Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 isn't a game for everyone. This much was expressed in a recent TheBestWarGames interview with Warhorse Studios design director Viktor Bocan, who seems to understand that, despite rave reviews and commercial success, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 still features aspects that will turn off potential players, and that's okay.
This will no doubt be vindicating for players who struggled to enjoy Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 when it released last year. It can be frustrating to not "click" with a new title that everyone seems to love, especially if you think that you would have liked it otherwise. For instance, I don't really care when I bounce off a new Call of Duty game, since that's not my type of game in the first place, but I will be a bit bummed when a game like Mafia: The Old Country, a promising-looking release, turns out to be disappointing. In the case of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and its predecessor for that matter, I can imagine that there are plenty of gamers who feel drawn to its beautiful, massive medieval world, sharp storytelling, or deep RPG mechanics, but are ultimately scared off by Warhorse's uniquely challenging design philosophy. For those players, there are plenty of worthwhile alternatives.
The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion
If You Want Medieval First-Person Adventure
At first glance, The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion may not seem so different from the Kingdom Come: Deliverance games. For instance, Oblivion features the same pastoral landscape, medieval tropes, and first-person perspective as the KCD duology. However, Bethesda's 2006 fantasy RPG (which was recently refreshed in 2025's Oblivion Remastered) is considerably more accessible, albeit less complex and mechanically engaging as a result.
A good way to highlight this disparity would be to look at how each game approaches alchemy: in KCD2, players have to engage in a complex and academic mini-game involving boil timing, ingredient mixing, and heat usage, while Oblivion simply prompts the player to combine ingredients in a basic menu screen. Of course, the more involved, granular mini-games are central to KCD2's identity, but for those that want a more streamlined experience, one that's more about high adventure and less about scratching your head over in-game diagrams, Oblivion is a nice alternative, and an all-time classic regardless.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 82 /100 Critics Rec: 87%
- Released
- April 22, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda
WHERE TO PLAY
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion™ Remastered modernizes the 2006 Game of the Year with all new stunning visuals and refined gameplay. Explore the vast landscape of Cyrodiil like never before and stop the forces of Oblivion from overtaking the land in one of the greatest RPGs ever from the award-winning Bethesda Game Studios.
Rediscover Cyrodiil
Journey through the rich world of Tamriel and battle across the planes of Oblivion where handcrafted details have been meticulously recreated to ensure each moment of exploration is awe-inspiring.
Navigate Your Own Story
From the noble warrior to the sinister assassin, wizened sorcerer, or scrappy blacksmith, forge your path and play the way you want.
Experience an Epic Adventure
Step inside a universe bursting with captivating stories and encounter an unforgettable cast of characters. Master swordcraft and wield powerful magic as you fight to save Tamriel from the Daedric invasion.
The Complete Story
Experience everything Oblivion has to offer with previously released story expansions Shivering Isles, Knights of the Nine, and additional downloadable content included in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered.
- Franchise
- The Elder Scrolls
- Number of Players
- Single-player
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Verified
- PC Release Date
- April 22, 2025
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- April 22, 2025
- PS5 Release Date
- April 22, 2025
- Genre(s)
- Action, RPG, Open-World, Adventure
- Platform(s)
- Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PlayStation 5, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
- 123.2 GB
Assassin's Creed Shadows
If You Want Tranquil Exploration
I'm no great lover of Assassin's Creed as a whole, but I cannot deny how stunning Assassin's Creed Shadows is. Its depiction of the natural world, which changes seasons periodically, on its own in-game schedule, is one of the most compelling and complete that I've seen in the medium. And its advanced weather effects are just the cherry on top. Indeed, Assassin's Creed Shadows' open-world is gorgeous, a masterful blend of cutting-edge tech and smart design.
Like Oblivion, the rest of the experience is very approachable, especially compared to Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. KCD2, which is also characterized by its tranquil, relaxed natural beauty, is an intentionally difficult experience, designed to give the player a sense of accomplishment in even the smallest actions. Assassin's Creed Shadows is basically the opposite of that, a game meant to be as smooth and painless as possible, and I can't fault anyone for wanting that.
Assassin's Creed Shadows
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 82%
- Released
- March 20, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Quebec
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft
WHERE TO PLAY
Experience an epic historical action-adventure story set in feudal Japan! Become a lethal shinobi Assassin and a powerful legendary samurai as you explore a beautiful open world in a time of chaos. Switch seamlessly between two unlikely allies as you discover their common destiny. Master complementary playstyles, create your shinobi league, customize your hideout, and usher in a new era for Japan.
• Explore the captivating open world of feudal Japan, from spectacular castle towns and bustling ports to peaceful shrines and war-ravaged landscapes. Adventure through unpredictable weather, changing seasons, and reactive environments.
• Become Naoe, a shinobi Assassin, and Yasuke, a legendary samurai, as you experience their riveting stories and master their complementary playstyles. As Naoe, use stealth to avoid detection and agility to confound your enemies. As Yasuke, strike your foes with lethal precision and power. Unlock new skills, gear, and progression independently for each character.
• Make information your weapon as you explore the world, and build your own network of spies to be your eyes and ears across locations to hunt down your next target. Along the way, recruit new allies with unique abilities to help accomplish your missions.
• Create a fully customizable hideout for your growing shinobi league as you train your crew, craft new gear, interact with key characters, and choose your base’s layout, decorations, and accessories.
