If Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 isn’t Souls-like enough for you, the new Hardcore Mode update will correct that. The update is now live, and the new mode ramps the difficulty up to roughly that of trying to survive the Bubonic Plague era on an immunosuppressant. It’s been part of the roadmap for a long time, but players are just getting to experience what the mode actually means.
It’s intended to make gameplay more immersive by shutting off conveniences like fast travel, your own location on the map, or even directions to your next quest. In other words, if you want to know where to go and what to do next, you’d better pay attention to what you’re told. The patch notes read, “Hardcore Mode is here — and it’s not for the faint of heart.”
You’ll be able to ask NPCs where you are. You can ask for directions from travelers on the road. Of course, it all depends on your reputation and the disposition of those you encounter; just because you meet someone on the road doesn’t mean they’ll be inclined to help you.
When you start up Hardcore Mode, you choose at least three permanent negative perks. There’s no going back once you embark on this journey. For example, you could choose Heavy-Footed, which makes you much louder when moving around and wears out your shoes that much faster. Numbskull makes you gain experience more slowly.
If you played the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance, you might remember its Hardcore mode. This new addition is an evolution of that. “We were really happy with how Hardcore Mode turned out in the first game, but we didn’t want to make it exactly the same,” explains Karel Kolmann, senior game designer at Warhorse Studios.
If you feel like you’ve mastered Bohemia, Hardcore Mode will breathe new life into the game and make it feel fresh again. It’s also a great way to challenge yourself, or to allow yourself to sink deep into the medieval lifestyle without the actual risk of disease or, you know, odor.