Compare Kingdom Come: Deliverance II vs 1348 Ex Voto

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

Mission structure changes very little across the campaign, with reviewers describing repeated travel, skirmishes, and simple traversal rather than meaningfully different objectives.

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

The setting hints at rich medieval history, religion, plague, and social upheaval, but reviewers often felt those ideas were only gestured at rather than explored in depth.

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

The world looks richer than it plays: many props are set dressing, NPCs are scarce, and interaction often comes down to supplies, collectibles, boxes, and narrow traversal prompts.

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

Most reviewers found the experience more frustrating than enjoyable, chiefly because combat and technical friction dominate the short campaign. Positive moments usually come from scenery, atmosphere, or brief one-on-one combat flow.

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

Console reviewers are particularly disappointed by the lack of a 60 FPS option, including on PS5 Pro, making the platform feature set feel unusually limited for a 2026 release.

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

Optimization is one of the strongest negative patterns, especially on PC where capable hardware can still stutter badly. Console coverage also reports a restrictive frame-rate target and heavy drops in demanding scenes.

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

Across launch and pre-release builds, reviewers repeatedly describe the game as underbaked or unfinished. Glitches, rough transitions, animation problems, and inconsistent systems make the lack of final refinement hard to ignore.

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

The absence of a map or minimap becomes frustrating in similar-looking spaces, where poorly distinguished routes and subtle interactable ledges can make the intended path harder to read than it should be.

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

The mechanical foundation is viewed as underdeveloped: a few workable ideas are present, but multiple reviews describe the overall play experience as clunky, shallow, or insufficiently refined.

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

One reviewer notes there is no level selection and little reason to revisit completed stages, limiting the appeal of going back for missed collectibles.

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

Crashes appear in both PC and console coverage, including startup or save-loading failures in earlier builds. Patches improved some experiences, but stability remained a recurring concern.

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

One long-form playthrough criticizes the supporting cast as so thinly established that even recurring side characters fail to leave a memorable identity.

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

Frame-rate problems are widespread in the reviewed builds, including severe PC drops and a 30 FPS console cap with additional dips during busy scenes or effects-heavy boss fights.

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

The game is deliberately linear, but many reviewers feel the boundaries are too restrictive, with obvious side paths, invisible walls, and little freedom to explore the attractive scenery.

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

Input feel is a recurring problem, with delayed attacks, unreliable dodges and parries, finicky traversal prompts, and occasional moments where Aeta simply does not respond as expected.

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

Enemy behavior often feels artificial rather than tactical: groups may wait their turn, spawn awkwardly, or repeat predictable patterns instead of coordinating naturally.

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

Interface complaints focus on overlapping subtitles, awkward presentation, and other rough UI details that do not match the cinematic ambitions of the rest of the game.

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

Several reviewers see the game borrowing prestige-action conventions without adding enough mechanical depth of its own, making the design feel more imitative than inventive.

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

The low asking price and short runtime appeal to a few reviewers, but most still recommend waiting for a discount because the combat and technical state make even the budget price hard to justify.

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

The campaign leans heavily on the same basic rhythm of walking, fighting small groups, and light traversal. Several reviewers felt the limited enemy, puzzle, and activity mix became repetitive quickly.

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

Aeta and Bianca begin with an appealing premise, but many reviewers wanted substantially more time and depth for their bond, motivations, and personal growth before the late-game revelations.

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

Target selection is a major weak point. Reviewers describe lock-on jumping to the wrong opponent mid-combo, making attacks miss the enemy they intended to pressure.

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

The writing draws praise from a minority for its earnest themes and performances, but most reviewers criticize blunt exposition, thin character work, abandoned ideas, and a late twist that feels poorly earned.

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

The premise aims for grief, devotion, betrayal, and forbidden love, yet most reviewers felt the relationship was too underdeveloped for the climax to land. A smaller group found the story genuinely moving.

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

Levels can be visually impressive but are often criticized as narrow, repetitive corridors with confusing landmarks, invisible boundaries, and traversal solutions that are easy to miss.

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

Combat motion capture can look authentic in motion, but the broader animation package is inconsistent, with glitches, stiffness, odd hair physics, and rough transitions frequently breaking the presentation.

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

The opening rescue premise earns interest, but the broader consensus is that the second half becomes disjointed or underdeveloped and the climax does not earn its twists. A notable minority loved the story.

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

The skill tree adds parries, dodges, combo extensions, and stat boosts, but most reviewers consider it shallow or poorly explained. A few specific unlocks are powerful and genuinely improve combat.

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

The performances often elevate the spoken material, but the dialogue itself is frequently criticized for repetitive combat lines, overexplaining, blunt exposition, and Aeta narrating obvious environmental details.

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

The plague-era female-knight premise feels distinctive, yet some reviewers say the actual structure follows familiar cinematic action-adventure formulas too closely.

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

Early guidance does not do enough to make the combat and upgrade systems understandable, leaving some players unsure how newly unlocked mechanics are meant to work.

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

Exploration is limited by strongly linear spaces and sparse interaction. Hidden paths and collectibles can reward curiosity, but many reviewers wanted more freedom and more meaningful reasons to leave the main route.

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

The setting can be absorbing, but rough animations, technical glitches, and interface choices repeatedly remind players of the machinery underneath and pull them out of the historical fantasy.

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

Bugs are common across the reviewed builds, ranging from broken interaction prompts and clipping to stuck characters, missing assets, glitched bosses, and other issues that sometimes force a restart.

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

Facial animation is a prominent visual weakness, with uncanny mouths, stiff expressions, lip-sync issues, and distorted faces repeatedly distracting from otherwise strong dramatic performances.

