After finishing Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, it was time to return to the origins of the series – and I was surprised by how much more the first game had to offer than I remembered.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance already was a brilliant game. I played it right after release, but it took me a second attempt to truly get into it and see it through. Was it a great game? Absolutely! Was it fun? Most of the time! Did it drive me to the brink of despair? Without a doubt.
A Masterpiece That Will Test Your Sanity
Kingdom Come was unlike any other game. The combat system, the lockpicking, and the crushing realization that you’d lost an hour of progress because you forgot to save before getting smacked down by a horde of Cumans – these were regular tests of patience. Often, sheer stubbornness was the only thing that kept me going.
In Kingdom Come 2, things look a little different: Warhorse has definitely made their game more user-friendly. You can tell that Kingdom Come 2 was designed to appeal to a broader audience. Combat has been simplified, fast travel and sleeping are quicker – overall, everything feels more accessible.
Back To The Roots
And one thing is certain: For me, Kingdom Come 2 is one of the most fantastic games out there. When I finished it, I felt that familiar emptiness you get after completing a truly amazing game. So naturally, I had to go back to Kingdom Come 1.
And that turned out to be a fantastic decision. Not only has the first game received several updates and patches over the years, but I also feel like I now understand the entire "system" of Kingdom Come much better. Sure, it’s a bit strange at first to take a step back and give up certain modern conveniences. But somehow, mechanics like lockpicking and combat have become second nature to me. And after just a few hours of readjustment, I have to say: Kingdom Come 1 is better than ever.
And if you haven't played the first game yet, you should definitely consider it – it’s regularly available for next to nothing during sales, often bundled with some DLCs.