Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Devs on Evolving the Sequel and Channeling “True RPGs”

Kingdom Come: Deliverance was already a hit on its own seven years ago – a bit rough around the edges, perhaps, but a hit regardless with an exemplary RPG formula laid out. With that framework in place, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 developer Warhorse Studios doubled down on the best parts of Kingdom Come: Deliverance in the sequel while refining some of those parts that players took issue with in the first game.

And refine they did, but even though Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 got smoother, it didn’t necessarily get easier. It still feels deliberately indifferent to whatever players expect from modern RPGs and is punishing to the point that you actually have to think about your decisions rather than just save-scumming over and over again until you get the desired result. It’s different, just like the first one was, and according to PR manager Tobias Stolz-Zwilling in an interview with ComicBook, that’s exactly the kind of direction Warhorse Studios was going for.

“I think it’s very special and unique in what it does, and it definitely doesn’t grab you by the
arm and drag you through the game,” Stolz-Zwilling said. “It’s more like the old-school true RPGs, where you, as a player, have to come up with your own ideas and solutions, as most quests are solvable in different ways. So, it definitely requires you to sit back, relax, and think, ‘What would I do in this situation?’”

RELATED: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Review: Learning to Love It

Despite the difficulty of the game, Stolz-Zwilling said he wouldn’t classify Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 as a “hardcore” game even if that label’s been thrown around by players. That descriptor came from things like the Saviour Schnapps potion which is one of the few ways players can save the game. Those were tough to come by sometimes in Kingdom Come: Deliverance, but in the sequel, Warhorse compromised by keeping that sort of challenge in place while relenting a bit and making them easier to acquire.

“Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is definitely an evolution, not a revolution, so we took all aspects of the game and improved them,” he said. “Even the bloody dice mini-game! But some things stay as they are ‘by design,’ like the save potion. You will still have to use an item to save, even though the unlimited save mod was one of the most downloaded ones. We want you to think twice and live with your decisions. But to offer a compromise, it is much easier to come by, the game saves more often, and you can craft the item almost directly from the start.”

Some things stayed the same while others like blacksmithing were brand new in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, but in terms of the biggest overall improvements from the first game to the sequel, Stolz-Zwilling says combat takes the No. 1 spot for overhauls. Kingdom Come: Deliverance featured a five-direction combat system with a relatively limited arsenal at Henry’s disposal compared to an RPG where you’re a master of all weaponry, and while you’re still not a one-man army in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Henry has a bit more room to experiment and approach fights differently.

I’d say that the combat is the single biggest feature we improved,” Stolz-Zwilling said. “It is faster, more responsive, and offers way more animations and different moves. The learning curve is less steep and should be more forgiving; however, it still has the same roots and basics and is still based on historical martial arts. But since all weapons play differently now, they also offer different play styles. If you want to have a more straightforward approach, go for a mace and bonk the enemy on the head. If you want to go deep into the systems with all its tricks and sophisticated moves, the bastard sword might be your weapon of choice. Enemies are now also differently skilled.”

When you’re not bonking enemies with maces or scrounging for ingredients just so you can save the game, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 keeps you busy with plenty of other side activities like the dice game and blacksmithing features mentioned before. When asked about other possible “jobs” or side activities that might’ve been considered for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 but didn’t make the cut, Stolz-Zwilling said everything Warhorse Studios wanted to see in the sequel made it into the game. There was a bard minigame on the table years ago, but Stolz-Zwilling said if any cuts were made, they were made “four years ago on the drawing table” and never as a last-minute decision.

Those side activities are no less methodical than the main game, so they’re hardly a break from what Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 demands of the players even if they’re not advancing the story itself. Side quests are plentiful in the sequel and are what I spent most of my time pursuing during the review process, so it’s no wonder that those stood out so much. One quest in particular that dealt with wandering musicians showed a more playful side of Warhorse Studios, one that uses humor and wit to balance out what otherwise might become a grueling experience if players were just being punished over and over again by the systems at play.

“The main quest is the one that pushes the historical events forward, and that also reminds the player that they are in a war situation and that times are tough. However, most of the side quests talk about everyday life and are often very funny… so are our friends George and Michal,” Stolz-Zwilling said of the troubadours. “I think it is the balance that is important. Deep, dark, and serious… and also funny, relaxing, and adventurous.”

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is now out for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC platforms.