It's almost time to return to 15th Century Bohemia with Warhorse Studios' Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.
In the first game, we followed the story of the blacksmith's son Henry as he rose to prominence as the bodyguard of Lord Hans Copon across a historically accurate Eastern Europe during the Middle Ages. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 follows on directly for the end of the first game's epilogue, with Henry, Hans and their entourage on their way to Trotsky Castle to deliver a letter to Otto Von Bergow.
It's an open-world game experienced in first-person, placing the player in the shoes of Henry. As with the Deliverance, the game is heavy on the life simulation. Like Red Dead Redemption 2, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 fully immerses players into the game world requiring them make sure Henry washes, eats and sleeps. This emphasis makes the game a bit heavy at times, which may be off-putting for someone wanting a light jaunt through medieval Europe.
After a brief action sequence that throws the player into the game, we join Henry on horseback, accompanying Sir Hans Copon and his men to Trotsky. Things quickly take a turn for the worse, as whilst Henry and Hans are bathing, their camp is attacked, and they must flee. Injured and half-naked, the pair seek shelter with an old woman in the forest before continuing to Trotsky Castle- where they are laughed off as the filth-encrusted vagrants that they appear.
Injured and ill-equipped, the pair plot how to get their message to Otto Von Bergow, resulting in Hans falling out and abandoning Henry. Penniless, the player must venture out into the beautiful but hostile landscape.
What immediately grabbed me was just how everything looked so realistic. From the way carts cut ruts into forest tracks to the meticulously modelled barns and buildings, nothing looks out of place or left to chance. The detailed world is ripe for exploring, and this, I found, is the best way to play the game.
The game thrust me into the open world rather under-prepared. It's not a very forgiving game and the autosaves are sometimes far and few between. Drinking saviour schnapps allows you to save at any time, but you need to have schnapps in your inventory to drink it.
Luckily, the game has a whole potion crafting system. It is, however, rather comprehensive and involved. Realism, again. But you can brew any number of concoctions if you have the ingredients.
As I trekked to my destination, to visit a character that I'd been directed to for some much-needed weapons training, I stumbled on some bandits robbing the owners of a horse and cart. Conflict ensued, which didn't go well, and I found myself back in the town at the last checkpoint save. A couple of misadventures later, I decided to do things differently.
Even at the start of the game, I had a few quests and side quests to choose from. I had my dog to find, a wayward hermit's daughter that also needed finding, and a wedding to crash. So, if one quest proved too much of a challenge, there was always something else to do. I found that it's a game vast and complex enough that it's best tackled organically. Without rushing, the rich world offered up its own adventures.
The world looks amazing. Crytek's CryEngine game engine still delivers almost photo-real environments and beautiful lighting. A few times, I felt the need to stop and take in the scenery, watching the rising sunshine through the branches of trees. The visuals really are something else. From the forests to the castles in the distance (that you can actually visit) the world looks alive and lived in by the denizens that you meet along the way.
Whilst the game strives for authenticity, the plot is not without humour, as dark as it may be. Henry, having been caught due to me clumsily trying to lockpick a door in broad daylight- in front of all and sundry, must endure an extended time in the stocks. You can sense his despair, but the unfortunate scene and the subsequent montage made me chuckle. The characters behave realistically, as well. Henry's awkwardness and the sometimes earthy conversation from the locals help ground the realism.
Whilst I played for hours, I felt I only just scratched the surface. As with its predecessor, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a game I can see myself playing for a very, very long time.
