Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s long-awaited Hardcore Mode is finally releasing on April 15th, narrowing down the previously revealed release window. This will be the second of three free DLCs released for the game by Warhorse Studio in the Spring before paid DLC rolls out later this year. Hardcore Mode was fan-favorite in Kingdom Come: Deliverance, and players have been dying for it in the sequel. Soon, they’ll be able to up the challenge and permanently die in-game with all the new hardcore additions. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 already features a steep learning curve, and Hardcore Mode will put even more emphasis on difficulty.
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Hardcore Mode in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 adds a challenge in multiple ways. The primary increase in difficulty comes from the Hardcore Perks. Players must pick three of these when starting the game. Each one will implement a somewhat humorous, but detrimental effect on Henry. These perks provide permanent penalties that cannot be removed, forcing players to adapt or die.

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On top of these perks, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 players will no longer be able to fast travel, and auto-save is disabled. The UI in and out of combat has been significantly reduced and the health and stamina bars have been removed altogether. Finally, Henry’s position will no longer be marked on the map and the compass no longer shows the cardinal directions.
New players are encouraged to play Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 on an easier difficulty before attempting Hardcore Mode. Most players have trouble with the beginning of the game due to needing to learn so many systems and mechanics. Even if players do not beat Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 first, playing some of the game and getting familiar with it will make Hardcore Mode a more bearable challenge.