Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II continues the story of the blacksmith's son Henry against the backdrop of the Bohemian lands in the early fifteenth century, during the conflict between Wenceslas IV and Sigismund of Luxembourg. The game holds to a realistic approach with no dragons or magic: the world is made up of real places, ordinary villages, castles, and a city where you can get lost in alleys between craftsmen's workshops. The story works from the premise that the hero isn't a hero from the start, letting the player earn skill, education, and the respect of those around him.

The progression system has no classic classes: skills grow through what the player actually does, so horseback riding, blacksmithing, alchemy, persuasion, and swordplay all improve with practice. Combat is deliberately demanding, based on attack directions, blocking, and the advantages of specific weapons against given armor. Alongside that, the game features stealth, lockpicking, brewing potions by an authentic process, and the fact that a dirty or drunk hero will come across differently to people. Side quests often take the form of small mysteries with several possible solutions. Part of the world is also the characters' daily routine — they go to sleep, to work, and to the tavern — so theft or an assault has genuine witnesses and consequences.

On PlayStation 5, the game took advantage of stronger hardware for noticeably more stable performance than the first installment had on the older generation, along with fast loading of its sprawling world. The atmosphere is helped by restrained lighting, changeable weather, and music built on period instruments and choral singing. Reviews received the game very well, praising especially the storytelling, the wealth of options, and the care taken over period detail. For Czech players, the familiar home setting and full Czech dubbing carry particular value. Those unfamiliar with the first installment get a sufficient recap of prior events at the start. Expect a slower start and a game that rewards patience far more than quick reflexes.