Why Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is the Craziest & Most Interesting Game of 2025 [Review]

Let’s be honest: living in medieval times was probably not that great. From disease and death to killings and violent rule, it must’ve been a lot. But, Warhorse Games, with their highly-anticipated sequel Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 captures the essence of those times while being incredibly fun, oh-so layered with tons of gameplay mechanics, and pretty gorgeous on the eye too.

As mentioned, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a big game. While it’s not set in the technical marvel of sci-fi space or deep fantasy, a lot is going on in medieval times that you need to be aware of, and all of these factors influence how you play the game.

As an overview, KCD2 throws you into 15th-century Bohemia and gives you an extremely expansive world to explore, with a number of towns, castles, valleys, and areas to discover, fight in, and familiarise yourself with. Each area feels extremely unique — from lush fields and forest areas to muddy villages and forts — and getting around on horseback is easy too, and gives you an elevated view of the lands you’ll be questing around in.

Throw in the fact that there is meticulous attention to detail paired with some stunning visuals, and you’ve got a really captivating world to match the adventure that plays out. Keep in mind, this isn’t a game that shies away from classic RPG mechanics, so there’s a fair amount of tinkering in menus and item statistics admitst all the head-chopping and horseback riding.

A master yarn-spinner

Story-wise, the first Kingdom Come: Deliverance was intriguing but delivered in a slightly ‘wooden’ fashion during cut-scenes and dialogue moments. The sequel really adds a cinematic element to the story and facial animations and dialogue have been given a huge bump. The revenge-soaked story of Henry and his rebellion against Emperor Sigismund goes to some interesting places, with a lot of distractions and other threads explored along the way, but all in all, it’s as densely detailed as you could possibly want.

While some RPGs see it as a side-focus, interactions with NPCs are a real highlight, with some quests and side-quests really showcasing the personality and intentions of many of KCD2‘s characters, for better or worse. Paired with some humourous and clever voice-acting, and it’s a great time when you slow down and soak up the atmosphere and interactions.

En Garde!

The combat was admittedly a bug-bear of some who played the first game, but it has been improved upon for the sequel. Sword fighting now feels a whole lot more responsive, and a reworked parry mechanic allows for more intuitive dodges and blocking, making sword-fights feel like an exciting dance rather than a chore you avoid. There are still some awkward animations results in some odd and unremarkable fights, it’s a notable upgrade that does feel impactful when you land blows or stab an enemy in the head.

While you can go through the game hacking and slashing enemies until you’re blue in the face, stealth is also a component of combat. In between all the metal clanging and horses galloping, you can hide in tall grass and water, throw stones and whistle to manipulate enemies, and take down guards silently with your knife, not to mention the ability to wear disguises and change clothes to fool NPCs. This adds an interesting Far Cry-esque layer of strategy to taking on enemy encampments, allowing you to go in quietly if you choose to do so.

Crimes and punishment

Kingdom Come 2 has also evolved the crime and reputation system from the first entry. You’ll need to be smart with how you undertake your journey, as stealing from or killing NPCs can have a huge effect on how the other characters in the world see you. If caught by the guards, you can even be thrown in jail, requiring you to barter your way out, or fail and even be hung by those you’ve wronged. It’s impressive how deeply woven into the game the action and reaction system is, and you’ll have to weigh up whether breaking the law will aid your quest or make it worse. For example, choosing to steal something rather than barter for it can have pretty huge consequences.

It has to be said that the core mechanics in KCD2 are pretty complex, and that can seem like an absolute win or a curse for different types of players. If you love sinking your teeth into layered and intricate systems that affect one another, KCD2 has them in spades.

Just when you think you’ve seen it all, the game throws a new element into the mix every couple of hours. From the cleanliness of your character affecting how NPCs engage with you to mastering the persuasion mechanic to get characters to bend to your will, there are mini-game-like systems within every moment in KCD2. It can be a lot, but if you embrace it, there’s a lot to love here, giving you a lot of control over how your adventure plays out.

Verdict

2018’s Kingdom Come: Deliverance was a huge hit upon release, giving gamers a true medieval RPG to sink their teeth into, but it had some hiccups. The sequel expands upon all the mechanics and world of the first game, with some meaty first-person combat, a revenge-soaked tale, and a lush immersive world to explore. There’s no doubt the sheer scale of it can be overwhelming, but if you love yourself a deep and immersive RPG and are willing to battle through some head-scratching moments, there is a lot to enjoy with KCD2.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on 4 February 2025.