Kingdom Come: Deliverance enjoyed a strong launch in 2018, with outlets (including Sports Informer) criticized for its widespread bugs and general lack of polish, but was a success regardless, going on to sell two million copies and release a slate of DLC and updates. Six years later, Warhorse Studios is getting ready to invite a sequel. Sports Informer To take a look at some early footage and trailers. While it’s too early to discuss any performance issues, it’s clear that Warhorse has greatly expanded its work on the first game, and medieval fans may be in for a treat.
The Kingdom Come series is an action RPG set in the early thirteenth century, and while the plot is fictional, the games strive for historical accuracy wherever possible. The sequel follows the continuing journey of Henry of Skeltz, a man on a quest for revenge after his village is raided and destroyed. Squire to the reckless Sir Hans, he aims to overthrow the Hungarian king Sigismund the Red Fox. With five hours of cutscenes (compared to the first title’s three), the story is a major draw for the game. Although the narrative is a direct continuation of the events of the first entry, War Horse Studios says that newcomers should feel free to jump into the latest entry.
The series intends to expand on more than just its story. For one, the world map is twice the size of its predecessor. This includes the massive medieval city of Kittenberg (“huge,” says creative director Daniel Vavra), which Warhorse claims was its biggest challenge during the game’s development. The urban area contrasts with the natural wilderness of the area known as Bohemian Paradise, a lush green space filled with unique rock formations. According to art director Viktor Hoschel, this diversity of environment and color was particularly important to the game’s visuals, which wanted to convey that the era was not one of mud and famine. Lead character artist Anna Paxova added to the sentiment, saying, “It was really colorful. It wasn’t dark at all.”
In addition to the world, the gameplay has been enhanced in several ways. The series featured first-person swordplay, but the sequel also added new ranged options. In addition to the addition of crossbows, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II includes rudimentary firearms, which look like short-range handheld fireworks. The developers also continue the series’ focus on player freedom and choice, adding new ways for the player to interact with the many characters in the world and new ways for these NPCs to respond. If the player wanders around drunk and naked, for example, the townspeople will verbalize their discomfort, and the player is free to apologize or taunt them.
Our preview ends with a performance of a song from the game’s soundtrack. Composer John Walta returns with an interval-appropriate score, playing an ensemble of instruments and a choir performing a piece that harkens back to religious compositions of the 1400s.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II will be released later this year, and it looks better than its predecessor in every important way. When Warhorse was founded 10 years ago, it had just 11 members. Now, it’s up to 250. It’s no surprise, then, when creative director Daniel Vavra, seated in the dramatically lit Kattenberg Cathedral for the video presentation, says, “What we’re building now is what it should have been in the beginning. was, but we weren’t able to do it because we didn’t have enough resources and experience and we’ve proven that the concept works, and now we can take it to another level.”