The first instalment of Czech-made open world adventure Kingdom Come: Deliverance has been slowly gaining a cultish reputation as the amongst the most immersive and realistic video game portrayals of medieval life since its release in 2018. Now, we have a sequel on our hands; Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, releasing to PC plus current-gen Xbox and PlayStation platforms on February 4th, promises a continuation of player-character Henrys story, but with immersiveness and realism established in its forebearer ramped up. Theres lots to get excited over here, so without further ado herere 15 things we cant wait to do once we ride gallantly into Kingdom Come: Deliverance II.Discover the Czech Middle AgesIn Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, authenticity is on the menu. Dont expect non-stop action in this upcoming sequel; instead, the slice of 15th century central European life presented is statelier and more immersive than its contemporary open world adventures. Of utmost importance to the games designers is a deep feeling of realism, eschewing the Hollywood-ification of medieval life portrayed in the movies. It might, at first, seem like a less entertaining approach to game design, but if you want the impression of what the Czech Middle Ages were really like then look no further.Explore BohemiaKingdom Come: Deliverance II takes place in Bohemia in the year 1403, an area in the vicinity of modern-day Czech capital city Prague. The 1400s is an era of cultural change for the region, the Black Death ending a mere fifty years prior with the fall of the Byzantine empire still half a century to the future. There are townships with all sorts of people both friend and foe, but for the most part Bohemias landscape is dotted with serene forests and lakes, places of beauty ready for exploration.Step into KuttenbergHailed as a medieval metropolis, Kuttenberg is Bohemias cultural centre, a city of power, politics, and profit that influences the entire region. Ten times larger than Kingdom Come: Deliverance counterpart Rattay, Kuttenberg now known as Kutn Hora lies east of Prague and harbours a real-life silver mining heritage and thus entrenched wealth. Owing to aforesaid Hollywood-ification, what wed expect of medieval townships crooked streets and dark alleyways, compressed, maze-like was never the reality here. Kuttenberg has wide streets, avenues; a functional layout with distinct commerce centres organised around markets. Its going to be a treat to step foot into a medieval recreation that doesnt play into well-trodden stereotypes.Develop Henrys characterOnce again, players will assume command of gallant everyman Henry of Skalitz, and even though Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is a sequel the game starts with Henry as something of a blank canvas whom players can shape their way. His skills, morality, and personality can be developed in ways that reflect individual values, or as a character of fantasy altogether. Henrys chosen skills foster distinct playstyles too, notably in mastered weapon classes giving access a raft of combat techniques such as stealth, whilst alchemy and blacksmithing skills craft more powerful items.Use the persuasion systemBeyond Henrys honed character traits, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II harbours a surprisingly deep persuasion system whereby dialogue options and thus the power to influence people can differ depending on Henrys appearance. Wield a bloodstained sword whilst clad in armour and Henry will be more likely to intimidate Bohemias denizens. Conversely, dress in regal attire, be clean and approachable and Henry will appeal to the environs more noble statesmen. Not everyone is influenced the same way though, so therell be an element of strategy in choosing the right dialogue options.Gain rank in scholarshipKingdom Come: Deliverances reading skill has been replaced by scholarship which is set to evolve Henry beyond understanding the written word to discerning theory and applying knowledge. Putting points into Henrys scholarship level acquired by reading Bohemias numerous books will open new dialogue options plus enhance the ability of other tertiary skills. Seems as though developing Henrys intelligence will be just as mighty for his survival as mastering swordplay.Experience refined combatCombat ranked among the defining elements of Kingdom Come: Deliverance thanks to its insistence on placing the mastery of any given weapon in the players hands. The demands of learning the nuances of Henrys weapons to gain an edge over every opponent continues here, but in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II the look and feel of combat has been refined further thanks to the incorporation of a diverse roster of superb motion capture plus the design of blunt and edged weapons becoming more distinct.Master arsenal of weaponryIn another nod to authenticity Kingdom Come: Deliverance II presents an arsenal of weapons typical of the Bohemian Middle Ages. That is, swords, bows, the mace, and the axe, with each offering varying degrees of finesse and brutality. The latter of the two, the mace and the axe, provide Henry with heavy-handed destruction capable of smashing enemies to pulp. Bow and arrows, of course, give access to ranged attacks, whilst the jewel in the crown the sequels swordplay demands perfectly timed blocks and counterattacks, the deftest angling of your blade, and surgical precision in swings via mixing patience and ruthlessness.Master new weapon: the crossbowNew to Kingdom Come: Deliverance IIs arsenal are crossbows. A more powerful alternative to the bow and arrow, crossbows appear an efficient means to reap ranged devastation. Just imagining the satisfying feeling of popping the heads of galloping cavalrymen from afar has us impatiently waiting to get that crossbow in Henrys hands.Fire medieval gunsWe said Kingdom Come: Deliverance II takes place in an era of change, and we meant it. The sequels incorporation of primitive firearms is a perfect example. However, the guns in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II arent quite the reliable force they became a decade and a half later, but regardless theyre capable here of blasting foes from range, and despite their need for stringent maintenance its going to be great to master the sequels firearms as they promise a sure-fire way to turn the tide of battle.Let out a battle cryAn extension of IIs persuasion system perhaps, introduced in this sequel are battle cries. Taking the form of intimidating screams Henry can emit before or during battle, depending on how much blood Henry has already spilled these battles cries could signal to any remaining combatants that retreating from the skirmish is their best chance of survival.Get immersed in survival mechanicsHoning Henrys weapon-craft isnt the only means to ensuring survival across the harsh realities of medieval Bohemia in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. No, this sequel comes packed with survival mechanics: the need to eat, and the need to rest. Whats interesting here though is that concocting meals cooked from hunted wildlife doesnt transfer into skill points or special manoeuvres. Theyre a method of injecting yet more immersiveness in the world, and, typically, the food Henry carries has a realistic shelf-life. You wouldnt pack fresh food on a weekends excursion in real-life, so you better be curing some items if you still want Henry to have the energy to complete a three-day trek. Sleeping is another essential component to survival, but you need to choose wisely where Henry lays his head to rest as sleep exposes him to ambush.Develop outfitsKingdom Come: Deliverance II has smoothened its inventory management by streamlining the process of switching between outfits. In this sequel Henry has ready access to three, meaning he can don his smartest attire when interacting with the more upstanding, switch to a full suite of armour for when hes accosted, or wear dark clothing for some night-time sneaking. The sleeker UI means any outfit you can dream up from Henrys wardrobe will be simple to combine and adopt during gameplay.Use stealthWeve touched upon developing Henrys character and skillset before mastering certain weapons, increasing his knowledge, concocting an outfit of black attire, all these elements are pointing towards stealth being a viable option for encounters. And yes, it is. Whilst stealth oftentimes feels like an underbaked element thats been tacked onto other action RPGs, stealth in this sequel appears deep and immersive. Another technique to master, improving stealth will make Henrys ability to distract guards, to sneak undetected, make use of disguises, and generally be a phantom of the night is going to be well worth the effort.Look for hidden locations and secretsAs is commonplace in open world games, hidden locations and secrets are rife in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. Bohemia in this sequel is host to a raft of concealed locations for the more inquisitive of you. And yes, much like everything else Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is presenting, these secrets are baked into the landscape as realistically as possible. Take Kuttenbergs silver mining heritage for instance. This city is laced with subterranean networks of mineshafts and catacombs, hidden routes to traverse the city, spellbinding locations such as ossuaries, and hopefully a handful of rewards too.