In the early hours ofKingdom Come: Deliverance 2, you’ll be introduced to various minigames that Henry will need to complete in order to do different tasks. These are all part of the immersive experience that the game provides, but it’s clear that some are more fun and satisfying than others.
While some of these minigames are an engaging simulation of what the actual activity would be like to complete, others are unnecessarily finicky or obtuse, being more of a hassle to complete. Unlike other games, the minigames in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 aren’t one-offs, and will show up repeatedly throughout the story, so which is the best?
8Lockpicking
Precision Is Key
Throughout the length of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, you’ll frequently find Henry surrounded by the temptation of locked doors and chests. These often hide secrets and rewards that would otherwise be tricky to get your hands on, but the only way to get to them is by lockpicking.
Part of what makes lockpicking annoying is how each attempt will use up one of your finite supply of lockpicks, but the rest of the frustration is sourced in the minigame itself. Whether you’re using a joystick or a mouse, matching the moving sweet spot, especially on higher difficulties, feels like psychological torture. Sometimes the loot just isn’t worth it.
7Horse Racing
Equestrian Activities
In open-world games where you’re given theopportunity to ride a horseas a method of getting around, it’s almost a given that there will be at least one chance to race your horse. There are a couple of opportunities to do this in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and while this activity has potential, the feeling of being at a disadvantage stops it from being as much fun as we hoped.
Since you’ll usually only get one chance to win a race (unless you’re willing to sacrifice a bottle of Saviour Schnapps) the pressure is on, and since the best route is usually a mystery until it’s too late, you’ve often lost before you know it. With some great rewards hidden behind horse races, it’s a shame that the races themselves don’t feel fairer.
6Sharpening
Pedal To The Metal
One of the more tedious, but still occasionally satisfying activities in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is sharpening. In most sizable settlements you’ll have access to a sharpening wheel, so if you’ve got a weapon that is feeling a little blunt, you can use the wheel to get your arms in shipshape.
Constantly mashing a button to keep the pedal of the wheel moving doesn’t feel amazing, but moving the length of the blade against the wheel to get the most sparks is much more enjoyable. Even if it’s simple, sharpening is sometimes a fun break from the action.
5Marksman Competitions
Target Training
With how often you’ll find yourself in close range of enemies, you might be frustrated at the lack of opportunities to use ranged weapons outside of hunting. However, if you want a test of your marksmanship, then you’ll occasionally get the chance to compete in shooting competitions.
Whether you’re using a bow, crossbow, or even a pistol, Henry will have to beat his opponent in getting the most points by hitting a target from a distance. It’s nothing mind-blowing, but it’s a nice distraction that sometimes has some great rewards for winning.
4Pickpocketing
Sticky Fingers
If you don’t have the option of lockpicking, or you simply don’t want to, then sometimes the next best choice is instead to pickpocket keys from the right person. Alternatively you might just be looking for some extra Groschen, or potentially want to get some revenge on your least-favourite NPC by stealing their snack.
This is definitely one of the more simple minigames, but the necessity for speed, timing, and accuracy, all paired with the risk, makes it one of the more engaging options available. It’s also one of the quicker ways to level up your stealth and thievery skills if you’re looking to improve Henry in those areas.
3Blacksmithing
Back To The Forge
Some of the most rewarding activities in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 are the ones where you end up with a brand-new reward each time, and one of the best examples of this is Blacksmithing. With Henry being the son of a blacksmith himself, it’s no wonder that he can whip up weapons without too much effort, and oftentimes the weapons he creates are better than the ones you’re able to buy.
The only real drawback to Blacksmithing is that the minigame occasionally feels like it drags on too long. On top of this, there are also one too many sidequests that require making multiple horseshoes, but it’s still a fun time.
2Alchemy
Gotta Do The Cookin' By The Book
If you were a fan of making potions with whatever ingredients you could find when you were younger (or maybe even now), then alchemy will be one of your favourite minigames in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.
Alchemy is too often relegated to a quick menuin other RPGs, so it’s great to see Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 taking such an analogue approach, with a recipe book, and each separate element needing to be combined with precise timing. If you need to make a large batch of something, the activity can get a little repetitive, but even then there are perks you may unlock to make this less of an issue.
1Dice
Feeling Lucky?
With how much depth the dice minigame in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has compared to all the others, it’s really no wonder that it stands out so much. Compared to other in-universe minigames within open-world games, the rules of dice are pretty easy to pick up, making it a fun option whenever you want a break.
However, there are plenty of ways to add more layers and stakes. Whether you want to raise a high bet, use a cheat dice, oreven add a badge buff, there is no shortage of ways to strategize in a game that is so focused on luck.
