Kingdom Come: Deliverance

I can see the merits of it being a grounded game, but ultimately it's just a bit too unpolished and janky of a game for me to enjoy. The scenery is stunning and the characters feel pretty nuanced and interesting for the most part, though the main story has been dog water, but the inventory system is hot trash. Combat is genuinely abysmal. For the argument that you get used to it, it's hard to play a half a dozen other games with similar directional combat that does it far better. For example, Chivalry 2? And I've played plenty of games with... interesting, combat mechanics (especially older games. Looking at you STALKER), but this one is just not good. I get you aren't supposed to be good at combat as a lowly son of a blacksmith. Played plenty of those games too. But tell that to the drunk old man too pissed to stand but still hitting me with Master Strikes like they're going out of fashion. Every single task is a major chore. Fast Travel genuinely takes ages. Quests have no fulfilling rewards even in early game. Perks are either meta or useless. Overall, wanted to like it more, but it just feels like a giant chore to play and it just isn't for me. Maybe some day I'll come back, but even with Vanilla+ QoL mods this game just didn't click.

The criticism about issues is mostly true but despite all that this is still easily the BEST GAME EVER!

Of all 'open world' games this one comes closest to actually being that, a 'world' in medieval Bohemia that is open to your decisions and preferences.
Of course you are forced into some main storyline and without doing it it's not worth playing the game, I mean you could for a while but to really get your character Henry going you just have to go through what the developers intended for him to experience.

And that's the other thing, there's no character creation, you are Henry, son of a blacksmith, uprooted from his village life by a marauding army.
Most things in the game present multiple angles to tackle them, so in a way you can shape his character by way of your decisions but it's always Henry, you're playing his story and his reactions in cutscenes may not reflect the route you choose to take.

Remember Oblivion? Not the gameplay, not the plot, but the feeling you had when you first got out of the sewer. This is the first real rpg in a long time who reminds me of this.

it will be frustrating in the beginning, you will struggle, but once that wall is climbed, this is one of my favorite games ever, i almost quit in the beginning, but thank god i didn't, this is a treasure, one of the best medieval rpg type game, the best feeling medieval world, very fun combat, yes, it has its flaws, but in the past 2 - 3 weeks i bought it, i was completely stuck to it. if i have a complaint it would be, the combat system is clearly focused on duels or one vs ones, but duels are very rare in the main missions, i know there are quite a bit of chances for duels in the world and side quests, but its mostly me vs many or many vs many. thats it love the game

Story is solid. Game-play is challenging but rewarding. Game holds up over time. Can't wait to play Part 2.

A lot of people dislike this game due to the sheer unforgiving difficulty that it throws at you right from the start, but after getting my stats increased to around 15-20 (before doing a lot of main story quests), you'll really see growth in how the game plays and that you do end up being an awesome knight who can kill dudes with little effort.

That being said, I do think the "master strike" (basically a defensive counterattack) window is still way too small even with max stats, so I hope in the second game its increased more.

The Savior Schnapp system (limited saving) is controversial, however there are many ways to obtain them such as from vendors or loot from chests, and rewards from npcs. You can also sleep in a bed at an inn, but most importantly You can craft Savior Schnapps, which I recommend you do as soon as possible.

The story is fairly interesting and I enjoy the historical notes the game provides, and how it leads back to events in the game. The characters also end up fairly interesting, especially a certain priest you meet fairly early in the main questline (he's the best).

Overall, after having a pretty sluggish grind for the first hours of the game, I've come to really enjoy the game and see it as one of my favorites. If it is your first time though, despite my own protests against it I would 100% recommend an Unlimited Saving mod, as the limited save system is probably enough on its own to put people off(especially if you die a lot).

I look forward to the sequel, and all the new things it brings along

This game was made just for me!

10/10 and I will buy KCD 2.

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TL;DR

I'm tired of never-ending "you're the chosen one" fantasies with dragons. I'm tired of weak combat experience (looking at you Skyrim and Witcher). I would like to experience real harsh medieval times. I heard about this game, and it indeed delivers (pun intended).

VISUALS

Graphics are marvelous. Beautiful landscapes. Like I was really there, walking in Bohemian woods. It felt super realistic and immersive. When it rains, it rains hard. I've never seen such good-looking rain in a videogame. The map size is smaller compared to other AAA games, but for me, it's better this way. The world is very detailed. Animations are okay.

SOUND

Music and sounds are exceptional. Melodies have a medieval vibe and are pleasant to listen to. Villagers are singing songs and chatting with each other. Dubbing is almost always perfect. The number of lines of dialogue is absurdly high. Dialogues are well-written and every interaction makes sense.

STORY

Story and overall quests are also well written. Don't expect "kill five rats in the basement" type of quests. They are rather clever and always have more than one way to solve them. There are many side quests in the game. In fact, so many that I would prefer fewer :) Some quests have a very serious undertone (Johanka's story) and some are more frivolous (Playing with the Devil). With most of them, I had no problem, but some of them are time-limited and the game almost doesn't mention it. That was kinda frustrating. The main story was meant to be divided into three parts. Parts two and three should have been extra games originally, so in KCD1 you'll experience only part of the story and, after finishing it, it feels incomplete. Also, the final battle felt a bit rushed.

