Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

A fantastic sequel. Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a rare example of an RPG based on medieval historical events that doesn't make you want to stick two fingers down your throat and lose your lunch. And while it takes plenty of liberties with history, the game still brilliantly captures the spirit of the era and manages to tell a far-from-boring story about a certain bastard. Let me state right off the bat that I do not recommend playing the second part until you have finished the first. Franchise games are usually designed so that a player can jump in at any point and fully enjoy the experience, but that is not the case here. Even with the inclusion of flashbacks, there is still a wealth of information that requires having played the first game. That isn't a bad thing, though it is a relatively risky move for a big-budget project. Fortunately, the risk paid off. Compared to the first game, the combat system has been slightly simplified. Henry can now wield early gunpowder pistols, crossbows, and polearms. While the gunpowder weapons and crossbows are fun to use, I can't say anything good about the polearms. As for the main storyline, it is every bit as good as the first game's. There is still plenty of room for tense moments and drama, as well as a touch of comedy. The finale is particularly intense, though I do have reservations about the narrative's moral stance. Let’s just say I don’t quite subscribe to the philosophy that Henry should always turn the other cheek whenever possible. The game tries to teach that revenge is always wrong, yet the issue of impunity is never addressed. But that is the developer’s worldview — their message. There is nothing to be done about that. You’ll find a handful of interesting stories among the side quests. Most of them didn't really stick in my memory, though. There are a great many tedious "fetch-and-carry" tasks that serve only as a means of earning money — honestly (or close enough to it). Speaking of the economy, getting rich in the game isn't particularly difficult, provided you don't mind looting fallen enemies and selling off the gear. Your main obstacle is simply the limited amount of Groschen in the merchants' purses. As for the DLC content, I was largely disappointed. I can only praise *Mysteria Ecclesiae* for unlocking a new location and offering a reasonably interesting storyline. *Legacy of the Forge* failed to impress me due to its guild reputation system; I simply had no desire to grind just to complete a mini-storyline, especially since the opening setup made the ending all too predictable. As for *Brushes with Death*, it struck me as the most tedious and awful DLC of the lot. Instead of a mysterious artist, you get an annoying, schizophrenic whiner who constantly demands you complete the most boring tasks imaginable. His personal story is simply uninteresting. The remaining DLCs offer no narrative content — only gear that makes the early game significantly easier — so I chose not to use them. I highly recommend the game, if only for its main storyline. It is superb — as are the antagonists and allies Henry encounters along the way. Clearly, the developers left room for the franchise to continue. I look forward to the third part of the story.