The underrated RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance has built a reputation of being a one-of-a-kind game. Players control Henry, a blacksmith's son, whose life is turned upside-down by the start of a war in 15th century Bohemia. What makes Kingdom Come: Deliverance stand out among many other sword-wielding RPGs is its immersive historical accuracy, detailed narrative, and developed protagonist.
Henry begins the game as a small-town boy who has barely swung a sword and ends the game as somewhat of a hero for Bohemia. Warhorse Studios, who developed the game, doesn't shy away from all the details of Henry's journey, truly putting the player in the shoes of someone learning every small step of becoming a great adventurer. It's no wonder why fans have fallen in love with Kingdom Come Deliverance's protagonist.
Potential spoilers for the main quest of Kingdom Come: Deliverance.
7 Character Model (& Original Design)
Despite being played in the first-person, players will be seeing a lot of Henry in both cutscenes and dialogue segments. Fans may be surprised (or not) to learn that Henry is designed after his voice actor Tom McKay, who has also appeared in several movies and TV shows.
Henry's official look is slightly different than the original design for the character, though it was changed when McKay joined the game. Players can actually customize Henry's appearance slightly by changing his hairstyle and adding a beard.
6 He Can't Read - But Can Learn
Most games assume players have the ability to read, but Kingdom Come: Deliverance prides itself on its historical accuracy. Most commoners in the 1400s weren't able to read, so neither is Henry. Players may notice that signs and books throughout the game appear to be gibberish. It's not a foreign language, but the developers portraying Henry's illiteracy. Henry can learn to read, however.
Ask around, and players will be sent to the Scribe of Uzhitz. Henry will have to pay 50 groschen, and then his reading lesson will begin. The priest gives Henry various books and scrolls, and after a few days, Henry will be just as able to read as the player. This side quest, called "Mightier than the Sword", unlocks after completing "Awakening", and is necessary to start "Last Will and Testament".
5 His Voice Actor Hasn't Played It
Despite being the voice and look behind Henry, it might surprise players that voice actor Tom McKay hasn't actually played the game he stars in. In an interview, he admits that he isn't much of a gamer and doesn't own a console or PC that can run the game.
He says that he did watch the opening sequence, which he describes as amazing. According to him, his nephews have played the game and loved it.
4 He Can Become a Monk
Perhaps outside of tabletop RPGs, becoming a monk is usually the last thing on a player's mind when they start playing the game. Yet that's exactly what Kingdom Come: Deliverance's main quest will have players do. During the quest "Poverty, Chasity and Obedience", Henry is tasked with finding Pious, the last member of the Neuhof gang. However, it seems that Pious has infiltrated the Sasau Monastery and pretending to be a monk.
In order to track down Pious, Henry will have to infiltrate the Monastery himself, becoming "Brother Gregor" as he attempts to distinguish which monk is Pious. Apart from being a part of the main quest, becoming a monk also gives players access to several other side quests that they would otherwise miss, such as "In the Cloister" and "The Trials of a Novice".
3 He's the Son of Nobility
It's assumed throughout most of the game's main quest that the Skalitz blacksmith Martin is the father of Henry. After all, it's the death of him and Henry's mother that ignites Henry's quest for revenge. If players skip out on the main storyline, they may miss a key detail of Henry's history.
During the quest "The Die is Cast", Henry is kidnapped by Sir Istvan Toth, who reveals that Henry's true father is Sir Radzig Kobyla, who has been training and helping Henry throughout the whole game. Kobyla eventually confirms this, revealing that Henry is his illegitimate son.
2 He Can Pass Judgement as Bailiff
After the main quest "Baptism of Fire", players who have downloaded the From the Ashes DLC will have the option to become Bailiff. One of the added side quests, "A Place to Call Home", will have Henry promoted to Bailiff of Pribyslavitz, in hopes of helping to rebuild the village. One of the most interesting perks of becoming a Bailiff is the addition of the judgment activity.
For this activity, Henry will be tasked with solving various disputes for the people of Pribyslavitz, from affairs to accused witches. Each act of judgment is rewarded with a different amount of groschen, as well as an improved (or worsened) reputation among the citizens of Pribyslavitz. Each decision can also result in citizens arriving or leaving the village, so players should make their judgments wisely.
1 He Can Die in Jail if Players Aren't Careful
The opening few hours of Kingdom Come: Deliverance can be quite tedious. Henry at this point is simply the son of a blacksmith, and most of the game's opening is introducing the player simply to the mechanics and world of the game. One of the tasks for Henry will be retrieving a borrowed axe from the villager Kunesh, who is a bit reluctant to give up the tool. There are many options for players to get the axe, and one of them will be to break in and steal it.
However, it should be no surprise that if Henry is caught, he will be sent to jail. Of course, Kingdom Come: Deliverance prides itself on its realism and the attack on Skalitz is coming, whether Henry is ready for it or not. At this point, the attack will continue, and Henry will burn to death in jail instead of continuing the main story. For players jumping into Kingdom Come: Deliverance, they might want to remember that the consequences for failing stealth early on can be direr than in the average RPG.