COMBAT

I enjoyed combat a lot. It feels authentic. It's like you're really there fighting. It's hard to learn and hard to master and therefore it raises many controversies among casuals. I found the combat in many games pathetic (Elder Scrolls franchise, Witcher...). I prefer Dark Souls type of combat (which is admittedly better than KCD combat).
At the beginning you cannot beat anyone and you're forced to avoid combat. After the tutorial you'll learn the basics and you'll overpower single peasants. After some encounters and gearing up you'll defeat groups of moderately equipped bandits and in the end you'll win over every knight (even the master). Natural progression.

MECHANICS

Other game mechanics are okay. Lockpicking is weird at first but you'll get into it after a few locks. Pickpocketing is maybe too easy. Alchemy a bit dragging. Riding on a horse is a treat.
Inventory is not very user-friendly and a better sorting of loot is needed in KCD2.
I quite enjoyed the armor system, which is more complex than "you have a helm, mail and boots" as in other games. There are 14 armor slots and you layer various clothes and armor on top of each other as a real knight would have. It seems overwhelming but it's great actually. And it offers astonishing variability of NPC appearances.

WORLD

Villagers live their own lives. They sleep at night, eat in the morning, go to work, go to the pub after and so on. Someone is carrying a pail of water, another is fishing, hoeing, gone shopping, begging... You'll come to someone's home and he is not present. He is in the fields or at the market, at the church... It's like in real life. A very immersive living world.

BUGS

The game was broken AF at the release, or so I heard. Many players claim it isn't in good shape even now. But I can confirm none of it. I played on PC several years after release and encountered not a single game-breaking bug, 2 falls through the floor, 4 crashes to desktop and a few glitches (which were more funny than bothersome, aka a cow resting on a fence, or a chicken in a bucket of water). For the size of this game, I think it's a really good score.

CONTROVERSIES

It's somehow modern to inject political propaganda into videogames (and entertainment in general). There were passionate discussions about how many POC were in medieval central Europe (the answer is: none). The game was accused of many things by brainwashed leftists. Well, sane people do not look for this kind of nonsense in a videogame. I'm glad that the devs didn't give in and made the game free of modern propaganda. It was the right way to go and overall ratings and sales speak for themselves.
Sidenote: there are no kids in the game (for usual reasons) and it feels quite unrealistic. A medieval rural region should have been swarming with kids.

VERDICT

With all that said, you can tell I love the game. It's a historically accurate medieval experience. If Assassin's Creed uses its Origins as educational material, KCD surely can be one too.
I was immersed like never before and enjoyed every bit of it. I understand the critique. I don't agree, but I understand. People differ in a great many ways and everybody has a right to have an opinion.
Anyway the positives greatly outnumber the negatives for me. If this game does not deserve absolute marks, I don't know which game does.

I'm looking forward to buy a sequel. I hope they don't make the game more easy/simple for money a broader audience.

This is hands down one of the most immersive games I’ve ever played. The historical accuracy and the challenging, rewarding combat pulled me right into 1403 Bohemia. I found the story so captivating that I got super invested in the characters and their development. The landscapes are absolute visual masterpieces, and I often lost track of time just wandering around and soaking it all in. The save system can be a bit clunky, but it makes every decision feel significant. The learning curve is tough, but mastering it is seriously satisfying. This game is definitely on my top 10 favorite games list! What really sets it apart is how it forces me to think strategically with every encounter, delivering a level of realism that most RPGs just can’t match. I tried using cheats at first, but it totally took away the thrill, so I ended up replaying the whole game to earn my victories the right way. Trust me, skip the cheats. Playing it as intended is an emotional and immersive journey. Huge shoutout to Warhorse for crafting such a detailed and engaging world. It's clear they put their heart and soul into this project. I can't wait to see what Warhorse has in store for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and I’ll be pre-ordering it soon!

I love this game even if it is buggy. its a fun open world and really does make you feel like you are a weak son of a blacksmith that must grow into a knight. playing dice in the tavern has been my favorite and getting into bar fights.

Графіка в 2024 виглядає досить архаїчно, навідміну від того ж Відьмака. Але я розумію, бюджети у ігор різні. Боївка для мене затяжка, аж бісить. Я врятував Терезу за допомогою свисту, монголи ті мене вбивали разів 10. Вирішив я @уй з тією Терезою, нехай гвалтують, та виявилось що можна їх просто відволікти. Гра ломана і крива. Сюжет затягує, але не знаю чи затягне мене аж настільки щоб пройти її до кінця.
Та все ж таки я рекомендую, якщо ви хард кор рпг геймер!
Я буду пробувати домучити себе щоб пограти в 2 частину і бути "в темі" (з бюджетом KCD2 скоріш за все підвезуть і рішення всіх проблем 1 частини), можливо приборкаю боївку і стане цікавіше.
PS: щось тут є таке, що робить всі мінуси незначними. Душа=)

Best medieval game 11/10
still hungry 🤤🤤

Most people quit because of the combat system. I found it to be super fun and rewarding if you stick to it. If Captain Bernard is kicking your ass, its normal for the start of the game. Just keep practicing and explore the map

*~~* LukeToBe's No BS Review *~~*

The RPG elements, world building, cut scenes and characters in Kingdom Come: Deliverance are fantastic! Easily top-tier gaming that compares to the likes of Elder Scrolls: Skyrim in terms of feel and passion. You never know who you might run into or might find out in the wilderness. That is what makes every moment meaningful, whether it be dialog decisions, ambushes in the forest, deciding which loot is worth keeping as to not be overburdened by weight and keeping your gear; and yourself, clean and in good shape. In this respect, Kingdom Come: Deliverance deserves high praise to the heavens above!

