Kingdom Come Deliverance II is bigger, better, and more involved | Hands-on preview

With its focus on historical accuracy, richly detailed Bohemian setting, and rip-roaring medieval RPG thrills, Kingdom Come Deliverance was a big hit back in 2018, captivating players with a deep and satisfying gameplay experience, stunning open world and wealth of interesting stuff to see and do. So successful was the original, that Warhorse has expanded hugely to develop a sequel, which promises to be bigger and better in every respect. We were extremely lucky to be invited to the beautiful town of Kuttenberg – a UNESCO heritage site once famous for the mining of precious metals – to get our hands on the follow-up Kingdom Come Deliverance II that is due to drop in early 2025.

To set the scene, Kingdom Come Deliverance II is again set in 15th Century Bohemia, an area of Europe now known as the Czech Republic. Kuttenberg features heavily in the 25km worth of world map, with other areas representing a “Bohemian Paradise”, with arcane sandstone architecture and the imposing Trosky Castle. Once again you take on the role of Henry from Skalitz, a blacksmith thrust into an epic tale of true old-school RPG sensibilities. There are, perhaps refreshingly for some, no dragons, elves, and magic potions here – although there is a spot of alchemy and crafting wacky concoctions as would have been de rigeur for the time. Straight off the bat, the player is thrust into a thrilling castle siege scenario as enemies swarm the walls and a menacing trebuchet is employed to cause carnage. This serves as a quick taster of what is to come; it is visceral, violent, and sweaty with introductory forays into sword and crossbow weapons – before things slow down and the thick of the story begins as you find yourself part of a travelling party with old favourite Hans Capon in a stunning countryside setting, preparing to set up camp for the night.

This section sets the scene nicely, as well as serving as a tutorial segment with gameplay mechanics like sword fighting, employing your trusty dog (you now have the canine companion as standard – it was DLC in the original game), consuming food, and discovering how different dialogue choices can affect not only the storyline but the way that other NPCs behave towards you. Combat is great fun. It has also been expanded upon from the first game, with fistfights now available, as well as the ability to disarm swordsmen in combat. Weapons and fighting have been expertly motion captured and it shows – it feels so satisfying and weighty. Speaking of weapons, Kingdom Come Deliverance II also has a load of new ways to kill people. The aforementioned crossbows are added to the mix, as well as primitive 1500s versions of firearms that can not only pierce armour, but can scare horses and opponents in combat.

This prologue segment introduces the rich vein of humour that runs through Kingdom Come Deliverance II, and I believe that the opening gambit dialogue-wise is actually a sexual swear word. For a game developed out in Czechia, there is a stunning amount of genuinely hilarious swearing in the game, including one exchange where a villager calls the protagonist a “prick” that had me guffawing like a miscreant schoolchild. But as I mentioned the dialogue branches are complex and affect the entire game. You don’t just choose how Henry develops via his skills and buffs, but by how he interacts with the other characters.

There are loads of playstyles to be experimented with and you can choose what kind of chap you want Henry to be as you work your way through the 80-100 hours of Bohemian shenanigans. Soldiers are handy with weapons and combat and have superior armor, as you would expect, but have a short fuse. Playing as an Adviser means that you can use your diplomacy and kind words to negotiate situations. The Scout is the stealth option, capable of operating with a degree of silence, going undetected, and suited to under-the-radar thieving and subterfuge.

Character traits include Persuasion, where speech helps moderate situations and bend the will of others to oblige to your requests. A case in point here is when you get caught up to no good and can attempt to talk your way out of being branded in public as punishment. Might is about being a respected, noble knight who is capable of punishing wrongdoers. Domination is about appearing impressive and wealthy, and dangerous enough to make people want to avoid you. Dread is literally presenting one’s self in a manner that others are terrified of you.

The notion of in-game charisma is based on your reputation – not just character-wise but also your appearance. Effective Persuasion of others is about who you are talking to, but also what you look like, and your rep. For example, threatening a group of thugs on your own is pointless, as is claiming to be a nobleman when you are dressed in the ragged garms of a tramp.
Appearance is important – and as with the previous game, there are multiple layers of armor and clothing to be tinkered with. Do you want to protect yourself effectively? You will need head protection underneath a sturdy helmet. A quilted set of hose. A quality chest gambeson. Shoes UNDER spurs. It is as deep and involved as it sounds. Obviously, if you are playing as a scout then you will need a lighter sneaking outfit. If you want to come across as a respected and wealthy nobleman then you will need a dapper ensemble to really pull it off.

Once the thrilling opening section has played out, including a bit of near-skinny dipping as Capon and Henry sneak through some fenland in order to spy on some ladies doing their washing, before things go very wrong, very quickly, there is an excellent passage of play that introduces some of the other accoutrements that are key to Kingdom Come Deliverance II. Holed out with a mysterious yet kindly old crone and on the lam, you learn lessons in looting and then hiding a corpse, concocting a healing potion with what is essentially a gathering quest for ingredients followed by a minigame, and then trying to talk your way out of being captured by some ne’er do-wells.

There are tons of things that can be employed as weapons, something I discovered when the spade needed to bury a cadaver was also effective in beating someone to death. The concept of time is also introduced – you can fast forward the clock in-game to initiate sleep and the night-day cycle. Oh, and you also have to eat stuff to sustain your vitality. You can even pray! It is very involved, but very rewarding, and even during this early part of Kingdom Come Deliverance II, it feels so vibrant, alive with possibilities and a truly impressive open world. With plenty of bawdy swearing and extreme violence.

The sheer scope of KCDII really hits home during the second section of the preview when we were unleashed 50 hours into the game with all of the systems working and plunged into the bustling town of Kuttenberg. You learn about how the game has a crime and punishment system and how your standing in the world is affected by how much of a wrongun you choose to be. You can play the game as a looting, sneaking thief, and deviant of the highest order – pickpocketing, breaking and entering, picking locks and just TWOC-ing to your heart’s content. The behaviour of the NPCs is bonkers in its attention to detail. Hang around a tavern and you learn that people are easier to rob if they have had a few sherbets. Similarly the general public can also steal from you – drop a nice item and there is a chance that an opportunist will pick it up and have it for themselves. But crime comes with potentially dire consequences – paying hefty fines or even ending up being placed in stocks for a spot of public branding. Of course, your overall reputation is also at risk if you lead a life of criminality.

The town feels huge with so many places to explore, with different events happening at certain times of day and night, and a lack of handholding that means you are really at the mercy of your own judgement, behaviour and sense of exploration. Choices and decisions heavily impact the course of the game. You effectively write your own story, and the things you do can change the course of Kingdom Come history. Characters can permanently die as a result of your actions in the game.

There is of course a core story running through the whole affair with returning faces (Big Bad Istvan Toth is present and correct!) and themes, and yes, some sections are linear, but on the whole what you can expect with this stunning sequel is a completely different experience every time. It is bigger, better, and more involved; it looks absolutely gorgeous – real historians put work into the development, and having driven through miles of beautiful Czech countryside on the way to the event, I can attest to how well they have interpreted it in the game. It is the closest you can possibly get to being a character in 1500s Bohemian lore, and I cannot wait to get stuck into the full game when it drops in February 2025.