🔞 ADULT: Id/ - High Quality

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70 hours! That's how long it took me to complete "Kingdom Come: Deliverance II"—a nearly perfect game. But why didn't it achieve absolute perfection? What was brilliant, what was unnecessary, and most importantly—was it worth it? Welcome to Kurevsko Dobre Novinky, packed with insights from both the game and real history! Beware of spoilers!

I was confident Warhorse Studios would deliver. Not in the way people expect Blizzard, EA, or Ubisoft to produce great games—I’m no fanatic. But some developers simply exude trustworthiness. Dan Vávra is one of them. The only controversy came from fanatics decrying a supposed "woke" invasion of medieval Bohemia, proving once again that ignorance often pairs with radicalism.

KCD2 is more than a game—it’s an experience. It brings you to 1403, immersing you in Czech Paradise and Kutná Hora. Some historical liberties were taken, but they blend so naturally that you won’t notice. A great example is Henry’s nemesis, Markvart von Ulich. In reality, he died in 1402, but here, he remains until the game's climax.

Speaking of antagonists, besides returning ones, there are new faces—some honorable, others despicable. My most impactful encounters were with Markvart and Sigismund. The likes of Erik and István Toth felt like mere henchmen. Sigismund, however, comes across as a capable leader, and the final duel with von Ulich shakes Henry to his core. The moment he realizes his enemy is more honorable than he is—it’s haunting.

The game is filled with such emotional moments. It begins (or rather ends) with the siege of Suchodol, where we fight alongside Jan Ptaček before he is struck by an arrow. Then we rewind to Henry’s perspective—still overpowered from the first game, but conveniently "reset" after a fall left him near death. A weak excuse, but forgivable.

The story starts anew, with Henry as a peasant in rags. Ptaček chooses his own path, while we must deliver a message to Otto von Bergow, leader of the Lords' Union supporting Sigismund. The game offers choices: follow your father’s blacksmithing legacy or embrace the thieving skills from the first game. Ultimately, both paths converge without affecting the story too much—which is good.

The game is divided into two acts across two vast maps. The world is alive, with minimal backtracking thanks to smart travel mechanics. Side quests are excellent—no dull "fetch five rabbit skins" nonsense. Instead, we get tasks like painting an obscene symbol on a bull to settle a family feud or retrieving a lute for a bard who then composes a ballad in Henry’s honor. Even the town drunk, a mere forester, turns out to be a deeply layered character.

KCD2 boasts a strong script, with well-written characters. Sadly, many from the first act fade into obscurity, but we are compensated with our own gang, each member vividly portrayed. Especially the Polish character, Komar, who will tug at your heartstrings!

Optimization is also remarkable. The first game had performance issues, but this one runs smoothly despite stunning visuals. Combat has been simplified—a downgrade in my opinion—but it allows for fights against multiple opponents. Story-wise, it makes sense, as Henry is now a trained squire, not a clueless peasant. Still, I know the real reason: accessibility for players who found the first game "too hard." Noobs.

Now, let’s talk about what annoyed me. The Nebákov Castle sequence is a glaring narrative failure. The game forces you to flee despite clear evidence that the inhabitants are villains. I outplayed the system, stealthily eliminating them all—only for them to magically resurrect. Such scripted railroading breaks immersion. Similarly, knocking out rather than killing "Little Golec" still resulted in an NPC declaring him dead. Another major logic gap—why plan a cannon heist during the Malesov siege when we just snuck into the castle through a secret passage? Only afterward does the game conveniently declare the passage blocked. Poor storytelling.

On the technical side, I encountered no major bugs, but localization errors were present. The use of "cyrulik" instead of "balwierz" suggests a lack of research by translators. Worse, an alchemy recipe error wasted over an hour of my time because someone mistranslated "wine" as "water." That’s an inexcusable oversight.

Beyond visuals, the soundtrack is phenomenal. Traditional flutes, lutes, drums, and ethereal choirs create an immersive atmosphere. I highly recommend "Saint Barbara Theme," "Lacrimose," "Agnus Dei," and "Facing the Foe." But nothing beats the closing track, "Father and Son," featuring "Ktož jsú boží bojovníci!" If that’s not a teaser for future Hussite Wars content, I’ll be severely disappointed!

Jan Žižka, one of history’s greatest tacticians, is subtly teased. The man fought at Grunwald and crushed three crusades from 1420-1424. That Henry injures his eye in the game is a clever nod—Žižka was indeed nearly blind. The epilogue strongly hints that Henry’s love interest, Catherine, could be one of Žižka’s wives (all three were named Catherine).

It pains me that I can't give this game a perfect 10/10. I want to—its story deserves it! But the flaws hold it back. However, let's be real: ratings are subjective.

If you enjoyed Sapkowski’s "Hussite Trilogy" and love games, play "Kingdom Come: Deliverance II." If you were captivated by "Red Dead Redemption 2" and want another deep, emotional adventure, play "Kingdom Come: Deliverance II." If you enjoy challenging, rewarding games… you know what to do.

I expected a Game of the Year contender, and that’s exactly what I got. Enjoy the game—and congratulations if you made it to the end of this review!