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Review: Fortune favors the brave, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is the bold sequel I've been waiting for.
Windows Central Verdict - 5/5
With a colossal open world packed with well over 100+ hours of engaging content, substantially improved combat compared to the original KCD, and more, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is an undeniable triumph from Warhorse Studios. It's one of the best RPGs I've ever played, and will undoubtedly be in the conversation for 2025's Game of the Year.
Pros
- + Gargantuan open world rich with content, roleplaying, and intersecting systems
- + Excellent combat system with reworked Master Strikes and more intelligent AI
- + A grand narrative brimming with great characters, unpredictable twists, and a whole lot of heart
- + Gorgeous audiovisual presentation, stellar overall performance and stability
Cons
- - Some dialogue options are hard to parse, leading to an unexpected tone or choice of words
- - Armor feels a bit less impactful than it was in the first game, though it's still a big factor in combat
At long last, Henry's come to see us once again. Seven long years after developer Warhorse Studios impressed players around the world with its debut historical 2018 RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance, the sequel is finally upon us. This review has gone live one day ahead of its highly anticipated arrival on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5 — a launch that's expected to be one of the biggest in all of 2025.
The first Kingdom Come was a great game, to be sure, but it wasn't without major issues. Out of the gate, its performance was quite poor and criticized widely, though it was eventually fixed with post-launch updates. The same can't be said of its combat and story problems, however; the former, while enjoyable in solo duels, was frustratingly clunky in group fights, and the latter's strong characters and premise were undermined by chaotic narrative pacing. I had concerns about these drawbacks rearing their ugly heads again in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 when I started playing it for this review, though I was hopeful the better part of a decade in the development oven would see them taken care of.
Now that I've spent several weeks playing through this meaty medieval adventure, I can confirm that it's indeed the sequel I was hoping for — bigger, better, and bolder than its predecessor, complete with effective solutions for Kingdom Come's worst issues and major refinements to its best qualities. Put simply, it's everything a sequel should be, and an absolute must-play delight for RPG fans that cements itself as one of 2025's strongest Game of the Year contenders.
Disclaimer
This review was conducted with the Windows PC version of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and made possible thanks to a Steam review code provided by Deep Silver. The company did not see the contents of this review before publication.
What is Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2?
Returning fans from the first Kingdom Come will understand what type of game the sequel is, but players new to Warhorse's RPGs won't know what to expect. Thus, before I get into the meat of my review, I'll briefly go over the gist of the title here.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a historical single player open-world RPG that's rooted in medieval history, with a fictional plot that's woven into real-world events. The game is set during the dawn of the 15th Century in Bohemia (part of what is now the Czech Republic), at which point the lords of the lands were embroiled in a civil war between supporters of King Wenceslaus IV and those who followed his half-brother Sigismund of Luxembourg after he took Wenceslaus prisoner, seeking the crown. You play as Henry, a blacksmith's son whose parents were slain by one of Sigismund's officers when his forces sacked his village at the start of the first game. Driven to get revenge against the man and reclaim his father's stolen sword, Henry entered the service of Wenceslaus' allies.
It's in this turbulent context that Henry journeys across Bohemia, with the threats and dangers of war clashing with the day-to-day affairs of medieval life. In his shoes, players have to regularly eat and sleep to stay alive, while also finding ways to gear up and make money so that they can buy useful wares from merchants or pay for services. As you complete quests and roleplay Henry's choices (both his speech and his actions), he'll develop a reputation in each of the settlements scattered throughout Kingdom Come 2's two gigantic Trosky and Kuttenberg maps; this reputation hooks into factors such as how clean Henry is, what he's wearing, and his speech skill to help determine how persuasive he is, how good of a deal he can get at shops, and more. Being in good standing, convincing, or intimidating also come in handy if you're caught breaking the law, though failing to succeed an important check will see you forced to pay a fine, clapped in the stocks, flogged, branded as a criminal, or even executed depending on the severity of your transgression.
Something important to note is that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 only lets you manually save the game if you sleep in a bed you own or drink a comedically named drink called Savior Schnapps, and it frequently autosaves as quests progress or are completed (you can exit save, in case you need to close the game). This is because the developers want players to contend with the consequences of their actions rather than "save scum" to avoid them.
Combat is inspired by techniques of the era and is largely melee-centric, with bows, crossbows, and rudimentary medieval firearms giving you some alternatives to make use of at range. You're able to swing or thrust at foes from direction-based strikes and combos, and can defend and counterattack with dodges, blocks, parries, and ripostes. Complementing the combat mechanics are systems intended to simulate realistic interactions between the arms and armors of the period; for example, swords excel against opponents only wearing textile armor, but you'll generally want an axe, mace, or polearm during a fight with someone that has chainmail or full plate layered on top of their gambeson. Light protection does offer some advantages like faster movement and dodging speed, however.
Globally, Henry gets better at skills the more he uses them The Elder Scrolls-style, with well over 200 perks available to buildcraft him with as you level up. Some of these have returned from Kingdom Come with reworks, but there are also lots of new ones, as well as two new skill categories for craftsmanship (blacksmithing) and commanding Henry's dog, Mutt.
