Couchpotato spotted a documentary about Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (English subtitles) on Vortex:

Epilogue: Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (Documentary)

In 2018, we launched our first documentary dedicated to Kingdom Come: Deliverance. We went behind the scenes at Warhorse Studios and watched the final days leading up to the game's launch. We later revisited the studio. Working directly for Warhorse, we created an official making of in collaboration with some other handy folks, and we brought you a feature accompanying the announcement of the second installment. Now we can finally pick up where it all began. Once again, we went to the offices of the developers and spent some time with them just before and just after the release of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. And you can be part of it again thanks to our video. In doing so, we once again teamed up with Ondra Bojo and Martin Bojo, with whom we've worked on all previous projects of this type.

Mortismal Gaming checked out the hardcore mode of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

KCD2: Hardcore All Negative Perks - Thoughts & Tips After Completing It

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Trent Kusters chats with Prokop Jirsa, Lead Designer of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Creating the Immersive World of KINGDOM COME DELIVERANCE 2 | Game Maker's Notebook

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The first Kingdom Come: Deliverance II DLC offers three endings:

The first KCD II DLC features three endings - shaped by your choices

Your path in "Brushes with Death" decides the fate of the painter and his final work.

A masterpiece is never just about paint - it’s about the hands that guide it.

In Brushes with Death, the first DLC for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, your decisions shape more than just the story - they determine the fate of a troubled artist and the legacy he’ll leave behind.

[...]

PS: Patch 1.3.2 = 1.3.1 + hotfix is available for download

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MP1st reviewed the DLC Kingdom Come Deliverance 2: Brushes With Death:

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 "Brushes With Death" DLC Review - Splash of Pain

It’s time to take up arms again as you journey back into Trosky for a new adventure. That’s right, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's first story DLC is now available, and though it doesn’t set out to continue the grand story of the base game, it does offer a gripping tale of intrigue, loyalty, and bloodshed—one that stands on its own, yet echoes with the weight of everything that came before.

If you’re looking for more of what the original release had to offer, then look no further, as Brushes With Death delivers just that.

Steel Yourself, Warrior - Fate Calls You Back to Trosky.

The tale of Brushes With Death begins with Voyta, a painter who is strapped to a pole, left for death, that Henry happens to stumble upon in his journey. After a brief skirmish against a pack of hungry wolves, Henry saves Voyta, who is forever in his debt. 

However, after rescuing Vojta and spending more time with him, Henry notices troubling signs—Vojta frequently speaks to himself, or worse, holds conversations with a painted human skull. In an era where the lines between faith, madness, and superstition are blurred, it becomes increasingly clear to the player that this story delves into the fragile realm of mental illness.

[...]

That said, if you’ve already finished the game, you might want to wait. With more DLC on the way, it may be more satisfying to return when multiple expansions are available, giving you a fuller experience in one go.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Brushes With Death is now available on all platforms Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is on. 

Score: 8/10

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GamingBolt reviewed the DLC Kingdom Come Deliverance 2: Brushes With Death:

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2: Brushes With Death DLC Review - The Final Verdict

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Mortismal Gaming reviewed the Brushes with Death DLC:

KCD2: Brushes With Death - DLC Review

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PC Gamer checked out the Brushes with Death DLC:

Kingdom Come 2's first expansion feels like the base game's best parts distilled, but don't expect a game-changer

Also, rocket cat.

You've got to envy folks in the middle ages. I mean, not the plague. Not the religious zealotry, either. And certainly not the subsistence farming. But give them some credit: they lived in a world of magic. You couldn't leave the milk out without some hobgoblin stalking in to curdle it. Every weird happenstance or downturn in fortune was attributable to Lucifer, spirits, gremlins, Baba Yaga, witches, demons, or some kind of sector-wide trade union composed of the whole lot of them.

It's these fragments of superstition that make for some of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's most fun and absurd parts, and they're front and centre in its first expansion, Brushes With Death. Pagan gods, basilisks, a mysterious painter whose best pal is a skull that tells him secrets—it's all here, baby, and that's just in the two hours I've played so far.

[...]

IGN reviewed the DLC Brushes with Death:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 - Brushes With Death Review

Brushes with Death DLC will be released on May 15:

KCD2 DLC trailer - Kingdom Come Deliverance II 2 Brushes with Death - May 2025 official release

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Gematsu reports that Kingdom Come: Deliverance II sales top three million.

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Couchpotato spotted a new dev stream for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Dev Livestream #7

Mortismal Gaming checked out the recent Kingdom Come: Deliverance II update:

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2: Hardcore Mode & Other Updates

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A hardcore mode for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is now available:

Hardcore Mode arrives April 15

A tougher, deeper, more immersive Bohemia awaits.

Ready to suffer? Good. Hardcore Mode lands in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II on April 15.

This isn’t just a difficulty spike - it’s a whole new way to play. Your position is no longer shown on the map, fast travel is gone, and the compass? Useless. You’ll need to navigate the world by sight and local gossip alone.

At the start, you’ll pick at least three negative perks to carry for your entire journey. It’s not just harder. It’s more immersive, more brutal, and more Bohemia. Whether you’re chasing a challenge or looking for a new way to lose yourself in 15th-century Europe, Hardcore Mode is your next test. Ready?

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Couchpotato spotted a Tom McKay interview:

Kingdom Come 2's Success Has Been a Fever Dream for Henry - Tom McKay at the BAFTA Game Awards

Lits Play interviewed Creative Director Daniel Vávra:

Writing KINGDOM COME: DELIVERANCE 2 with Creative Director Daniel Vávra

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How motion capture was done for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Making of: Motion Capture Routine

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The RPG Codex has reviewed Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

RPG Codex Review: Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

Foreword

Are you bored with the saturation in generic medieval fantasy settings? Did exploring a random dungeon hidden behind a cabbage stall result in your saving the world after fighting yet another dragon?

Did you ever wonder what would happen if we got rid of all that sorcery and embraced something more real? Closer to actual medieval Europe?

Look no further, as Warhorse studios has you covered with a return to 14th century Bohemia, where you once again take the reins over the peasant Henryk and go seek revenge. Can you escape class struggles and bring modern values to a war-driven world? Can Vavra be trusted with historical accuracy when parsnip looks like this:

[...]

The End

Seven years have passed since the release of KCD1. Clearly, that time was spent on turning the franchise into a movie instead of improving the game systems. You can no longer go with the excuse of it being a janky/indie game, and one should expect more. If anything, it feels like a regression (save for the visuals).

Regardless, contrary to my rants, I shall return to KCD2 when hardcore mode gets (re)introduced, as proper sandbox experiences are rare and I do have the itch for it. Do not expect me to bother with the story, though, and I hope that mods make crossing regions available without having to experience the endless cutscenes first.

