Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Gameplay Teaser Gamescom Opening Night Live

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Review – Unconventionally Brilliant Peasant Simulator

Let me start off this review by saying that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has provided some of the most frustrating gaming sessions in recent weeks. At the same time, the game has also taught me to slow down and take the logical step in.

Thinking that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is like Skyrim but without the fantasy elements is definitely the wrong approach. Because this RPG swings from being a simulator to a skirmish combat game, to an open-world adventure and back and forth. It hits so many genres that in a way, it forms its own.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Review - Unconventionally Brilliant Peasant Simulator

Some days I spent hours upon hours just working through mundane jobs. Sort of like my daily life in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. Be it hammering at a hot piece of iron while trying to craft horsehoes. The sparks flew around my screen and my room lit up as I sat there in a sort of daze, lost in thought, wondering exactly what I was doing with my life. As I closed the game, I can’t say I did anything meaningful during that session, but it was a few nudges up the ranks.

Other days I spent trying to get back to a town to deposit some of my gear because I thoughtlessly looted both bandits I managed to take down while on a trip through the valley in the shroud of darkness. Keep in mind, these two bandits were also their own hurdle, which resulted in me reloading my game save over a dozen times because I struggled to fight them.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Review - Unconventionally Brilliant Peasant Simulator

Of course, I didn’t think that carrying two chest pieces in my backpack, along with a war hammer and some undergarments would be such a big deal, until I realized I wasn’t playing any standard RPG here. So I slowly stumbled at a snail’s pace over the sand roads and through the grass fields to the nearest town in hopes there was a chest I could use.

Much of the Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 experience is spent troubleshooting some of the mechanics that are thrown at you. Mechanics that feel sort of unworldly at times. However, underneath these, there’s actually a fair point to them.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Review - Unconventionally Brilliant Peasant Simulator

Even the most basic parts of the game, like a simple chat with an NPC, can result in a full-on brawl because you end up choosing a snarky response to a line of dialogue. Either way, you lose reputation. Now, if you think of it, how many times have you thought to yourself, “I could say what I really feel” when chatting to a friend? But you don’t because you know it won’t be a good idea. In Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, the option is often there.

But Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is more than just a frustratingly enjoyable simulator-like RPG; it is also an excellent story. The game takes place after the events of the first game and follows Henry of Skalitz and Hans Capon as they get stranded in the Trosky region with basically nothing but the underwear around their waists.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Review - Unconventionally Brilliant Peasant Simulator

A fallout between Henry and Hans forces them to go their separate ways, and you, as a player, have to essentially make it through life with nothing. There is, of course, more to this all, but the story and general setup of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is part of the fun to witness yourself.

It helps that the game’s voice work and writing are brilliant. I found myself skipping fewer dialogue lines and actually listening to every voice, even after I had read what they were going to say.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Review - Unconventionally Brilliant Peasant Simulator

The game sets up the first initial goal, which is to get into a wedding. This ends the introduction, and I was thrown into the deep end. Trying to figure stuff out is again where this experience becomes so unique. I had to get a job, find my way through the region, take on the many obstacles that were thrown at me, and make sure I was at least washed at all times. Yes, because people won’t talk to you if you’re covered in blood or haven’t bathed in a few days.

Just when I thought I had my handle on things, new systems are introduced, and a larger land is explorable called the Kuttenberg region. I wanted to cry, but at the same time, the joy of the unknown was enough to put my stress to rest.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Review - Unconventionally Brilliant Peasant Simulator

Throughout this all, Henry and Hans go through some horrible situations. From being sentenced to death to torturing someone to the brink of death (I could totally have killed him). The main story is remarkable and I was often taken aback at just how much thought was put into all. Sure, there are some serious peaks that require careful decisions and thought; however, the rollercoaster plot had me completely obsessed with the very few main characters in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.

The story also touches on some sensitive topics like discrimination and xenophobia. So there’s an equal hidden message behind all the dastardly events that Henry and Capon are roped into. Not to mention various portions of the game are also played as entirely different characters. These chapters offer yet another unique take on the game’s lore.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Review - Unconventionally Brilliant Peasant Simulator

The main plot is then supported by a lot of padding. At times, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 forced me to slow things down and clean up quests around the map, work for a few days, and uncover certain mysteries around the land. No matter what objective I took on that day, I enjoyed it. Be it the mundane job at the pub where I had to pour drinks and serve drunk patrons, or some of the wild quests that were expertly woven into the game world.

The field of work I went into helped me grow in that profession. So while I made swords all day, I was able to rack up XP and unlock perks to make my job easier. The same goes for the complex potion making that is honestly an entire game on its own. It all contributes to the simulator aspect in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Review - Unconventionally Brilliant Peasant Simulator

If you’re not willing to embrace the steep learning curves in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, you might have a rough time in this game. Virtually every aspect of the game requires logical thinking because the systems are complex and are designed to feel authentic.

Even the combat isn’t just about swinging a sword around all willy-nilly while you slice enemies apart. It is a slow and steady approach, a duel more than anything else. I had to watch for attacks, counter in the right direction, and block when needed.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Review - Unconventionally Brilliant Peasant Simulator

The same goes for ranged weaponry. Firearms have to be manually reloaded and feel like they take forever to get ready to fire the next shot. The crossbow can shoot a single bolt before reloading, you have limited ammo, and you have to run around and find your missed bolts scattered around the tall grass. It is comical at times.

Thankfully, there’s no rush to get anything done in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. The game’s pace is both a good and bad thing here. Good because you can take it slow and absorb the gorgeous world there is to explore. Bad because the world isn’t that pretty after almost a hundred hours. The rolling hills and sand roads start to blend together with very little sense of discovery. But then again, the quests, the intricate systems, and the main story kept me going.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Review - Unconventionally Brilliant Peasant Simulator

As I mentioned at the start, I had days where I could not play Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. I was so annoyed by how unforgiving it can be at times. I had little patience to handle the systems that felt set up almost to make you fail. However, it all grew on me over time. I still had to be in the right mindset to enjoy the game. When I wasn’t, I ended up doing the boring work jobs or picking herbs for potions, because this felt almost therapeutic at times (and I could not get jumped by a group of bandits doing them).

If you haven’t played the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance game, this sequel is going to be unlike anything you have ever played. There’s a level of freedom here that feels polished and refined. The writing is worth the journey on its own because there’s a well-developed story here, of which I will likely never forget. If you played the first game and enjoyed it, you don’t need to be told what to do.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Review - Unconventionally Brilliant Peasant Simulator

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is the most frustratingly enjoyable game I have played in a while. It is exhausting while at the same time unconventionally brilliant. It requires a heavy constitution to sit through, but the payoffs result in a playground of infinite possibilities.

This Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 review is based on a PS5 code sent to me from PLAION. The game is available on 4 February for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. 

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Review

Summary

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is at times frustrating and overly complex making it one of the best RPGs you can play. 

Overall
9/10
9/10
Marco is the owner and founder of GLITCHED. South Africa’s largest gaming and pop culture website. GLITCHED quickly established itself with tech and gaming enthusiasts with on-point opinions, quick coverage of breaking events and unbiased reviews across its website, social platforms, and YouTube channel.

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