Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

I had open heart surgery on the 10th of March 2025, which required weeks of recovery in the hospital and at home. I bought this game specifically for that reason, and it was pretty much all I played on my Steam Deck, while I was recovering. One of my favourite games, that will forever hold a special place in my mended heart.

I remember booting up KCD2 expecting a bigger, prettier version of the first game. What I got was something that pulled me in and did not let go. One moment I am riding through the countryside just to see what is over the next hill, and the next I am three hours deep into a side quest I never planned on starting. It has that same soul the first game had, just polished to a point I did not think was possible. Bohemia in KCD2 does not feel like a game map. It feels like a place. The villages have their own rhythm, the forests feel like you could actually get lost in them, and Kuttenberg is easily one of the most impressive cities I have walked through in an RPG. Henry's story grabs you early and it never really lets go, and the way KCD2 treats Czech history gives the whole thing a weight most games do not even attempt. What surprised me most was how much the small things added up. Just riding back to camp after a long day, with nothing but the music playing, ended up being one of my favorite parts of the game, and that music never once felt like background noise. Combat still has that same bite from the first game, but it is smoother now, easier to pick up if you want to keep things simple, or deep enough to master if you want real combos. Side activities like alchemy and blacksmithing pulled me in more than I expected too. KCD2 is not perfect. NPCs sometimes forget something happened right after a quest ends, the pacing dips depending on how you play, and Mutt got nerfed, which still stings a little. None of that changed how much I enjoyed the ride though. As for the DLCs, the first one brings in a mysterious painter character and a string of fetch quests with a surprisingly dark undertone, and it fits nicely into the main story if you run them side by side. The second is more of a quality of life add-on. You finally get a home base with your own customizable forge to craft and rest at, though the quests tied to it can feel a bit repetitive after a while. The third DLC leans into a monastery based stealth and investigation, with strong characters, great cinematics, and a story that is decent on its own but really shines through the atmosphere. It is shorter than the others, but it is put together really well. Finishing Kingdom Come: Deliverance II did not feel like closing out a sequel, it felt like picking up right where the first journey left off and finishing it properly. Without exaggeration, KCD and KCD2 together make up the best RPG series I have ever played. Overall, KCD2 gets a 10/10, easy recommend.

Excellent development of Henry's story and hands down one of the best non-fantasy RPGs to date. KCD2 has all the necessary elements in place - impressive world, captivating story, likable characters, and a ton things to do. Core mechanics are great, good balance of stealth combat and dialogue, and many interesting quests with none feeling arbitrary or dull. The main feat for me is how big yet interesting the game world is. Given the realistic setting - straight out nothing but fields, forests, rivers and small towns - it's bound to be plain, however the game does heaps better than many other games' fantasy worlds. Each area is distinct and memorable, lots of believable environmental storytelling - pure pleasure to explore. And the main story is remarkably good - no weak parts imo, kept me engaged till the very which was surprisingly the best part of the (whole series) story. Runs great on linux, good mod support - Easy recommend.