When you jump into the game, remember that sauerkraut is the superior food choice, and I hope you pick it over the Janosh sausage in your travels.

Couchpotato spotted a new trailer for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II The Devil’s Pack Trailer

Modding is now available for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II.

RPGFan reviewed Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

I wasn’t sure how to feel about a sequel to Kingdom Come: Deliverance. The first game delivered on the “novelty” of a massive, open Elder Scrolls-esque game about realistic medieval times: no magic, no dragons, and characters based on real people who lived in the 1300s. But though it was an impressive effort for Warhorse Studios’ first game, its ambition sometimes overreached in its simulation of a harsh reality with obtuse, janky systems and an unwillingness to help the player get initiated into intentionally unfriendly environs. For Round 2, the developers made a few tweaks in all the right places, and it made all the difference as they deliver on the promise of their original premise in the fantastic Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. 

[...]

In terms of living up to lofty promises based on Kingdom Come: Deliverance, Warhorse Studios absolutely nailed it for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. The bonkers story, fantastic characters, and the right improvements to combat carry the day, but the more mundane tasks like smithing and alchemy make for an impressive and fascinating representation of what daily life may have been like during a specific point in history. There are endless adventures here to dig into, and even though it requires a significant investment of time, for those bold enough to brave it, it’s time well spent. Long live Warhorse Studios! 

Score: 90/100

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Tech4Gamers reports that the script for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II took 6-7 years.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s Ambitious Script Took 6-7 Years

KCD2 Features The Biggest Video Game Script So Far!

Story Highlight

• Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 team spent 6-7 years writing the game’s script only, as confirmed by Tobias Stolz-Zwilling.
• The global PR manager at Warhorse Studios further remarks that the writing never ends, and there are always new ideas and things to do.
• The game’s script is the biggest in the gaming scene, with 2.2 million words. Baldur’s Gate 3 features over 2 million words in comparison.

[...]

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Skill Up reviewed Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

I *very* strongly recommend: Kingdom Come Deliverance II (Review)

Entertainium checked out Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Thy Will Be Done: Our Editors Rundown on Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II was surely a surprising announcement given the somewhat shaky reception of the original game, and now, having played through the game over the last few weeks, it has shown that it’s certainly been worth the wait! With Gareth and Eduardo in tow for the ride, we take a look at our experiences diving into Bohemia, with what we most liked about our time there and how it shapes up against the competition.

So get your multi-layered pads and armour, sharpen your family’s heirloom sword, and be sure to concoct plenty of healing potions, because we are taking a good look at this early hit for 2025!

[...]

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Daniel Vavra explained Gamepressure why storystelling in games is often bad:

„Why are stories in games so often so bad?” Daniel Vávra asks about lack of games with stories on The Witcher 3, RDR, MGS, and KCD 2 level

The head of Warhorse Studios wanted KCD 2 to be a game with a believable narrative and such characters. Because, as he put it, the stories in games are often very bad.

Daniel Vavra of Warhorse studio also misses games with good narration and points out the reason why there are so few such titles.

The head of the Czech team remains active on social media, whether he's sharing materials dedicated to Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, or boasting about the game's success (and incidentally scoring points against internet users who stubbornly continue to try to prove that KCD 2 is a "flop"). The developer also doesn't hesitate to point out very positive reviews, which are supposed to be the "engine" for human creativity.

Is the product instead of the artist the cause of poor narration in games?
In a similar yet somewhat different tone, Vavra highlighted what he thinks most captivates players in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2: "authentic characters and story." He is a fan of titles offering such narration and cast, and he wanted to create a similar game with his team.

In this context, the developer asked the question: why is the plot in games so often very bad, rarely even approaching the level represented by Red Dead Redemption, Metal Gear Solid, or The Witcher 3?

According to Vavra, the reason is simple: games are treated more as a product, with more emphasis on "production" with "teams and managements" rather than "artists." Czech compares this to his view of the film industry, where the director and screenwriter with a "vision" take precedence, overseeing it throughout the project's development.

[...]

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Eurogamer thinks Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is a techical success:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is an old-school technical success on PC

Smooth, polished and performant on day one - the way things should be.

Unlike the majority of its peers, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 launched as a complete, polished game - one that's old-school in the best possible way. That's a welcome relief from the usual, and certainly worthy of praise despite a few lingering issues.

Perhaps one reason why KCD2 is in such a great state is down to its choice of engine. CryEngine made its name powering large, open-ended levels like those in the original Far Cry and Crysis, and it was tapped for the original Kingdom Come Deliverance game back in 2018. The new game uses a DirectX 12 version of the engine, but unlike most DX12 titles the game doesn't suffer from the stutter, hitches or otherwise troublesome frame-times that we've come to expect from modern PC releases.

Rather than playing on a high-end PC, I spent most of my time with KCD2 using medium settings on a mainstream build, complete with a Ryzen 5 3600 CPU and RTX 4060 or RTX 4070 Super graphics card. Even with the older and/or mid-range components, frame-times remained solid when targeting 60fps. Most notably, the game doesn't exhibit shader compilation stutter, so seeing new effects never triggered frame-time hitches over hours of play.

[...]

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Twisted Voxel reports that Kingdom Come: Deliverance II approaches 2 million sales.

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Kingdom Come: Deliverance II will get official modding support:

Official Modding is Coming to Kingdom Come: Deliverance II!

Get ready to shape Bohemia in your own way.

Bohemia is about to get even more exciting – official modding support is coming to Kingdom Come: Deliverance II on Steamworks! Stay tuned for more details on how you’ll be able to create, tweak, and expand your medieval adventure.

GamingBolt thinks other devs should learn from Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

What Ubisoft And WB Games NEED TO LEARN From Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

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Gameranx checked out Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II - Before You Buy

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The BBC spoke with the Kingdom Come: Deliverance actors Tom McKay and Luke Dale:

Nine years and 3 million words of script: Acting in a video game epic

You'll often hear about actors and the role of a lifetime, but for Tom McKay and Luke Dale it's especially relevant.

For the past nine years they've dedicated most of their working lives to two video games - Kingdom Come: Deliverance (KCD) and its sequel.

Added together, the scripts for the role-playing epics set in 15th Century Bohemia run to more than three million words, according to their makers.

It's thought that KCD 2, which came out last week, could be the longest single video game script ever written.

Both actors spoke to BBC Newsbeat about what it was like to be part of such a huge project and working with the game's controversial director.

The original KCD was something of a slow-burn sleeper hit. Its review scores were respectable when it released in 2018 but it wasn't universally acclaimed.

However, it found a passionate fanbase in the months and years afterwards and the appetite for a sequel grew.

KCD 2 arrived to positive reviews and sold one million copies within 24 hours of launching.

The sequel follows the story of Tom's character Henry of Skalitz, a blacksmith's son turned knight, and Luke's character, the impulsive Sir Hans Capon.

