt, especially from the upper class.
Stealth is also a complex aspect of the game. It's pointless to try sneaking into a building during the day, as nighttime offers better opportunities for remaining undetected. And if you're wearing loud plate armor, sneaking becomes nearly impossible. The key to successful stealth is blending in, wearing dark and inconspicuous clothing, and using soft-soled shoes. If you want to be a skilled thief, you will even need a separate outfit specifically for your criminal activities.
While there are no magical elements in this game, there are similarities to another popular Eastern European RPG, The Witcher. Like Geralt's adventures, the quests in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 are rarely as simple as they first appear. They often involve unexpected complications, such as a burglary gone wrong or a good deed leading to tragic consequences.
One early quest has Henry and Hans imprisoned, and you must clear Hans' name within 12 hours to save him from hanging. There are multiple ways to approach this task, including doing chores for the artisans in the prison, searching for clues, or even using stealth to infiltrate the tower where Hans is being held. This open-ended approach makes the world feel rich and full of possibilities. However, there are also moments where the game's open-endedness can lead to frustrating dead ends, such as being forced to pick locks in a quest without any prior experience or skill in lockpicking.
The game also has some minor glitches, mostly graphical, but there are also instances where the open-ended approach can lead to situations that are impossible to overcome, requiring a backtrack to a previous save. These moments can be frustrating, but with the right attitude, they can also be part of the journey.
Overall, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a highly immersive and authentic experience that truly makes you feel like you are living in medieval Bohemia. It's a game that rewards patience, persistence, and a willingness to embrace the challenges of life in this time period. So if you're ready for a long and sometimes difficult journey, this game is definitely worth checking out.
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