“We were having so much fun trying not to overdo it”: Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 devs talk us through the “medieval spice” that brought the RPG’s sound to life

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Deliverance 2” from 2025 stands out as one of the year’s most acclaimed new games. While its mix of historical accuracy and intricate RPG mechanics has deservedly earned praise, what truly captivates me is how seamlessly all its different elements are integrated.

Following the captivating talks by two top professionals from Warhorse Studios at Digital Dragons 2025, I had a chance to chat with audio director Vojtěch Nedvěd further about the game’s impressive blend of stylish medieval cinematography and authentic historical grit. Naturally, our conversation also touched upon the intriguing topic of capturing convincing fart sounds for the game.

Rhyme and reason

As soon as composer Jan Valta starts his talk, which often feels like a comedy act with its many jokes and laughter echoing throughout the packed hall, he quickly moves on to the main topic at hand.

1. A sense of antiquity: The soundtrack should evoke a feeling of timelessness and authenticity, reflecting the game’s historical setting.
2. Music reminiscent of ’70s and ’80s Czechoslovakian wave: This style of music, popular during those decades in that region, will be incorporated into the soundtrack to add a unique cultural flavor.
3. Use of orchestra music exclusively in cutscenes: The use of orchestral music will be reserved for dramatic moments and scenes, enhancing their emotional impact.

Valta shared his thoughts, expressing joyfully, ‘Orchestra music is almost ubiquitous!’ The crowd chuckled in agreement. He thinks that orchestra music is ideal for scoring a wide variety of things because it’s universally understood and can be used effectively anywhere.

Valta clarifies, “Clearly, understanding what is permissible and what isn’t for a specific project is crucial. I could sense that adding a generous amount of medieval flavor to it was essential to maintain the connection with the 15th century. If not, it would be detrimental,” he says seriously.

KCD2 is a realistic game and so the sound design should be like this. It should be realistic.

Vojtěch Nedvěd

Apart from adjusting the orchestral sound limitations in Vávra’s vision for the game, Valta also made modifications concerning the emphasis on genuine period music. He limited its use to instances that were either diegetic, semi-diegetic, or quasi-diegetic.

In simpler terms, this implies that if a specific type of background music doesn’t fit a particular scene within the game world, it won’t be played for the player. For instance, Valta uses the example of Gregorian chants being heard in and around a monastery. Valta also prefers to use music sparingly, so expect a score that is comfortable with periods of silence.

He mentions that the most impactful thing about music is when it begins to play, as it catches everyone’s attention. He also notes that knowing when to stop the music, making it end, is another valuable tool. What makes being a composer interesting is that you are compensated for whatever happens in between the start and the finish.

As a passionate fan, I’m eagerly anticipating the immersive realism that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 promises to offer. It’s a delicate dance between authenticity and entertainment that they seem to have mastered, even down to the subtler diegetic sounds you might not have noticed during gameplay.

Immersion diversion

The best effect you can have with music is that it starts playing.

Jan Valta

At Warhorse Studios, although the composition and sound design teams operated independently, the core values that defined Valta’s department were also reflected in Audio Director Vojtěch Nedvěd’s work. His passion for cinematic film scores, particularly the compositions of Czech composer Daniel Glick from the 1967 movie Marketa Lazarová, shaped this approach.

In his own words, the music in “Marketa Lazarová” is a blend of traditional music and sound design. He frequently employs human voices, a technique he also applied in KCD2, opting for a gritty, ominous style when appropriate since these films are quite dark. He aimed to incorporate some of this atmosphere into the game whenever it was fitting.

Additionally, Nedvěd drew inspiration from a less-known ’90s RPG series called Ishar trilogy, which included magic in pitch variation to depict environmental sounds within the game, such as bustling markets with speakers of various Czech dialects, rainfall, bird songs, and other natural sounds.

Ned personally handled approximately 95% of the game’s sound recordings, encompassing a variety of sound effects and atmospheric elements such as the nauseating retching heard during Henry and Hans’ excessive drinking at the tavern – yes, that’s his creation.

We recorded farting in a bucket and I used some empty plastic bottle for that.

Vojtěch Nedvěd

According to Nedvěd, they were thoroughly enjoying themselves while striving to avoid excessive effort in their recording process. Moreover, when working on a sound that would suit an open world environment, they aimed to take things a step further and strive for realism without crossing the line into being unattractive or unpleasant.

He chuckles as he explains, “It’s not just burping, but passing gas too – we even recorded it in a bucket! As for the plastic bottle, well, you get the idea. I may be creative, but I’m not so realistic as to actually put myself in that scenario.

Instead of relying on pre-existing sound banks, Nedvěd prefers creating his own unique sounds through foley recordings. He explains that he finds it unsatisfying to use sounds from banks and was fortunate to have access to three distinct environments for recording sounds during their project.

In terms of preferred settings, we have sound stages, motion capture studios, and outdoor shoots. For instance, if you’re recording something as commonplace as the sound of a medieval bow and arrow in an open-air setting, you’ll find that four or more microphones are meticulously placed to capture every detail – a fact underscored by Nedvěd who considers it absolutely essential. “In KCD2, we aim for realism, so the sound design should reflect this authenticity.

As a dedicated gamer immersed in the world of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, I can attest to the exquisite attention to detail in every aspect, especially the sound design. Instead of relying on generic sounds, they’ve taken it a step further by setting up at actual medieval villages to capture the authentic creaks and squeaks of doors from that era. With seven years of development under their belt, it’s clear that even the smallest details can elevate an already immersive RPG like Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 to new heights – from the unglamorous sounds of someone retching to the grandeur of a full-blown battle symphony.

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2025-05-29 16:10