High-performance playtime
PC, PS4, XO | $89.95 | WWW.KINGDOMCOMERPG.COM An ambitious, realistic RPG set in mediaeval Bohemia.
The RPG is in rude health, mostly thanks to a burgeoning PC development scene (think Divinity: Original Sin, Pillars of Eternity) and the genre’s prominence among the mainstream ( Fallout, The Elder Scrolls). And yet, most titles tend to stick to fairly rigid archetypes. You’ve got your fantasy RPGs on the one hand, and on the other, your sciencefiction RPGs. Even the latter is rare, and given the style’s origins in pen and paper Dungeons & Dragons, it makes sense that the fantasy theme should stick so stubbornly.
But Kingdom Come: Deliverance is different. It’s a purportedly realistic RPG set in 1400s Bohemia. There are no dragons, no spells, no goblins, no staffs. Instead, there’s gritty mediaeval poverty, oppressive nobles, violent and trying hand-to-hand combat and... the most pastoral and realistic looking open world seen since The Witcher 3. Warhorse Studios crowdfunded this project about four years ago, and while it’s definitely got traces of a debut game by an independent studio, it’s astonishing just how cohesive and fun this has turned out.
You play as Henry (right), a blacksmith’s son. He’s not destined to fulfill any prophecy and he’s not blessed with some supernatural power. He’s just a boring bloke who likes a drink. But when his hometown is burnt and pillaged by the Cumans, he manages to escape and, as a result, endears himself to various regional authorities. He’s still a stickin-the-mud, though, and most of the game is spent carrying out tasks for people with far more power and influence than him.
Warhorse Studios is pretty uncompromising when it comes to the roleplaying element here. You can’t grind your levels per se, with the game opting for an Oblivion- style progression where you master skills through performing them. One must sleep and eat in order to survive, and in the beginning of the game, combat is slow, arduous and nigh on impossible to win. But all these factors help the player feel more present in the world, and while it’s definitely a ‘game’ rather than a ‘sim’, Deliverance feels like a world rather than a playground.
It’s a bit rough around the edges. PC users are experiencing a few technical hiccoughs at launch, though the game runs fine on PS4 Pro. There are glitches aplenty, but the same is true for a Bethesda RPG. One needs to approach Deliverance with patience, and open mind, and a willingness to accept its faults. And if you do, you’ll find one of the most surprising and powerful games likely to release this year.
Verdict
An immersive, challenging and occasionally buggy RPG that panders to the hardcore.