Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Remember Oblivion? Not the gameplay, not the plot, but the feeling you had when you first got out of the sewer. This is the first real rpg in a long time who reminds me of this.

This game is a gem once you get past through the rough and slow beginning. I bought the game 5-6 years ago but only played for 2 hours and was turned off because the combat was especially rough. I kept this game in the shelf since then. Last played April 2020..
Since KCD2 was released recently, I decided to give this game another go, in the hopes of rushing the Main Quest. But guess what? I've been taking my sweet ass time doing side quests and shit. The world is immersive, the storyline is interesting, the voice acting is amazing, gameplay is fun. Once you actually level up your skills(combat mainly for me) in this game, it's actually more fun. I used to get my ass kicked, now I'm the one kicking bandits' ass whether 1v1 or 1v5's, etc.
This game reminded me of my love for RPGs when Oblivion and Skyrim were released many years ago.
Give this game a chance. I would recommend this game before getting into KCD2. This game aged pretty well.

One of the most realistic medieval RPGs I’ve ever played. No magic, no dragons—just pure history, survival, and swordsmanship. The world feels alive and immersive. A must for RPG fans!

I purchased this game along with its sequel hoping to play through it rather quickly to get to the second game, almost 200 hours later and I'm still on this one. This is one of the most immersive and grounded gaming experiences I've ever had. Kingdom Come: Deliverance forces you to be a part of the world it has built, time always moves onward effecting questlines and NPC routines. There are survival elements like hunger and thirst, sleeping and even appearance makes a difference. The writing is top notch and all the quests are engaging. The game can be brutal and unforgiving if you don't take the time to learn how to survive and do the things needed to thrive in 15th century Bohemia. You are but the son of a blacksmith, not some chosen warrior who was prophesized to save the world... and the game will continually remind you of this and knock you back down if you get too ambitious or careless.
I am late to this party and that is a shame, but I am very much enjoying this title and am in no rush to get through it, even though I have an entire other game to get to afterwards. I highly recommend Kingdom Come: Deliverance, even though navigating through a few bugs will be a part of your journey with Henry of Skalitz, it is totally worth it. Slow down, enjoy the ride, its a slow burn, but its worth it for anyone looking for a immersive RPG to dig into.

One of my favorite games of all time. A little slow and overwhelming at the beginning but after that it just won't stop being good. Heavily recommend.
However, this review is a little bit biased and there's 2 reasons why:
1. I am a huge history nerd.
2. I am literally Czech. The region where this game takes place is not far away from here. I could walk there if I wanted to.
10/10

Played this instead as my PC isn't good enough to handle KCD:2 and found myself going through a whirlwind of emotions.
First of all, I wholeheartedly recommend this product. You will hate it for the first 2-3 days. It does a lot of things that modern day games have done away with. It forces you to stare at the fast travel indicator, which moves at the speed of a slug. It forces you into gritty, hard-hitting, claustrophobic combat, which makes you feel like throwing your controller. Save files feel few and far between, so on the rare chance you do die from falling off a cliff, or die to a surprise late-game ambush, you will be set back at least 1 hour in your progress... yet despite all of this, the game is EXCELLENT.
The combat is as simple as this: if enemy has higher stats than you, you die.
This means that if you go into combat with a bandit in full black armor, he will likely parry everything you throw at him, forever. So just don't try it. Even if you try to stealth kill him, he'll throw you off and laugh at you. This is because you are a PEASANT with 5 strength, and he is a MERCENARY with 15 strength. This is DnD style role-play, and the developers did it on purpose.
But once you DO get used to the combat, and as long as you're playing with mouse and keyboard, it is possible to joust with 2-3 bandits at once. Provided THEY ARE THE SAME LEVEL AS YOU. It took me about a week of playing (I tried on console first) to actually get used to the fighting mechanics, but eventually you get to the point where you can reliably duel a small group of bandits with mixed tactics. And you don't need heavy armor to do it, ether. I usually wear a stealth set. Which leads me to say...
Stealth and thieving feel INCREDIBLE. This is what I wanted from an Oblivion-like stealth/thieving experience. I've hoarded over 5,000 gold in the early game so far just by looting Rattay and the neighboring small towns. And due to the limited save-file system, it always feels tense. Sometimes, you won't even have to load a save if you do get caught because if you have the sense to get up, spin around, and run away from people before they manage to I.D. you, that WORKS. You won't get a bounty and they won't even fine you for trespassing!
Likewise, I cleared two bandit camps today using purely Robin Hood tactics. And holy sheet, does it feel awesome! Fire off a piercing arrow, bleed the bandit leader to death, then take out his goons that come running via kiting/picking them off one by one. And don't get me started on going into camps at night whilst they're all sleeping. That feels incredible too!
So, long story short. The game has a few things that can be annoying (looking at you foliage and rain that tanks my FPS). Enemy dogs suck during the mid-game due to their hit-box, but this is fixed by having a dog of your own. (I highly recommend getting the Woman's Lot DLC purely for the dog, as it really does help lessen the dread of the experience somewhat. The dog is OP if handled correctly.)
The last thing I will say is, the main story is tedious. This is the game's worst sin/only 'real' negative. Everything else is alleviated with time, but the story isn't.
All of the quests are detective-style fetch quests with no actual combat. This makes no sense, because you spend days learning how to fight with Captain Bernard. You get some middling armor. Then you think, ''right, I must be ready for the main quests now, let's go;'' but then... you find yourself waddling around in the woods, talking to people and asking ''SO WHeRe DId ThoSe BanDIts gO?''
You are a medieval messenger. The main quests don't treat you like a knight, or a squire. You're an errand boy--and only three of them have combat sequences involved. It's... kind of annoying? And kind of confusing. The developers couldn't think up a better quest line than this? Like, I don't know:
The bandits competing in a grand tournament under disguises and Henry has to win the tournament in order to get back Ser Radrik' sword by beating the bandits one by one in a series of listings, whilst doing this other detective shit along the way(?)
Just--you know, something that ACTUALLY used the game's combat system? Instead, the game just makes you waddle around like a numbskull for 6 hours chasing threads. It's really boring/senseless. I feel like their writer crapped out here and I don't know what else to say. The story feels like it has nothing to do with the rest of the game.
Last thing--I wish there were more 1v1/2v2 combat situations. There is an itch this game has that bugs you, and I finally identified what it was the other night. You are constantly craving a good scrap. But you will start to understand after ten-twenty hours of playing that you are either always outnumbered, or cannot find anyone to fight at all. There is no in-between, and it's a bit of a shame. In other words, Henry is always 1v5'ing everyone. You will very rarely-- except through rare fast travel coincidences--have a nice, tight duel, which is where the game completely and utterly excels....

