Kingdom Come: Deliverance Review – Is It Worth Playing In 2026?

Before I get started, let me just say this isn’t a detailed, comprehensive review. There are already lots of those available, and many of you likely own Kingdom Come: Deliverance – it’s been on sale often and was even given away for free on Epic Games. If you’re reading this, you’re probably wondering if the game still holds up in 2026 and whether it’s worth playing now.

Look, let me tell you, Kingdom Come: Deliverance is seriously good. I’ve been playing it for the past few weeks and it’s one of the best RPGs I’ve ever experienced – the way it recreates history is just amazing. I was thinking about it because I’ve enjoyed games from Firaxis – they often do historical stuff, even when it’s not a strategy game – and I wanted to share my thoughts on it.

Genre: Role-Playing Game | Historical | Story-driven RPG
Developer: Warhorse Studios
Publisher: Warhorse Studios, Deep Silver
Price: $29.99 | 29,99€ | £26.49
Release Date: 13 February 2018
Reviewer: Nuno Marques
Target Audience: RPG-Players, History Buffs, Medieval Fans
Final Score: 8.5/10

What Is Kingdom Come: Deliverance?

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a role-playing game set in medieval Bohemia where you play as Henry, the son of a blacksmith with a mysterious background. The game begins with a brutal attack on Henry’s hometown of Skalitz, and he narrowly escapes. This event leaves him homeless, his family killed, and most of his friends either dead or missing, setting him on a journey to find his place in a war-torn land.

Driven by a desire for revenge and a new sense of direction, Henry joins Lord Radzig’s service. Radzig accepts him, honoring Henry’s father and recognizing his bravery. I won’t reveal too much about what happens next, as discovering the story is a key part of the game’s enjoyment. However, the game features main and side quests that feel very similar to those in The Witcher 3. These quests are complex and often send you on lengthy adventures filled with rich content and compelling stories, keeping you hooked from beginning to end.

Medieval Role-Playing Done Right

I finally played Kingdom Come: Deliverance in 2026 after hearing about its dedication to historical accuracy when it was first released in 2018, and the hype was real. What struck me most was how much the game made me think about everyday life. I found myself actually planning around the in-game day and night cycle, checking if my food was fresh, and figuring out where to sleep when I was far from town. The game really makes you take care of your character, Henry, by managing things like hunger, comfort, and hygiene. It might sound a bit like a virtual pet – a Tamagotchi – compared to other RPGs, but in Kingdom Come, it surprisingly adds to the experience.

The game truly shines because of its immersive detail, even in everyday tasks. This feeling is amplified by the remarkably authentic world, with landscapes and buildings that are incredibly accurate, though not perfect. The developers clearly put a lot of effort into recreating medieval Bohemia, and it successfully drew me in. As someone who has visited many castles, I was impressed with how realistically they were brought to life. While I’m no expert in Bohemian architecture, my background as a historian makes me appreciate the attention to detail, and I find myself eagerly exploring every corner of the game, constantly reminded of my real-world castle visits.

Towns and Castles

The towns in the game are impressively detailed, letting you go inside almost every building – even if you have to break in! They feel realistically laid out, though some of the larger areas, like towns and castles, could be a bit bigger. There aren’t as many people around as you might expect, but that’s likely to help the game run smoothly, as it already needs a powerful computer to look its best. The forests, roads, and fields are all beautifully designed, and the world feels alive. You’ll find poachers and hunters in the forests, charcoal burners and millers by the rivers, and bustling workshops within the towns. The countryside around the cities is full of farms and other agricultural activity. Everything works together seamlessly, showing the game’s dedication to creating an authentic and immersive medieval Bohemia.

The game truly pulls you in because its role-playing is surprisingly complex. You don’t play as a hero or a naturally gifted character. Instead, you’re Henry, a fairly unremarkable blacksmith’s apprentice who can’t read, fight, hunt, farm, or even steal very well – though you can try! To succeed in the game, you have to learn skills, either by paying for lessons or by practicing them yourself. The game focuses on improving through repetition, which is great for players who don’t want to spend hours planning character builds. This system also encourages you to experiment. While the game does provide some basic training – you’ll quickly learn to fight and hunt – it’s up to you to develop Henry’s abilities.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance Combay System

Kingdom Come: Deliverance really stood out with its combat system – it was unlike anything most players had experienced before. Creating realistic and enjoyable sword fighting in games is notoriously difficult, especially in first-person and in real-time. Many games fall short, feeling awkward, shallow, or simply not fun. While some players didn’t love how Kingdom Come did things, I think it perfectly suited the game’s realistic, historical RPG style. Combat systems from games like The Witcher 3, Skyrim, and even Dark Souls – despite being a fantastic game – wouldn’t have worked as well. Instead, Kingdom Come went for a slower, more deliberate system based around six possible attacks – five directional swings and a stab. You control Henry’s attacks by moving the mouse in one of five directions or choosing to stab. There’s a surprising amount of depth, with combos, powerful strikes, and techniques like perfect blocking and parrying to master.

The combat system is deliberately slower and more methodical than in most RPGs. While some might find this sluggish, I believe it suits the game well. It encourages careful timing, a defensive playstyle, and strategic movement like dodging and keeping your distance – especially when facing multiple enemies. My biggest issue arises when there are more than two opponents; the game’s targeting system can become unwieldy and chaotic. While getting outnumbered should feel challenging, the core problem isn’t the difficulty, but rather the inflexibility of the combat mechanics themselves.

Okay, so the gear in this game is awesome. There are tons of different armor pieces and weapons you can get – you can buy them, find them while exploring Bohemia, or loot them from enemies. And it all actually feels right. Swords are perfect for taking down lightly armored guys, but if someone’s wearing heavy armor, you’re gonna want a mace or axe to really do some damage. It’s super satisfying when you take down a tough enemy early and snag their gear, even if you can’t use it right away. It gives you something to aim for, you know? Like, ‘Okay, I need to get stronger so I can actually equip this sweet stuff!’

Graphics and Presentation

Even after almost ten years, the game’s graphics still look great, and the combat animations are particularly impressive. The environments are incredibly detailed – the landscapes, towns, and castles are some of the best I’ve ever seen, especially considering their realistic size. Everything feels expansive, even smaller castles have a sense of grandeur, though you’ll need to learn the layouts with all the winding paths. I keep emphasizing the environments because they’re truly exceptional. There are a few minor visual glitches, like characters floating in the air, but these are infrequent and don’t impact gameplay. My only real wish is that the towns felt more populated with people.

The game has some strong dialogue moments, but sometimes there’s a disconnect between the choices you make and how the main character, Henry, behaves in cutscenes. I prefer playing a peaceful, exploratory character, and the game often lets me try to resolve situations through conversation. However, those choices don’t always carry over, as Henry will occasionally act aggressively, which feels different from the character I’m creating. While I understand the story needs to progress, it’s noticeable. I’m really enjoying the freedom to explore and complete quests, both main and side, before diving into the downloadable content.

Final Verdict and Score

8.5/10

So, to sum things up, is Kingdom Come: Deliverance still worth playing in 2026? Absolutely. If you want a realistic and incredibly detailed medieval RPG with challenging, layered systems, you’ll really enjoy exploring this game. There’s a lot more to discover beyond what I’ve already talked about, and I’m still finding new things even now. Now, I’m going to get back to playing – I need to finish my quest to avenge my family and let the writer finish up this review!

2026-04-07 16:44