Look, I’m gonna be real with you – I fired up Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 expecting another janky-but-charming Eurojank experience, and honestly? After dumping about 25 hours into this thing over the past two weeks (yeah, I know, casual numbers), I’m genuinely shocked at how much Warhorse Studios leveled up. Running this on my RTX 4060 with an i7-12700 and 16GB RAM, maxed settings at 1440p, I’m getting a pretty stable 55-65 FPS in the open world and 70+ in interiors, which is way better than I expected for a game this massive. But let me tell you, this game will absolutely test your patience in the first 10 hours before it clicks.
The Good Stuff
Kuttenberg is Genuinely One of the Best Cities I’ve Explored in an RPG
I’ve wandered through Novigrad, explored every corner of Baldur’s Gate, and spent way too much time in Skyrim’s cities, but Kuttenberg? This place is something else. It’s a functioning medieval city based on the actual street layout of Kutná Hora, and you can feel it. There are multi-story buildings you can actually enter, winding alleyways that lead to hidden taverns, a sprawling silver mine network underneath the city (the “Into the Underworld” quest took me down there and I got lost for like 40 minutes), and NPCs that actually have daily routines.
What got me was during the “Via Argentum” quest – I had to track down a merchant who’d scammed someone, and instead of a quest marker just pointing me to him, I had to actually ask around, follow leads, and eventually found him in a bathhouse at a specific time of day. The city feels alive in a way most RPG hubs don’t. Yeah, it tanked my framerate to about 45 FPS in the densest market areas, but honestly? Worth it.
The Combat Finally Feels Fair (Once You Git Gud)
The directional melee combat system was the thing I was most worried about coming from the first game, where early encounters felt like getting bullied by the school tough guy while you’re armed with a wet noodle. KCD2 still has that learning curve, but they’ve made it way more accessible. The tutorial in the Trosky region actually teaches you proper combos and Master Strikes instead of just throwing you to the wolves.
I remember getting absolutely destroyed by bandits during the “Wedding Crashers” quest (yeah, you crash a wedding, it goes bad, surprise surprise). Died like six times before I realized you’re supposed to use the terrain and stealth approach instead of going full Rambo. Once I started using the combo system properly – feinting high, striking low, then following up with a Master Strike when they counter – combat became this rhythm game where you actually feel skilled instead of lucky.
Also, crossbows and hand cannons are available way earlier than I expected. Found a hand cannon during “Back in the…” quest (the full name got cut off in my notes but it’s in the Trosky arc), and let me tell you, nothing says “medieval realism” like shooting a bandit with a primitive firearm that has a 30% chance of misfiring. It’s janky, it’s loud, it’s perfect.
Quest Design That Actually Respects Player Choice
This is where KCD2 really shines. Out of the 100+ quests, I’ve done maybe 30-40 so far, and I can count on one hand the ones that felt like filler. Most have multiple solutions, actual consequences, and don’t treat you like an idiot.
The “Speak of the Devil” quest in Kuttenberg had me investigating heresy accusations, and I could either find real evidence, fabricate evidence to please the church, or help the accused escape. I chose to help them escape, which locked me out of getting a specific church faction buff, but opened up an entire underground network of questlines. That’s the kind of consequence I actually care about – not “this NPC will remember that” nonsense, but actual branching content.
Even the smaller side quests have personality. The Gules Questline (which includes missions like “Handsome Charlie” and “Johnny the Gob”) is this darkly comedic series about hunting down criminals, and every single target has a unique gimmick. One was hiding in a monastery disguised as a monk, another was running a protection racket. These are all missable too if you progress too far in the main story, which adds real stakes to exploration.
Where It Falls Short
The Early Game is a Slog That Will Filter Out Casual Players
I need to be honest here – the first 8-10 hours of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 are rough. Like, “I almost refunded this” rough. You’re weak, poor, constantly hungry (the needs system is hardcore), and every combat encounter feels like you’re being mugged. The save system still uses “Saviour Schnapps” (alcohol you drink to manually save) unless you sleep in a bed, which means if you die during a 30-minute quest segment, you’re replaying all of it.