- Franchise
- Assassin's Creed
- Number of Players
- 1
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
- PC Release Date
- March 20, 2025
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- March 20, 2025
- PS5 Release Date
- March 20, 2025
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
Fable 2
If You Want a Blend of Role-Playing and Life Simulation
There's a new Fable coming out this year, and while I have renewed hope for the reboot after its most recent gameplay showcase, it'll have a hard time competing against Fable 2 in my heart. Like Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, this game blends RPG elements with life simulation, though on a level that's both far grander and more basic. You don't need to do things like bathe yourself regularly or hand-make your own weapons, but you can buy property, start a family, sacrifice that family to the Temple of Shadows, and have a real impact on the game world, for better or worse. If you like the idea of this RPG-life-sim combination, but aren't a fan of realism, then Fable has you covered.
- Released
- October 21, 2008
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Language, Sexual Content, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Lionhead Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Microsoft
- Engine
- havok
WHERE TO PLAY
Fable II, the best-selling action role-playing game, in which you take on the role of a Hero in the fully realised land of Albion. Play through an epic story, become the world’s greatest fighter, gunslinger or mage. Explore dozens of open, unique environments with your faithful dog. Make friends, fall in love and start a family. Meet hundreds of characters and face some very tough decisions. In Fable II, everything you do has a consequence
The Witcher 3
If You Want a Well-Written Medieval Fantasy Narrative
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's ridiculously specific mini-games and unique survival-simulation aspects may get the lion's share of attention sometimes, but its mechanics ought not to overshadow its narrative. Becoming Henry of Skalitz is a subtle, magical process, resulting in a uniquely empathic gaming experience. If the player can get through the game's unusual mechanics, that is.
The Witcher 3 offers that same sort of hard-hitting narrative and immersion, but without the potentially frustrating mechanical elements. Like Assassin's Creed Shadows, this is a game that takes pains to be approachable and accessible, standing in direct contrast to KCD2 in this way, but it's not quite as frictionless as a typical Ubisoft game. There are still strong RPG mechanics at the heart of The Witcher 3's gameplay which, combined with its captivating story and side content, makes it a crowd-pleasing, but still powerful, gaming landmark.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 93 /100 Critics Rec: 95%
- Released
- May 19, 2015
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Publisher(s)
- CD Projekt Red
WHERE TO PLAY
You are Geralt of Rivia, mercenary monster slayer. Before you stands a war-torn, monster-infested continent you can explore at will. Your current contract? Tracking down Ciri — the Child of Prophecy, a living weapon that can alter the shape of the world.
PLAY AS A HIGHLY TRAINED MONSTER SLAYER FOR HIRE
Trained from early childhood and mutated to gain superhuman skills, strength, and reflexes, witchers are a counterbalance to the monster-infested world in which they live.
Gruesomely destroy foes as a professional monster hunter armed with a range of upgradeable weapons, mutating potions, and combat magic. Hunt down a wide variety of exotic monsters, from savage beasts prowling mountain passes to cunning supernatural predators lurking in the shadowy back alleys of densely populated cities. Invest your rewards to upgrade your weaponry and buy custom armor, or spend them on horse races, card games, fist fighting, and other pleasures life brings.
EXPLORE A MORALLY AMBIGUOUS FANTASY OPEN WORLD
Built for endless adventure, the massive open world of The Witcher sets new standards in terms of size, depth, and complexity. Traverse a fantastical open world: explore forgotten ruins, caves, and shipwrecks, trade with merchants and dwarven smiths in cities, and hunt across the open plains, mountains, and seas. Deal with treasonous generals, devious witches, and corrupt royalty to provide dark and dangerous services. Make choices that go beyond good & evil, and face their far-reaching consequences.
- Cross-Platform Play
- yes
- Cross Save
- yes
- Expansions
- The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone, The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine
- Franchise
- The Witcher
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- verified
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
- How Long To Beat
- 52 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- yes
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
Minecraft
If You Want Easier Survival Mechanics
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is by no means a hardcore survival sim, but you do have to eat, sleep, and clean yourself, in addition to master combat, crafting, persuasion, and other miscellaneous mechanics, to succeed. For those that want something a little more laid back, but still centered on those slower survival aspects, a game like Minecraft might be the way to go.
This recommendation is for Minecraft's Survival Mode, not Creative Mode.
It might seem rather basic, but Minecraft's survival and crafting systems run surprisingly deep. At the same time, you can do just fine by just mastering a few fundamentals. And with simplistic combat, no real story, and traditional crafting mechanics, Minecraft provides a considerably more streamlined and focused survival-crafting experience, without the more challenging or obtuse aspects present in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 89 /100 Critics Rec: 95%
- Released
- February 4, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity
- Developer(s)
- Warhorse Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Deep Silver
WHERE TO PLAY
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is an exhilarating Action RPG, set amidst the chaos of a civil war in 15th Century Bohemia.
You are Henry of Skalitz – an ordinary man doing extraordinary things – caught in a gripping tale of revenge, betrayal, and discovery as he embarks on an epic journey, 'from a humble blacksmith's forge to the court of Kings', searching for purpose in this beautiful but brutal medieval world.
From bustling city streets to lush forests, explore this open-world Medieval Europe through an unforgettable adventure filled with action, thrills, and wonder.
- Prequel(s)
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance
- Number of Players
- Single-player
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Playable
- PC Release Date
- February 4, 2025
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- February 4, 2025
- PS5 Release Date
- February 4, 2025
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Action-Adventure, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
- How Long To Beat
- 53 hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
- 123.66 GB
- Wiki