It's a sprawling, open-ended game that allows players to carve their own path through it.

This means it's possible to find important characters or items outside of the storylines that revolve around them, and the game will respond to these variable possibilities.

That's something the game's developers have to account for, and something that Tom in particular, as the main playable character, needs to act out over and over again with subtle differences each time.

It meant hundreds of hours of studio time and repeat trips to Prague, where developer Warhorse Studios is based.

He says it was "one of the most amazing and unusual acting challenges" he's faced.

"You would kind of go down one channel of a decision and then come halfway back up and go down another one and then maybe all the way back up to the beginning and back down," he says.

"And that's not an acting challenge that you ever would have in TV or film."

[...]

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RPG Site reviewed Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Review

It's almost hard to believe that it's been over a decade since the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance successfully underwent a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter. In a world where Skyrim was only a few years old, Dragon Age Inquisition was about to release, and marketing for the upcoming The Witcher III: Wild Hunt was in full swing, Warhorse Studios was promising something a little different. A 'realistic' open-world RPG in medieval Europe, with "dungeons and no dragons". The game didn't really have 'dungeons' either, to be fair.

I reviewed the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance when it was released in 2018, 4 years after the conclusion of the Kickstarter campaign. I found a lot to like in the game's quest design, cinematic direction, and widespread role-playing numerical abstraction to the game's many mechanics. However, it faltered a fair bit in its storyline, balance, and incredibly frustrating technical problems. In fact, I may suggest reading that original review in addition to this one, as much of the design philosophy has maintained itself between franchise entries. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is essentially Warhorse's chance to take a promising-yet-flawed start and capitalize on its potential. It's a more fully-realized glow-up, for sure.

[...]

Despite the noise, I think Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is a remarkable RPG that offers a role-playing style not often seen. It does everything that a sequel should do, polishing up the rough edges of the original game and improving the scope while making smart adjustments to the gameplay. Combining dense RPG systems with immersive style and immersive cinematic aptitude, it's a strong showing for Warhorse.

Score: 8/10

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Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is successful:

Wccftech: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Sells 1 Million Copies

GamingBolt: Why Are GAMERS ADDICTED To Kingdom Come Deliverance 2?

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Eurogamer reviewed Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Review

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Henriquejr spotted a Kingdom Come: Deliverance II review on PC Gamer:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 review

KCD2 is just as bizarre and ambitious as its inspirations. Thank god.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 might be the most specific RPG I've ever played. Everything from its location, to its era, to its combat, to its clothing feels hyper-tuned, dialled in with precision to suit oddball tastes.

Looking for a sweeping fantasy romp? You won't find one. Like its predecessor, this is a game whose story springs inevitably from the politics of its time and place: the Kingdom of Bohemia in 1403. Want to mow down your foes by the dozen? Good luck. Combat is a strange dance of positioning both your hands and feet relative to those of your enemies, and charging into the fray even in the late game is liable to get you cut apart. Want to equip a hauberk without first equipping a padded gambeson beneath it? What are you - some kind of moron?

[...]

Signed, sealed, delivered
KCD2 feels a bit miraculous: a ludicrously ambitious and peculiar thing that somehow fulfills its ambition and peculiarity, managing to hit the highs Warhorse aimed for in the first game but perhaps fell just short of.

It feels tailor-made for a certain brand of systems-loving sicko—the kind of person who still gets starry-eyed about Stalker and Morrowind—and manages to actually make good on their (or at least my) nostalgic yearning for those halcyon games of old.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a big, bold, unutterably weird thing, and it's a new RPG classic.

Score: 90/100

Couchpotato spotted two Kingdom Come: Deliverance II impression-videos:

Gameranx: Kingdom Come: Deliverance II - Before You Buy

Mortismal Gaming: Kingdom Come Deliverance 2: Random Stuff I Loved About It

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II has been released:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Official Launch Trailer

A thrilling story-driven action RPG, with a rich open world, set in 15th century Medieval Europe. Experience the ultimate medieval adventure - through the eyes of young Henry - as you embark on a journey of epic proportions.

Couchpotato spotted some reviews for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

GamingBolt: Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Review - A Masterclass Open World Experience

IGN: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Review

GamesRadar: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 review | An utterly absorbing realization of medieval life

Fextralife: Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Review - A "Return to Form" For RPGs

Mortismal Gaming: Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 - Review After 100%

Couchpotato spotted a new dev livestream for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Dev Livestream #4

Couchpotato spotted a behind-the-scenes video for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II | Behind The Scenes by Platige

Couchpotato spotted a Kingdom Come: Deliverance II CGI trailer:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Official CGI Trailer – Live a Life Medieval

Couchpotato spotted a new trailer for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 - Official Things to Do in the Countryside Trailer

Worth a Buy checked the frame rate of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II with several settings:

Kingdom Come Deliverance II - Frame Rate test PC

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GamingBolt explains why Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is so unique:

What Makes Kingdom Come Deliverance 2's Open World Unique

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Here's the after-launch-roadmap of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Roadmap Trailer

Extend your journey in 15th-century Bohemia with the post launch roadmap for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. A full year of new content begins this spring, including updates and the Expansion Pass to continue Henry’s story.

Gamingbolt compares Kingdom Come: Deliverance I and II and claims that it could be a niche hit like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: 

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 1 vs. 2 – What’s New?

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Could be 2025’s Stalker 2 (And Why That Excites Us)

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Skill Up checked out Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come Deliverance II - Unique, vast, immersive and brilliant (Hands-On Impressions)

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GamesRadar checked out Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Preview | a historical epic RPG

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Couchpotato spotted more interviews/previews for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Iron Lords Podcast: Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 | Exclusive Sir Tobi Interview | Realistic Gameplay, Story, & Combat!

COG: Henry’s Adventure Continues in Kingdom Come Deliverance II

Rock Paper Shotgun: After five hours, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a beautiful and blundering Boy's Day Out in Historyland

Game Pressure: After 30 hours in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 I'm hungry for more

WolfheartFPS checked out Kingdom Come Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is Absolutely Wild (Initial Impressions)

A thrilling story-driven action RPG, with a rich open world, set in 15th century Medieval Europe. Experience the ultimate medieval adventure - through the eyes of young Henry - as you embark on a journey of epic proportions.

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Couchpotato spotted several previews for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Fextralife: Gameplay Final Preview - Hands-On Impressions From the First 10 Hours!

Nerd Stash: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Hands-On Preview: A Legend in the Making

TSA: Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Final Preview – Use mace on bandits, it’s quite effective!

LoG: Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Preview Discussion

LoG: Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Preview Gameplay Footage

LoG: Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Exclusive Interview with Sir Tobi

Mortismal Gaming checked out Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 - First Impressions

GamingBolt compares Kingdom Come: Deliverance I & II:

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 vs 1 - 15 BIGGEST DIFFERENCES You Need To Know

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If you pre-order Kingdom Come: Deliverance II you get a bonus quest:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II - Pre-order now and claim the bonus quest!

