Compare The First Berserker: Khazan vs Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

Checkpoint placement is praised, especially checkpoints before bosses that reduce runback frustration.

Checkpointing was criticized for causing lost progress when autosaves appeared only at limited quest points.

Lore depth is limited in one review’s view, with little to learn beyond mechanical hub functions.

The historical codex and contextual detail were praised for offering extensive background on people, events, and society.

Character development is criticized as lacking.

Henry and Hans received strong praise for their evolving relationship and character arcs, with Henry’s trauma and growth adding stakes.

AI behavior is criticized where it appears, with one review calling it braindead.

AI and NPC behavior were praised for believable reactions, routines, crime responses, and increased sophistication over the first game.

Live-service support looks uncertain in post-release coverage, with reports of a likely final patch and a murky future.

Post-launch support was described positively through free updates, fixes, and eagerly awaited features.

Load times receive explicit praise for being very fast.

Load times were criticized by one reviewer as long enough to worsen stealth retries and experimentation.

Save reliability is praised because frequent saving prevents meaningful progress loss after crashes.

The save system was one of the most divisive topics, praised by one reviewer but criticized by many as stingy or punishing.

Originality is mixed to weak: reviewers often call the game derivative, while still noting that it executes borrowed ideas well.

Reviewers repeatedly emphasized how unusual and specific the game feels compared with modern RPGs.

Side characters are a recurring weakness, often described as generic, shallow, or not meaningfully integrated.

The sequel was credited with giving supporting women and other groups somewhat more agency than before.

Writing quality ranges from edgy entertainment to predictable revenge-story criticism.

Writing was described as excellent, engaging, humorous, and consistently strong across main and side content.

Mission variety is mixed to weak: some remixed side content adds freshness, but boss reuse and recycled side missions are repeated complaints.

Mission variety was strongly praised, especially for quests that went beyond simple errands or bandit-clearing objectives.

The core loop earns praise for making hard-earned combat wins feel cathartic and motivating.

One reviewer found the loop rewarding but volatile, with strong highs offset by repeated frustration and setbacks.

Replay value is moderate: New Game+ and weapon experimentation help, but limited build variety and repeated playthrough fatigue are recurring concerns.

Replay value looked strong thanks to hardcore mode, major content additions, and reviewers wanting to return for more playthroughs.

Narrative quality is mixed: reviewers like the coherent revenge setup and some entertaining moments, but many call the story thin, generic, predictable, or underwhelming.

Narrative quality was a major strength, with reviewers praising the historical saga, main quest, character arcs, and cinematic ambition.

Tutorials receive positive notice for being clear and non-intrusive.

Tutorial quality was mixed, with one reviewer calling it decent while others criticized dense text screens and poor explanations.

Mission design is a weak spot in the harsher reviews, with complaints that missions can feel like formalities or use puzzling reset structures.

Main mission design was mixed: reviewers praised varied scenarios, but one criticized a required sequence for lacking an alternate path.

Onboarding is uneven: tutorials can work, but some reviewers say the intro and early ramp fail to showcase or teach the best systems well.

Onboarding divided reviewers: returning and new-player recaps helped, but some found the opening overloaded or blunt.

Summon and companion systems are split: one review loves the system, while others criticize unreliable ally AI.

The dog companion Mutt was praised as useful and worthwhile, especially for tracking and early side-quest benefits.

Environmental detail is mixed: several environments look good, but some reviewers find areas washed out or drab.

Environmental detail was praised for dense, specific objects, puddles, tools, farms, residences, and believable spaces.

Exploration is mixed: several reviewers like hidden rewards and shortcuts, but others find exploration limited, stifled, or nearly absent.

Exploration was praised for beautiful spaces, meaningful discoveries, and a strong adventuring feel, though harsh systems made some travel demanding.

Content variety is mixed, with praise for mission objectives and factions but complaints about limited weapon variety.

Reviewers praised the breadth of activities, quests, and post-launch additions, with many describing a large and varied set of things to do.

Level design is highly divisive: some reviews praise memorable layouts and shortcuts, while others call the levels basic, boring, recycled, or even terrible.

One reviewer praised the way locations were recontextualized into memorable set-pieces that rewarded planning and awareness.

Protagonist appeal is polarized, with one review calling Khazan ideal for the game and another finding him flat.

One reviewer strongly disliked Hans as a long-term companion presence, creating strain on their desire to continue.

The learning curve is steep, with early difficulty spikes strong enough to make one reviewer consider stopping.

The learning curve was repeatedly described as steep, slow, and friction-heavy, rewarding patience but likely turning some players away.