However! The combat is a steaming pile of hot cow dung that should have been scraped. It's literally the WORST combat mechanics I have ever had the displeasure of experiencing, and completely ruins the game. Getting locked into animations and having the camera restricted to whom you are targeting is broken, especially when you will be fighting multiple enemies at the same time. So being able to keep sight on flanking enemies, block their attacks and switch target locks is important for combat, but when you can barely even see what animation you are locked into makes it near impossible for timing and distance management as well. Try chasing someone to swipe them only to be stopped so an attack animation can kick in. I'd have a better time becoming a master swordsman in a game like hand simulator or with my hand down my pants!

Was it so hard to just let the player control the camera, weapon swing direction and targeting ourselves, without being extremely restrictive? Apparently so when you try to reinvent the wagon wheel but in the worst way humanly possible. This is not a skill issue but a design issue. Bad mechanics lead to bad gameplay. I have no issue with a high skill ceiling and difficulty, but when every combat encounter makes me feel like Michael J. Fox struggling to hold himself together in the heat of battle. It simply isn't worth the hassle.

So note to self. When you make a game with combat mechanics. Make sure the concept wasn't birthed as a result of noble inbreeding practices.

The game starts of so good. It's a real RPG with some old school elements. You start of super weak; a peasant who can't do anything, not even read or swing a sword. For quite some time it becomes clear that this is the case and you need to learn a lot. The learning process seems like so much fun, but even after leveling up, everything remains so extremely frustrating.

The gameplay is quite terrible: sword fighting feels very sluggish and clunky. One on one fight has a certain charm, but most of the time you are attacked in groups and it just sucks horribly. The bow is not much better and there is no visor or crossair. Even taking out a weapon is confusing and sluggish, often causing me to die when I am trying to draw my sword because it takes 3 seconds to draw, and then if in the meantime you pressed the same button again, the sword is being put back already. During fights you cannot bandage yourself or drink potions, so you can die from just one hit if you can't kill the enemy quickly enough. Running away is no option as the enemy has infinite stamina (whereas yours is very very limited).

The quests start of as fun, and it is clear that a lot of thought went into the game. I needed to get some money from someone, and thought I would just kick his ass to get it. It was clear this was not possible because I was too weak, and then there were several other ways to get the money anyways. Really cool that ther ewere so many options. But quickly the quests became very frustrating. I constantly had no idea what to do or where to find what or who (which is sometimes a nice old school RPG feature, but they really took it way too far here). It felt almost like one of those old point and click games from the early nineties, that were basically only doable with a walkthrough. For the first few quests there were clear indicators, but later it was just horrible. I spent hours on looking for an NPC, to quickly drop of one thing, and then him asking me to come back tomorrow, having to find him again, without any indication of where he would be! Just horrible. I've spent more time just wandering around aimlessly than actually playing the game.

There are also many bugs, but I guess that's ok, because the game has a lot of complexity and options, but paired with a horrible save system, it becomes very frustrating again.

The atmosphere was the redeeming feature; the landscapes where beautiful, and npc's seemed to have their own routines and everything. I think a lot of love went into the game, but overall it was too much of a frustrating experience. I will check the sequel out in a few years when it is on sale and hopefully they have fixed the bugs, and perhaps made the gameplay a lot better.

I think the best way to explain this game is by literally telling you my experience on how a day in the beautiful and vivid world of kingdom come deliverance goes. Henry, the horsemen of famine. chose to wake up in any usual morning, in a very peaceful day, realizing he was indeed quite hungry, so he decided to eat... “food”. Now, this wasn't any normal food you can get from looting the corpse of a poor lady down the street which you "accidentally" stumbled upon, no. This was spoiled food. But let's be real, who even checks expiration dates these days. And so, Henry took that food poisoning, Like a champ. And that wouldn't stop him, no no no, instead, it motivated him to go to the monastery and finish once and for all the quest about taking out the "bad" weeds in the monastery's garden. But you and I would be lying to ourselves if we agreed that it was only to do a great good to the monastery. And you are right. it is not about doing good, but stealing all of the books and goods they have. But Henry was far away from the monastery, so he had an oncoming adventure on the way. After a couple minutes of traveling, Henry found a skirmish on his way ahead, seeing the great armor and possible value he could sell those goods for, he decided to go kill all fighting bands. After succeeding on doing so, Henry looted all of the corpses, and so a farmer passed by and strangely enough, said farmer ran away while screaming "Murderer!", Henry didn't pay much mind at the farmer and continued his travel to the monastery (Reality was Henry couldn't catch up to the farmer to kill him since he prioritized more the loot that was remaining and awaiting to be taken), but on his way to the monastery and it's outer city... what was he about to discover would change all of his reputation in all of the kingdom. Once he reached the monastery, he was confused why the monks started screaming and running away, logically, the guards came after Henry and they asked him to surrender, but they did one mistake... attacking the great horsemen of famine while asking for such outrageous thing called "surrender"... so, understandably. Henry did NOT surrender and so he fought back, killing every single guard on his way, Henry still, could not understand why this was happening, did he do something wrong? was it because he stole an old lady's grilled cheese? But that couldn't be more further from the actual truth. Henry, in his travel to the monastery, when he found that skirmish, he didn't just kill the bandits and cumans, but apparently the guards as well which they were fighting said enemies, Henry just didn’t realize of who he killed who. But he knew one thing. Nobody, and i mean NOBODY, was gonna take his hard worked and honest earned loot. So he kept killing and killing at the monastery, be it guards or monks, it came to a point where only the plot protected characters were left alive, but that didn't satisfy Henry's anger, so he went to the city which was next the monastery and killed every single civilian and all of the guards and those who dared oppose him on his wrath, those who ran away soon died by bleeding out because of Henry's attack perks. And so, once his wrath was over, the monastery and city were empty husks, holding only memories which will never be reconstructed again... Henry in the end, realized of the unforgivable acts he did, and so, for his redemption ark, Henry twerked his gyatt back to bed, and slept the days away till in less than seven in game days, the monastery and city forgot all of his sins and removed the bounty on his head. Then Henry remembered one thing. He forgot to remove the weeds at the monastery, and so, the cycle continued. Day after day.... Oh right, basically the game is pretty fun and realistic enough, you can also rob houses (preferably nobles) while being drunk and willingly half naked.
Would recommend.

