Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 review

• Available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC
• Released on 4 February 2025
• Developed by Warhorse Studios

Stepping back into the muddy boots of Henry isn’t quite a revelation, but Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 does enough to make it feel like a worthy follow-up. The sequel brings back everything fans loved (and sometimes loathed) from the original. It’s bigger, more polished in places, and occasionally frustrating, but ultimately hard to put down.

Set shortly after the events of the first game, Henry is now serving as a bodyguard to Sir Hans Capon. The duo are sent on a mission to help end a war, but things quickly go south when they’re ambushed mid-bath. Stripped of their possessions and left in the middle of nowhere, they must pick up the pieces and press on with their task in a world that no longer believes who they say they are.

The story builds from there, slowly pulling you across two vast open-world regions. With every step, you’re pulled deeper into a web of political intrigue, personal drama, and moral choices that have real consequences. Henry’s bond with Sir Hans is a highlight, blending sharp dialogue with emotional weight. You’ll face decisions that actually matter and experience consequences that ripple through the rest of the story.

That narrative strength is backed by a huge, deeply immersive world. Whether you’re unlocking fast travel points, helping villagers, or simply getting lost in side quests, exploration never feels like a chore. There’s a steady stream of interesting characters, well-written quests, and meaningful distractions. You could spend hours on tangents before ever touching the main quest again.

As expected, progression is slow and earned. Practicing skills, earning coin, training with masters, and upgrading gear are all part of the loop. Crafting and resource management also play a larger role this time around. Gear isn’t something you collect endlessly; it’s something you refine and build upon, carefully adjusting to survive temperature swings or combat demands.

Combat has seen some tweaks, making melee slightly more accessible. It’s still weighty and timing-based, but you’ll get a better handle on it more quickly. New additions like a primitive firearm and the return of Mutt the dog bring some extra flavor, though neither feels essential. Fighting multiple enemies is still a headache, and stealth sections, while ambitious, can feel clunky and unforgiving.

Not everything lands smoothly. Certain parts of the game, especially some stealth-focused missions, can be awkward. An injury to Henry, for example, left me over-encumbered mid-mission, turning a tense escape into an inventory management nightmare. On PS5 Pro, minor bugs were common, mostly visual or AI-related, but at least one side quest was blocked entirely. Performance is generally strong, but expect noticeable drops during large-scale encounters.

Despite those hiccups, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is hard to walk away from. It’s not a reinvention, and it plays things relatively safe, but it does nearly everything better than before. With deeper role-playing systems, a richer world, and a stronger story, this is a sequel that understands its identity and builds on it confidently. If you’re looking for a grounded, ambitious medieval RPG, you won’t be disappointed.