Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has turned me into a Bohemian Batman who murders bandits in their sleep, and it’s all because of some dead sheep

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Deliverance 2 has made me adapt my strategy. After spending weeks playing as Henry, a mostly good character, I’ve now reached Kuttenberg city and its verdant surroundings. However, the game’s difficulty level has significantly increased. Instead of encountering common peasant-bandits, I’m now facing well-equipped deserters who are more dangerous and know how to use their weapons effectively. These roadside threats can even employ my favorite combat technique, Master Strike, against me, forcing me to abandon my usual strategy of charging head-on. Now, I need to adopt a stealthier approach that is much deadlier.

In Ghost of Tsushima, your actions involving questionable tactics were often met with a sense of moral judgment. However, in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, any action that ensures Henry’s survival is considered acceptable, and moreover, stealthy gameplay aligns with the game’s focus on authenticity. To put it simply, I’ve resorted to some actions that might be considered less than virtuous.

Horrid Henry

Prior to reaching Kuttenberg, my skill in stealth within the game was relatively untested. I had disastrously botched a lute heist which left Henry as an outcast, and later on in the game’s main narrative, I managed to slip out of a castle without being detected (for the most part). However, I had never found myself in a combat scenario where my objective was to remain unnoticed. Only when it became excessively difficult to avoid a direct confrontation did I resort to stealth, with a formal fight being the last option.

During my stay at an inn nestled in Kuttenberg’s rural landscape, a loquacious barkeep shared a cautionary tale: a group of deserters had set up camp in a nearby barn. Tragically, they had murdered a local lad who refused to offer his flock as tribute. Having navigated the demanding opening scenes of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, I felt prepared to handle these outlaws – and when I encountered the distressed shepherd’s boy amidst a horde of slain sheep, the idea of dispatching them became strangely appealing.

Regrettably, enforcing justice turned out to be a more challenging task than anticipated. By noon, I managed to locate the deserters, disregarded their warnings to retreat, and swiftly defeated their initial guard before the others could even finish their stew. However, my progress was cut short as I was quickly overpowered and slain by an elite force in polished armor, wielding weapons of superior quality compared to those I had encountered previously.

Further efforts to eliminate them were equally unsuccessful. I made attempts at shooting from concealed bushes with a crossbow, but my aim was off – apparently, I need more practice. I also tried sneaking up on guards and taking as many out before being discovered, yet that too failed. At one instance, I approached their camp with a flaming handcannon, eliminating one underling, only to be found out shortly after. Despite these repeated attempts, it lasted longer than I’d like to acknowledge.

In my account, I’m emphasizing these humiliating setbacks to underscore my persistent efforts for a balanced contest, until at last, an exhausted spark of creativity took hold. Reemerging in a familiar meadow beneath the farm, I stealthily retreated towards a hidden stream and bided my time. As day turned into night, a powerful storm rolled in, turning visibility into a struggle – just what I needed!

In Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, enemy camps operate contrastingly to typical RPG outposts you might encounter elsewhere. Unlike games such as Fallout or Far Cry where some enemies appear to be sleeping but can suddenly open fire at any moment, the majority of foes in these camps actually rest during the night. The soldiers will disarm and store their gear for the evening hours, leaving only a few guards on duty to maintain security.

Slip into the barn, as trouble seems to lurk within due to the heavy rainfall. One guard stands near the doorway, another huddles by a damp fire outside. I quietly make my entry through an open window, treading softly past various sleeping bags filled with occupants. I carefully slit the throat of the watchman on duty (poorly). The commotion might have been heard, but the fierce storm outside may have drowned it out, as his comrades appear to remain asleep. They continue slumbering as I move closer, and not a single person stirs when I take the life of the first deserter with a dagger to the chest. I systematically eliminate each deserter in turn, moving between the piles of blankets before repeating the act on everyone asleep upstairs.

In a dilemma now that only one guard remains near the fire, I’m torn between quietly concluding matters or engaging in the long-desired honorable duel. Although it’s tempting to allow the suspected shepherd-killer to keep crying for help, it seems unnecessary. Instead, I cautiously approach the log he’s sitting on and, as expected, end his life by making a swift cut across his throat.

In the storyline of Henry’s journey, a violent confrontation was averted and justice served, closing a troublesome chapter. However, it wasn’t truly an ending, for it instilled in me the delight found in stealthy maneuvers in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 that can be equally thrilling as its most spectacular sword fights. Consequently, I’ve managed to take down several camps under cover of darkness (though none went quite as smoothly as the first), and now find myself more at ease tip-toeing towards the shady side when outnumbered enemies present themselves.

It’s easier to eliminate someone while they’re asleep rather than confronting them directly, but it’s morally wrong. The difference lies in the authenticity of the experience you’re creating. This is one of the rare instances where realism actually makes a game more accessible. I prefer immersion over having to tread carefully every time, and RPG developers should learn from this. Sleep tight, gamers – don’t let the sheep get the best of you!

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2025-03-01 15:43