Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is an incredibly ambitious RPG venture that soars when all its moving system parts and systems work as they’re meant to. As promised by Warhorse Studios themselves, protagonist Henry can be just about whatever you want him to be, whether that’s a wise diplomat, a mischievous thief or a drunk who finds himself regularly in barfights and down in the dirt. This is bolstered by meaningful skill specialisations, a strong bond between Henry and Hans and a story with exciting twists and turns. However, immersion is broken often with disappointing bugs, odd narrative choices that don’t bear weight and the fact female characters don’t get to do much of anything. A good game that could’ve been amazing had it been given a little longer to cook, Warhorse’s follow-up is a fun time despite all its obstacles but isn’t quite ready to be crowned victor just yet.

By aiming for authenticity and committing to character growth by repetition, Deliverance II walks a dangerous tightrope. Its uncompromising nature won’t be videogamey enough for many players and wilfully renders some components such as combat unappealing.