Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 review – A perfect sequel in every way
Warhorse StudiosJesus Christ be praised, Kingdom Come: Deliverance is back! 2018’s medieval RPG quickly made a name for itself with its brutal realism, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is bigger, better, and even more epic.
While some found the first game’s hyper-focus on realism, tough combat, and rocky performance offputting, for many, it was the medieval RPG they were waiting for. With more sword fights, wartime politics, and medieval castles than you can shake a halberd at, it became a modern cult hit.
I spent dozens of hours in its open world, taking in the scenery, enjoying the score, and playing out the random encounters in a way I hadn’t since The Witcher 3.
In a year that brings back two of the most impactful gaming franchises of my childhood, Fable and Grand Theft Auto, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 was my most anticipated game. I’m delighted to say that it hasn’t disappointed, coming out swinging as an early game-of-the-year contender.
A fresh start
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 screenshots & details
- Price: $59.99/£49.99
- Developer: Warhorse Studios
- Release date: February 4, 2025
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
- Reviewed on PC
A fresh start
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 picks up immediately from where the first game left off – 1403 Bohemia. Sigismund has usurped the throne from his brother Wenceslas, and after his forces destroy Henry’s village and kill his parents, Henry is on a quest for revenge.
The first game ended with Henry and his best bud, Sir Hans, leaving to get Otto von Bergow’s support against Sigismund. You get ambushed on the way, losing all of your gear and some of your skills. You’re not quite back to the noodle-armed illiterate Henry who can’t swing a sword, but he’s no longer a master swordsman, thief, or the world’s strongest man.
You’re thrown into the open world with a few questmarkers to set you on your way. The first game was a slow introduction to how it works, while this sequel assumes at least some prior knowledge. It’s still a slow burn, though, with the early quests and activities running you through the basics.
This was a good balance. I could meet a bandit on the road and take him down without too much difficulty, but there was still that sense of progression as I learned new skills, acquired new armor and weapons, and built up my stash of groschens.
The perfect medieval sandbox
Once free to explore the open world, you really can do whatever you like – work the forge, lose all your money gambling in the tavern, help or terrorize the locals, be the pinnacle of knightly virtue or a drunken oaf, the choice is yours.
The open-endedness leaves a level of roleplaying you don’t often find in an RPG. It’s not as simple as a dialogue choice sending you down one route and blocking the other, all your gameplay choices matter, which can lead to both hilarious and gutwrenching situations.
Warhorse Studios / DexertoThere’s a main quest in which you have a few things to sort before riding out in the morning. You can get to know the local nobles before doing so, and my smooth-talking Henry found himself, ahem, cozy with a woman.
Our hero fell asleep and in a lurch of panic I hadn’t felt since that time I slept through an assignment deadline at university, it was morning, and Henry hadn’t completed any of the quests. This resulted in a mad rush to collect what I needed and return to Hans who, unlike my lecturer, was none-the-wiser. This added a level of fun that was totally my own doing.
Both the main story and sidequests will throw a lot of choices at you as you go along so choose wisely, there are multiple endings determined by the decisions you make.
The Middle Ages never looked better
The first area, Trosky, is a solid introductory location with deep sidequests and beautiful views. Jan Valta’s score is perfect again, expertly complementing the tranquil countryside and the dangers of combat.
KCD2 hits its stride when you reach the Kuttenberg area, which is huge, beautiful, and dense with activities and sidequests – to reference The Witcher 3 again, think of leaving White Orchard and entering Velen and Novigrad.
Kuttenburg is a marvel. The game’s major city is enormous, vibrant, lively, and diverse. What was so impressive about the villages and towns in the first game was how it felt like you were visiting a real historical place, not somewhere designed for a video game, and 15th-century Kutnaá Hora perfects it.
Warhorse Studios / DexertoKuttenberg is undoubtedly one of the best video game cities and it’s a joy to explore. Having several pubs, shops, and markets dotted around the city makes it feel functional, and its recreations of real-life landmarks like the Italian Court are incredible.
Epic story shows the horrors of war
As Henry carries on his quest for revenge, things get murkier. It’s not always a medieval romp, the main story continues to explore the consequences of revenge and how when the high lords play their game of thrones, it’s the common folk that suffer.
The story benefits from Henry getting more agency. In the first game, he’s almost dragged along for the ride with his overall arc unresolved, but here, he gets his chance for revenge – that’s all I’ll say.
