Articles by Aidan O'brien

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's Mysteria Ecclesiae is a fitting end to a superb game

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is one of those odd games because it feels like it has been out forever. In reality—and somewhat shockingly—Warhorse Studios’ Bohemia-based role-playing game was released in February of this year. Our own Sam Chandler gave the game a glowing review, and it has been followed up by two excellent DLCs of differing scale and scope. Brushes with Death was focused on a heartfelt story quest, and Legacy of the Forge introduced a new home and business for Henry, allowing him to follow in his father’s footsteps as a blacksmith. It has been an excellent run, with Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 belonging next to every other big hitter this year in Game of the Year conversation. But does the latest DLC, Mysteria Ecclesiae, keep the quality flowing? This is the final DLC that we will be getting for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, so hopes are high that it will be the cherry on top of a rather wonderful cake. In Mysteria Ecclesiae, Henry finds himself getting wrapped up in a mystery that is about as dangerous as anything he has faced to date. Asked to accompany King Wenceslaus' physician, Albich, to a monastery and aid him any way he can, they discover that the monastery has been hit by a mysterious illness, and everyone is instantly worried that they might be dealing with plague. While Albich and others get down to the tough task of dealing with those who have been stricken by this mysterious malaise, Henry must explore the monastery, delve into the lives of the various people who call it home, and discover all the secrets and sins that nobody wants him to know. The DLC takes place on a new map, dedicated to Sedletz monastery, and when you start the adventure, you will be there until the end. There is no diving in and out of the main map until you have wrapped up this adventure. Things are also a little different in the monastery. When you arrive, your armor and weapons are taken from you, primarily because King Sigismund of Luxembourg is currently residing in the monastery, and almost every resource you will have become reliant on will be hard to come by. The monastery itself is wonderfully designed, and as you would expect from the series, it feels genuine and authentic. Dominated by a massive chapel, there is room for monks to sleep, eat, and pray, and grounds for growing food. Vast cellars run underneath the monastery, and there are all manner of little nooks and crannies for you to explore. Most importantly, the monastery brings a new cast of characters, and you will be talking to a lot of them. As you do your best to help people get to the truth of the matter, you will make all manner of new friends and enemies, and you'll need to figure out who you can trust. As you have likely grown to expect from Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, conversations tend to be deep, heartfelt, and sometimes quite funny. Henry is once again the star of the show, and you have ample opportunity to build upon his character, explore various conversation routes, and, more importantly, continue to play the man as a deeply caring and thoughtful human being. There are quests and side quests that touch on the average lives of normal people in the monastery, and you will often be able to express care or concern for them that is lacking within the social structure that they find themselves in. Getting people to put their trust in you is fantastic, but playing through the story missions in a way that makes you worthy of that trust is even better. There are also plenty of new items to find, such as a new sword, new armor pieces, and a special mask. You can brew new alchemical potions, and also discover new skill books hidden around the monastery, so there is plenty to see and do that you can take with you into the main game. Mysteria Ecclesiae is a fitting final installment in Henry's adventure, featuring choices that matter, plenty of fun, and lots of mystery, and can also be played at any time during your run through Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. It once again proves that Henry is one of the best protagonists that we have in gaming right now, a man who just so happens to be lucky enough to overcome his birthright as a peasant and see a little more of the world than most people would, but who never stops hoping for the best for people. The only problem with Mysteria Ecclesiae is that it’s the end of the line for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and now all we can do is sit around, hoping for a third installment with the same level of fun, intrigue, and heart that Warhorse Studios has managed to cram into this one. This impressions piece is based on a version of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Mysteria Ecclesiae that the publisher provided.

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Articles by Aidan O'brien

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Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's Mysteria Ecclesiae is a fitting end to a superb game