Glory favours the prepared.

Pre-order now and claim The Lion’s Crest bonus quest, available Day 1.

Adventure waits for no one.

The time has come for you to take the first step in continuing your journey through the heart of Bohemia. We are thrilled to announce that pre-orders for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II are now open!

By the grace of God, the story of our hero, Henry, continues, so sharpen your swords, don your armor, and prepare to once again walk the storied lands of Bohemia in an epic tale of honor, betrayal, and vengeance.

Secure your place among the first to experience this epic saga by pre-ordering today! As a token of our gratitude for your unwavering loyalty and valor, those who pre-order will receive an exclusive questline that delves deeper into the mysteries of the kingdom. Complete this perilous journey, and you shall be rewarded with a set of legendary armor and a weapon of great renown, forged to aid Henry in his most challenging battles yet.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II arrives 4 February 2025 on PC, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5.

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Impulse Gamer interviewed Tobias Stolz-Zwilling about Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Tobias Stolz-Zwilling Interview and Hand’s On Gameplay

The highly anticipated sequel to Kingdom Come: Deliverance is slated for Feb-5-2024, a thrilling action RPG set during the chaos of a civil war in 15th century Bohemia – 1403 A.D. Central Europe to be exact. It continues the narrative of protagonist Henry of Skalitz, a young man who is not only learning where he fits in this medieval world but what it means to become and “be” a warrior.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II… The Preview

As of today, Kingdom Come: Deliverance has sold an astonishing 8 million copies worldwide and its sequel has been in development since 2019. To celebrate its launch, Plaion invited a handful of journalists and content creators to their Sydney office to not only experience the game hands-on but also discuss the game (Kingdom Come: Deliverance II) with the charismatic Tobias Stolz-Zwilling, the PR Manager from Warhorse Studios who not only sported a Viking inspired beard but proudly held a medieval pike during the media presentation.

At its core, Kingdom Come: Delivered II (KCD2) is an action RPG that is set in the real world which means no magic or mythical creatures or as Tobias explains “a huge open-world RPG with knights, castles and swords… There are dungeons but no dragons. We are trying to show the middle ages as it could have been – with real sword fighting and real historical events”.

Tobias describes the protagonist Henry as “vanilla” as it is up to the player to build who he will become and that the choices in your dialogue will dictate the narratives, including the outcome of quests. He adds, “There are moral choices that can change who survives or who dies. Sometimes (for the player), it’s a classical dilemma where all the decisions are shit and you have to find out which of those is the least shit”.

[...]

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You can catch up on the Kingdom Come: Deliverance II livestreams here.

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GamingBolt checked out Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 - Can This OPEN WORLD ACTION RPG Deliver The Goods?

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Couchpotato spotted some for info about Kingdom Come: Deliverance II on IGN:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2: 8 Details You Shouldn't Miss - IGN First

Take a tour around Kuttenberg:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2: City Tour Developer Walkthrough - IGN First

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Learn more about the combat of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Official Live Action - Combat

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Couchpotato spotted some survival tips for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 - 8 Developer Tips for Surviving | IGN First

IGN explains the enhanced combat system of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

How Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Evolves Its Combat

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 had a weighty task to spar with: following up on one of the most in-depth, skill-based, historically-inspired melee combat systems to ever slice its way into the RPG world. But it's no secret that it was an uphill battle just to become competent with the first game's complex directional strikes and precisely-timed blocks. Plenty of players bounced off of those demanding skill requirements. But the technical demands of the combat, and the feeling of getting better as a player, were also a huge part of what made it great.

Warhorse's goal for the sequel, then, was twofold. They wanted to lower the skill floor required to play competently – without getting your butt handed to you in a cloth sack by any random bandit – but also raise the skill ceiling required to take on the very most unforgiving optional challenges. In terms of the story, this checks out. Henry was a complete nobody in KCD1, but by the time the sequel begins, he's been an aspiring swordsman for quite a while now. It wouldn't really make sense for him to still be struggling against poorly-trained opponents.

On Your Left…
The first way this is obvious is that KCD1's five attack directions have been reduced to four: up, down, left, and right. Swords use all four, but not all weapons do. Polearms, for instance, generally only have three, which is something to consider when choosing a fighting style. KCD1 also had two different attack buttons: slash and stab. In KCD2, all basic attacks are generally slashing. Thrusts still exist as part of multi-hit combos, but only on weapons where they make sense. You won't be poking people with the tip of a blunt weapon like a mace, for instance.

[...]

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Kingdom Come: Deliverance II will be delivered a little bit earlier on February 4, 2025.

Here's the story trailer:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Official Story Trailer

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IGN checked out Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 - Exclusive In-Depth Hands-On

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Learn more about the 15th century Bohemia:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II - Exploring Bohemia

Exploring Bohemia: Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?

The world of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II provides two very different, yet equally authentic visions of 15th century Bohemia.

In Trosky you have a playground where the rich and powerful play political games with the population’s fortunes. Elsewhere, the natural beauty of the Bohemian Paradise provides a backdrop for the simpler - yet no less vital - struggles of village life.

In our own medieval history, there were two key factors that would have determined how these sorts of settlements and cities evolved over time. The first is obvious enough: wherever there were rich food supplies or natural resources to exploit, village life - followed by towns and cities - would inevitably have sprung up. The second is a little more surprising.

“Societies formed near any kind of monastery, because they were always rich, even if the surrounding area wasn’t the best!” explains Ondřej Bittner, senior game designer at Warhorse Studios. "The monasteries were able to hire many people from all around the local area and start new branches of industry.

“They were the first ones to have vineyards, for example, or the first to have fishponds. In the beginning these industries weren’t started by the lords of the land, they were started in the monasteries because they had the money!”

From this broad starting point, the developers and historians at Warhorse then look to historical records and cultural artefacts to help recreate a society that feels authentic to its time, yet remains immersive as a game world that’s fit to accommodate a crafted narrative adventure.

This is not always a simple process, however. Joanna Nowak, historical consultant at Warhorse, talks of the detective work that lies behind some of the detail.

“Written or visual sources mostly tell us about the rich, or they just focus on the most significant events from history,” she says. “They don’t really describe everyday life in the village, and what people were talking about.

“They were also talking with a mixture of different languages in different regions, but we do have oral history in the form of folk songs. Even if they were written in the 19th century, they are proof of history being told through the generations.

“Our biggest helpers are often the nuances,” Nowak continues. “Even a flower that’s just an ornament in a painting helps us [understand the world]. The villagers who appear in the background are sometimes a little bit of a caricature, but they still provide us with important information.

“And although I’ve studied history, I try to think like an engineer, or a scientist. If I see something repeated a hundred times, there’s a big probability that it really happened.”

