In 2014, Warhorse Studios published a Kickstarter campaign to fund the development of Kingdom Come Deliverance. In a few months, the campaign had been completed more than three times over, and in 2018, one of the most realistic open-world RPG titles emerged to an overwhelmingly positive reception.
Now, the team is shaping up to release Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, a direct continuation of the first game and an evolution in every sense of the word. I recently got hands-on with KCD2 at Gamescom, enjoying a solid chunk of the game reserved exclusively for press participants.
This is my preview – enjoy.
Flawless Execution
To give a little context, my preview of KCD2 was set ‘around 50 hours’ into the game, with a strong and determined Henry of Skalitz facing down a local swordmaster and then taking part in a few events that unravelled after that duel took place. I had an opportunity to explore Kuttenberg, one of two super-sized cities in KCDII, and try out many of the game’s core mechanics:
Stealth
Open Combat
Lockpicking
Dialogue
Tournaments
Bartering
I’ve logged a couple of hundred hours in Kingdom Come Deliverance and would consider myself a huge fan. It was just a few weeks ago that I had the opportunity to interview Tom McKay, who plays Henry of Skalitz, the series’ protagonist.
When I stepped into KCDII, I was blown away to learn how much of an improvement it was over the first game. The team at Warhorse Studios has managed to do something remarkable, as KCDII has evolved immeasurably but retained the core concept and feel of the first game.
Graphically, KCDII is nothing short of sublime. From the character models to the base animations, and from the lighting to the depth and density of the environments the player can explore, everything is top-notch. It’s unmistakably a Kingdom Come game, but it has been taken to the next level by the team at Warhorse and it’s a pleasure to behold.
I explored the game beyond the demo, taking the time to study the menus and the UI, and I ultimately failed to find a flaw with anything. It has all been fully refreshed for this second outing, and everything just worked. The menus are intuitive, the UI has been made more accessible, and everything from crafting to levelling up is easy to understand and makes sense.
Even the smaller details have been improved upon. For instance, in KCD (2018), opening doors often resulted in a fumbling hand reaching for a handle, but I noticed that in KCDII, Henry firmly grasped door handles. If you’re not enthused by studying the smaller details in an open-world RPG title, you won’t understand why elements like this are so exciting.
Bigger, Better, Bolder
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 promises to be a monumental sequel. The story leads on directly from the first game, so it’ll undoubtedly help if you can take a walk through the 2018 title and get up to speed. Warhorse has doubled the size of the world, but it hasn’t lost that sense of identity. It’s expansive, but it’s also packed with things to see and do.
It’s also fully open-ended. The skill system in-game means that you’re able to create your own Henry of Skalitz, and you’re free to use the weapons, armour, and abilities that you see fit. It’s also rooted in realism once again, so everything from the combat mechanics to the way people behave is period-accurate.
I went from playing KCD to exploring KCDII in the space of a week, which I think was the best way to approach it. The difference between the two games is staggering, and as I soaked up the KCDII, I had my hair blown back. It’s smooth, it’s entertaining, and everyone at Warhorse Studios should be proud of the product they’ve put together.
I can see KCDII becoming my Game of the Year in 2025 – but it does have some strong competition.
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 will be released on February 11, 2025, on PS5, XSX, and PC.