KCD2 review: Gameplay, combat, and open world
Henry and deuteragonist Sir Hans Capon on horseback in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.
(Image credit: Windows Central)
The greatest strength of the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance was its vast open world and the plethora of enjoyable side quests in it, with Warhorse focusing on player freedom and reactivity to your words and actions over things like dynamic events (though random encounters still often occurred while traveling the roads). The sequel builds on this sturdy foundation, significantly expanding opportunities for roleplaying and adding more nuance to the way speech, reputation, crime, and quest progress are handled.
Conversations with NPCs are far more engaging and impactful, with players frequently able to curry (or lose) favor by paying close attention, considering the status and personality of who they're speaking with, and choosing their responses accordingly; I love this, though there is the odd instance here or there of Henry's spoken words and tone not feeling in-line with your selected option. Charisma checks that factor in things like your cleanliness and visible garments have also gotten more interesting, as instead of only having basic options for speech and intimidation, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has six dialogue stats you can try to "build into": Persuasion, Coercion, Impression, Domination, Presence, and Intimidation. All of these draw from your stats, appearance, and reputation differently, ensuring there are valuable ways to use speech no matter how you're roleplaying Henry.
In general, you're afforded many different emergent and open-ended options for completing quests, and there are also lots of ways they can branch off to different endings depending on the choices you make. In one early game quest, for instance, a villager asked me to steal a maypole from a rival settlement, but I had the ability to report that to the settlement's leader and kick off a new objective to help him get back at the original quest giver. What I found most impressive, though, is that much like the game's other intertwined systems, side quests and their outcomes often influence and connect to one another in nifty ways. In one case, I was able to skip a speech check entirely when trying to convince a tavern owner to play dice over a special prize because I'd previously helped her deal with a potential brawl between her usual customers and foreign Cumans that wanted service.
Committing crimes like pickpocketing and lockpicking are also an avenue you can take, though they, too, are reacted to in immersive ways. Even if you're not caught in the act of stealing, someone who sees you leaving their house will peg you as a thief once they realize belongings are missing. And even if you get away with your shady escapades, doing lots of criminal activity in an area quickly will send its people into high alert, causing more frequent guard patrols and citizens to arm themselves at all times. If you don't get away with your antics, at least try to talk or pay your way out of a public branding or whipping, as both will massively lower your reputation where they happen.
Wearing nobleman's clothing in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 can give you a sizable boost to your charisma
— provided you're not speaking to a bandit on the side of the road.
(Image credit: Windows Central)
Overall, the level of reactivity that Kingdom Come 2's developers have achieved is nothing short of astounding, and because of it, its open world is one of the most alive-feeling settings I've explored in a game. It's also a massive one, with double the total square mileage of KCD's map and well over 100 hours of side quests to play through. These, along with the more set piece-heavy main story quests, are incredibly varied and see Henry do everything from quietly investigate a missing persons report to bravely help defend against a bombastic siege.
Speaking of combat, Kingdom Come's direction-based melee system got some huge improvements in the sequel. Firstly, many enemies are now less likely to perfectly block and then riposte you, promoting more offensive gameplay and the use of satisfying attack combos. Additionally, groups of foes no longer constantly sprint to stay right on top of you, but also generally attack together cohesively more often. This means that being outnumbered is more of a threat, now, but since you don't have to constantly backpedal just to keep your opponents in your view, it's one that's fun to deal with rather than a frustrating annoyance.
The biggest change is a rework to the Master Strike — a maneuver in which you counterattack your opponent as they try to land a hit on you. In KCD, enemies could perform this on you frequently, and it was pretty easy to do yourself since you just had to perfect block (block when a green shield icon appears) attacks quickly. At higher levels, this disincentivized attacking and encouraged you to turtle, which I never found fun. In KCD2, though, Master Strike is exclusive to swords and requires attacking an enemy from the opposite side of their own attack, making it far more difficult — and thus, far more exciting — to use. The fact it can't be used without swords also adds an interesting complication to consider when fighting enemies that have them; normally, it's a good idea to attack a foe from the side opposite of their current guard, but against a swordsman, doing so risks being hit with a Master Strike.
My only real complaint is that armor feels a bit less impactful and important to consider than it did in the first game, with chainmail making less of a difference than I'd expect it to in particular (plate is as effective as you'd expect it to be). This is hardly a serious issue, however, and on the whole, combat is a blast to engage with.
A screenshot of the combat UI in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.
(Image credit: Windows Central)
If you'd prefer fighting from afar, Kingdom Come 2 features crossbows and handgonnes in addition to the return of the humble bow and arrow. The three weapon types each have their niche, with the bow being the best option for sustained fire, the crossbow offering ease-of-use in exchange for a slow fire rate, and the handgonne's incredible firepower offset by its reload speed, difficulty to aim, and the scarcity of the gunpowder and ammunition it uses.
Some other noteworthy additions in the sequel include blacksmithing — complete with its own immersive minigame — and Henry's dog Mutt. The former allows you to buy materials, smith weapons out of them, and then either use them or sell them for a profit, while the latter can be ordered to help you in combat, distract someone while you're sneaking around, and track scents, among other things. And, yes, you can pet him (doing so and feeding him ensures he remains obedient, actually).