Bittner explains that we can gain further indirect insight by looking at the social rules that would have provided crucial structure for even this simpler side of Bohemian life.
“Their social life is more complicated [to recreate] but we can look at town laws, for example. If there’s a town law for something, you can be pretty sure it’s happening!
“When I studied data mining I worked on historical data, where statistics can also tell you a huge amount. If you analyse what people were throwing out, for example, you get a really good grasp of their life.

“You understand that pottery was a little bit like our plastic. You could break things, throw them out and very cheaply buy a new one! There were also the little pilgrimage pins that they made in their hundreds of thousands. These were then sold at the pilgrimage sites as a mass market thing.

“And of course we have bones too. We can read so much from the teeth of people, like what they’ve been eating and so on.”

In other words, it takes a careful combination of historical fact, indirect detective work and imaginative world-building to bring Bohemia to life! Brought together it all makes for a deeply immersive vision of the past you’ll be able to explore for yourself when Kingdom Come: Deliverance II launches on 11th February 2025.

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IGN presents 43 minutes of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Gameplay - The First 43 Minutes | IGN First

Couchpotato spotted the second Kingdom Come: Deliverance II dev livestream:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Dev Livestream #2

Premiera CZ Dabingu Kingdom Come Deliverance II

Couchpotato spotted the first Kingdom Come: Deliverance II dev livestream:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Dev Livestream #1

Couchpotato spotted a dev livestream for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Dev Livestream #1

MrMattyPlays thinks about Kingdom Come Deliverance 2:

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 - I have thoughts...

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DSOGaming reports that Kingdom Come: Deliverance II will not have Denuvo on PCs.

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Gamesradar explains why there are no guns in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II.

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Couchpotato spotted some gameplay of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Official Gameplay Showcase

Learn more about weapons and combat mechanics in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II - Weapons and combat mechanics

New combat techniques are out there just waiting to be discovered.

Unlike many action RPGs that rely on simplified combat systems, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II continues the first game’s tradition of placing weapon mastery entirely in the player’s hands. It is your mastery of a weapon’s specialised techniques that determines your success - or failure - in combat, rather than an unseen roll of the dice!

That success comes from delicately teasing out each opponent’s weaknesses, and mastering an intricate world of parries and ripostes. With sword in hand, it’s a case of carefully angling your swings and pulling together combos to bring your targets down with ruthless precision. 

Each fighting style in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II provides you with the freedom to make Henry’s journey your own. If you favour brute force over delicate flourishes, it’s enough to master the axe or the mace and see out the journey in a frenzy of heavy-handed destruction - deeply satisfying in its own right, if a little blunt. 

If you wish to go deeper into the intricacies of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II’s combat system, however, there’s a world of finessed swordsmanship to master. New combat techniques are out there just waiting to be discovered, giving you the opportunity to advance your mastery and achieve the status of a true legend.

As with the first game - and its commitment to historical accuracy - the sequel returns with weapons typical of the Bohemian age - the sword, the axe, the mace, the bow. These are the common tools of combat that will serve you well whether raiding a bandit camp, surviving a skirmish, or ripping a rider from horseback with the business end of a halberd.

New to Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, however, are the crossbows. Building on the first game’s arsenal of bows and arrows, these immensely powerful weapons offer yet another opportunity for ranged devastation.

This was also a time in history where primitive firearms were making their slow transition from novelty status to a reliably deadly force, one poised to change the course of warfare forever. With one well-aimed shot you’ll be able to topple your target, the horse they ride on, and perhaps even the rider behind them.

As with all weapons in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II though, you’ll need to carefully maintain your firearm to prevent a catastrophic break on the battlefield. A sword that breaks is gone for good, but a poorly maintained firearm that fails will not just take your offensive power away from you, it’ll also explode in your hands and cause a self-inflicted injury.

As well as broadening the scope of weapons available in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, blunt and edged weapons have been made more distinct in both look and feel, deepening the immersion offered in each case. Combat animations have also been improved across the board, thanks to a diverse roster of motion capture actors selected for their suitability to wield each weapon type.

If you prefer to take a more hands-on approach to dispatching your opponents, you’ll be able to immerse yourself in the blocks and counter-attacks of a ruthlessly raw hand-to-hand combat system. Meaty, intuitive locks, grips and throws can now be employed, allowing you to grapple your opponents into submission in ways never before seen in action RPGs.

This deepened melee combat provides another opportunity for the tactically-minded too. Enter combat unarmed and you’ll have the chance to deftly disarm your opponent. With your opponent exposed, will you break them into submission with your bare hands, or dispatch them with a swiftly-drawn sword of your own?

As with all things in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, combat is deeply immersive, historically accurate and designed to give you the freedom to achieve victory your way - and through the dedication and mastery you yourself bring to the adventure.

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How can you build the main character in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II ?

Shape and evolve Henry your way

While the world of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is handcrafted to be a historically accurate and deeply immersive medieval Bohemia, the game’s main character - Henry - is something of a blank canvas for you to complete as his story unfolds. Henry is a young man who has yet to develop deeply entrenched views of the world. As such, you’re free to develop his skills, morality and personality in ways that reflect both your own unique values and the deep gameplay principles of the Kingdom Come: Deliverance universe: that Henry’s skills level up as he uses them.

For example, as you master a weapon in any given class, your basic capability with other weapons within that class also improves, which then gives you access to new combat techniques. Master the darker arts of stealth and you’ll find it easier to distract guards and make effective use of disguises as you complete your deadly work in the shadows. Hone your blacksmithing and alchemy skills and your crafted items become more powerful.

As well as practising these skills (and countless others), additional progress comes from the discoveries you make in the world. You’ll find teachers willing to share a little of their expertise, or quests that reward exceptional knowledge. However you choose to progress through the ranks of each skill, you’ll feel the power and possibilities that come from true mastery of your craft.

In addition to these core skills, you’ll also uncover a host of perks throughout your journey: for example, you might learn how to enter berserk mode when your health is low, or find it easier to distract guard dogs, or prove more effective at charming the opposite sex; once learned, these perks remain active and add further flavour to your unique experience of Henry’s world.

[...]

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Farflame spotted a Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Q&A at Wccftech:

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Q&A – ‘Half of the Voiced Lines Aren’t Related to the Story at All’

Earlier this year, Warhorse Studios finally satisfied the many fans of its debut title with the announcement of Kingdom Come Deliverance 2. The Czech developer had been quiet for a very long time but came out of the shadows promising a 2024 launch and a bigger, better game in every respect.

The release had to be delayed a little beyond the original plan to February 11, 2025, but the rest of the promises remain intact, as testified by Chris's recent hands-on preview. At Gamescom 2024, I also got my hands on the game, although the session was much shorter than the one available at the dedicated press event.

