Realism in Video Games: Kingdom Come Deliverance

Have you ever wanted to play as a boring peasant in the middle ages? Then Kingdom Come Deliverance is the right game for you.

There are three main ways that Kingdom Come: Deliverance provides a unique sense of realism:

1. By shattering the norms of the typical protagonist.
2. By providing an “Analog experience”
3. By giving you the freedom to complete your quests in whichever way you prefer

One thing that always bothered me about videogames is the fact that the protagonist is always portrayed as a hero who’s endowed with magical abilities. Who carries a very powerful sword, or who’s extraordinary in some way or the other.

Add to that the fact that protagonists are always thrusted into every quest and every errand as if the worlds they inhibit revolve around them.

One particular example of this is the Assassin’s Creed series. Your playable character is always someone who had close relationships with every monumental historical figure in the period he/she occupies.

Ezio used to spend most of his day hanging out with Leonardo Da Vinci, while the rest was spent discussing politics with Machiavelli. Not to mention that he was involved in every high profile assassination of the 15th century.

The same thing can be said about Assassin’s Creed 3; I was surprised they didn’t simply make Connor one of the founding fathers. Even have him sign on the declaration of independence himself.

Edward Kenway in Black Flag was a million things at once, an assassin, a privateer, a pirate, a womanizer and even an alcoholic. I can’t wait to see what Valhalla’s Eivor will be up to.

What would’ve happened if Ubisoft had decided to make one of the installments set in the first century? They’d probably make you play as the guy that killed Jesus, claiming that Jesus was a Templar.

I should probably get to my point, this way of portraying protagonists frustrates me. Yet the folks at Warhorse has made the perfect game that eases my frustration.

Kingdom Come Deliverance is a game where you play as the most insignificant, boring and idiotic peasant, whose actions has no effect on the world whatsoever (at least during the first half of the game). You’re always looked down upon by other characters. They make you do the most mundane of tasks. I love it.

One quest literally had me go and fetch wine in the middle of the night for a nobleman. The same nobleman who once made me go on a hunting trip with him. As I trotted alongside him while he rode on his horse like the nobleman that he is.

The only significant thing that happens to Henry in the first 20 hours or so is the fact that his parents are killed during an invasion, setting off his quest for revenge. A quest that begins by him wanting to bury his parents like a good Christian, which everybody advises him not to do. He’s being told a million times that if he tries to bury them; he’ll die, someone will kill him. Yet, he doesn’t listen, he wants to be the hero, the brave knight in shining armor, and guess what happens? Yup, he almost gets killed. If it weren’t for the cavalry of knights that come to his rescue, knights that any other game would have you play as in order to save a lowly peasant such as poor old Henry.

Often described as an “analog” experience, Kingdom Come doesn’t hold your hand. The first few hours of your playthrough are absolute hell. Henry is slow, dumb and weak. He dies quickly. Doesn’t know how to defend himself in a sword fight. He doesn’t have any special skills, and he sucks at both pick pocketing and lock picking. You develop his skills the same way you do in Skyrim, by actually practicing them. One of my favorite skills in the game is reading. Yes, Henry is even illiterate at the start.

Some of the more interesting quests have you investigating murders and satanic rituals, which they often don’t provide a location for on the map. You’re left to your powers of deduction to interrogate and question each unlucky person you meet. One notable quest has you deciphering the written words of a mad man who was hallucinating during his journey across Bohemia, in an effort to find him.

Most quests can be undertaken in whichever way you like. Similar to how the Fallout games does it, you can either talk your way out of some situations or fight it out. Some will have you taking life or death decisions such as deciding whether a family that recites their prayers differently and that are branded as heretics by the church should be executed or not.

Other quests that have you seeking items can be completed by pickpocketing, stealing or picking locks.

During the prologue, you’re asked by your father to get some coins from a drunkard that owes him. In my playthrough, I walked towards the drunkard, tried to fight him, got my ass handed to me and then went to my mom so she could patch me up like the little brat that I am. None of this is scripted. If you played the game, your experience in the prologue probably differed from mine.

Another favorite instance of mine is when a girl is attacked by some of the invading soldiers and I had the option of whistling to get the soldiers away from her, but I didn’t do that. Instead, I fled on horseback as quickly as I can. Turns out, later in the game, she saw me running away and she mentions it, angry with me that I didn’t help her then.

Warhorse have truly made a one of a kind experience in Kingdom Come. A game that tries to be as historically accurate as possible and where realism is at its core.

It’s an addictive experience that’s a simulation more than an RPG, and its lifelike graphics are the icing on the cake.

If you enjoy realism and appreciate a challenge, then I highly suggest you pick up Kingdom Come: Deliverance. However, be warned, it does require a lot of patience of you, which it pays off in spades.

If you’ve played Kingdom Come already, did you enjoy it? What do you think its pros and cons are? Please share your opinion with us down in the comments below.

If you like our content and would like to support us, please consider donating to us by clicking here.

For more of our gaming coverage, check out our reviews and feel free to also follow us on Instagram and Twitter. Don’t forget to also subscribe to our YouTube Channel.