NPCs follow routines based on the time of day, which can be learned and exploited-particularly if you choose to pursue the thieves guild-style quests given to you by a shady character. And this makes the game, at times, feel more like a Thief-style immersive sim than an RPG, letting you approach objectives in different ways, game the systems, and be creative. These little details keep piling up, layer upon layer, creating a world that is thrillingly dynamic and reactive. The simulation is dense and complex, but also feels like it could collapse at any second. Like many games with this level of depth and ambition, Kingdom Come is plagued by bugs. Eat rotten food and you’ll contract food poisoning. Take off your clunky plate armour and you’ll make less noise while sneaking. If you drink too much, you’ll wake up with a hangover. If your reputation in a town is especially high, people on the street will shout your name and sing your praises. Nobles will be more willing to speak to you if you’ve had a bath.
If you draw your sword during a fist fight, your opponent will back down and apologise. If you get caught stealing, you’ll end up serving time in jail. The simulation that governs everything is impressively deep. It’s by no means a perfectly accurate recreation of what life was actually like in the Middle Ages-Henry would die of dysentery in the first act if it was-but it does a good enough impression of one. And there’s something refreshing about how it trades these familiar fantasy tropes for something more understated and realistic. You’ll never cast a spell, slay a vampire, or fulfil an ancient prophecy. There are no goblins, enchanted swords, or mages. Kingdom Come is an RPG without the dungeons or dragons. But his spirit and determination keep his head mostly above the water, and he’s an effective guide through the complicated culture and politics of this harsh, hard medieval world. As he reluctantly leaves his old life behind, becoming a page for a lord who takes a shine to him and finding himself on the frontline of a bloody war, he’s just as overwhelmed as you are. He’s so normal, so unassuming, that his presence provides a firm, relatable foundation for the story. There isn’t much to him, but I think that’s the point. It helps that Henry is such a likeable hero.
This is the brutal flashpoint for the game’s epic tale of war, political turmoil, and vengeance, and I was genuinely devastated when it happened. But just as you’re getting comfortable with protagonist Henry’s simple life, a mysterious army attacks the village, burns it down, and kills everyone he loves. You help your father, the town blacksmith, at the forge. The early hours of Kingdom Come are surprisingly peaceful.
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