In my opinion, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 1 was one of the best RPGs of the past decade-despite its notorious bugs and performance issues at launch (some of which still persist). It had a gripping story, an immersive open world, and a memorable cast of characters. KCD2 takes all of that and improves upon it in almost every way. This game is close to brilliance. Close.
KCD2 is a fantastic open-world RPG packed with content, making it well worth the price. In an industry flooded with half-baked releases, this game stands alongside the best of the past decade, proving that passion and quality still matter. While it has flaws-some of which I'll discuss-they don't ruin the experience.
The Bad:
Stealth - As someone who isn't overly fond of stealth mechanics, I found KCD2 relies on them far more than its predecessor-and they're not well-implemented. Several missions force you into stealth with no alternatives, breaking the roleplaying experience. There are too many of these sections, and they often feel frustrating rather than rewarding.
Henry - I found Henry far more irritating in this game, which is a problem considering he's the protagonist. There are multiple instances where his dialogue and actions are scripted, regardless of your playstyle. The game seems intent on steering him down a "righteous" path, even if you prefer a more ruthless or pragmatic approach. Personally, I enjoyed playing a rogue Henry-pillaging, killing, and following orders, no matter how brutal-but the game constantly nudges you toward being the noble hero. On top of that, Henry can be downright idiotic at times.
The Saving System - This was a major issue in the first game, and it's just as frustrating here. A game with frequent stealth sections should not have a restrictive save system. Being forced to redo long sequences because you can't save freely is infuriating. PC players can fix this with mods, but console players are out of luck.
Archery - If you enjoyed using bows in KCD1, prepare for disappointment. Archery has been massively downgraded-it feels clunky, imprecise, and practically useless. The game clearly pushes you toward crossbows or, worse, those awful pistols.
No Theresa - This is a huge loss. Theresa was the heart and soul of the first game, yet here she's only briefly mentioned. While characters like Katherine and Rosa are great, none of them fill the void she left.
The Good:
Visuals - If you thought KCD1 looked great, KCD2 blows it out of the water. The environmental detail is stunning-no game does trees, foliage, and landscapes quite like this one. The world feels alive, and the lighting is breathtaking. Watching the sunrise paint the hills in golden hues is a sight to behold. Character models are mostly well done, though a few faces are clearly copy-pasted.
Length & Content - The main story alone took me 60 hours, and that's without touching the many side missions. If you dive into everything, this is easily a 200+ hour experience. Add in the RPG elements that shape the story, and you're looking at over 300 hours of gameplay. This is what RPGs should be-massive, immersive, and rewarding. Why would anyone spend £60+ on a game they can complete in 10 hours?
Characters - Aside from Henry, every character in KCD2 is fantastic. Your group of misfit friends, Hans, even the minor NPCs-they all feel distinct and well-written. I do wish Radzig and Hanush had bigger roles (they're basically cameos), and Divish is notably absent. That said, the cast is excellent. Also, Godwin is back, and is a major character too. It's good to have him.
The Story - The biggest improvement over the first game. While KCD1 had a strong narrative, KCD2 takes it to another level. The story flows beautifully, with cinematic pacing and excellent dialogue. There are some truly standout moments that make it feel like a high-quality TV series or film.
Music - Just like the first game, the soundtrack is cinematic and brilliant.
Cinematics - The cutscenes in this game go hard. Seriously, if you stitched them together, you'd have an incredible movie. The direction and presentation are outstanding.
Polish - I can't speak for the console, or low-end PC performance, but on my high-end PC, the game runs beautifully. I encountered very few bugs and no game-breaking issues. Compared to the first game's launch, this is a massive improvement.
Final Thoughts:
KCD2 is a brilliant RPG and will likely be one of the best games of the year. Of course, bigger releases are on the horizon, but this has set a high bar.
As for the so-called "controversial themes" people keep talking about online-they're barely present. There are no forced LGBT moments, and anyone claiming otherwise hasn't played the game. They're lying. The inclusion of diverse characters is handled naturally, and Henry's reaction to meeting someone different from him is actually quite fitting for the time period. Complaints about this are just noise.
At the end of the day, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is an easy 9/10. I do hope the devs fix some of its issues-there are more than I listed here, but I didn't want this review to turn into a novel. I'm also looking forward to the DLCs and expansions. This world still has so many stories left to tell, and I sincerely hope this isn't the last we see of Kingdom Come.