With new regions also bringing a new cast of characters, it explores the ambiguity of ‘good’ in war. Being on the ‘right’ side doesn’t mean you’re a good person, and from a gameplay point of view, choosing the ‘good’ option is often a double-edged sword. While the battles are epic, it certainly doesn’t glorify medieval warfare.
Warhorse StudiosIt never descends into nihilism, though, there’s enough comedy and genuinely good people to keep it from just being depressing. It’s still a very personal story, with the friendship between Henry and Hans shining through, leading to some genuine warmth between the bloodshed, and both actors have upped their already strong game. Seeing Godwin, everyone’s favorite drunken priest, get more time in the spotlight is also a more than welcome addition.
While the main story is where you’ll have big moments and cinematic battles, the sidequests are your medieval sandbox. These have great stories to tell and are much more fleshed out than your simple fetch quests other RPGs have been guilty of.
Despite finishing the story after over 80 hours of gameplay, I’m far from done with Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and will continue to mop up these sidequests at a leisurely pace.
Easier combat is still no joke
Combat in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is hard. If you think you’ll be tearing through groups of bandits with flashy counters and deadly abilities, then you’ll come away disappointed. Enemies will attack any chance they get, slashing at you with all manner of medieval weapons like swords, axes, and maces, so a group of peasants can be more deadly than a fully armored knight.
In the early hours, I could win a one-on-one duel pretty easily but found it almost impossible to take on three or more foes. But by the time I was in Kuttenberg and had a full suit of plate armor, I was basically a walking tank again.
This is where the progression system shines. You won’t last a second if you go into battle helmetless with scraggly clothes, hungry, and injured. But as you build up your armor and skills, the game’s combat gets quicker, more responsive, and easier, and it’s for the better.
Warhorse Studios / DexertoIf you struggled with combat in the first game, you should find the sequel a bit easier. Enemies feel less aggressive, and fewer directions to attack and defend from make it more straightforward.
I favored a shortsword and shield for the satisfying combos, but Henry can become a master in whatever weapon you choose. Once you improve your skills and learn new moves, winning fights against enemies has never felt more satisfying.
No more performance woes
Kingdom Come: Deliverance suffered from game-breaking bugs and performance issues but you’ll find none of that here – it’s extremely well-optimized.
Seeing the PC system requirements worried me, but I’ve been playing on my PC and Steam Deck with stable FPS and no crashes. Other than some small issues mentioned below, Warhorse has learned from the last game’s rocky launch.
Warhorse Studios / DexertoIt’s not always a smooth (horse)ride
Despite loving the open world, combat, and plot, there were a few niggles. Bugs were nowhere near as prevalent as they were in the first game, but there were a few small issues like being unable to walk up a set of stairs without taking a running jump, and NPCs berating me as I approached, only to be perfectly pleasant in conversation.
Movement can still feel clunky at times too. Henry can’t climb anything above waist height, making even the smallest wall feel like a mountain. One example of this was when I thought I’d found a clever way to complete a quest by sneaking through a window, only to find I was left jumping into an invisible barrier. NPCs constantly closing doors in my face also tested my patience.
The main story also had a few quests that slowed the gameplay down, such as being a waiter at a council meeting. There’s also a lot of dialogue and while it’s well scripted and acted, it could feel like I was ticking off a checklist before moving on to the more exciting stuff.
Dexerto Review Score: 5/5 – Great
| Pros | Cons |
| Fantastic story with meaningful choices | Some quests slow down the pace |
| Gorgeous open world | Movement can be clunky |
| Tons of quests and activities | |
| More accessible combat and survival mechanics without losing identity | |
| Incredibly polished, only small bugs |
It’s obvious a lot of love has been poured into every facet of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.
If you found combat in the first game too difficult or the survival mechanics tedious, then the sequel’s streamlined gameplay might not be enough to change your mind.
However, if you were a fan of the first game, there’s so much to enjoy here. It’s clearly the game Warhorse wanted to make back in 2018, and it’s been improved in so many small ways. Bigger and better, it’s a must-play.
Aside from some clunkiness and the odd tedious mission, it’s hard to find another game that so expertly combines realism and fun, with tough but satisfying combat, a morally ambiguous but grand story, and a faithfully recreated medieval world brimming with stuff to do. It’s the sequel fans wanted, and I feel quite hungry for more.
For more information on how we score video games, check out our scoring guidelines here.