Kingdom Come: Deliverance is one of the biggest single-player RPGs released this year in PC Gaming. I originally purchased this game through their Kickstarter campaign many years ago. Glad to see it came to fruition!
Overview
Kingdom Come utilizes a classless RPG system in a medieval open-world environment, using a first-person perspective. It has a pretty minimal overlay (Health, Stamina, and a Compass) and feels a lot like Skyrim when you are wandering around the world. It does a great job of making you feel like an average person in an epic story, rather than an overpowered superhero. I’m normally not into big story-telling games, but the combination of music and graphics kept me intrigued. I was really happy that the game ran so well while rendering so much foliage and trees. It definitely has some nice scenery to look at as well.
Combat
I am used to RPGs being all about hacking and slashing through enemies for loot. After several hours into Kingdom Come I feel like I’ve only had to unsheathe my sword a handful of times (and shoot some bunnies with a bow). The game does provide a good combat system that is semi-complex but not overwhelming. There is no magic to go alongside your physical abilities, so you’ll need to have some combat skills ready. I thought I was a pretty good sword-fighter so I picked a fight with a trio of bandits. They kicked my ass. This game does a good job reminding you that you are still just a peasant. Combat is an integral part of Kingdom Come, but you’re really in it for the journey.
Summary
I haven’t yet beaten the game, but I have been able to put many hours into it. I feel like you could easily sink 50-60+ hours as the game world opens up. I enjoy many aspects of the game like the day/night cycle, requiring rest and nutrition, and the ability to play however you want. You can run around being a thief with a bow, or just build into an outright warrior. I also really enjoy how the game keeps you feeling like a nobody. At one point I thought I was moving up the ranks since I was tasked to accompany one of the noblemen on a hunt. He made me run alongside him and his horse all the way to the campsite. That brought me back down to peasant reality. There have also been some memorable moments and the story line has kept me very intrigued as well. However, some of the quests are incredibly slow and drag on. The pacing of the game has put me to sleep as moments.
Conclusion
This is a great looking game that holds some unique RPG elements. It has an enjoyable environment and runs well. I wish I could get paced the slow paced nature of the main story line. If I had more time I would love to get fully immersed, but as a Past Prime Gamer with a job and kid, I don’t know if I’ll ever have time to go back and finish this one. I don’t think I would get enough enjoyment from short sessions of this game to ever really enjoy it. Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a unique experience that would appeal to a niche group of RPG enthusiasts. Unfortunately, it’s just too slow moving for me.
You can pick up your copy of Kingdom Come: Deliverance at Green Man Gaming.
Past Prime Gaming 