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REVIEW: Kingdom Come: Deliverance
No magic.
No dragons.
No problem.
My favorite genre across all entertainment mediums is medieval fantasy, and for years I thought that meant a game like Kingdom Come: Deliverance wasn't actually for me. After all, it's a rather authentic recreation of 1400s Bohemia that involves many real people, places, and events. There are no wizards, no foul beasts to slay, and no dark magics that need to be overthrown. Instead, the fantasy here is one of blood, sweat, and muck. You will truly feel like a peasant as you progress the game through the eyes of humble Henry of Skalitz, but it's that same progression from ignorant youth to hardened adventurer that finally hooked me and showed me there is still plenty to love about a hero's journey that is more historical than fantastical.
I've been describing Kingdom Come: Deliverance as a Bethesda game with the survival mechanics turned on by default and I think that remains a very apt comparison. It doesn't have the same physics as the Creation Engine, but the look and feel of the world is so obviously inspired by The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. The serene countryside melodies, the vibrant colors of the forests and fields, the scheduled villagers having oddly timed conversations in the streets, and the first-person combat filled with quippy remarks all together create a strikingly familiar feeling. It was enough to ease me into whatever this game had to offer.
Where this differs from a Bethesda experience is in every way a strength. Smaller scale and more intimate writing gives way to an immediately more believable world, skills and attributes feel like they really matter, and combat has a very involved twist. When you accomplish something as Henry, you really feel like you did something, and it gets easier for you every time. It's not a power fantasy, it's a traditional hero's journey that's expressed through gameplay as equally as it is through the narrative. Henry is a straight up nobody when you take control of him, but you get to transform him into a very big somebody.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance is immersive, and a large part of that is because Warhorse Studios remembers the lost art of building up a character in a role-playing game instead of being good at everything from the start. Sometimes that's a little frustrating (and sometimes it feels like your enemies are better than they should be), but it's always worthwhile. The world is a joy to explore, the characters are great, and the quests are memorable. It didn't matter that there were no orcs, goblins, or fireballs, making Henry into a Knight was filled with enough drama and intrigue all on its own.
The Kingdom Come franchise didn't really hit for a lot of people until the sequel came out last year, and if what they say about it is true, it must be a truly special game because it's hard to imagine it getting much better than this.
4.5/5 ⭐
English