Weapon balance is mostly positive because weapons feel distinct, though some reviews want more variety or deeper differences within weapon classes.

Weapon balance was mixed: one reviewer liked weapon choice, while another found some ranged options hard to use effectively.

Camera behavior is split between one review calling it solid and another saying it leaves a lot to be desired.

Camera behavior was a noted issue for one reviewer, especially through finicky first-person viewpoint problems.

One review highlights a touching optional quest with emotional weight.

Reviewers described the story as memorable and emotionally powerful, including scenes that brought strong lasting reactions.

Atmosphere is mixed: one review praises dense historical mood, while another finds the atmosphere less inspired.

Atmosphere was praised alongside world-building, especially in cities, music, and historically grounded locations.

The soundtrack is generally liked, especially for elevating boss fights and tension.

The soundtrack was one of the most consistently praised elements, with several reviewers calling it orchestral, phenomenal, or legendary.

Loot opinions are mixed: some call it manageable or streamlined, while others find the volume of gear chore-like or excessive.

Loot was criticized for early encumbrance pressure and the difficulty of carrying everything a player might want.

Crash stability is mostly acceptable but not perfect, with one reviewer reporting a couple of crashes.

Crash stability was praised by multiple reviewers who reported no crashes, no soft locks, or no hard crashes.

World-building gets positive notice for shaping factions, locations, and the Dungeon & Fighter setting.

World-building was repeatedly praised as immersive, historically grounded, and central to the game’s appeal.

Combat is the product’s clearest strength: reviewers repeatedly call it fast, satisfying, deep, and among the genre’s best, with only a few reservations about stamina or consistency.

Combat drew broad attention for its realism, skill focus, and improvements, though several reviewers still found it harsh, clunky, or frustrating early on.

Map and navigation design is praised for clear mission information and segmentation.

Maps were praised for medieval flair and exquisite town art, supporting the game’s historical presentation.

Skill trees are usually praised for depth and experimentation, though some reviewers say build variety remains narrower than expected.

Reviewers liked the depth and usefulness of perks, weapon techniques, and skill trees, especially when they enabled meaningful playstyle specialization.

Grind level is mildly criticized because skill-point acquisition can be time-consuming.

The game was not seen as a pure grind, but reviewers still emphasized the effort and repetition needed to gain traction.

Handheld suitability is praised where Steam Deck play is discussed.

Handheld suitability was supported by one reviewer who described the game as scalable enough for handheld play.

Crafting is positively described as easy to understand and relatively self-explanatory.

Crafting split reviewers: blacksmithing and alchemy could be charming and rewarding, but several found parts clunky, slow, or repetitive.

Controls are described as smooth, tight, responsive, and precise, helping the demanding fights feel skill-based.

Controls were described as noticeably smoother than the first game, especially in camera feel, aiming, and sword fighting responsiveness.

Sound design is praised for impact, weapon clashes, parry sounds, and matching the game’s brutal tone.

Sound design was praised for supporting immersion and helping players identify attacks or stealth-relevant cues.

Performance optimization is strongly praised, with multiple reviewers reporting pristine or highly optimized performance.

Performance was generally praised across PC and console contexts, with reviewers noting strong optimization and technical improvements.

Menu usability is mixed: one loot process is streamlined, but other reviewers find respec and gear menus annoying or time-consuming.

Menu usability was mixed to negative, with some praise for navigation but others calling the menu system dire or frustrating.

Immersion is positive in one review that finds the experience engaging and brutal.

Immersion was one of the clearest strengths, with reviewers repeatedly describing the world, systems, and presentation as absorbing.

Graphics and visuals are viewed positively, with reviewers praising cel-shading, presentation, and attractive visual identity.

Graphics were broadly praised for impressive landscapes, cutscenes, lighting, and major visual improvements over the first game.

Bug frequency is mostly low, though some reviewers mention minor bugs or a specific visual attack issue.

Bugs were present but usually minor; reviewers ranged from calling glitches common to saying issues rarely disrupted play.

Animation quality is praised for enemy animation and combat motion.

Cutscene direction and mocap were praised for selling relationships and emotional scenes convincingly.

Value is strongly positive in reviews that mention price or buy guidance, especially for action/Soulslike fans.

Value was praised because the game is both strong and very long, with some reviewers reporting enormous playtime.

Difficulty is the most contentious attribute: many reviewers find the challenge fair and rewarding, while others report brutal spikes, stamina strain, or unbalanced bosses.

Difficulty was often called demanding and unforgiving; reviewers generally treated this as part of the appeal, though not always an easy one.