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

Sword fighting is the central point of disagreement. A few reviewers enjoy its one-on-one parry-and-guard rhythm, but the dominant view is that shallow tactics, broken targeting, unreliable dodges, and group encounters undermine it.

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

Reviewers admire the medieval Italian setting and plague-era concept, but many feel the game underuses its history, religion, class tensions, and social collapse instead of making the world feel fully lived in.

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

Scroll-based progression provides health, guard, food, and combat upgrades, but many reviewers find the growth shallow or low-impact. A few enjoy the straightforward additions and useful combat abilities.

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

One reviewer specifically criticizes the lack of stealth or alternate approaches, reinforcing how narrowly the game funnels players into direct combat.

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

One review describes the practical grind not as leveling but as repeating the same fight patterns until timing and resource use finally line up, turning progress into repetition.

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

Sword components, trinkets, and skill upgrades provide some useful customization, but their impact is uneven: certain bonuses feel negligible while a few powerful effects can trivialize encounters.

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

Weapon and combat upgrades can skew balance sharply, with stronger parts or instant-kill effects reducing experimentation and making ordinary encounters easier than the broader combat system suggests.

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

Chapters tend to funnel Aeta toward a distant objective through walking and combat arenas, creating a rigid structure that several reviewers found stale well before the ending.

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

One review strongly praises the quiet dread of the plague-stricken world, where sound and lighting make the setting feel like a grounded medieval tragedy rather than fantasy.

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

Difficulty can swing for the wrong reasons: some bosses feel punishing because of hitboxes and regeneration, while certain upgrades or later familiarity can make ordinary encounters trivial.

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

The camera and lock-on system are repeatedly blamed for combat frustration, especially in groups where focus snaps unpredictably or the close field of view hides incoming threats.

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

The short runtime keeps the campaign compact, but pacing inside that span can still drag because of long travel, repetitive combat, exposition, and abrupt jumps between story beats.

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

The tutorial covers basic inputs but does not adequately explain timing, upgrades, or how later mechanics should be used, leaving some reviewers confused after the introductory section.

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

The linear walk-fight-walk structure wears thin for many reviewers because combat carries most of the interaction while the quieter stretches offer little beyond movement and collecting supplies.

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

The minimal interface can complement the cinematic presentation, but another reviewer found the bright enemy health bars visually jarring and immersion-breaking.

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

Combat is difficult to read for the wrong reasons in early play, with one reviewer still unable to make sense of parry and dodge timing well after the tutorial.

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

Menus receive direct criticism for sluggish or unresponsive behavior and for doing too little to explain the game's systems clearly.

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

Ambient audio, weapon clashes, and the broader soundscape often strengthen the medieval mood, though several reviews flag uneven mixing, repeated combat lines, or volume shifts that distract.

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

The orchestral score is generally well received and helps sell the somber period atmosphere, even if repetitive combat cues or mixing occasionally compete with dialogue.

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

Autosaving can be inconvenient when it records progress before difficult encounters with poor supplies, and some reviewers had to reload saves to escape bugs or failed interactions.

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

Visual quality is split between gorgeous environments and much rougher close-up character work. The scenery can be striking, but texture issues, clipping, facial problems, and performance compromises keep the package from looking consistently polished.

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

Aeta is often described as heavy in an unflattering way, with stiff turning, awkward climbing, and sluggish movement that can make simple navigation feel more cumbersome than grounded.

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

The best stretches create a convincing plague-era mood through lighting, scenery, sound, and bleak environmental cues. Technical problems and repetitive combat can puncture that atmosphere at key moments.

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

Checkpoint experiences vary: some reviewers praise generous respawns close to encounters, while others describe autosaves that can send them back through frustrating fights or lock them into poor resource states.

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

Trinkets and sword parts can offer useful bonuses, but reviewers disagree on how meaningful the hunt feels. Some collectibles reward exploration, while others feel low-impact or like filler.

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

Aeta divides reviewers: some find her resolve, vulnerability, and knightly idealism compelling, while others call her flat, repetitive, or difficult to invest in as the story progresses.

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

Lighting and fire effects receive strong praise, adding drama and texture to chapels, burning buildings, landscapes, and other period environments.

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

The environments are the most universally praised part of the package, with detailed villages, forests, mountains, ruins, chapels, vineyards, and lighting that frequently look far beyond the game's small-team scale.

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

Voice acting is the clearest non-visual strength. Alby Baldwin and Jennifer English are repeatedly praised for giving conviction and emotional credibility to material that many reviewers otherwise find underwritten.

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

The medieval Italian aesthetic is one of the clearest strengths, with striking lighting, countryside vistas, chapels, ruins, and period-inspired architecture giving the game a distinctive visual identity.

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

Food and provisions can add useful attrition to fights, but limited supplies combined with autosaves can also make retries harsher than intended. One reviewer liked the scarcity and decision-making it created.

Accessibility support is repeatedly called thin, with limited settings and no difficulty options in some builds; one PC review also struggled with fixed keybinds.

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

Boss fights are one of the most consistent complaints, with regenerating guard or health, spammy attacks, strange hitboxes, and difficulty spikes that feel more aggravating than satisfying.

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

The few apparent choices near the ending have little weight; two reviewers specifically say the final outcome is unchanged even when the player refuses the prompted action.

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

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

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

Most coverage finds the enemy pool too repetitive, often describing only a handful of recognizable types and attack patterns. A few reviewers saw enough weapon variety to keep encounters interesting.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Basic climbing and ledge traversal are frequently finicky, with missed prompts, unclear climbable surfaces, and simple platforming sequences that can require repeated inputs.

Puzzles rarely rise beyond moving boxes, cutting ropes, or finding a simple traversal route. Reviewers generally see them as filler rather than a meaningful second pillar beside combat.

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