Playing it again years after its release shows that this game is still a buggy mess.
Enemies teleporting around, masterstrikes working at random and even less consistent parrying make combat no fun at all.
The story is okay, but the combat and grind, together with the punishing save system makes this game unplayable.

I hope the sequel will be better.

---{ Graphics }---
☐ You forget what reality is
☑ Beautiful
☐ Good
☐ Decent
☐ Bad
☐ Don‘t look too long at it
☐ MS-DOS

---{ Gameplay }---
☐ Very good
☑ Good
☐ It's just gameplay
☐ Mehh
☐ Watch paint dry instead
☐ Just don't

---{ Audio }---
☐ Eargasm
☑ Very good
☐ Good
☐ Not too bad
☐ Bad
☐ I'm now deaf

---{ Audience }---
☐ Kids
☐ Teens
☑ Adults
☐ Grandma

---{ PC Requirements }---
☐ Check if you can run paint
☐ Potato
☐ Decent
☑ Fast
☐ Rich boi
☐ Ask NASA if they have a spare computer

---{ Game Size }---
☐ Floppy Disk
☐ Old Fashioned
☐ Workable
☑ Big
☐ Will eat 10% of your 1TB hard drive
☐ You will want an entire hard drive to hold it
☐ You will need to invest in a black hole to hold all the data

---{ Difficulty }---
☐ Just press 'W'
☐ Easy
☑ Easy to learn / Hard to master
☐ Significant brain usage
☐ Difficult
☐ Dark Souls

---{ Grind }---
☐ Nothing to grind
☐ Only if u care about leaderboards/ranks
☑ Isn't necessary to progress
☐ Average grind level
☐ Too much grind
☐ You'll need a second life for grinding

---{ Story }---
☐ No Story
☐ Some lore
☐ Average
☐ Good
☐ Lovely
☑ It'll replace your life

---{ Game Time }---
☐ Long enough for a cup of coffee
☐ Short
☐ Average
☑ Long
☐ To infinity and beyond

---{ Price }---
☐ It's free!
☑ Worth the price
☐ If it's on sale
☐ If u have some spare money left
☐ Not recommended
☐ You could also just burn your money

---{ Bugs }---
☐ Never heard of
☐ Minor bugs
☐ Can get annoying
☐ ARK: Survival Evolved
☑ The game itself is a big terrarium for bugs

---{ ? / 10 }---
☐ 1
☐ 2
☐ 3
☐ 4
☐ 5
☐ 6
☑ 7
☐ 8
☐ 9
☐ 10

I loved this game the first time I played it, and with the sequal coming in February I wanted to play it again, and this time I hate it.

I know it's a slow burn, but I am 8 hours in and every combat encounter I either win because my enemy is far less equipped than me, or I die because I am outmatched or more often,because there is more than one enemy at once. Fighting multiple enemies in this game is painful, and not because the combat is balanced to be difficult, but because the mechanics of the game make it extremely clunk y and very difficult to make Henry do what you want him to do. You are constantly being knocked around, the lock on is so sticky you can hardly ever target the enemy you actually want to fight, and every single enemy is a master swordsman that can block every attack perfectly. That last part completely destroys the "realistic" fencing for me because I get that Henry is inexperienced and I like that but why is every peasant in Bohemia a master? It doesn't make sense and seems to contradict the developers vision for this game.

Okay so I don't like the combat, but I really love the world and the characters, so just keep the combat to a kinimum right? Well that's what I tried but then because I have to go through the same areas so often I fast travel, and then I run into an encounter I can't avoid, I am thrown from my horse and forced to fight 3 enemies. I can't run away, because they have unlimited stamina and always catch me, or slash me in the back which for some reason forces me to heel turn and lock on to them. So then I die and because of the save system in this game, I lose 30 minutes of progress. More running through the same areas I have been all day. No thanks.

I think for it's time this game was really innovative and took a lot of risks and came from a studio that maybe didn't have the funds to achieve what they set out to at as high a standard as I would have liked, and that's okay. That being said, I don't think it holds up. The jank is everywhere and for as many awesome fun moments I've had, there have been at least twice as many broken encounters that ruined my immersion or left me frustrated, and for that reason I can't recommend anyone play it today.

Looking forward to the sequal though, I hope they make it like this but better.

First playthrough was on a different account, that's why playtime is low.

Random thoughts mid playthough

Do not buy this game unless you got it for 2.99 like me.