Kingdom Come: Deliverance (KCD) is one of those games that takes time to fully appreciate, but once you invest in it, you become so immersed that it becomes difficult to tear yourself away. The game, especially its combat and traversal mechanics, can be frustrating at first. The terrain, although often flat (with a certainly decent geometry), is prone to causing unexpected collisions—whether with bushes or other obstacles—leaving you to find yourself lying in the mud. Combat, too, can be unforgiving; being sort of forced to locking onto an enemy, you might find yourself overwhelmed by multiple opponents, resulting in an inevitable death meanwhile getting your head bashed in, sometimes frustratingly quick. Realistic? Perhaps. Gamified enough to keep the player engaged? I would argue not entirely. However, KCD offers something more significant: a deeply compelling narrative of personal growth. You begin as the son of a blacksmith, and over the course of the game, you rise from humble beginnings to become a skilled warrior—and ultimately a nobleman (but that's another matter). You are, ultimately, a made man and this transformation reflects on the fights. One hell of a tale.
The combat, while complex and difficult to master, becomes more manageable as you familiarize yourself with the mechanics and level up your character. Parts of it winks to STALKER, complex enough but mostly driven by stats. The game also kinda looks down on your if you don't train but it keeps being managable. When I couldn't manage to beat the first boss in a fair sword fight I had to take him down with a bow as he didn't wear a helmet (and for some reason it took me long to realize that). He was down in 2 shots. Realistic? Perhaps. Gamified enough to keep the player engaged? Alright, I swear I am not trying to be hard but I was bummed to take him down in 2 shots and the other way around was too painful as at that time I didn't learn master strike. I really do respect the fact that I was not softlocked and didn't have to load up a previous save but could have it been more balanced even if it means more scripted? Probably so.
Progression is rewarding, and the mechanics eventually click. Likewise, while traversal may occasionally be marred by awkward collisions, your horse's stamina proves more than adequate, and your character's load capacity is thoughtfully designed (looking at STALKER, coughing), offering a fair balance. Engaging with the world is intuitive. Despite my initial frustrations, I came to appreciate the systems that the game has to offer.
KCD is a clear testament to the passion of its creators. As a Kickstarter-funded project, it has a scope that is impressive given its origins, and for the most part, it executes its vision well. The conclusion of the main story, while somewhat restrained, is clearly intended to set the stage for future installments, where more ambitious storytelling can be achieved with a larger budget. The game's protagonist, Henry, undergoes substantial character development, and the supporting cast—Hans Capon, Sir Radzig, Sir Hanush, Theresa, Godwin, and others are well-crafted and likable. One area where the game could have expanded is in offering more intricate romance options.
The alchemy, while interesting, does have a downside: it allows for a form of metagaming. Players can craft items without recipes, simply following a guide, which detracts from the immersion that RPGs typically rely on. While this feature is a useful timesaver for basic crafting, quest items necessitate adherence to specific recipes, which restores some balance. Stealth mechanics, on the other hand, are underdeveloped. The monk mission, despite its potential, falls short due to the lack of a functional stealth system.
KCD is not a fully-fledged sandbox RPG, but it offers a variety of engaging options. Many of these options are not only creative but also humorous. The open world feels alive, though it can be somewhat limited. Beyond the towns and villages, the world feels sparse, and random encounters are few and far between (at least were to me). There was one certain game breaking bug which occurred during the raid of Pribyslavitz. I was unable to pass the quest as I helped bandits earlier on and the game counted them as allies hence whenever I killed the bandits I would lose the objective. You can overcome it via mods but I was bummed to see it was a known issue and was not sorted out after 7 YEARS. Apart from that, I would also loved to see more in-depth quest chains exclusive to factions as we grow our relationship with them deeper.
I do feel the downloadable content also falls short. Hans Capon’s Adventures is a delightful and humorous diversion but is far too short and limited in scope. Band of Bastards feels undercooked, and its final battle fails to deliver the cinematic spectacle that could have made it more memorable. Despite my efforts, my band often met their end off-screen as I was overwhelmed by multiple enemies constantly. A Woman's Lot presents a different take, but the Theresa sections are frustrating, and while the companion dog is somewhat more helpful than in the base game, it can hinder progress by alerting enemies. The Johanna storyline, however, provides a welcome change, and I would have liked to see more of this kind of narrative in the main story.
Having seen the positive reviews for KCD2, and with Warhorse confidently sending out review codes a month early, it seems that the sequel has the potential to be an RPG behemoth. I am excited to experience it, as it appears that Warhorse is finally achieving the self-realization it has long worked toward. There’s probably much more to discuss, but I’ll conclude my review by saying that this game feels more like a Bethesda RPG than the actual recent Bethesda RPGs. LOL at that.
★★★★☆
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