KCD2 review: Story (no spoilers)
Protagonist Henry and Father Godwin, a returning character from KCD.
(Image credit: Windows Central)
Henry's (Tom McKay) story in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 picks up exactly where it left off in the previous title, with him joining nobleman, best friend, and deuteragonist Sir Hans Capon (Luke Dale) on a mission to deliver a letter from their lords to one of Sigismund's closest allies: Otto von Bergow, the lord of the Trosky region. The message contains vital information about a potential attempt to broker peace between Bohemia's warring lords, but a surprise attack by a particularly large bandit troop stops the group from reaching Trosky Castle. All but Henry and Hans are slain, and the two wounded men are forced to seek aid from a local herbwoman to survive.
I'm not sharing any spoilers here beyond what previews already revealed, but once the two manage to get back on their feet, what follows is a terrific story with great twists, a cast of lovable characters, and Henry's internal struggle to overcome his desire for revenge after what happened to his family and hometown. Hans, witty and comedic as he is, also goes through a significant arc in the narrative, while both new and returning characters like the hilarious drunkard priest Father Godwin add plenty of flavor to your adventure. It's a tale that has it all — bleak tragedy, grand triumph, and everything between, with top-notch performances from Tom McKay, Luke Dale, and others to tie it all together.
Compared to the original Kingdom Come, the story in the sequel is also much easier to follow and has much smoother pacing, despite the fact that it has no shortage of unpredictable surprises. The first game's writing often fell short in these respects despite how much I ultimately enjoyed it, so to see those issues addressed so effectively here is fantastic.
KCD2 review: Visuals and audio
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's vast scenic landscapes are absolutely jaw-dropping.
(Image credit: Windows Central)
While Kingdom Come didn't have the most realistic visuals when it came out in 2018, its gorgeous art direction still solidified it as one of the most beautiful-looking titles of the last generation. Its picturesque medieval landscapes and painstakingly modeled houses, castles, and pieces of equipment from the time period were a feast for the eyes, so I went into Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 very excited to see how it would elevate the presentation seven years later. And as the screenshots throughout this review show, I have no reason to be disappointed.
Indeed, what Warhorse has built here undoubtedly stands tall as one of the most visually impressive games ever developed, rich with the finest details, stunning naturalistic lighting, and what seem like impossible draw distances. A few of its visual effects aren't the best — quenching your piece during blacksmithing has a cheesy 2D fire effect that stands out in particular — but all in all, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a graphical spectacle.
The game's score and sound design are equally worthy of high praise, with composers Jan Valta and Adam Sporka delivering a grandiose orchestral soundtrack developed over four full years of work. It's complimented wonderfully by catchy tunes played on period-accurate instruments like lutes and shawms, along with a deep and expertly implemented soundscape that brings Bohemia's lush forests, bustling villages, and brutal battlefields to life.
KCD2 review: Performance and stability
Even during large-scale siege battles, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 ran excellently on my PC.
(Image credit: Windows Central)
With performance being such a major issue in Kingdom Come: Deliverance, I was worried that it would once again tarnish the experience with the sequel as well. In my experience, though, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has run near-flawlessly on my Intel i5-12600K, NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti SUPER, and 32GB RAM system. With everything cranked up to Ultra on my 3440x1440 ultrawide, I consistently had an excellent 80-100 FPS, with the game only dropping into the 70s during large-scale battles. I also haven't encountered a single crash, stutter, or freeze for the entirety of my playthrough, which is something I wish I could say about other new releases.
The game has also been remarkably free of noteworthy bugs and glitches; I've had some minor things like NPC voices changing during games of dice or a dialogue not progressing to the next scene properly unless the skip input is pressed, but by and large, the performance and stability has essentially been flawless.
Keep in mind, however, that this review was conducted with the PC version of the game, so I can't speak to how it runs on Xbox Series X|S consoles. My colleague Rebecca Spear has been playing on PC gaming handhelds, though, and reports that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 runs wonderfully on them. Keep that in mind if you use something like the ASUS ROG Ally.
KCD2 review: Conclusion
Along with Henry himself, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is host to a wide variety of different major and minor characters.
(Image credit: Windows Central)
Given that I was a big fan of the original title, I went into Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 expecting to greatly enjoy the follow-up, too. Even so, I was thoroughly surprised by how perfect of a sequel it is, with Warhorse building on everything fans loved about KCD while simultaneously fixing its major story, combat, and performance issues. Between the immersive reactivity of its huge open world, countless varied quests to fill up your journal with, its engaging well-balanced combat, a gripping story, and immaculate presentation, it's got everything a Kingdom Come fan could want and more.
Truly, it's one of the best Xbox games and best PC games of 2025 so far, and a clear early frontrunner for Game of the Year. As I said at the start of this review, Warhorse Studios' new masterpiece is a must-play if you love RPGs, and it's sure to be a treat for anyone who enjoys historical settings, too.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 releases February 4, 2025 for $59.99 on Windows PC (Steam, Epic Games, GOG) and $69.99 on Xbox Series X|S and PS5 consoles.
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