A game like Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 doesn't lend itself well to a quick 45-minute demonstration. The combat system is similar to that in the first game and remains highly unique, taking a bit of time to get used to after all these years (I finished Kingdom Come Deliverance at launch, so over six years ago).  Even so, some of the improvements were obvious from the get-go, such as better movement animations and facial animations. It was also great to experiment with the 'chat system' that allows Henry to seamlessly interact with passersby NPCs without entering the classic dialogue window, in a fashion that reminded me of Red Dead Redemption 2.

The visuals looked amazing, too, and the game already ran smoothly, which is very promising for the full game's optimization. After the demo, I interviewed Warhorse Executive Producer Martin Klima to dive deeper into what we can expect from Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 when it launches in less than five months.

When did you start working on Kingdom Come Deliverance 2? Was it immediately after the launch of the base game, or did you wait until the release of the final DLC?

It's hard to say, as developing a game is a complex process. I think we gradually shifted from supporting Kingdom Come Deliverance, and I would say that only after the release of the last DLC and the last update were we able to focus on the sequel.

I know that you've kept the CryENGINE. Did you consider any other engine early on?

When we finished KCD, we took a look at the technology we were using and were considering our options, but we decided that keeping CryENGINE made the most sense for us because we spent a lot of time customizing it for our needs and I think we are very happy. I'm quite proud of the performance we have now.

[...]

RPG Site checked out Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is the game that Warhorse Studios always wanted to make - Preview

Even though I own it three times over (I’m weak when it comes to seeing a video game on sale), the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a game I haven’t sunk much time into. As someone who loves the Elder Scrolls games, there’s an allure to playing a stat-heavy, super crunchy RPG, and the fact that these games are based around large historical events is just a nifty added bonus. So, when I had the chance to check out the upcoming sequel, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, at PAX West recently, I threw on my best tunic and leather pants and got to it.

Described to me as Dungeons & Dragons without the dragons, KCD2 is set in medieval 15th-century Bohemia (modern-day Czech Republic), where you once again control the former blacksmith turned hero, Henry. Picking up directly after the first game, players will be thrust into a story that sees good ol’ Henry going up against Sigismund of Luxembourg, aka the Holy Roman Emperor. In the demo I played, I got to explore a snippet of the new, large city of Bohemia and witness how the team is incorporating branching decisions into their quests by testing Henry’s sneaking skills in an attempt to steal a rival swordsman school’s sword.

Tobias Stolz-Zwilling (he goes by Tobi), International PR Manager for the game’s developer, Warhorse Studios, sat me down and directed me to speak to a gentleman in the street to begin the quest. Moments later, I was dueling a master swordsman from Germany. As Tobi later explained, this duel would impact events later in the quest and could have allowed me to skip an additional duel with his apprentice. It was just the beginning of the branching situations that would tailor this event and make it unique to my playthrough.

[...]

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Monstervine checked out Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Preview – Deep Dive into Medieval Bohemia

By the time Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 comes out, it’ll have been seven years since the first game’s release, which was a pretty impressive game upon release. It is an open-world, historical medieval RPG with a deep combat system emphasizing authenticity. So you may be wondering where you go from that, and the answer’s simple: double down on everything that worked and improve the things that didn’t.

The Return to 15th Century Bohemia
Set in 15th-century Bohemia, you’re once again in the shoes of Henry of Skalitz with the game picking up where the previous one left off with Henry on the way to deliver a letter to a nobleman. The sequel then deals with a civil war that plagues the country, but instead of delving further into that, my time with the game was focused on a smaller side quest.

My demo began with me meeting Menhard von Frankfurt, who’s supposed to be the new sword master of the town I’m in, only for him to butt heads with the current guild members due to some good ‘ol-fashioned bigotry. After a brief dialog where both sides met at an impasse, I opted to side with Menhard and he laid out his plan of showing off that he’s the best sword master in town. He simply needs to challenge the current master and defeat him, showing without a doubt he’s the best fit for the job. The only issue is the guild won’t accept his challenge, so to force their hand, Henry has to sneak into the guild’s manor, steal their ceremonial sword, and place it in the town square which will allow anyone to propose a challenge to the guild. Seems like a whole lot of ME doing things while this dude sits, but I suppose he is the sword master, not the “commit home robbery” master.

[...]

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The Koalition checked out Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Hands-On Preview – Medieval Mastery

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II was announced by Warhorse Studios earlier this year. Described as a first-person perspective open-world action role-playing game, Deliverance II made me want to explore a medieval setting despite having never played the first entry in the series.

During PAX West, I finally played a lengthy hands-on demo of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II and walked away impressed. Here are more thoughts on the wildly ambitious sequel and what you can look forward to when it drops early next year.

An Epic Historic Drama
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II concludes the story of the lead protagonist Blacksmith Henry of Skalitz during the 15th century in Central Bohemia. After joining a resistance movement in the previous game, Henry must become a warrior fit for taking down Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund, the man responsible for killing his family. While most of the story is still being kept under wraps, Warhorse has promised an even more immersive action RPG experience that is authentically medieval in every way possible.

Fans of the first game can expect a more fluid combat system and improved level designs set within a world that is twice the size. The cultural landscape of Bohemian Paradise and the bustling city of Kutná Hora are two huge regions with tons of activities and mini-games to explore. It’s also worth noting that playing the first game in the series isn’t required to enjoy this entry. This is ideal for new players like myself and others to dive into the story without playing catch up on everything that happened before.

[...]

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The Outer Haven checked out Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Hands-On Preview

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.

[...]

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Techraptor checked out Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II - Preview

Everything I loved about Kingdom Come: Deliverance is back in the sequel, just done in a bigger and better way. More importantly for some, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is more refined -- easier to get a grip on.

Because Kingdom Come: Deliverance is so crunchy with so much emphasis on trying to be as realistic as possible, it’s an easy title to bounce off of. Layer on top of that a combat system that takes some time to get used to, and it can be an even tougher sale. 

Thankfully, from the brief time I played with the sequel, a lot of that is much easier to get a grip on and understand right away. The sequel is just as deep with just as many moving pieces as before, just easier to manage this time. 

[...]

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Hey Poor Player checked out Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

PAX West 2024: Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Hands-On Preview

Big Medieval Energy

I’m just going to point something out real quick. When I talk about RPGs that I’ve played, I generally mean the likes of Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, Fire Emblem and the like. Games with sword and sorcery fantasy and over the top yet entertaining characters. What I generally don’t play are realistic or open world RPGs. Which brings us to Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. I demoed it this year at PAX West, and very quickly decided I probably wasn’t the target audience.

Developed by Warhorse Studios and set to be published by PLAION on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II frankly provides a shocking amount of in-depth realism and attention to detail. Everything from the traditions of the characters to the garb and even the language spoken is aiming to bring the player into a medieval European environment. And for the purposes of the demo, there was a lot of German machismo and warfare on display, though perhaps not in the way you’re expecting.

