A satisfying return to a grounded open world

It’s been some time since I first picked up and played Kingdom Come Deliverance when it released in 2018, and returning to Henry’s story seven years later in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is delightful. There’s a lot more polish to it in the combat, precision gameplay of crafting, and bow hunting feels significantly rewarding, showing how much care and time the Warhorse Studios team has put in. That’s only after my first initial hours, and there’s still so much to explore.

Not only is there more polish to Kingdom Come 2, but the developers have a good way to reintroduce players to the larger world of 15th-century Bohemia as it sits in the middle of a drastic civil war between brothers Wenceslaus and Sigismund. Thankfully, you don’t have to have played or completed the first game to appreciate this sequel, but it certainly gives an expectation of how grueling and unforgiving the gameplay can be for the uninitiated.

Reintroducing Henry and 15th century Bohemia in Kingdom Come 2

Kingdom Come 2‘s story picks up immediately after the first one, but for anyone who hasn’t played since the first game released seven years ago, never fear. The introduction does a great job of integrating the player into Henry’s backstory, Bohemia’s current civil war between the brothers, and how Henry fits in with the larger conflict. What’s more, the intro also teaches you many of the skills Henry would have acquired in the first game, showing how you can apply them to your adventure before letting you loose out into the greater world.

It was a welcome start that checked off a lot of boxes to make sure I had what it took to stand on my own two feet before starting off the main quest. Even then, I felt there was a lot left to learn and discover, and I was correct.

Sword combat has always been a difficult and rewarding part of Kingdom Come, and it remains true here in the sequel—but with some fine tuning. During combat, there’s a UI indicator showing the four attack zones you can choose for your weapon. This was brought down from the first game’s five attack zones and two stabs. Immediately after that attack, your weapon sits on the opposite side of that position, which you can use to do a follow-up move, or block an opponent’s strike. While there’s less attack options, the swordplay remains a complicated and delicate art to master. 

The introduction was also a good way to show how Henry’s general stats play into the various choices he can make when speaking to other characters. It showcased how not every approach works in any situation, and depending on who you’re talking to, certain approaches may work better, especially if you’re speaking to a common villager or an entitled knight. Not every playthrough will be the same, and it all comes down to how you’re playing Henry, even down to what clothes he wears when speaking to someone.

Kingdom Come 2 keeps you curious and asking questions about new skills

I playing the first game would give me a leg up, and it partially did, but it mostly prepared me for the difficulty of having to complete tasks and how much I had to rely on my sense of curiosity.

That is what continues to drive me forward in Kingdom Come 2, wanting to learn what’s around the corner and what skills I could pick up next. That, coupled with wanting to see more of Bohemia outside of the main story, is a real job—I could dive into the simple work of learning how to become a blacksmith, or spend my day learning and crafting potions, selling them to the market for money.

Although these tasks are time consuming and you have to cover minute details, there’s a general satisfaction in working on them. Warhorse Studios did a good job involving side activities, but not enough to be grueling, especially as you put more points into skills.

I found myself spending more time on the side paths and completing small jobs than wanting to venture too much further into the main story. From what I’ve played of Kingdom Come 2 so far, the team has done an excellent job of making the world feel grounded and rewarding player’s exploration and problem-solving. While the side quests and smaller activities have been my focus, I’m eager to return to the main story and learn what happens to Henry as Bohemia endures a torturous civil war, and how his choices can make a significant difference.