This game does some things great. The atmosphere is great. When the combat works it's satisfying. The armor system is really cool. Story is alright and engaging enough.

That being said, this is the most consistently annoying sloppy first person melee experience I have even played. Even after grinding, combat is just annoying. Its either mind-numbing Q spam, or one enemy too many shoves you into a stunlock and you lose an hour a playtime. (Get the unlimited save mod.)

The camera when sword fighting is horrendous.

There is no good reason for why I had to install a mod for an aiming dot for the bow.

Everything feels like a chore for the sake of realism, but this game is so janky that it ends up being for nothing. Enemies float-running in place and clipping armor breaks any sense of immersion that all of these boring mechanics are supposed to give you.

I find myself constantly going "wow thats fucking stupid, I wonder if there is a mod that fixes that" and wow im always right. Seriously, every time I get into the game something is thrown in front of me that makes wonder if this shit was even play tested at all.

That being said, just found out there is a second one coming. Honestly interested to see how much they fix.

Im going to finish this game and probably never want to play it again.

[Continued:]

So many trailing missions and other artificial time wasters. When rebuilding the DLC town, is it REALLY necessary to watch and follow the land appraiser waddle as slowly as the game engine will allow every time you want to build/upgrade something.

You have to complete the Rattay tourney like 30 times. The amount of time wasted listening to the announcer say the same 2 lines OVER AND OVER AND OVER is absurd. Thats not including the time wasted manually waiting between tourneys because chances are you'll be on the other side of the map when the tourney is open.

The animation for picking herbs alone makes me not want to mess with alchemy.

Why is it that random decrepit fucking peasants are just at good at parrying me as cuman warlords?

You cannot convince me that this game's combat was designed with the intention that you would need to fight more than one guy at a time.

Fighting multiple dudes at once should be fucking awesome. It would be the perfect opportunity to be an actual knight. It would be cool if enemies would circle around you and size you up. They could start off trying to rush you down, but maybe as you parry them they get worn out and they would lose confidence. You could sneak more cheeky stabs and quick slashes or whatever the fuck. Start on the defense, then go on the offense.

I THINK that was how it was supposed to be, but in reality, enemies sprint at you, group up in one cluster a few inches from your face, then start jogging in place around you camera so you can't see anything. You spam Q while walking backwards in the hopes that you get a random masterstrike animation that will kill one of them. You can't attack normally because the enemies WILL masterstriker you with an animation that damages you. All the while a random enemy has surrendered in the middle of all if this for no fucking reason at all.

I can't even bring myself to finish the game.

Spoilers:

I quit after the talmburg night raid. After waking up and seeing that the ending of the game consisted of like 10 shitty busywork fetch quests before I could do the final battle I figured I'd seen enough.

Like really? How the fuck are you going to include "Go collect 200 meat" in the climax of your game? Not "Inspire the men before battle" or "Sabotage enemy defenses". Another fucking meat collecting quest. Another "Go talk to these dipshit charcoal burners in the woods, oh and btw you cant fast travel to them LOL" quest. Stop making me run out into the woods and talk to somebody who doesn't matter. And I don't buy the realism excuse here. Even if this is supposed to show the amount of effort sieges took IRL, you wouldn't have nobility/knights running errands like "fetch ale" and shit. Hardly anything about this game is realistic anyway. I see guards sleeping in full plate armor. This game has potions in it. Realism isn't an excuse for this dogshit.

Probably not missing much anyway. The final battle would have just been another scripted slopfest where the AI ignores you while it geeks out. I would've pressed Q against the final boss.

This game is just really fascinating. Like, I don't think i've ever sunk as much time into an RPG that I know I will never under any circumstance touch again. That's not to say it was all bad. Atmosphere, music, story, combat (SOMETIMES) is alright. But man this game just leaves my scratching my head as to why anybody would be so dedicated to making so much of it just an un-fun waste of time.

2/5

Fantastic game, that is at times infuriating. Save function requires consumables, and it's easy to lose lots of progress. Gameplay is fun, but combat is janky and difficult. Overall, it's lots of fun, and feels like a happy child of Oblivion and Mount & Blade, with a load of realism mods. Looks very pretty, and the story is great.

After about 40hrs into the game I would never recommend this at full price. I bought it for $3 and I am not going to continue playing the game because of the dumb and frustrating game mechanics.

1) There are still a lot of bugs and glitches with the game after 6 years, including main quest issues, character inconsistencies, etc.

2) The combat in the game makes the the game unbearable. Yes it has a cool idea, but the issue lies with "master strikes" and parries. Meaning there is no point to actually attacking anyone in the game because the likelihood is that you'll be hit with a "master strike" which is an unblockable attack from the AI and theres nothing you can do about it. There are also combos that the AI will randomly throw at you which sometimes you are not able to parry or block it for some reason. This only drags combat out for 10 minutes at a time for no reason. The AI also tends to parry or dodge every 2-3 swings you throw at them so you can't even hit a combo skill that the game offers. Not to mention if you're involved in a 1v2 or more situation then it is basically a death sentence.

3) Fast travel, can't save the game whenever, time consuming. The game is plagued by this back and forth between towns which is fine, but the issue lies with fast traveling. When you fast travel theres a chance a random event could happen where you are ambushed. This results in a coin toss of whether or not you "avoid" it or not. If you fail then you're thrusted into a 3v1 situation which means instant death. So fast traveling is not the best and now you're forced to travel without which takes even more time. Also, you can't save the game unless you sleep or have a consumable item in the game which is extremely inconvenient.

