Hardcore Mode is the most realistic way to play Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and two of the many useful tools taken away from the player are the compass and Henry's position on the map. Technically, the compass is still present at the top, with lines for the four cardinal directions, but these are not labeled.
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Players can also still open up the map, but unless they ask an NPC for directions, they won't know Henry's location. All of this means that players will need to learn to navigate in Hardcore Mode for KCD2, and this can include using the sun, the stars, and local landmarks.
The thick lines on the compass represent the four cardinal directions, whereas the thin lines are the ones between, such as SW.
How To Navigate Using The Sun In KCD2
In real life, there are a few ways to find the cardinal directions by using the sun, but as Henry cannot place sticks, he will have to rely on the time of day to help.
As the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, players can use shadows to find their bearings. In the morning, shadows will point west, at midday north, and later on east. This is roughly the same for most places in the Northern Hemisphere.
|
Time |
Shadows Point |
|---|---|
|
06:00 |
Between SW & W |
|
08:00 |
Just past W toward NW |
|
10:00 |
NW |
|
12:00 |
Between NW & N |
|
13:00 |
N |
|
16:00 |
E |
|
18:00 |
Between E & SE |
|
20:00 |
Almost SE |
Open the advance time feature to check the time, and then look where Henry's shadow is pointing and use the table above. Once players know one direction, they can work out others.
Make use of the thick lines on the Hardcore Mode compass, as these represent the four cardinal directions.
- Turn right/clockwise to cycle through the directions in the following order: N-E-S-W
How To Navigate Using The Stars In KCD2
When Henry is out at night without the sun for help, he will have to use the night sky and constellations for directions. Even if players know nothing about astronomy to begin with, learning to use the stars in KCD2 to find north is fairly easy and incredibly satisfying.
Finding The Big Dipper In KCD2
To eventually find the North Star, players will first want to look for The Big Dipper, also known as The Plough. The three stars that make up the handle are extremely bright, and then they should be able to see four adjoining stars, roughly outlining a rectangle. The top right of these four stars is also bright, with a slight orange glow.
At this point, players will know they are generally looking north, which may be enough to go off.
Finding The Little Dipper & The North Star In KCD2
From the top right star of The Big Dipper, follow an imaginary line up and to the right. Hopefully, you will see another bright star with an orange glow. This is The North Star, also known as Polaris.
The two stars at the front of The Big Dipper are known as 'The Pointers' as they point toward Polaris.
To confirm this, look left and try to make out the handle of The Little Dipper or Ursa Minor. There should be two more stars in the handle, and then another rectangle made up of four stars.
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Other Ways To Navigate In Hardcore Mode For KCD2
When the sky is overcast, meaning the sun and stars can't be of help, there are thankfully other ways to navigate the map in Hardcore Mode.
Ask NPCs For Directions To Mark Henry's Map Location
One new feature for the sequel's version of Hardcore Mode is the ability to ask strangers for directions. Doing so will mark Henry's location on the map, enabling players to know where they are.
Looking at things next to them on the map, they can then figure out the cardinal directions or head down the correct path.
The Bashful negative Perk for Hardcore Mode disables the ability to ask for directions.
Use Landmarks Such As Trosky Castle Or Kuttenberg
Of course, the more players walk the lands of medieval Bohemia, the more familiar they will become with their surroundings. In the meantime, however, try memorizing a few key landmarks and how they look from various directions.
Trosky Castle is a perfect example of this as it towers over the first map. If you know what it looks like from the north, south, east, and west, you should be able to find your bearings.
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Moss Only Grows On The North Side
In the Northern Hemisphere, moss and lichen typically grow on the north side of rocks and trees where there is less direct sunlight throughout the day. If players are lost in the dark-shaded woods around Trosky, for example, they can look for rocks and large tree trunks, and find north.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 89 /100 Critics Rec: 95%
- Released
- February 4, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity
- Developer(s)
- Warhorse Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Deep Silver
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- CryEngine
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Action-Adventure, Open-World
