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Immersive storyline; Detailed tutorials; Intricate map
Poor grammar; No third person option
Kingdom Come Deliverance: Royal Edition is a unique and immersive journey through the medieval world, blending historical accuracy with compelling storytelling and challenging gameplay mechanics. Developed by Warhorse Studios, the game’s narrative revolves around Henry, a humble blacksmith’s son who finds himself embroiled in a quest for vengeance and redemption following a devastating attack on his hometown, where his friends and family are killed and his village engulfed in flames.
Kingdom Come is an RPG, featuring a blend of immersive storytelling and open-world exploration set in the medieval Kingdom of Bohemia (modern-day Czech Republic) during the early 15th century. You will manage Henry’s hunger, fatigue, and hygiene throughout the game, as these elements can severely affect gameplay. Along with this players have to learn a complex system of attacks, blocks, and counters in combat, which I have personally found to be quite difficult so far. The game mostly thrusts you in without giving too much instruction, with some tutorials being detailed while others are left out completely. I also dislike the fact they did not include an option for third person, as playing in first person often makes me nauseous. I understand it was likely for the immersion, however, it might have been nice if this was included for the player’s sake.
In addition to the main storyline, the game features a wealth of side quests, activities, and challenges ranging from sword fights and archery contests to engaging in diplomacy and espionage. The story is not linear, so I can’t imagine getting bored—frustrated maybe, but there is so much to do and most of the quests and activities are actually challenging and engaging so far. The combat is what I have struggled with the most, however, because it is so different from other games I’ve played and it is quite hard to get the hang of, even after nearly ten hours of playing. I even had to read a few tutorials online because I thought I must be doing something wrong. However, the combat is designed to be realistic and challenging, rewarding tactical thinking, timing, and mastery. The more you engage in combat, the more you build your skills, which is pretty self explanatory if you think about it.
One of my favorite features so far is the map. It is so intricate and detailed; the illustrations are absolutely beautiful. As you navigate the map, some of the objects like the trees and clouds move, as if they are 3D cutouts and you’re looking into a sort of shadow box. Your spot on the map is marked by what resembles a game token, a man with a red hood on a little platform. There is a fast travel option once you’ve explored certain towns, and often times there are chances you will be ambushed along your route which adds to the gameplay in my opinion.
I have talked a bit about the sense of immersion in Kingdom Come, and it does not fall short. The NPCs have realistic conversations and conflicts beyond the interactions with your character that don’t always appear directly scripted to the story. Or otherwise they were not made for your character to interact with but for you to hear in passing, such as you would in reality. Your actions in the game do influence other people’s reactions though, such as if you fight, steal, seduce, threaten, persuade, or bribe. Including this, there are skills you can learn to improve your reputation in dialogue options.
For instance, there is charisma, which is your charm and likability. A higher Charisma skill can open up additional dialogue options that rely on Henry’s social finesse and charm to persuade or influence NPCs. Strength can also be influential in dialogue. A high Strength skill can sometimes intimidate NPCs, providing alternative approaches to resolving conflicts or achieving objectives. Lastly, there is the speech skill which represents your ability to communicate effectively and influence others through conversation. A higher Speech skill unlocks additional dialogue options and increases the likelihood of successful persuasion attempts. All of these also influence how good you are at haggling with traders and other persuasion options.
Another awesome feature in Kingdom Come is the character menu. It shows your character’s full inventory, any active quests you’re on, the stats of your character which includes your current level and skills and offers upgrades as you progress. There’s also the menu for your horse and/or companions if you have them, the map which also has it’s own quick access, and a codex of tutorials and such for you to reference whenever you need. This menu was intimidating at first because it shows so much information but it is actually straightforward and easy to understand, which is a plus for a game like this.
I would recommend this game to players who love open world RPGs and are looking for more of a challenge. There is also a really awesome online community surrounding this game; mainly helpful tips and tricks as well as fun and meaningful discussions amongst players. A sequel has been all but confirmed as well. Let us know in the comments if you have played or plan to play Kingdom Come Deliverance: Royal Edition and what your opinions are on there possibly being a sequel!
Nintendojo was provided a copy of this game for review by a third party, though that does not affect our recommendation. For every review, Nintendojo uses a standard criteria.