Point of the matter is, the game has a good RPG foundation but everything else is terrible and makes the game unbearable.

It's bad because I had to install mods to change this around to make the game bearable but there is still too much to deal with that I am giving up on playing the game.

The game concept is really nice. Combat is HORRIBLE. not fun at all. i feel as though i wasted money. even though it was on super sale of like 6 bucks. once again the combat sucks in this game.

You will be screwed over by the absolute stupidity of the save system. Your exit saves delete once loaded, to save normally you need to use a consumable that can make you drunk or go sleep somewhere. Whoever thought of this save system needs to be barred from game design forever.

EDIT: There was a lot more to this review including an actual scenario that happened in my playtime, however steam edited it down for "reasons"

Not only is the save system absolute garbage. The combat would be fun if the enemies didn't seemingly have infinite stamina. YOU can't throw out 10 consecutive attacks, but they sure can. On top of this, you'll be fighting solo most of the time while bandits, cumans, highwaymen, etc. will almost always be in a group. Did the developers think this through and try to make it semi-fair to the player? Of course not. You will get surrounded and die within seconds. Is your defense skill high? What about your warfare skill? How much armor are you wearing? NONE of this matters if you get surrounded and attacked non-stop, which will happen.

I want to like this game, I really do. It just seems that the developers took no consideration for what makes a game fun. "We don't want save-scummers!" Well then you better make a save system that hurts EVERY player \s. "We want combat to feel real!" Well then you should make a combat system that makes it so that enemies always have an advantage \s.

If you decide to pick this up, good luck trying to have fun.

Really enjoyed the main story and side quests
Still have to do some dlcs and hardcore mode
For 3,99Euro Royal Edition is really worth it

now this game is good on its own decent sword fights and all that good story i got 6 hours in and it was good but as realistic as the combat is it hurts the game massively sword fights only really work 1 on 1 the second its 2 or god forbid more then 3 you have litterally no chance of winning unless your some kind of god brought down from the heavens and even then its challenging like i get its supposed to be realistic but realism doesnt always mean good or fun gameplay everything else was great but i just could not stand the sword play it brings the game down tremendously but thats just me others could like it more then i did but i just could not stand it

This game really justifies the need for a better recommendation system on Steam.
The good: scenery, storyline, most of the game mechanics (combat is not one of them).
The bad: camera system especially in group fights when outnumbered, the stamina system, alchemy

Basically don't even bother without assistance from Nexus Mods which are very easy to install

I have not played this game in years but planning to 100% this and kc2 when it comes out.

I have owned this since launch legit couldn't run it with more than like 30 fps back then got almost 20 hours out of this game.

It was absolutely mind blowing how good this looked back then and still does. I just hope that somehow kc2 will somehow top kc1 and run abit better.

Trailer gives me hope but nowadays being optimistic or realistic is the way to go to not have your hopes crushed.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance (KCD) is a True RPG Experience

Story

The game is set in the medieval Kingdom of Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. You follow Henry, the son of a blacksmith, whose life is turned upside down when his village is attacked by mercenaries. Seeking revenge and justice, Henry's journey is compelling and engaging.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3245281827

Historical Accuracy

One of the standout aspects of this game is its historical accuracy. It brings 15th-century Bohemia to life with detailed medieval buildings and clothing. The story is based on real historical events, though some elements are adjusted for gameplay. The game does an excellent job showcasing how people lived, including their social structure and religious practices. Even the combat feels authentic to the medieval period, enhancing the overall immersive experience.

Atmosphere

The atmosphere in this game is amazing. After playing Red Dead Redemption 2, I found myself enjoying the exploration of forests, villages, and towns here even more. The changing weather and day-night cycle add realism, transitioning from bright sunny days to dark, misty nights. Sounds like birds chirping, church bells ringing, and armor clanking make the environment feel vibrant and alive. The interactions with characters and the depiction of historical events further enrich the game's atmosphere.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2805407804

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3242403604

Gameplay

Gameplay in Kingdom Come: Deliverance is rich and varied. The swordplay is highly detailed, focusing on skill and technique rather than simple button-mashing. Combat requires precise timing, proper stances, and effective use of different weapons, making each fight a true test.

You can explore different playstyles, such as thief, archer, or knight. You can focus on stealth and lockpicking as a thief, use ranged attacks as an archer, or engage in heavy melee combat as a knight. Each playstyle comes with unique skills and strategies, allowing you to tailor your approach to the game’s challenges. How you choose to play affects how others react to you—knight builds can intimidate guards, while villagers might show you respect or offer better discounts at shops.

Why Do I Rate KCD Highly?

You start as a simple blacksmith’s son with no special skills or experience. As you progress, you develop abilities such as sword fighting, archery, reading, and pickpocketing. Your journey involves building relationships and seeing the impact of your decisions. All these elements combine to create a rich and immersive experience. Kingdom Come: Deliverance stands out for its depth, historical accuracy, and engaging gameplay.

TLDR:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance offers a true RPG experience set in medieval Bohemia. Follow Henry, a blacksmith’s son, as his life changes after a mercenary attack. The game excels in historical accuracy with detailed settings and authentic combat. The immersive atmosphere is enhanced by a dynamic day-night cycle and realistic sounds. Gameplay is diverse, featuring detailed swordplay and various playstyles. As you develop skills and relationships, your decisions shape the world, making KCD an exceptional and engaging RPG.

