Hardcore Mode is one of the best ways to experience Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, offering players an even more challenging journey through new mechanics and by removing certain features, like map and some HUD Information, that are available on the normal difficulty. This change significantly increases the challenge for Henry, as many of the tools that help ease progression in standard play are no longer available.
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For players interested in trying Hardcore Mode, it’s important to understand the key changes this difficulty brings. Below is the essential information you need to advance through the game while exploring the map and surviving this punishing version of the RPG.
Updated April 17, 2025, by Eduardo Ariedo: Hardcore Mode has finally been officially added to Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, so the previous information on how to access this difficulty unofficially in Patch 1.2 has been removed. Additionally, new details have been included about the key changes when players choose to play on this mode instead of the standard difficulty, such as the lack of map information and the inclusion of negative perks.
What Are The Differences Between Hardcore Mode And Normal Difficulty In Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2?
Even though the normal difficulty can already be challenging for many, Hardcore Mode takes it a step further by keeping even the most familiar aspects, like combat, difficult for a longer duration. Although players can adjust to these tougher mechanics over time, the mistakes you make in Hardcore Mode tend to be far more punishing.
Players Must Choose Three Negative Perks Right At The Start
One of the trademarks of Hardcore Mode in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, just like in the first game, is the requirement for players to select negative perks as soon as they start a new save on this difficulty. In this entry, players must choose at least three debuffs before beginning the journey, with penalties that will follow Henry throughout the entire story.
These negative perks vary in effect, ranging from simpler ones like Menace, which makes Henry’s crimes permanent but doesn’t hinder those aiming for a clean, lawful playthrough, to Punchable Face, which increases the damage players take in combat. Choosing these perks is essential to adjust the challenge level and define how punishing the Hardcore Mode in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 will be.
|
Perk |
Summary |
|---|---|
|
Bad Back |
Halves carrying capacity and may cause hobbling when picking herbs or mushrooms. |
|
Bashful |
Prevents asking for directions, slows Speech XP gain by 20%, and restricts access to full bathhouse services. |
|
Hangry Henry |
Hunger lowers social stats, food restores 50% less, and digestion speeds up by 25%. |
|
Heavy-Footed |
Starts with 25 noise and causes shoes to wear out twice as fast. |
|
Menace |
Crimes leave permanent marks, repeated offenses lead to execution, and guards become harsher. |
|
Numbskull |
Experience is gained 40% slower. |
|
Picky Eater |
Food spoils 25% faster, and animals yield only 25% of the usual resources. |
|
Punchable Face |
Enemies are tougher and deliver 10% more damage, scaling with their skill. |
|
Somnabulant |
Rest depletes 40% faster and sleepwalking may inadvertently move Henry. |
|
Sweaty |
Clothes get dirty faster, and Henry’s stench makes stealth much harder. |
There Is No Fast Travel In Hardcore Mode
Even on normal difficulty, fast travel in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is limited, with only a few scattered points on the map allowing quick navigation between locations. In Hardcore Mode, however, this feature is completely removed, forcing you to traverse the vast map on foot.
For this reason, one of your top priorities should be finding a horse, which offers increased speed and makes long journeys much easier. Additionally, you can sometimes catch a ride on wagons that frequently appear in villages, though you won’t be able to control their routes precisely.
Locating Yourself On The Map Is A Difficult Task
Although you still have access to the map, Hardcore Mode adds limitations that make navigation trickier. The map does not display Henry’s exact location, so it’s easy to become disoriented, especially if you’re not familiar with the regions of Troskowitz and Kuttenberg. Extra caution is necessary when exploring enclosed or less detailed areas like forests.
Fortunately, the developers have provided several ways to help you get your bearings:
- Ask NPCs for Directions: NPCs can mark Henry’s current location on the map.
- Use Landmarks: Orient yourself by comparing the local environment to the landmarks shown on the map.
- Discover New Points of Interest: Each time you find a new point of interest, it gets marked on the map, offering you a rough idea of your location.
If Henry has the Bashful perk, the ask for directions feature won’t be available.
Players Have Less Information During Combat
Combat in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 also undergoes some subtle changes in Hardcore Mode. One of them is related to enemies, who become slightly more aggressive when attacking Henry, leaving less time for players to defend or even plan a counterattack. The other change is the removal of directional indicators during attacks, making it harder to tell where a strike is coming from.
Because of this, combat in Hardcore Mode becomes more situational and should not be approached impulsively. It takes time to get used to the lack of information present in this new difficulty setting, as players must pay closer attention to how Henry positions his weapons and carefully analyze enemy movements before striking.
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The HUD Provides Less Information
Hardcore Mode in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is highly minimalist when it comes to delivering information while players explore the map. In addition to removing Henry’s position marker and combat direction indicators, this difficulty also takes away access to vital HUD elements, such as Henry’s health and stamina during combat.
As a result, players must rely more on the visual cues provided by Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and be extra cautious when managing these two key resources. Without these details, it's easy to enter a fight against bandits thinking Henry is in good condition, only to realize mid-battle that he wasn’t ready to fight at all.
Compass Is Less Useful
Even though the compass remains at the top of the screen, it provides far less information to players in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s Hardcore Mode. For instance, one of the key differences is the lack of cardinal directions, which makes it harder to determine where Henry is heading while traveling across the map.
Additionally, although points of interest are still marked on both the map and compass, they only become visible when the player is relatively close to them. So, while the compass loses many of its normal difficulty functions, it can still be used situationally, especially in villages, where shops and other marked locations often help with navigation.
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
- Number of Players
- Single-player
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Playable
- PC Release Date
- February 4, 2025
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- February 4, 2025
- PS5 Release Date
- February 4, 2025
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Action-Adventure, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
