Kingdom Come: Deliverance II: A First Look After 10 Hours
With Kingdom Come: Deliverance II recently launched, it's time to assess Warhorse Studios' second foray into interactive Czech history. After 10 hours, I'm compelled to share my initial impressions. The game's captivating nature is already pulling me away from work, a strong testament to its appeal. Let's delve into the details.
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Comparison with the First Game:
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, like its predecessor, is an open-world action RPG prioritizing historical accuracy and realistic mechanics. Players can embody a knight, thief, or diplomat, navigating a world where eating, sleeping, and strategic combat are crucial. Facing multiple bandits solo presents a significant challenge.
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Visually, the game is stunning. Landscapes surpass the original, yet the performance optimization is impressive, avoiding the excessive system demands of many modern AAA titles.
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Combat is refined. Simplifications, such as reducing attack directions and streamlining enemy switching, enhance intuitiveness without sacrificing difficulty. Parrying is more nuanced, and enemy AI is more sophisticated, leading to more tactical depth.
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Group combat feels significantly more challenging. Enemies actively surround and flank, and injured foes retreat to receive support, creating a dynamic and realistic struggle.
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Beyond alchemy and dice games, blacksmithing is introduced. This engaging craft offers both income and high-quality equipment, with diverse forging options. The unique controls, however, presented an unexpected challenge, making horseshoe forging more difficult than weapon crafting.
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Bugs:
While the original game faced criticism for technical issues, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II launches in a remarkably polished state for a large-scale RPG. Minor bugs, such as temporary UI glitches resolved by a simple restart, and a minor animation error, have been encountered, but nothing game-breaking.
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Realism and Difficulty:
The game's realism enhances immersion without hindering gameplay. The lack of difficulty settings might deter some players, but the challenge is manageable for those familiar with other action RPGs, provided strategic approaches are employed.
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The historical detail is impressive. While not a historian's definitive assessment, the game's approach to history feels organic and engaging, encouraging player interest rather than imposing facts.
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Should You Play Kingdom Come: Deliverance II?
Newcomers are welcome. The prologue effectively introduces the events of the first game, ensuring understanding of Henry's backstory. The opening seamlessly blends tutorials with engaging gameplay, immediately immersing players in medieval Bohemia.
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While the full story and quests remain to be explored, the initial experience is highly promising.
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Conclusion:
After 10 hours, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II shows significant improvements over its predecessor. It's shaping up to be a fantastic RPG, and I eagerly anticipate completing the full experience to see if it maintains this high standard.
