It feels like ages since I last played Kingdom Come: Deliverance, which was originally released in 2018. While at PAX West, I had the chance to test out a mission from Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, and it gave me a glimpse into the grand scope of the upcoming sequel.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II The Upgrade
The preview opens with you in the town of Kuttenberg, where you meet a friendly man recruiting apprentices for his sword technique school. You have the option to ignore him and go about your day, or you can ask for a sparring match. I chose the latter, eager to test my mettle. During the sparring match, I was getting accustomed to the sword-fighting mechanics. You can direct your sword’s angle and left-click to attack from that angle. If you manage to strike from a position his sword can’t parry, you land a hit. However, you must be cautious, as he can attack from various angles too. If your sword is positioned correctly, a shield icon appears over your angle indicator, signaling that you can block. By right-clicking at the right moment during his attack, you can block and follow up with a counterattack.
The sword-fighting mechanics, as well as the alchemy and blacksmith systems, are designed with a strong emphasis on realism. This realistic approach allows players to deeply engage with the systems they enjoy, while completely ignoring others if they choose.
Unfortunately, I lost my sparring match. This caught the attention of another sword-fighting academy, which wanted to shut down the school of the man I was helping. Using my diplomacy skills, I convinced them to let him stay in the city, but they demanded a duel between the two sword-fighting schools. To make this happen, I had to sneak into their school hall and steal their prized possession—a finely crafted sword—to display it in front of the whole town. I had to be cautious, as the law in Kuttenberg requires citizens to carry a torch at night. Without it, I would look suspicious, which could lead to trouble. Luckily, I succeeded in stealing the sword, and the man I supported was able to challenge the rival school to a tournament, where the winner of two out of three matches would claim victory.
My time with the game ended around here, as I found myself exploring the map and icons in town, which was a bit overwhelming at first. I was told that my experience with the demo could have been vastly different depending on the choices I made. I could have ignored the man entirely and spent time wandering the city or exploring the surrounding plains, getting accustomed to the mechanics. Had I won the first sparring match, I wouldn’t have needed to challenge the other school at all. Alternatively, I could have been caught during the theft and thrown into prison, forcing me to find another way to resolve the school rivalry.
Playing Kingdom Come: Deliverance II was a real treat. It is certainly a game to keep your eye out for. They implemented a ton of mechanics routes and choices in this game to give the player the most freedom they can possibly have in a more historical medieval environment. I am looking forward to all the different choices and routes this game can have in all the other quest lines too.
If you want an immersive experience in the world of a historical medieval region, then Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is the game for you. This is a must-buy for me! I love medieval fantasy and medieval history! Just Medieval games in general are my cup of tea.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II releases February 11th, 2025 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