Now the starting point was supposed to involve my talking with a specific character, an arrogant and ornery swordsman looking to prove his worth to everyone else. Instead, I accidentally wandered all throughout the town, which was so huge I started to forget where I had came from. The developers actually had to help rein me in, and set me back on the right path. Then I talked with the swordsman, only to get into a bout of swordsmanship to test his claim. Short version, he wasn’t joking, and my butt was quickly handed to me after scoring one mere slice on his person. But that’s not the last time I had fun doing the wrong thing in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II.
 

[...]

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Insider Gaming reports that the Kingdom Come: Deliverance II script is 2 200 000 words long.

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Couchpotato spotted the Collector's Edition of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Collector’s Edition Reveal

The ultimate edition for true Kingdom Come: Deliverance II fans that you can preorder now! 

The Collector's Edition contains: 

• A 12” (30 cm) high Henry & Pebbles Statue 
• Coats of Valor Enamel Pin Set 
• An exclusive cloth map Alleys of Kuttenberg 
• The Letter of Hope 
• The King’s Rebels collectable cards 
• The Gold Edition 

About Kingdom Come: Deliverance II 

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is a thrilling Action RPG, set amid the chaos of a civil war in 15th Century Bohemia. 

You are Henry of Skalitz – an ordinary man doing extraordinary things – caught in a gripping tale of revenge, betrayal and discovery as he embarks on an epic journey, 'from a humble blacksmith's forge to the court of Kings', as he searches for purpose in this beautiful but brutal medieval world. 

From bustling city streets to lush forests, discover this open-world Medieval Europe through an unforgettable adventure filled with action, thrill and wonder. 

Insider Gaming checked out Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Preview: Purest Evolution of a Stellar RPG

In 2014, Warhorse Studios published a Kickstarter campaign to fund the development of Kingdom Come Deliverance. In a few months, the campaign had been completed more than three times over, and in 2018, one of the most realistic open-world RPG titles emerged to an overwhelmingly positive reception.

Now, the team is shaping up to release Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, a direct continuation of the first game and an evolution in every sense of the word. I recently got hands-on with KCD2 at Gamescom, enjoying a solid chunk of the game reserved exclusively for press participants.

This is my preview – enjoy.

Flawless Execution
To give a little context, my preview of KCD2 was set ‘around 50 hours’ into the game, with a strong and determined Henry of Skalitz facing down a local swordmaster and then taking part in a few events that unravelled after that duel took place. I had an opportunity to explore Kuttenberg, one of two super-sized cities in KCDII, and try out many of the game’s core mechanics:

Stealth
Open Combat
Lockpicking
Dialogue
Tournaments
Bartering

I’ve logged a couple of hundred hours in Kingdom Come Deliverance and would consider myself a huge fan. It was just a few weeks ago that I had the opportunity to interview Tom McKay, who plays Henry of Skalitz, the series’ protagonist.

When I stepped into KCDII, I was blown away to learn how much of an improvement it was over the first game. The team at Warhorse Studios has managed to do something remarkable, as KCDII has evolved immeasurably but retained the core concept and feel of the first game.
[...]

KINGDOM COME 2 Exclusive Open World Demo

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Gamingboulevard checked out Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Hands-on: Kingdom Come: Deliverance II – Gamescom 2024

It’s time to jump back into medieval times with, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. The deep RPG returns with a sequel and is shaping up to become everything fans want it to be. Let’s sharpen our sword!

Authentic 

The moment the demo started, it’s clear that this sequel will once again deliver authentic content. The developers at Warhorse Studios have clearly doubled down on their commitment to historical accuracy. The landscapes are as breathtaking but the demo put me right into a vibrant medieval town that was packed with things to discover. Every aspect of the environment feels lived-in and real, from the muddy roads to the humble village huts and impressive town buildings. The level of detail in the architecture, the clothing, and even the mannerisms of the characters feels researched, ensuring that the game doesn’t just look medieval, it also feels it. Of course it’s not a pure simulator but it does offer a nice look into those times.

This immersive atmosphere is further enhanced by the game’s dynamic weather system and day-night cycle, which affect not just the visuals, but also gameplay. During my quest I had to go steal a sword, which could easily been done during the night. Once you change to night however, you have to be more sneaky and watch out for the guards, really altering the way you approach the mission.

[...]

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Couchpotato spotted more Kingdom Come: Deliverance II newsbits:

IGN: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Developer Gameplay Commentary | gamescom 2024

Mortismal Gaming: Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 - New Gameplay & Details

Couchpotato spotted several previews for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

GGRecon: Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 dev on Witcher 3 comparisons, working with history, and adding guns

GGRecon: Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 dev on 'uncomfortable social dynamics' in 1403 Bohemia

Fextralife: Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Gameplay Impressions - I LOVE IT ALREADY Hands-on Preview

Couchpotato spotted several Kingdom Come: Deliverance II newsbits:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Official Gameplay Showcase

GameSpot: Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Has Evolved Without Sacrificing It's Heart

IGN: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 – The First Preview

TSA: Interview: How Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is going bigger and getting better

A new gameplay video for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Gameplay Teaser

Gematsu reports that Kingdom Come: Deliverance II has been delayed to February 11, 2025.

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CommanderIvy interviewed Cinematic Designer Filip Kilian about Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Interview with Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Cinematic Designer

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Gamingbolt reports that Warhorse Studios will present an extensive gameplay teaser and a demo at the Gamescom.

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Couchpotato spotted a piece of the Kingdom Come: Deliverance II soundtrack:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II - Soundtrack | ??? (Live – Press Event)

Epic Games gives an overview of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

How Kingdom Come: Deliverance II pushes the medieval RPG series even further

Kingdom Come: Deliverance made a major splash when it released back in 2018. The debut game from Czech developer Warhorse Studios embraced history more than the typical RPG, trading in the dragons and flashy spells of the Skyrims of the world for the colorful minutiae of real-life 15th-century Bohemia—including blacksmithing, bandit raids, and a civil war that actually tore the region apart more than 600 years ago.

It paid off, too. The original Kingdom Come: Deliverance has sold more than six million copies as of 2024. Now, six years later, its ambitious sequel aims to push its vision of the RPG even further, with bigger cities, smoother combat, and an even greater sense of freedom. As Lead Scripter Martin Ziegler puts it, Warhorse views Kingdom Come: Deliverance II as the game that the developer always wanted to make, with vast improvements across the board.

"We had our hearts set on making a sequel even before starting the first Kingdom Come: Deliverance, because we knew that we wanted to tell a story that would be larger than just one game," Ziegler explains. "Then during the development [of the original game] we had to leave a lot of really great ideas on the cutting room floor, which reinforced this idea even more, as we wanted to return back to them…Fortunately, the players drove the first game to a large enough success that we indeed have the opportunity to work on this sequel, and for that we’re very grateful to them."