I had this exact scenario happen during “For Whom the Bell Tolls” in the Trosky region. I spent 45 minutes sneaking through an enemy camp, gathering intel, and was about to escape when a dog spotted me. Got killed, respawned at my last bed save from an hour earlier. I literally just stared at my monitor for five minutes contemplating my life choices.
The game does get significantly better once you level up your skills and get proper equipment, but that barrier to entry is real. If you’re coming from Skyrim or The Witcher expecting to feel like a badass hero from hour one, you’re gonna have a bad time.
Performance Issues and Bugs Still Haunt This Thing
Running on an RTX 4060, I’m mostly fine, but I’ve hit some rough patches. The game is a 140GB install (clear your SSD space NOW), and loading between the Trosky and Kuttenberg regions takes about 35-40 seconds on my system. Not terrible, but noticeable.
Bugs though? Yeah, they’re here. I’ve had NPCs T-pose during conversations, quest markers pointing to the wrong location (happened twice during side quests), and one memorable moment where my horse just… phased through a fence and got stuck in a barn. Had to reload a save from 20 minutes prior because the horse was needed for a timed quest.
The most annoying bug I’ve encountered is related to the “Lent” achievement (the vegetarian/pacifist animal run). I was trying for this, meticulously avoiding meat and animal kills, and during a scripted sequence in the main story, an NPC killed a chicken near me and the game counted it as MY kill. Achievement ruined, 15 hours down the drain. Checked online, it’s a known issue with no current fix. That’s the kind of thing that makes you want to throw your keyboard.
How The Game Actually Works
At its core, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a medieval life simulator wrapped in an RPG. You’re playing as Henry of Skalitz, continuing his story from the first game (you should probably play that first, but the game does catch you up). The gameplay loop is: accept quest, prepare for quest (gather supplies, scout location, talk to NPCs for intel), execute quest (usually with multiple approaches), deal with consequences, repeat. Combat is skill-based and directional – you aim your strikes with mouse movement, time your blocks and parries, and chain combos. Outside of combat, you’re managing hunger, sleep, equipment durability, and reputation with various factions. The world is split between the rural Trosky region (your early game area) and the massive city of Kuttenberg (mid to late game), with the ability to travel between them later on. There’s a point of no return at Main Quest 8 “Necessary Evil” for Trosky content, so explore everything before then. Expect to invest 60-80 hours for the main story, 120+ if you’re a completionist, and prepare for a learning curve that feels like a brick wall for the first 10 hours.
The Money Situation
Here’s the good news: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a traditional premium game with zero microtransaction garbage. You pay $69.99 upfront for the Standard Edition (yeah, it’s expensive, I know), and you get the full game. No battle passes, no loot boxes, no “time savers,” no premium currency. It’s refreshing as hell in 2025.
The only additional monetization is cosmetic DLC and story expansions. There’s a pre-order bonus called “The Lion’s Crest” that includes a quest and some cosmetic armor, but it’s not needed content. Based on how Warhorse handled the first game, expect 2-3 meaty story DLCs over the next year, probably $15-20 each, adding 10-15 hours of content per expansion. That’s the old-school model, and I’m here for it.
Is $70 worth it? If you’re into hardcore RPGs and can survive the brutal early game, absolutely. You’re getting 80+ hours of quality content with almost zero filler. Compare that to most modern $70 games that give you 15 hours of gameplay padded with live service nonsense. For me, even as a casual gamer who only plays a few hours a week, I’m getting my money’s worth. But if you’re on the fence, wait for a sale – this will probably hit $45-50 during a Steam sale in a few months, and that’s an absolute steal.
Who Should Play This
Play this if you: Want a deep, immersive RPG that treats you like an adult. Love historical settings and don’t need dragons and magic to have fun. Enjoy challenging combat that rewards skill over button mashing. Have patience for slow-burn stories and world-building. Can handle janky moments and bugs without losing your mind. Want meaningful player choice that actually affects the story.
