Kingdom Come: Deliverance puts players into an unforgiving and historically accurate depiction of The Holy Roman Empire. It’s a different kind of RPG in its devotion to realistic role-playing mechanics over fantasy, featuring slow and methodical combat and a sporadic save system. It’s clear that a lot of research and care has gone into creating the world of Bohemia, from its citizens to its medieval vistas. While a lot of what makes the game special is evident from the outset, there is a lot to discover under the surface, here’s eight things you (probably) didn’t know about the game.
The Game Had Its Own Research Historian During Development
One of the key aspects of Kingdom Come: Deliverance which sets it apart from its peers is its emphasis on being as historically accurate as possible. Making sure that everything from the dialogue to the clothing was authentic proved to be no small task, so Warhorse Studios hired their very own Research Historian, Joanna Nowak, to oversee development. Nowak was responsible for keeping up to date with texts, literature, and visual materials regarding medieval times. Of course, history is not rock-solid and is subject to change as new discoveries are made. This meant that the game had to be constantly updated to ensure everything was still relevant and as factually correct as possible. History permeated the game’s design at every level, from the layout of villages to the feel of the weapons. There were allowances that had to made for player experience however, which moves us onto our next point.
It’s Not Entirely Accurate
As games go, Kingdom Come: Deliverance is very historically accurate. Despite this, though, it is exactly that, a game. While making the game, Warhorse Studios had to walk a tightrope between realism and fun, leading to some interesting design decisions being made. Much of the game’s assets were already designed before Historian Joanna Nowak came onto the project, meaning that they simply had to stay in the game. The dark forests which surround the villages are particularly unlikely, given that the area is a silver production town, meaning that many of the trees would have been cut down for fuel.
Systems like swordplay and dialogue have also been slightly modernized to increase the speed and accessibility of the game. Where possible, the game is grounded in history, particularly in characters and clothing, but every now and then, an allowance is made to help make the game more playable. You could obviously argue that including things like a save system and excessive inventory slots also mar the game’s historical accuracy but honestly, would you really want to play a game completely rooted in realism?
Brian Blessed is in the Game
Kingdom Come: Deliverance features a great voice cast made up of veteran TV and film actors. English actor, writer, and presenter Brian Blessed OBE lends his iconic booming voice to the game, portraying Lord Konrad Kyeser. Kyeser was a real-life mad scientist and German Military Engineer whose book rose to popularity in the 15th century. Blessed even appeared in a trailer for the game, expressing his love for video game voice acting, having starred in Kingdom Hearts, Rome: Total War, and LEGO Dimensions. Kingdom Come: Deliverance seems like a perfect fit for the actor turned explorer (he climbed Everest at the ripe old age of 64), who has had roles in Blackadder, Flash Gordon, and even Star Wars.
It Came From Relatively Small Beginnings
Kingdom Come: Deliverance started life as a short pitch created by a small team, with the intention of marketing the game to investors to secure funding. These initial efforts were unsuccessful however, leading Creator Daniel Vávra to change tactics in order to get the game made. The team became Warhorse Studios in 2011 and managed to secure some funding from a billionaire living in the Czech Republic, but after further marketing of the then developed prototype, the game once again failed to spark any interest.
In 2014 a Kickstarter campaign initially aiming for a $300,000 investment was launched. The game quickly made up its goal, and then some, raising over $1 million, leading to an increase in the game’s scope and production. After the Kickstarter ended, crowd-funding continued via the game’s website. Over $2 million was raised by the end of 2014 from 38,784 backers.
Due to the interest cultivated by the successful crowd-funding campaigns and an alpha and beta of the game being released, Warhorse eventually signed a deal in 2016 with Deep Silver to publish the console versions as well as the PC retail versions.
You Can Burn to Death in Jail at the Start of the Game
Kingdom Come: Deliverance is brutal from the get-go. The circumstances in which the protagonist Henry finds himself just a couple of hours into the game are tumultuous to say the least. At the start of the game, Henry’s village is burned to the ground. One early mission tasks the player with stealing from the town drunk, a task that if they are caught doing, there’s a high likelihood that they will be thrown in jail.
Now, most games would simply pump the breaks on the main story, remove a few stat buffs and send the player back on their merry way, but not Kingdom Come: Deliverance. Whether you are a free man or not, that village is going down so if you happen to find yourself behind bars when the attack happens, you will burn to death in your cell. This event immediately instills the harsh realities embedded within the game’s world making it perfectly clear that this ain’t your average action-RPG.
There’s an Adorable Legend of Zelda Easter Egg
In a world as dense and expansive as Bohemia, it is naturally going to take a while before all of its secrets have been discovered. Luckily, a few have started to trickle out as players come across Easter eggs while exploring the world. One such Easter egg nods its head to another gaming series, The Legend of Zelda. The secret is located at the stables of Neuhof in the form of a particular horse which is being sold by a vendor. Yes, you guessed it, that horse is none other than Epona! Upon purchasing Epona, the vendor asks the player if they can play the flute, a clear nod to Ocarina of Time. This being Kingdom Come: Deliverance, Epona doesn’t sport any magical abilities, but is a neat inclusion none the less.
Experienced Sword Fighters Performed Motion Capture for the Combat
A lot of work has gone into Kingdom Come: Deliverance’s slow, methodical combat. Patience is key in the tactical swordplay presented here, made evident by how easy it is to slip up and meet your maker at the slightest mistake. The main reason the combat feels so solid is because it is based on real European sword-fighting techniques. Warhorse Studios enlisted the help of real-life sword-fighting experts, even basing the game’s animations around their motion-captured performances. There are many things to consider when launching an attack, from angle to speed and generally, you can only attack one enemy at once. It’s a blend of parrying, stamina management, and careful planning. The result is unlike anything we’ve seen in other RPGs, an authentic and fun sword combat system.
It Features the Best Looking Forests in Gaming
For many years, a game’s water was the true measure of its graphical prowess, not so with Kingdom Come: Deliverance. Instead, the game focuses on its forests which surround villages all over Bohemia. These dark and dense forest are pure Tolkien and give off a dreamlike quality, thanks to the excellent lighting and depth of field. The forests in Kingdom Come: Deliverance are sprawling and labyrinthine, with entire quests dedicated to navigating them. Underestimate them and you’ll bleed out huddled under a felled tree, but make the most of them and you can use the cover to become a silent assassin.
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