The basic premise of Kingdom Come: Deliverance is one that is sadly rare in big-budget RPGs even today. You aren't a prince, a king, or a chosen hero. You are Henry, the humble son of a blacksmith. Henry seeks revenge against the Hungarian king Sigismund after his family is killed in an ambush.

In the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance, Henry allies himself with supporters of the Bohemian King Wenceslaus IV in order to help fend off Sigismund's continued raids on the region. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II will continue this story—though Ziegler indicates that you don't need to play the first game to follow what's going on in the sequel.

"We crafted the story of the sequel from its inception in such a way that it also stands on its own and makes it easy for new players to jump right in, and we’re gently reminding players of the major plot points from the first game through natural exposition in the first several hours," says Ziegler. "The two main threads continuing on from the first game are Henry’s quest for personal revenge and the national political conflict between [Wenceslaus] and Sigismund and its implications for the region—they intertwine a lot."

Ziegler describes the core mission of Kingdom Come: Deliverance as "inviting people to immerse themselves in a real medieval Bohemia." He notes that the original game focused on smaller villages, castles, and natural landscapes in this setting, due in part to the complications involved with crafting a large, lived-in city in an RPG like this. However, because Warhorse is much more experienced now—the studio has more than doubled in size since 2018—the team wanted to include the big regional city of Kuttenberg as one of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II's signature features.

"One major goal definitely was to bring the game to a large city," Ziegler says. "First of all, I think that it was a natural evolution of our core concept, because the cities were the heart of the society and naturally the place that we as modern players are attracted to visit. I feel that moving to a major regional city is a crown jewel of this idea. I’m really happy with how we portray Kuttenberg in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, especially with how deeply researched it is - and consequently, how it feels like a real, lived-in city."

[...]

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SxyBiscuit interviewed Warhorse Studios about Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 | Warhorse Studios Interview | New Details

Couchpotato spotted a new trailer for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 - Official Saints and Sinners Trailer

Fandomwire interviewed Luke Dale about Kingdom Come: Deliverance II and his role Hans Capon:

Luke Dale Talks Hans Capon, the Early Times of Kingdom Come: Deliverance, and the Upcoming Wonders of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (EXCLUSIVE)

Hans Capon's own Luke Dale discusses the difference between the two games, his hopes for a RuneScape crossover and more.

Not so many weeks ago the gaming industry was rocked with some good news for a change, as Warhorse Studios announced the upcoming release of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, the sequel to a much-loved and cult-favorite game from 2018. Naturally, fans have been questioning everything from the direction of the story, to the characters and actors involved, as well as the sequel’s features.

Thankfully we were lucky enough to speak to Luke Dale, the charismatic Hans Capon from the first game, and soon to feature in the second!

[This was a written interview so some answers have been edited for clarity and length.]

Luke Dale Can’t Stop Talking About Kingdom Come: Deliverance, its Sequel, and Tattoo Ideas!
For the FandomWire readers who may not be aware of who you are, would you mind explaining that, and also what you do?

I’m Luke Dale, an actor and filmmaker. I’ve been playing Hans Capon [In Kingdom Come: Deliverance] for nearly a decade.

How did you come to feature in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 1?

I was given the opportunity to audition via a self-tape. It was initially to play Henry. My friend helped me shoot the tape, I couldn’t stop laughing at his silly face, maybe this brought an added dimension to the audition, who knows?

After seeing the tape, Dan Vavra was convinced I would make a good Capon, and invited me out to Prague to read a little more for the role. They then offered it in the room. What a day!

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Couchpotato spotted a making of trailer for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II - Making of: Announce Trailer

Insider Gaming talked with with actor Tom McKay, who plays Henry in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

INTERVIEW: Actor Tom McKay Talks Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

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Wccftech reports that Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 looks stunning:

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Animations Look Incredible in New Gameplay Footage; DLSS, FSR Support Confirmed

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is going to feature some impressive animations, judging from some new gameplay footage that is making the rounds online.

The new gameplay footage, which can be watched below, courtesy of @ASexyBiscuit, was shown on Czech television, providing a quick look at one of the game's cities, likely the royal city of Kuttenberg, where most of the game will take place, complete with some NPCs going around their business. Not only does the city look impressive, but the NPC's animations look incredible, highlighting even more how the next entry in the series will be a major step forward to its predecessor.

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Windows Central gives an overview of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 FAQ - Release date, trailer, platforms, and other questions answered

Everything you need to know about the sequel to Kingdom Come: Deliverance.

After six years, Henry's come to see us once again in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. Warhorse Studios' long-awaited follow-up to its popular historical medieval 2018 RPG has finally been announced, and it looks to be even bigger, bolder, and better than the first game that I and so many others fell in love with.

Though the Kingdom Come: Deliverance sequel was only just revealed, there's actually a ton of great information we know about it thanks to an incredible overview video Warhorse recorded within Kuttenberg's St. Barbara's Church. This includes details about its gameplay, story, open world, and more.

I'm willing to bet good groschen you've got questions about all of these topics, and luckily, I've got the answers you're looking for down below. For those as well as everything known about Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's release date and platforms, read on.

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Knight's Arcade interviewed Warhorse Studios about Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 - Warhorse Studios Interview (English)

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IGN and Fextralife checked out Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Gameplay FIRST LOOK & EXCLUSIVE INFO @ Fextralife

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Dev Reveals Hidden Details in Announcement Trailer - Rewind Theater @ IGN

IGN interview:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Interview: New Setting Will Feature 'Wide Range of Ethnicities and Different Characters'

Warhorse Studios on what it means to be "twice as big" as the original and more in our new interview.

Earlier today, Warhorse Studios officially announced Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, the sequel to its popular RPG set in medieval Bohemia. In a private presentation to media, Warhorse Studios revealed it would be "twice as big" as the first game, among other details. It also confirmed that the sequel will continue the story of Henry, the protagonist of the first game.

Speaking with IGN over email, Warhorse Studios spokesperson Tobias Stolz-Zwilling shed additional light on what to explore from Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, including some of the practical implications of what it means to be "twice as big" as the original game. Warhorse Studios also touched on how the sequel will approach historical accuracy, and what the introduction of Kuttenberg will mean for the setting overall.

"The story and plot of [Kingdom Come: Deliverance] has evolved — it’s darker, deeper, and more cinematic, yet also crueler with pivotal decisions and plot twists that challenge the players’s conscience. Nevertheless, it retains its humor and down-to-earth approach," Stolz-Zwilling said. "As mentioned already, Henry is embarking on a journey from the countryside and local quarrels to a relatively cosmopolitan city that is besieged and occupied by the invading king. Naturally, in a place like this, people can expect a wide range of ethnicities and different characters that Henry will meet on his journey."

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is currently under development for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with a release date set for later this year. Read on for the complete interview.

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