Get ready for the arrival of Henry’s showstopping sequel

The launch day of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is very nearly upon us, and the continuation of Henry’s deeply immersive saga is bigger in scope and setting than ever before! To help you find your feet when the game launches on 4th February, the developers at Warhorse are here to share their biggest tips for getting started in this massive sequel.

A quick word of warning before we start though. This article contains very mild spoilers for some of the new and returning features in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. If you’re determined to experience this showstopping world with completely fresh eyes, look away now…

#1 Seek out the local knowledge

Just like the first game, the combat systems in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II can feel tough at first but immensely rewarding once you’ve mastered them. If you’re really struggling to get to grips with the combat mechanics though, scripter Petra Emmerová recommends heading up the hills next to Pond Věžák in Trosecko. 

Wander around this part of the map for long enough and you’ll stumble upon Master Tomcat, a combat specialist who’ll teach you a few handy tricks for stealing an early march on your opponents.

#2 Be a friend of the night

The cover of darkness doesn’t just make theft easier, it also provides a powerful advantage in combat. This is particularly useful should you find yourself outnumbered by opponents and in desperate need of an immediate survival advantage.

“Vanishing into the shadows can very quickly hand control of the situation back to you,” explains 3D character artist Rafael Hayduk. “Your enemies will continue to search for you, but their bright flaming torches make them easy targets for your arrows.”

#3 Consider a tactical retreat

Sometimes the best offence is an extreme defense. If things are looking overwhelmingly grim in battle, don’t be afraid to beat a hasty retreat. If you can survive to fight another day, you can always revise your strategy while licking your wounds.

QA Michael Dvořák suggests sharpening your swords or stocking up on Alchemy potions - anything that will give you an edge for the next encounter. And when you are successful? Don’t feel you have to loot everything! Instead, just focus on the really valuable stuff and then make your escape.

#4 Think fast with your weapons

Tech ops engineer Szilárd Szlákó says players should keep one simple fact in mind during combat: switching to your sword is always faster than reloading your crossbow! 

You can have up to four weapons equipped at any given time, so once you’ve unleashed a crossbow volley from a safe distance, switch over to your sword to finish off any approaching enemies quickly. 

Once they’ve been dispatched, you’ll have a little extra time on your hands to reload your crossbow and pick out your next unlucky target.

#5 Experiment with the enhanced controller support

Even if you typically favour mouse and keyboard controls, take a moment to grab your nearest PlayStation DualSense or Xbox Series controller and try out the enhanced feedback systems.

“Our haptic feedback brings a whole new level of immersion, especially with ranged weapons,” explains programmer Petr Nohejl.”You can really feel every shot and every draw of the bow, like the weapon is truly in your hands.”

“There are unique haptics for melee combat, weapon sharpening, dice games, horseback riding and much more. All of them have been carefully designed to enhance the way you play.”

#6 Use Alchemy to boost your training

Mastering your Alchemy skills can give your training a big boost, and producer Ondřej Sobola recommends focusing on the Fox potion in particular.

If you follow the recipe closely enough, you may manage to brew a Strong version of the concoction. Get this drink down you and you’ll gain a significant increase in experience gained across every activity.

#7 Pick the right perks and dress to impress!

How you look - and even how you smell - has a big impact on the impression you’ll make on Bohemia’s residents. Animator Tereza Šimanovská recommends activating the Flower Child perk, which will leave you smelling as fresh as a field of daisies, increasing your Charisma significantly as a result.

Scripter Josef Vachek goes further. “Make sure you’re dressing for the occasion ahead of an important skill check. High Charisma needed? Take your best clothes, drink your potions, and clean yourself up. Dread required? Grab your best armor, then cover it in blood and dirt to make the locals really fear you.”

#8 Use the new clothing system to change outfits quickly

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II introduces a new clothing system to help you switch outfits quickly. Anna Pačesová, lead 3D character artist at Warhorse, explains how it works.

“Our new clothing system is very robust and it can be very cumbersome to change all your equipped clothing all the time. So we came up with the idea of clothing sets which you can change just by clicking on a little shield in the inventory screen.

“There are three colorful shields and each of them represents one outfit. When you’ve set up a red shield, for example, all the items you have equipped at the time get a little icon with a red shield, so you know what you’re wearing with each set. This puts stealth, noble, hunter or warrior presets just a single click away at any time.”

#9 Be sure to shut that door

If you want to have a good rummage through someone’s belongings, it only makes sense to shut the door behind you first! As programmer Vadim Petrov explains, NPCs can not only see what you’re getting up to through an open door, they’ll also remember that it used to be closed. 

“Also, if someone’s valuables happen to end up in your pockets, be careful not to be seen on the premises,” says Petrov. “NPCs will remember a stranger being present in their home when they discover something is missing.”

#10 Invest in your own personal chest

Struggling to stay on top of your inventory space? Programmer Petr Smrček recommends renting a legal bed in a pub, and enjoying the infinite-capacity chest that comes with your board and lodging. 

As all of your chests are connected, you can dump all of your loot inside any one of them, and then sell the goods later on wherever you are in the world.

#11 Leave no looting opportunity behind

It’s always worth checking through every single chest you come across in the game, as valuables can be found in the unlikeliest of places. 

Some chests are harder to open than others though, so if your lockpicking skills aren’t quite up to the task, see if you can spot the owner nearby. Perhaps you can “borrow” their key temporarily with a little light pickpocketing?

#13 Keep up with the Codex

Finally, don’t forget that the game features a huge Codex that fills up over time as you explore the world. This in-game guide provides a huge amount of context to the living world of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, along with beautiful illustrations to bring the game universe’s rich lore to life.

Those tips should get you off to a great start, but you don’t have to wait much longer to unravel all of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II’s secrets yourself. Clear out your schedule, tackle all your chores, and get ready to lose yourself in one of this year’s most eagerly-anticipated games starting 4th February 2025!