Skip this if you: Need instant gratification and power fantasy from hour one. Hate save systems that punish you for dying. Don’t have 60+ hours to invest. Get frustrated easily by difficulty spikes. Expect a polished, AAA experience without rough edges. Want fast-paced action – this game is deliberately slow and methodical.
The real talk: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is not for everyone, and it doesn’t pretend to be. It’s a love letter to hardcore RPG fans who miss the days when games respected player intelligence and didn’t hold your hand. But that comes with the baggage of being unforgiving, occasionally buggy, and demanding of your time. I’m enjoying it despite its flaws, but I totally understand if someone bounces off it hard.
Quick Answers
Q: Can I run this on a mid-range PC or do I need a beast rig?
My RTX 4060 with 16GB RAM handles it fine at 1440p high settings, averaging 55-65 FPS in the open world. You’ll want at least an RTX 3060 or equivalent to hit 60 FPS at 1080p, and make sure you have 140GB of free SSD space because this game is CHUNKY. If you’re on older hardware, expect to drop to medium settings and maybe deal with some stuttering in Kuttenberg’s dense areas.
Q: Do I need to play the first game to understand what’s going on?
Not technically, but you should. KCD2 does a recap of the first game’s events in the opening, and you’ll understand the main plot fine, but you’ll miss a ton of character moments and references. It’s like watching Infinity War without seeing the previous Marvel movies – you’ll get it, but you won’t get it. The first game goes on sale for like $10 pretty often, so just grab it and play through the main story at least.
Q: How bad is the save system really?
It’s annoying but manageable once you get used to it. You can save by sleeping in any bed (free and plentiful), or by drinking Saviour Schnapps which you can buy from merchants or brew yourself if you invest in alchemy. Main quest checkpoints also auto-save. I keep 5-6 Schnapps in my inventory at all times and sleep before any major quest, haven’t had issues since my early deaths. Pro tip: the game auto-saves when you exit to menu, so if you’re about to do something risky, quit to menu first as a backup save.
Q: Are the side quests actually good or is it Ubisoft-style map marker spam?
The side quests are genuinely great, like Witcher 3 quality. Almost every one has a story, multiple solutions, and actual consequences. Yeah, there are some basic “kill bandits” or “deliver this item” quests, but even those usually have a twist. The Gules criminal hunting questline and the Blacksmith’s questline are both fantastic and easily missable if you progress the main story too far, so explore early.
Q: What’s the deal with the time-sensitive quests? Do I need a guide?
Some quests will fail if you wait too long in-game or progress past certain main story points. The big one is Main Quest 8 “Necessary Evil” which locks you out of Trosky region content. My advice: do all side quests in an area before moving to the next main quest objective, and if a quest says “urgent” or an NPC says “meet me soon,” actually do it within a day or two of game time. You don’t need a guide for a first playthrough, but if you’re achievement hunting or want to see everything, yeah, keep a missable quest list handy.
Q: Is this game really 120+ hours or is that bloated padding?
For completionists, yeah, easily 120+ hours. I’m at 25 hours and maybe 30% through the main story, haven’t even touched half the side content. Most players will finish the main story in 60-80 hours if you do some side content along the way. There’s very little padding – almost every quest has substance. If you rush just the main story and ignore everything else, you could probably do it in 40-45 hours, but honestly, you’d be missing the best parts of the game.
—
Final Verdict: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a flawed masterpiece that demands patience but rewards investment. At $70, it’s a tough sell for casual players, but if you’re craving a deep, immersive RPG that doesn’t treat you like a child, this is one of the best in years. Just be ready for a rough start, occasional bugs, and a save system designed by sadists. I’m hooked despite the frustrations, and I’ll probably be playing this for the next few months whenever I’ve free time. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go die to the same bandit camp for the fifth time because I forgot to save.
Score: 8.5/10 – A medieval sim that earns your respect the hard way.
About the Author
