I had my shoes stolen by virtual drunks in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and it might already be my game of the year

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a triumph, weaving complex systems together in an incredibly immersive medieval world that remains a joy to explore even after countless hours. The story is thoroughly entertaining, despite some iffy voice acting, and the challenging combat is a blast to master, making for one of the best RPGs in years. Incredibly immersive world. Beautiful and authentic environments. Challenging but well-balanced combat.

A staggering level of freedom. Inconsistent voice acting quality. Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is, put simply, a masterpiece and easily one of the best role-playing games (RPGs) of the last decade. It offers an incredible experience that, aside from its ambitious 2018 predecessor Kingdom Come: Deliverance, feels wholly unique and is quite unlike anything you might have played before.

Platform reviewed: PS5. Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC. Release date: February 4, 2025. It demonstrates a new level of immersion and interactivity achieved through detailed simulation and a considered commitment to realism. Its brilliance comes not from its engaging, though occasionally convoluted, story, nor its polished life-like visuals, but rather a web of complex, interwoven mechanics that blend seamlessly with one another to create ingenious moments of emergent play.

Tasks that would be nothing short of mundane in other games become memorable escapades that unfold in a grounded, yet often unpredictable, fashion. I’ll never forget my hour-long hunt for a simple spade, the time my pricey shoes got stolen by local ne’er-do-wells after a chaotic tavern brawl, when I haggled with a shady roadside merchant for the spear that stabbed Jesus, or the hundreds of other amusing moments that left me grinning from ear to ear.

Set in medieval Bohemia (part of modern day Czechia), Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 picks up the moment that the previous installment ended. You are Henry of Skaltiz, an everyday villager who we saw transformed into something of a hero after his home was destroyed and his parents murdered by a horde of foreign raiders under the command of the invading King Sigismund. Having worked your way up the social ladder, you’re now in charge of protecting your friend, the young nobleman Hans Capon, as he delivers an important message to a lord in the nearby region of Trosky.

This simple task quickly spirals out of control as a band of roving criminals attacks your party and slaughters everyone aside from you and Capon. You narrowly escape, but sustain heavy injuries that, in typical European RPG fashion, knock your overall character level right back down. You’re forced to build yourself back up, finding work nearby and eventually reuniting with Capon before an even grander narrative unfolds.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is considerably greater in scope than its predecessor. The constant switching between political sides can be confusing early on, but it soon gives way to a fantastic, almost heist movie-like narrative filled with challenging battles and incredible set pieces. Right off the bat, the inconsistent quality of the voice acting is going to be apparent. The voice work for major characters like Henry and Capon is superb and conveys a believable partnership, but non-playable characters (NPCs) can be very hit or miss. Some sound quite emotionless, while others place strange emphasis on certain words and phrases. I even found a couple that I became convinced are alternating between lines voiced by different people, which is quite jarring to say the least.

That said, it’s easy to forgive a lot of this given just how much voice acting there is throughout. Dialogue is branching, with multiple options depending on your previous actions or character stats. The ability for even the most insignificant of NPCs to respond to your behavior is awe-inspiring, commenting on how well you’re dressed, what you’ve just done, or even whether you’ve managed to get a wash recently. This is not only immersive but also has some interesting gameplay ramifications.

Decked out in a heavy suit of armor your attempts at intimidation are more likely to succeed, while investing all of your cash into a fine set of clothes and a trip to the bathhouse makes it easier to pass yourself off as a noble and talk your way out of sticky situations. This is just the start, however, as there are countless careful touches that make the open world feel truly life-like. The many traders, which range from butchers to cobblers and armor makers, can be haggled with, with your overall appearance and local reputation affecting just how low they're willing to go. Town criers travel between rural communities, recounting tall tales of the world beyond Bohemia for anyone willing to stop and listen. There are plenty of activities to try with their own in-depth mechanics, be that blacksmithing new gear, crafting new potions to add to your arsenal, or pinching trinkets for some quick coin.