Impressions from the game Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

We got our hands on the second part of the anticipated Czech role-playing game Kingdom Come: Deliverance a whole month before its release. Thanks to this, we can now convey the impressions of the first approximately 13 hours of gameplay. How did these two move, what is the entrance to the world and do you need to play the first part to enjoy the sequel?

First impression: the beginning

KCD2 picks up where the first part left off. We jump on the bandwagon, which greatly helps the pace of the first few hours. This story has earlierJindra, together with Jan Ptacek, has a clear goal that he must achieve. Of course, things get more complicated and confusing, but even then the beginning doesn’t feel like a collection of quests and historical facts placed in a vacuum, as the first experience with the previous game might have sounded.

But if you thought that before the new game you would have to spend long hours in the first part, then this is not so. As with any sequel, familiar players have an advantage. But there’s really nothing to worry about. In the beginning, Jindřich experiences countless memories that essentially retell a story from the past. thoseand regularly returns to past events in the narrative.

A stronger input awaits you even in the case of combat, which is truly more accessible and understandable, as the developers promised. But don’t expect simple gameplay. I have died many, many times, even in places where I had to give up physical confrontation and choose a different way to solve the problem.

The beginning is really exciting and tries not to throw sticks under the player’s feet. The first major side quests around Trosky Castle also involve moral choices, which immediately makes the action more fun. In addition, the game immediately impresses with its audiovisual processing…

Second impression: presentation

I’m not one for big words, but from the first missions and out into the open world (where I navigated the surface of the first of two maps), the name screams “big game.” In my eyes, the Warhorse developers are crossing the line between two and three. pins and they provide a visually beautiful and fairly clean experience.

While the dialogue can still seem a little static and the facial expressions a little rough, there’s not much to criticize in the playable passages or, conversely, in the full-length cutscenes. In the first case, I was delighted by the amount of detail, the possibility of interaction or the pleasant work of light and shadow. In turn, films stand out not only for their animation, but also for their direction and the overall mood and believability of the scenes.

We should also praise the Czech dubbing, which rightfully lives up to its “professional” nickname from the very first moment. I’m used to hearing Czech voices in games, but here is an excellent job both in terms of casting and technical aspects. There is a comparison with the Mafia remake, KCD does it better in my Czech dubbing.

The technical state of the game is definitely a big issue for many players. I’m happy to report that the game is already in good shape. I could name the bugs, but a month before release it seems almost irrelevant. But these are not bugs that would interfere with the progress of the game. I would not be afraid of new errors in collisions and similar ugly graphical glitches. At random – most often I encounter errors due to light and weather. Again: fixable problem a few weeks before release. It’s too early for a trial.

And similarly in the case of optimization, only in reverse. On Xbox it seems almost flawless. I play in smooth performance mode and the framerate only fluctuates a few times. However, everyone is most interested in how the game in Kutna Hora will go, to which I cannot yet answer.

Third impression: the world and existence in it.

You will not visit Kutna Hora in the first ten hours. So where will you move to? The area around Trosek, where you initially try in vain to get to, is vast and offers several villages, a settlement, a fortress, many individual buildings, cottages, playhouses and, in between, a rich nature that is not limited. on hilly terrain, but they can also be found in difficult rocky gorges. So exploring “by chance” is definitely a good way to discover the world. But it’s even better to stick to the stories and advice of the locals. You can get involved in a dispute between a couple of villages, you can solve the problems of passing nomads, or you can fight again into speech with the Polovtsians. Either way, there are dozens of hours of content here.

It is also worth noting the fact that the main goal of the first phase of the game can be achieved in at least two completely different ways. I can’t say for sure how the story would have unfolded if I had chosen a different way to solve it, it’s definitely moving towards one point. But I believe this passage will be completely different.

Already the first part was based on realism and colorfulness of the world, and the sequel still fulfills its role well. I still think some of the almost “survival” elements may be harmful, at least initially, and could be less uncompromising. But when it comes to relationships with characters (or factions) and the behavior of characters towards Henry in accordance with his own actions or appearance, or the functioning of time and life of NPCs, it is rare to see such believable systems.

There is also a Skyrim-style role-playing system that combines improving skills by managing them and assigning perks for points earned. My Jindra has learned a lot in just the aforementioned thirteen hours and I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do at the end of the game.

Impression four: potential

I admit, the first part didn’t particularly captivate me. But KCD2 has already improved significantly and taken it to a much higher level. Perhaps higher than anyone could have imagined. It still provides an exceptional insight into Czech history, it’s still very much an old school RPG, whether you consider that a plus or a minus. In the first part of the story, he creates an interesting plot that can unfold either in Troska or in Kutná Hora and its surroundings. The city itself or larger battles must also live up to high expectations…

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 still has a lot to do, implement, and showcase, but from what I’ve been able to see and experience, I think it’s extremely promising.