The original Kingdom Come Deliverance was in some ways unfortunate. For reasons that would be annoying and exhausting to revisit, it got caught up in the whole GamerGate thing from a decade ago, and this tainted many people’s perceptions of it. On top of that, the game itself did several infuriating things that make it harder to respect as a piece of historical fiction than something like Dynasty Warriors – as over the top as those games can be, at least they never give you the impression that they were developed by frat boys that find “alpha male” nonsense amusing.
However, if you could push that stuff aside, Kingdom Come Deliverance also had a lot of merit to it. Like good historical fiction, it opened a window to a part of history that people who aren’t locals don’t often get the chance to learn about – in this case Western Europe in the early 15th century. Many of us like to think that we know something about this period of history, but really how many people actually know about Wenceslaus IV’s capture by Sigismund, let alone what was going on with the lower nobility and common people back then? Not that many. Kingdom Come Deliverance II kicks off as a direct sequel to the first and, after an exhaustive opening that re-introduces you to the protagonist, his background and story, throws you back into a meticulous effort to recapture that era of history.
For just one example of how the game establishes its own identity through detail, in the village that you start in following the opening credits, the opening moments take place at a tavern. I found myself spending a bit of time watching a music performer that had decided to start playing an instrument, and a couple of tavern patrons that were dancing to the music. I know enough of European folk dance to know that the developers had indeed researched this, and it was a lovely, incidental touch that really set the scene.
After that, there was a brawl with local dignitaries, some time spent in a pillory, and then I was largely left to my own devices, with plenty of things to consider and do to move the story forward. “Living” in Kingdom Come Deliverance II can be a surprisingly emergent storytelling experience above and beyond the main narrative, and is much more nuanced than it was in the first game. The AI of the other villagers, guards and the like is quite good at “reading” your actions. Stay on the straight-and-narrow and you’ll be fine, but if you start conniving to do things like steal and be places you shouldn’t be, then the town will figure out that you’re probably guilty, even if no one actually sees you do anything, and before you know it you’ll be a wanted man. This isn’t to say you can’t indulge in a life of crime if you want to, but you’re going to need to carefully figure out how to do it without loitering in the wrong places, without walking around suspiciously, and avoid talking to the wrong people.
I was less enamoured with the combat than the social side of the game. It is, however, better and more accessible than in the first game. Combat requires that you move your weapon between five different stances, so you can attack your opponent from all angles and also block their attacks when they come in. In practice, though, the fact you’re holding heavy weapons with a lot of inertia means that timing, responsiveness, and the rest can be difficult things to master. This is not the elegant responsiveness of an Elden Ring, or the simplicity of a game where a warning pops up that an enemy is about to attack you, so you quickly press the parry and riposte buttons. The developers have made some sacrifices to give combat an enjoyable feel to instead authentically recreate the utter mess of what sword fights actually looked like back then.
With that said it is better than the previous game and I subsequently found it easier to tolerate. My only real issue with it at this stage is that it’s obnoxiously difficult to switch between targets when more than one enemy is attacking you, and even then they have a habit of ganging up on you in a way that massively increases the threat of the encounter – where one enemy is manageable, two enemies can quickly become catastrophic. But then this is, again, realistic to the types of weapons and combat of the era, and perhaps I just need more practice.
I’ve only scratched the surface of Kingdom Come Deliverance II, but already I am finding this to be a far more refined project than its predecessor. The game looks gorgeous, has an incredible eye for detail, and is convincing me as a work of historical fiction. Time will tell whether the overall game undermines itself with some of the juvenile elements that somewhat soured the first game, but for now, it also seems to be a more serious effort, and it’s a game I’m finding myself enjoying a great deal.