Progression is broadly praised, especially boss-attempt rewards, free skill respecs, and multiple growth systems that keep failures productive.

Progression was widely praised for turning early friction into rewarding growth through skills, perks, equipment, and player learning.

Fun factor is very strong overall, with many reviewers saying the game is joyful, addictive, satisfying, or peak despite difficulty.

Several reviewers found the game highly entertaining, addictive, and rewarding once its demanding systems clicked.

Fast travel convenience is mixed, with praise for resuming from checkpoints but criticism that players cannot freely warp inside levels.

Fast travel opinions were mixed: one reviewer praised dynamic events, while another found it cumbersome and interruption-prone.

Frame rate stability is positive overall, with only rare drops or exceptions reported.

One reviewer reported a consistent frame rate and treated that as part of the game’s stronger technical state.

Visual effects are praised for making climactic moments more dramatic.

Visual set pieces and in-engine scenes were praised for creating striking emotional moments.

Voice acting is consistently praised, especially the English performances and lead voice work.

Voice acting was broadly praised, especially the main cast, though some reviewers noted repeated or uneven minor NPC voices.

Art direction is broadly praised for its cel-shaded, anime-inflected, gothic style, though originality concerns remain elsewhere.

The visual style of menus, maps, and medieval presentation received praise for matching the game’s historical tone.

Pacing splits opinion, with one review praising its momentum and another calling the campaign laborious and rehashed.

Pacing opinions varied: some praised the sustained momentum, while others complained about indulgent cutscenes or late-game pacing issues.

Polish is praised overall, though a few bugs and design caveats remain.

Reviewers saw the sequel as much more polished than the first game, with rough edges reduced and systems better realized.

Innovation is praised in one review for meaningful twists on familiar mechanics.

One reviewer praised the scale of improvement as something other studios rarely achieve.

User interface design earns praise for an encyclopedia that explains abilities and systems.

UI feedback was positive when reviewers discussed improved, adaptable, or visually polished interface presentation.

Accessibility is supported by easy mode, summons, and other options, though not every reviewer personally tested them.

One reviewer warned that excessive profanity and potentially offensive material make the game unsuitable for some audiences.

Ranged play was viewed as improved by some reviewers, especially archery, but another found ranged combat weightless and weak.

Boss design is the strongest point of consensus, with many reviewers calling bosses excellent, memorable, fair, intuitive, and satisfying despite some reuse or harshness.

The cast was praised for memorable personalities, humor, and a strong sense of history.

Dialogue was mostly praised for impact, humor, and organic choices, though one reviewer found some repeated dialogue drawn out.

The post-launch expansions were credited with adding a large amount of extra content to the package.

The early economy was described as restrictive, especially when selling damaged or stolen goods with limited vendor money.

Endgame content gets mild praise for adding New Game+ weapon options, though one reviewer wished those ideas appeared earlier.

Enemy variety is usually praised as sizable and fresh, though a few reviews still complain about samey enemies.

Facial animation feedback was mixed: one reviewer noted lifeless dialogue faces, while another praised key character animations.

Reviewers generally agreed the sequel stays true to the original while improving its systems, scope, and accessibility.

Family friendliness was limited by repeated profanity, sexual content, and depictions of women that one reviewer found objectifying.

Reviewers repeatedly framed the systems-heavy design as a major strength, praising how mechanics connect to role-playing, dialogue, world simulation, and player expression.

DualSense haptics and adaptive triggers were praised for reflecting stamina, sword clashes, and sharpening interactions.

A horror-leaning quest was criticized for being too short for its dread to fully develop.

The adaptive HUD was praised for hiding unnecessary elements and improving immersion when information was not relevant.

One reviewer felt early traversal was unnecessarily taxing, especially before stronger equipment and better mobility options eased the burden.

The open world drew strong praise for its scale, density, historically grounded cities, and lived-in regions across multiple maps.

The PS5 Pro version was praised as a graphical treat, with platform-specific technical strengths noted.

Quest design was one of the strongest points, with reviewers praising memorable side stories, branching approaches, and strong writing, despite a few disappointing payoffs.

Reviewers admired the freedom to solve problems, exploit systems, and role-play, though the sandbox sometimes clashed with scripted story demands.

Stealth was useful and sometimes satisfying, yet reviewers also called it finicky, weak, or frustrating in specific forced sections.

The revised perk and upgrade system was praised for offering meaningful upside-focused choices rather than weak side-grades.

Reviewers consistently praised the reactive crime, reputation, NPC, and quest systems that made the world feel alive and responsive.