Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (2025): The Review
Overview
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II continues the brutally authentic journey of Henry of Skalitz, plunging players even deeper into the gritty realism of medieval Bohemia. With improved combat, richer environments, and a more refined story, this sequel builds smartly on the ambitious foundation of the first game. While it retains some of its predecessor’s quirks, it’s a bold and rewarding experience for those who crave immersion, historical depth, and a unique take on the RPG genre.
Score: 8.5 out of 10
The Positives✅
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is one of those sequels that doesn’t just follow the original’s footsteps, it straight-up outgrows them. The narrative hits harder, the world feels even more convincing, and the whole medieval atmosphere is ridiculously immersive. Henry’s story is packed with tension, humor, and genuinely human moments, especially when it comes to his evolving dynamic with Hans Capon, which carries a perfect mix of banter, frustration, and loyalty. The game frames its plot with smart use of flashbacks and hallucinations, which add emotional depth without feeling forced.
The writing is consistently strong. Dialogue sounds natural, decisions feel meaningful, and even the political side of the plot is easy to follow without drowning you in exposition. The pacing also works surprisingly well, intense battles and quiet, investigative moments balance each other out, making the overall story feel deliberate rather than bloated. Plot twists stay grounded, which makes them more believable than cheap “gotcha” moments.
On the gameplay side, the sequel keeps the original’s strengths but irons out some of the roughness. The directional melee combat feels more fluid, better animated, and still brutally tactical. Progression remains completely organic, your skills grow because you actually use them, not because you dumped points into a menu. The game lets you approach situations through diplomacy, stealth, or raw violence, and each path feels properly supported and meaningful.
The world itself is the star of the show. Medieval Bohemia is brought to life with absurd detail: bustling markets, lively cities, dense forests, and war-torn villages all feel handcrafted. Kuttenberg especially stands out as a living, breathing medieval city packed with personality and atmosphere. From lighting to weather to NPC behavior, every corner feels believable. Visually, it’s one of the most impressive RPGs on modern hardware, and it runs surprisingly well on Playstation 5.
Sound design seals the deal. The orchestral score elevates every scene, whether it’s a chaotic battle or a quiet walk through the woods. Sound effects are crisp, immersive, and grounded. Most voice actors deliver excellent performances, especially the main cast, giving the story emotional weight. All together, it creates an atmosphere that feels both cinematic and authentically medieval.
The Negatives⚠️
The game’s biggest strength, its depth, is also the thing that might push some players away. Combat is punishing. It demands patience, timing, and stamina management, and newcomers will absolutely struggle early on. Even experienced players can bounce off the difficulty curve if they’re not in the right mindset. It’s not unfair, but it absolutely expects you to learn the systems instead of button-mashing your way through fights.
The world’s sheer amount of content can also feel overwhelming. Between side quests, side activities, progression systems, crafting, alchemy, combat training, gambling, and random encounters, it’s incredibly easy to lose focus. The lack of strict guidance is fantastic for immersion but can leave some players wandering aimlessly. This “too much of everything” vibe isn’t a flaw in design, but it is something that will divide players.
Some quests still feel structurally rigid compared to the freedom the world offers. You’ll occasionally hit moments where the game clearly wants you to follow a specific path, even though it pretends you have more flexibility. These bumps don’t break the story, but they do stand out in an RPG that prides itself on open solutions.
A few NPC performances miss the emotional depth you’d expect given how strong the main cast is. These weaker moments aren’t common, but because the rest of the game’s writing is so polished, the contrast becomes more noticeable. In certain scenes, an otherwise dramatic moment can lose a bit of punch purely because a supporting character’s line delivery falls flat.
Lastly, while the overall experience is stable and polished, the learning curve is steep, no sugarcoating it. The game doesn’t hold your hand, and some players simply won’t have the patience to dig through the complexity. It’s not janky, it’s just demanding. For some, that’s exciting. For others, it’ll be exhausting.
The Experience 🎮
From the moment the game threw me straight into a chaotic battlefield, I knew it wouldn’t waste time playing safe. The opening ambush sets the tone immediately, desperate, messy, intense, and right when you’re getting pulled into the adrenaline, the story rewinds weeks earlier to show how everything fell apart. It’s a clever narrative hook, and it works beautifully.
Henry’s journey grabbed me almost instantly. His relationship with Hans steals the show, their chemistry is hilarious, tense, and genuinely heartfelt at times. Lines like Hans insisting his name “opens any gates” while dragging a half-delirious Henry to safety capture exactly why their partnership works. It’s messy, it’s chaotic, and it feels real. The cast surrounding them is just as nuanced, from grounded allies to morally complicated villains whose actions actually make sense within the world.
The open-world design is one of the most impressive I’ve seen. Nothing feels like filler. Side quests come with proper cutscenes, twists, and moral dilemmas that feel as important as the main story. Even the small things, crafting potions through actual step-by-step alchemy, forging your own weapons, gambling in taverns, feel meaningful instead of tacked on. The world responds to your actions, your reputation evolves naturally, and every decision feels heavy.
Progression is incredibly satisfying. Watching Henry develop through what you actually do, not what you assign points to, makes every hour feel productive. Whether you’re improving as a fighter, a negotiator, or a sneaky scout, the growth feels earned. And combat… yeah, it’s brutal, but that brutality gives every victory weight. Every swing of a sword matters. Every mistake matters. And that’s what makes it thrilling.
By the time the credits rolled, one thing was clear: this game isn’t just “more of the first one.” It’s a full evolution. It understands what made the original special and builds on it with confidence. The storytelling is richer, the world is denser, and the combat is sharper. It’s demanding, yes, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. At $69.99, the sheer amount of content, depth, and replayability makes it absolutely worth the investment for anyone who loves deep, grounded RPGs.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a game that sticks with you. It’s tough, uncompromising, and beautiful, a medieval experience that feels lived-in rather than designed. It doesn’t hold your hand; it asks you to meet it halfway. And if you do, it gives you one of the most memorable RPG journeys out there.
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