Kingdom Come: Deliverance Review - 5 Ups & 5 Downs

8. Up: XP/Skill System Is PERFECT

There's something to be said about an XP/skill system that only exists to make the act of playing a game less bad. Things like incremental "+10% damage" or "Higher chance of rare loot" can truly do one, as although Kingdom Come: Deliverance does trade in percentage reductions on high meter burn skills, it also unlocks specific sword combos per XP level, or lets you learn how to carve off different parts of animals for recipes and rewards.

Again, because its opening is so laden with arbitrary fetch quests and off-putting, "Is this really what they're going for?" assumptions, even the barest increase in strength means you're battering down soldiers much faster than before. Blocking a string of attacks is tied to decreasing stamina drain, and as you continue to sprint, fight or do anything, your agility starts creeping up too, making general attack animations faster.

These quality-of-life improvements are the most immediately noticeable - you literally feel Henry getting better as you go - but thankfully, overtop are a number of specific perks that allow for further customisation.