Welcome to EXPlay, (Explain & Play) the review series where we care not for scores but tell it how it is when it comes to every game we get our hands on, whilst also taking the time to include some lengthy gameplay, to give you the reader, the chance to shape your own impressions and views whilst watching and reading. In this installment, we’re covering Kingdom Come: Deliverance – Royal Edition by developer Warhorse Studios.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance – Royal Edition: (The Explanation)
A new arrival to the Nintendo Switch, Kingdom Come: Deliverance, has finally been ported. It was previously released back in 2018 and launched on the then current-generation consoles and PC. The Royal Edition of Kingdom Come: Deliverance includes all released DLCs, offering even more content and adventures to explore. Now available on Nintendo Switch, players can enjoy the game from the comfort of their own home or on the go, thanks to its optimized features for the platform.Â
In Kingdom Come Deliverance you embark on a journey through medieval Bohemia in a gripping open-world RPG that thrusts you into the heart of a raging civil war. You play as Henry, the son of a blacksmith, shortly into the game you witness the brutal invasion of your village, sparking a quest for vengeance that will take you across the Holy Roman Empire. In its previous iterations, Kingdom Come: Deliverance, was the winner of 30 global awards. This game promises an immersive experience filled with challenging combat, dynamic decision-making, and historical accuracy.
Set in a massive and realistic open world, Kingdom Come: Deliverance allows players to explore majestic castles, vast fields, and lush forests of medieval Bohemia. The non-linear story offers multiple quest-solving approaches, each with its own consequences, ensuring a truly personalized experience for every player. In my opening hours with the game I was tasked with finding a man who owed my father money, get some ale from the tavern, and eavesdrop on a politician causing trouble in my village.
During my EXPlay I came across a training event that let me learn the game’s swordplay, which I imagine will come in handy as I embark on my journey. I only just scraped the early combat learning and methods to fight, but I can see the depth the game offers. The combat in the game is both challenging and thrilling, offering options for distance, stealth, or melee attacks. With a variety of weapons and combat techniques to choose from, players can engage in battles that are as intense as they are strategic. I did engage in a few hand-to-hand fights as well, which sees Henry jabbing, blocking, dodging, and more. After being beat up I had to ask my mother to bandage up my wounds to restore some health.
Character development is another key aspect of the game, allowing players to choose their equipment, improve skills, and earn new perks as they progress through the story. Your actions in the game world influence the reactions of the people around you, allowing for various gameplay styles including fighting, stealing, seducing, threatening, persuading, or bribing. Because I was hasty with how I approached some of the situations, I lost reputation points by trying to haggle prices and not having the money needed to pay for the items I wanted.
While the game is optimized to run on the Switch there are a lot of compromises to make the game run. Graphically most of the original game is here, but there are noticeable textures, shadows, and some pop-in as you run and ride across the paths and countryside. While the game targets a locked 30fps, frame-pacing issues and occasional drops to lower frame rates can detract from the overall experience, especially in densely populated areas or during intense combat sequences. In the early game when five characters are fighting I noticed multiple hiccups in the frame rate which stuttered and had trouble holding up.
Despite its technical limitations, Kingdom Come: Deliverance on Nintendo Switch offers an impressive and immersive RPG experience, showcasing the potential of the platform for ambitious open-world games. If you liked Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt on the Nintendo Switch and weren’t bothered by some of the games lacking polish in comparison to the higher-powered generation of consoles you will be ok playing Kingdom Come: Deliverance on the Switch.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance – Royal Edition: (The Gameplay)
Game Specifications:
Developer: Warhorse Studios
Publisher: PLAION
Platform: Nintendo Switch (eShop)
Category: Role-Playing, Action, Adventure, Other
No. of Players: 1 player
Release Date: March 15, 2024 (EU & NA)
Price: $49.99
File Size: 14.4 GB
Nintendo.com Listing