Seemed good, until i lost 5h of my progress because i did not do an important mission and didn't sleep either. The devs don't care about the player, they just care about not having "save scummer" and by doing that they destroy the experience of the rest 90% of the playerbase

this game is good on so many lvls.....it isnt for everyone but for fans of RPGs like Oblivion, and Gothic 2, ect then your going to love this...its a very raw sort of fun with just a tad bit of janky....P.S it has the best potion making I have seen in any game to date...like that should have been how potion making felt in Hogwarts legacy

Game is pretty cool but the save system its the absolute worst, doesn't save after side quest so you can just lose hours of progress accidentally but just fast traveling and getting stuck in a combat. Since the mechanics are a bit lanky it cause allot of really annoying situations. Yes you can save via an item but having to keep items on hand all the time is pretty hard especially early in the game when you are trying to figure things out still and losing hours of progress at a time.

A Deeply Immersive and Unforgettable Journey

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is one of those rare games that pulls you into its world so completely that you lose track of time. From the first moment I began playing, I was struck by how rich and detailed the game’s world is, and it only got better the deeper I went.

What really sets Kingdom Come: Deliverance apart is its dedication to historical accuracy and realism. This isn’t just another medieval fantasy game; it’s a meticulous recreation of 15th-century Bohemia, with all the grit and glory of the era. The developers clearly put an immense amount of effort into researching every aspect of the game, from the architecture and landscapes to the weapons and social customs. This commitment to authenticity makes the world feel alive and believable, and it’s a joy to explore.

The story is another highlight. You play as Henry, a young man thrust into a world of political intrigue and violence after his home is destroyed. What I love about Henry’s journey is that it’s grounded and personal. He’s not some chosen hero or legendary warrior; he’s just a regular guy trying to survive and find his place in a chaotic world. This makes his struggles and triumphs feel all the more real and rewarding. The narrative is filled with memorable characters, moral dilemmas, and twists that kept me hooked from start to finish.

One of the most impressive aspects of the game is the combat system. It’s challenging, but in the best possible way. The mechanics are based on real medieval fighting techniques, and you can’t just button-mash your way to victory. Every encounter requires skill, timing, and strategy, whether you’re engaged in a one-on-one duel or a massive battle. The learning curve is steep, but once you get the hang of it, the combat becomes incredibly satisfying. It feels authentic and weighty, making every victory hard-earned.

The open world is another major strength of Kingdom Come: Deliverance. Bohemia is breathtakingly beautiful, with rolling hills, dense forests, and charming villages that are all crafted with an eye for detail. The dynamic weather and day-night cycle further enhance the immersion, as does the way NPCs go about their daily lives. Whether you’re hunting in the woods, exploring ancient ruins, or simply wandering through a town, there’s always something to see and do.

The RPG elements are deep and rewarding. Henry’s skills improve naturally as you use them, which makes progression feel organic. You really feel like you’re growing along with your character, becoming more capable and confident as you navigate the challenges of the world. The game also offers a lot of freedom in how you approach situations. Whether you want to talk your way out of trouble, sneak around enemies, or confront them head-on, the game supports a wide range of playstyles.

Finally, I have to commend the developers for their post-launch support. They’ve continued to refine and expand the game with updates and DLC, adding even more content and polish to an already fantastic experience. It’s clear that they care deeply about their creation and about giving players the best possible experience.

In summary, Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a masterpiece of immersive storytelling and historical simulation. Its dedication to realism, combined with its deep and engaging gameplay, makes it one of the most rewarding RPGs I’ve ever played. If you’re a fan of historical settings, challenging combat, or rich, open-world experiences, this game is an absolute must-play.

the combat is still so so awful. not sure how this ever was deemed acceptable. the rest of the game is great. combat is terrible 1 v 1 and even worse 1 v 2+.

I REALLY want to like this game - but the combat, especially when fighting more than one opponent is absolute horsepiss.

Switching targets is awful, and if you go to sprint to try and hit someone else with their back turned, your character runs around in some stupid fashion, gets hit like 5 times, and then dies.

I've got full chaimnail, plate cuirass, and more - still getting the living dick knocked out of me.

I'll go into an alleyway to reduce their numbers advantage (2 vs 3) and it doesn't help - even though they shouldn't be able to swing horizontally, they will! Even though trying to run past me should be heavily punishable, it isn't :)

I have done live swordfighting, SCA/HEMA type stuff. Plate armor, live steel. Fighting multiple people sucks ass, but the way the UI works in this game makes it infuriating. Sometimes I will be trying to hold off three people, backing up the entire time with my guard up, while my ally just walks behind them casually. But if I end up between them, they immediately turn around and hit me in the back; without it being punished by my ally.

Also the dog is worthless unless you train it forever - it'll fight off Szbyeck (however it is spelled, sorry) to stop him from looting his old owner, but it doesn't know how to attack someone on threatening their new owner on instinct? It just ends up getting in the damn way and growling, getting hit by me or the enemy in the process. That's all.

I am gonna keep going a bit longer, but holy fucking shit is this frustrating. I have had a easier time in Soulslike games fighting more than one enemy in pvp than this. Mind numbing.

