Kingdom Come: Deliverance II - Initial Reactions

With the recent release of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, it's an exciting moment to delve into whether Warhorse Studios' second venture into portraying Czech history through video games is worth exploring. After spending 10 hours immersed in the game, my eagerness to launch it instead of working speaks volumes about its allure. Let's dive deeper into what makes this sequel compelling.

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Table of Contents

• Comparison with the First Game
• Bugs
• Realism and Difficulty
• Should You Play Kingdom Come: Deliverance II?

Comparison with the First Game

Like its predecessor, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is an open-world Action RPG that places a strong emphasis on historical accuracy and realism. Players can choose to embody a valiant knight, a stealthy thief, or engage in diplomatic resolutions. Essential activities like eating and sleeping are crucial for maintaining your character's efficiency, and tackling three bandits single-handedly remains a formidable challenge.

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The graphics are the first to catch your eye, with landscapes that are even more breathtaking than before, yet the game runs smoothly on both PCs and consoles. This balance between visual splendor and performance is a rare gem in modern AAA titles.

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The combat system has undergone minor yet significant enhancements. With one less attack direction, smoother enemy switching, and a more rhythmic parrying system, combat feels more intuitive yet retains its challenging nature. The game introduces greater tactical variety, and enemies exhibit smarter behavior.

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When facing multiple foes, their strategic advantage is more pronounced than in most games. They attempt to surround you and attack from behind, and if one is seriously injured, they retreat, allowing their comrades to continue the fight.

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Beyond the familiar alchemy and dice games, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II introduces blacksmithing. This engaging craft not only provides income but also access to quality equipment. The variety of items to forge ensures the process remains interesting, though I found crafting a horseshoe more challenging than making swords and axes due to the unique controls.

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Bugs

The original Kingdom Come: Deliverance was marred by technical issues at launch, but the sequel has been released in a much more polished state. In my 10 hours of playtime, I've encountered only minor bugs. Early on, dialogue selection buttons flickered and became unresponsive, but a simple restart resolved the issue. Another time, a tavern maid climbed onto a table and then teleported back to the floor. These are minor visual glitches that don't detract significantly from the experience.

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Realism and Difficulty

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II strikes a balance between realism and gameplay enjoyment. The game's believable mechanics enhance immersion without making the experience tedious. There's no difficulty selection, which might deter some players, but it's not as punishing as Dark Souls. If you've completed The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt or The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim on any difficulty, you should be able to handle this game, provided you avoid recklessly engaging groups of enemies alone.

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The historical aspect is meticulously crafted. While I'm not a historian, the game's approach to history is engaging and encourages players to explore further without force-feeding facts.

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Should You Play Kingdom Come: Deliverance II?

Even if you haven't played the first game, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is accessible. The prologue effectively introduces the events of the original, ensuring newcomers understand Henry's backstory. The epic opening seamlessly blends tutorials with an engaging narrative, allowing you to fight, laugh, and immerse yourself in medieval Bohemia within the first hour.

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While it's too early to fully judge the story and quests, what I've experienced so far is promising. Whether this holds true for the entire 100-hour journey remains to be seen.

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These are my initial impressions after 10 hours in this medieval life simulator. The improvements across the board compared to the first game are evident, and it's shaping up to be a fantastic RPG. The real test will be whether it can maintain these strengths throughout the full playthrough. Time will tell.