Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 promises a return to the rugged realism that set the original apart from other medieval games. But behind the weapon balancing, period-accurate armour, and gritty storytelling lies something just as integral: Bohemia itself. This is not a fantasy realm with vague feudal motifs. It is a detailed reconstruction of a real place at a real time. Understanding Bohemia in the early 15th century offers insight into the choices that shape the game’s world, from its social tensions to the design of its settlements.
The Political Landscape of 15th-Century Bohemia
At the heart of Kingdom Come’s narrative is the chaos following the death of Emperor Charles IV. His successor, Wenceslas IV, was a weak ruler beset by noble opposition and a growing power vacuum. Bohemia, then part of the Holy Roman Empire, was fracturing politically. Local lords fought for control while broader religious conflicts loomed on the horizon. This instability forms the backdrop to the protagonist’s personal journey, grounding the game’s plot in authentic historical tension rather than a contrived conflict.
A Land of Castles, Forests, and Villages
Bohemia in the early 1400s was a mosaic of fortified towns, trade routes, dense woodlands, and rural hamlets. The game faithfully recreates the terrain using historical records, archaeological surveys, and cartographic sources. Players traverse real places like Rattay and Sasau, each built around accurate layouts, with buildings, roads, and defences that reflect the architecture of the time.
Castles were not merely scenic props. They were political power centres, military strongholds, and administrative hubs. Their placement on hills or near river crossings in the game mirrors their strategic use in reality. Likewise, forests are not just obstacles. They were vital resources and sometimes havens for bandits or rebels, as they were in actual Bohemia.
Religion and Society
Religion played a dominant role in Bohemian life, and this is deeply woven into the narrative. Monasteries like the one at Sasau are not exaggerated for dramatic effect. They were centres of education, scriptural copying, and political influence. The brewing tension that would eventually erupt in the Hussite Wars is foreshadowed in the social commentary scattered throughout the game’s dialogue and quests.
Class divisions are depicted with unusual honesty. You are not a noble knight in shining armour. You are a blacksmith’s son. Your standing limits how people speak to you, where you can go, and even what you can wear. This reflects strict medieval class hierarchies. Nobles, clergy, burghers, and peasants lived in visibly separate social worlds, and the game does not flatten that complexity.
Trades, Craftsmanship, and Daily Life
The developers’ attention to the working world is another mark of the game’s commitment to realism. Bohemia was a region of artisans, blacksmiths, brewers, tanners, and traders. Many of these trades are represented in-game not just through static environments but through interactive systems. Learning to read, brew potions, or properly strike with a sword reflects the lived knowledge of real medieval people.
Markets in towns like Ledetchko or Uzhitz are based on historical trade activity. Players might not always notice, but the placement of a tannery near a river or a smithy near a crossroads isn’t random. These details mirror how such communities actually functioned.
Language and Culture
The game is voiced in modern English, but the cultural rhythms, customs, and names all reflect Bohemian Czech heritage. This includes everything from feast days to burial practices. Period manuscripts, legal records, and folk songs were used to enrich the cultural tone. While the game does not use Middle Czech, it embeds historical culture in how people behave and how events unfold.
The Seven Swords takeaway: A Living Bohemia
What Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 offers is not just an action RPG with a medieval skin. It is a rare attempt to reconstruct a place and time in full. By anchoring its world in the real Bohemia of 1403, it demands more from players but also rewards them with a richer, more grounded experience. The world feels coherent because it was once real.
For anyone interested in European history, especially the overlooked centre of the Holy Roman Empire, the game offers more than just immersion. It offers insight into a past that is rarely depicted with such clarity or care.
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