Kingdom Come 2 – Boring Beginnings

I decided to give Kingdom Come 2 a go, since I liked certain parts of the first outing. Specifically, the sandbox nature of the game that reminded me of such classics like Gothic & Risen. What I didn’t enjoy that much, like many of Vavra’s (the game director) games, is the cinematic approach to storytelling. You are constantly being railroaded, with long segments of endless cutscenes with varying quality of dialogue. You might think you are given a choice, but narratively, the story and the protagonist (Henry) is set in stone. For example, going on a full murder spree on some poor village folk, has a clear disconnect from the narrative. Henry, as he is realized in the first game, is a good boy, and wouldn’t do these things. Kingdom Come is not my favorite game or anything, but it was okay for one playthrough thanks to the unique setting, which the sequel now no longer can lean on.

The sequel
Here comes the sequel. Beyond the controversy, which I’m not going to talk about, but let’s just say it removed any kind of hype I had for Kingdom Come 2, and the future for Warhorse Studios. Anyway, if you put the ending of Kingdom Come and the start of Kingdom Come 2 next to each other, and ignore the real time differences between the releases – it gets a little awkward. The first game ends on the promise of new adventures. You literally ride into the sunset with your friends, with the sequel starting right after. However, there is no adventure being delivered. Moments after the group reach the designated area, they get ambushed, and Henry, aka you, loses everything. All the gear, including the levels and skills you worked hard for in the first game.

I understand the reason, being an RPG, but my problem with all this, is that the sequel now sets us back to square one in more ways than one. You are not a semi-noble, or anything of the like. You are now back to walking in peasant shoes, doing the shit-jobs for a few groschens. Imagine if this was a movie, with the expectation of what follows a sequel. The protagonist started at his lowest in the first film, and has now built himself up. He has gone through an arc, and now we are looking forward to his new adventures, with his new knowledge and status guiding him. Instead of that, the rug is pulled, and the main character becomes who he was in the first movie. It would be pretty lame, in my opinion.

That is how I feel about Kingdom Come 2, and I just can’t be bothered to go through it all again. Hans (Henry’s best pal) also got the same kind of treatment. From starting to become a man in the first game, but now reverted to his old spoiled self. Ignoring everything he learnt to become a good noble and lord. I don’t want to do this again. The narrative hook just doesn’t work on me this time around. 

What could have been
I would have much preferred, if Kingdom Come 2, and the narration evolved instead of putting you in the mud, once again. Imagine, if the game continued on the path the first game set out.

Rather than starting from scratch, you now begin your new life as a minor noble, with you slowly building up your leadership skills, while trying to survive the deadly intrigues and politics in the hall of nobility. That would have been the perfect sequel to me, with a focus on being a leader of men and the warfare that surely follows. Actually, this was what I somewhat expected it to be. What I really didn’t expect was the thing we got.

I can of course don’t say how Kingdom Come 2 eventually pans out to be story-wise, since I have not finished it. Yet, what I can certainly say after a few hours trudging the forests of Bohemia: that this is not for me. It’s the exact same game again, however, extremely boring viewed narratively. Very disappointing.

Thanks for reading.

/Thomas