In an interview with the Czech resource Indian, the lead designer of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II from Warhorse, Prokop Jirsa shared the details of the gameplay. A small part of the information can be considered a spoiler for the game’s events.
In general, the second Kingdom Come: Deliverance should become a more polished version of what worked well in the first game, but there are some surprises. The combat system is described as less of an obstacle for newcomers, but the game hasn’t become casual. «It’s not easier, it’s just more accessible». There are only 4 directions of attack in combat instead of 5. But masterful strikes, perfect blocks, and combos have been expanded and you will have to put in a lot of effort to learn how to fight.
There is no initial character creation screen, just like in the first game. There is no need to study online tutorials to create a viable character — you can just go through the game. But for the best development and progression, you will need to work hard.
Reputation has become more difficult. There are new penalties, including stigmatization. The stigma affects statistics until the wound is healed. By the end of the game, NPCs will recognize the stigma, which can either negatively or positively affect how they treat you.
The game combines the freedom of open-world gameplay with a cinematic, relatively linear narrative similar to KCD1. It’s not an immersive, completely free-to-play simulator like Kenshi.
Firearms can scare people because they are a new invention. It depends on their bravery, wounds, armor, etc. Firearms also play an important role in some quests, especially in the side quest dedicated to them.
There will be no trashy quests or absurd moments in the game, like bandit camps a few minutes away from the tavern. The world is big enough and will not be abnormally oversaturated.
The life-saving schnapps is still relevant. The game continues to adhere to the principle of living with the consequences of your own actions. But there are more auto-saves, schnapps are easier to brew — it’s not as expensive, but it should still make the player think before doing something stupid.
There are no children in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II has no children. Children are too much extra work, and they also create problems with the age rating.
Warhorse used a highly modified version of CryEngine to create the game. The engine allows you to create an active open world with fauna and flora. The city of Kuttenberg is much larger than Sassau.
In response to a question about Baldur’s Gate 3, the developer expressed his love and respect for Larian, but said that their style of games is very different from what Warhorse does. Both companies create challenging games for experienced gamers, but there are significant differences.
Users also noticed that Warhorse removed the Russian language from the list of localizations on Steam. This has already caused a strong reaction on Russian specialized resources. However, there is no Ukrainian one yet, which will make it difficult for many to pass.
On Friday, April 19, after the announcement of the second game, the number of players of the first game increased several times: from 3000-4000 to more than 23,000. In the first week, the basic Kingdom Come: Deliverance can be purchased for only ₴159, and the Royal Edition with four story add-ons for ₴213.