I have never Loved/Hated a game more in my entire life. This is basically a historically accurate, ultra realistic elder scrolls game. You start off as a nobody and you have to level everything up. Not just the usual stuff like Strength and dexterity either. You have to learn to read and then level it up. You level up in drinking, horse back riding, fist fights. The sense of progression is tremendous because you level it up by doing those very things, it's not like some games where you get points and assign them. The graphics are very pretty but in a realistic way. You know how some games look better than real life? Everything kingdom come goes for is true to life. You get tired, hungry, you have to bathe or people will smell you (making stealth harder and also npcs won't respect you or take you seriously). This is a bit much but it actually isn't overly tedious. Your character also can't carry a ton of stuff true to life though you can level this up. Still you will never be able to walk around with 22 swords like you can in most other rpgs. The open world is done extremely well, once again it's realistic so there are no volcanic mountain peaks and water worlds and lush jungles, this is all medieval Bohemian countryside. There are zero loading screens in this game which is great, but it does suffer from some distant pop in graphics. This is one of the most alive worlds I have ever experienced in a video game. The 2 best games I have played this year are Cyberpunk and Baldurs Gate 3. While those games are amazing, the worlds never feel alive. The NPCs are very clearly NPCs that stand in the same location and don't do anything. In Kingdom Come every NPC has a life. They sleep, wake up, eat breakfast, go to work, church, the tavern, etc it's pretty spectacular. There are a lot of RPGs out there where money is practically useless, that is not the case here. The quests are extremely unique, never repetitive and there is no hand holding here. The voice acting is great, I find myself invested in most conversations and listen at the pace of the game, in comparison to baldurs gate where I typically read and skip through not waiting for the vocals. The atmosphere in this game is also 10/10

Kingdom come does sacrifice accessibility and fun for the sake of realism. I originally played this on Xbox. I put about 20 hours in when I uninstalled and decided that whenever I get a gaming PC, I will restart Kingdom come. This is due to the many mechanics in this game that will make you pull your hair out. First things first, this game has the WORST lockpicking in gaming history. Whoever designed the lockpicking deserves a kick to the dick because it's fucking awful. I have leveled it up, turned on simplified settings, tried mouse and keyboard, controller, literally everything. It's HORRIBLE. Its to the point where I modded lockpicking out of the game. In my 20+ years of playing RPGs I never once did that or felt the need to do that but it's a necessity here. The combat is also extremely clunky, it does get better the more you train but it is frustrating none the less. Archery doesn't have a crosshair which isn't the end of the world but I modded in a crosshair as well. The games saving mechanic is also extremely hardcore. You can only save when you sleep or when you drink an expensive drink called Savior Schnaps. I understand this is implemented to add consequence to your actions but the game has some bugs which makes the mechanic extremely frustrating. I modded this out as well I save whenever I want now. I am not typically a big modder but the saving and lockpicking mods were a necessity for me if I was to continue playing. Another issue is the NPC AI when it comes to guards. You can sneak around and steal stuff, nobody will see you and all of a sudden a guard will come shake you down like you were caught red handed. It makes zero sense. You can typically pay them off or run but it is still annoying. This doesn't occur all the time but it happens enough to be annoying. Riding horses is annoying on mouse and keyboard due to you having to keep clicking a button to speed your horse up. This is more comfortable just pressing B on a controller instead of mashing it with your pinky hitting shift. I actually play the entire game on controller. Apparently some think lockpicking is better on mouse and keyboard but as I said before I modded out the dreaded thing.

See what I mean? Love/hate. Some terrible mechanics and design decisions but also one of the most unique and amazing RPGs I have ever played. This game has pulled off things that no other game has been capable of doing. I would recommend this only on PC where you can remove the mechanics that you hate. Also, for a single player game, this community is so beyond toxic. I would recommend googling any questions instead of asking. This community will skold you for not liking every single design in the game. "Skill issue noob! if you're going to mod out the saves or lockpicking why even play, go hop on fortnite, play in traffic and uninstall life" Like okay bud it's a single player game let me play it how I want to, I bet you get all the girls beating Kingdom Come on it's hardest difficulty you loser lol.

Game requires you to run back and forth through the same areas repeatedly. When fast travelling there's a chance you will unavoidably start an encounter by being thrown from your horse and beaten to death by multiple enemies.

No way to avoid being unhorsed.

No chance to talk your way out of it.

No chance to run (enemies in heavy armour with shields are faster than you with weapons sheathed and light armour).

Realism at the expense of choice is missing the point of making a role playing game. Just have Henry die of dysentery in the opening act if you want him to die so badly.

I want to finish this game but reloading for the 10th time to replay a quest I just spent 2 hours completing because I died from some random dice roll I can't do anything about is boring and ruins a game which otherwise has lots of redeeming qualities.

Kingdom in fact did Come and Delivered... a bit of a mess.

Story wasn't anything special, liked the characters, liked the quests, loved sidequests the most, I enjoyed exploring the world and the setting was awesome, liked the feeling of the progression system from level 1 crook to level 100 boss. I do not like the endings that do not end anything except the game, but since the sequel is around the corner I think I can overlook that.

I'm a fan of making the games feel more realistic from the gameplay perspective to the point it almost feels like a simulator, e.g. blacksmith learning how to read, but I'm not a fan of the fighting system that takes the mind of quantum physicist to merely comprehend it and a skill of Lü Bu to simply use it. And don't even get me started on alchemy system in this game.

Performance is a problem at some places, especially in "big" cities, FPS drop like crazy.

Overall pretty decent game if you can handle the suffering of certain gameplay mechanics, the world really was worth it. Not sure if I would ever give it another go tho.